The founders of the Wu-Tang Clan were RZA, GZA, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, who had previously formed the group Force of the Imperial Master (later known as All In Together Now after the release of a popular single by that name). The group attracted the attention of some notable figures in the industry, including Biz Markie, but did not manage to secure a record deal. After the crew dissolved, GZA and RZA (then known as Prince Rakeem) embarked on their solo careers with Cold Chillin' Records and Tommy Boy Records respectively, but to little success. Their frustration with the workings of the hip hop music industry would provide the main inspiration to Wu-Tang Clan's revolutionary business plan. According to The Wu-Tang Manual, at the group's inception, RZA promised the members that if he had total control of the Wu-Tang empire, it would conquer the hip hop world within a dynastic cycle, after which he would relinquish his total control.
Wu-Tang Clan was gradually assembled in late 1992 from friends and accomplices from around Staten Island, New York, with RZA as the de-facto leader and the group's main producer. Two of the cousins, GZA (pronounced Jizza) and RZA (pronounced Rizza), created their new Wu-Tang aliases by mimicking the sound that the words "genius" and "razor" would make when scratched on a turntable.
"Wu-Tang" comes from the name of the Taoist holy mountain Wu Dang in northwest Hubei Province in central China; it was also the site of the Ming Dynasty Purple Imperial City built during the reign of the Yongle Emperor in the early 15th century. RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard adopted the name for the group after seeing the kung fu film Shaolin and Wu Tang, which features a school of warriors trained in Wu-Tang style. The group's debut album loosely adopted a Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang theme, dividing the album into Shaolin and Wu-Tang sections and using dialogue excerpts as skits.
The group have also developed various backronyms for the name (as hip hop pioneers like KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane did with their names), including "We Usually Take All the Niggas' Garments," "Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game" and "Wisdom, Universe, Truth, Allah, Nation, and God".
Method Man has also mentioned that the "Wu" is the sound a sword makes when cutting through the air, and "Tang" is the sound it makes against a shield.
The Clan first became known to hip hop fans, and to major record labels, in 1993 (see 1993 in music) following the release of the independent single "Protect Ya Neck", which immediately gave the group a sizeable underground following. Though there was some difficulty in finding a record label that would sign Wu-Tang Clan while still allowing each member to record solo albums with other labels, Loud/RCA finally agreed, releasing their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in late 1993. This album was popular and critically-acclaimed, though it took some time to gain momentum. Though hip hop had long had a gritty texture, the surreal aggression and minimalist production of 36 Chambers nevertheless had a huge impact on the genre, and was to prove massively influential over the next decade. By the beginning of the 21st century, the album had become a regular fixture on "Best Albums of the 90s" lists as well as a frequent choice for "Best Albums of All Time" lists. The success of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) established the group as a creative and influential force in early 1990s hip hop, allowing GZA, RZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa to negotiate solo contracts.
www.wutang-corp.com
Radiant Jewels
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Criminal kingpins, gangstas and cheap friends
Actors, vixens, niggas put your kicks in
Blood money when we hawking, awkward gun that go around curves
Bullets braze niggas with coffin, yo
Watch how to rhyme with hammers, I got two mens
That don't speak English, shooting game's bananas
Trillians on, yo, cuffing my jeans
Broad day, yo, body another, my microphone is like
Blow 'caine, one, pull the trees, you love us, yo
So killers be cool, pimps, read rules
When a grown man is rapping, it's Ill Street Blues
Striving, nigga, with one side
Don't go against totally rent shit, nigga, baby gonna die
Yeah, bank robbers armored up, gear like the boys in Heat
DeNiro told one soul to keep quiet
Aiyo, word to mother
Y'all niggas better bring ya selfs son, word
When Pun was packing a mack in back of the Acura
I was dealing in them buildings, it wasn't no cameras
The witness savages, snitching was hazardous, now it isin't
Shit is embarrassing, fuck a flow, this is a lyrical aquaduct
Sink or swim for what I'm hearing you bagging up
Lyte like the MC, I'm 'paper thin', you tripping
I'm taking trips, your eyes don't lie, take a glimpse
Into my life, you see me blazing clips, with the green to make it rich
With a team that'll scrape the Knicks, and a v that's crazy quick
I came to wear my Yankee fitted, represent for greatness
It's lyrical elevation, causing mental stimulation
If I'm getting too deep, I give you a minute to take in
My jewels radiant, like a view of the Caymans
And thinking you seeing me, who you playing with?
Cor, Mega, raw forever
Fell back, pause, fell off? Never
P! Shaolin, what up?
Aiyo, listen giraffe neck niggas, I blast techs
Alejandro, came through with the Mexican Aztecs
Rap smack niggas on a whole different aspect
Homey, owe me dough, that's how we fucked up his last check
Three train Saratoga, train stop, nigga been
Metro part with the plan, make major figures
Foul flagrant, two shots, give me the ball back
You got shot, get off my ball sack
You not hot, give me a call back, niggas is all wack
Super doopa stupid, get drugs and I fall back
P, ain't a problem that the God can't handle
I set it off First Blood, Sean John Rambo
Whoooo, as you can see, I'm focused
Boot Camp for life, fuck the G.I. Joe shit
Boot Camp is an Army, better yet a Navy
Marine Air Force Ones, nigga, the shit's crazy, don't play me
The Wu-Tang Clan's song Radiant Jewels, featuring Raekwon Cormega and Sean Price, is a track discussing the darker side of life, including criminal activity, gang violence, and the dangers of the rap industry. The song emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself (as Megs raps: βFell back, pause, fell off? Neverβ), dealing with situations as they come, and being aware of the consequences of one's actions (as Raekwon raps about the hazards of snitching).
The lyrics of the song describe the various individuals one may encounter in life, including criminal kingpins, gangsters, actors, and vixens. However, the song warns against trusting these individuals too quickly, as they may turn on you in a moment's notice. Instead, the song highlights the importance of having a solid team (as Cormega raps about his crew scraping Knicks and driving a V that's crazy quick).
Overall, Radiant Jewels is a track that provides a glimpse into the harsh realities of life while emphasizing the importance of being true to oneself and having a good support system. The rap verse rhymes, diction, and flow are seamlessly crafted to convey a message that remains timeless to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Chef... let's do it...
Let's get started...
Criminal kingpins, gangstas and cheap friends
We're surrounded by dangerous people and fake friends
Actors, vixens, niggas put your kicks in
Celebrities and women, take off your expensive shoes
Blood money when we hawking, awkward gun that go around curves
We earn a lot of money from illegal activities and use guns that have a curved trajectory
Bullets braze niggas with coffin, yo
Our bullets touch our targets and lead them to their coffins
Watch how to rhyme with hammers, I got two mens
Listen to me rap with aggression and force, as I have two men with guns beside me
That don't speak English, shooting game's bananas
My associates who don't speak English are skilled with guns
Down in Spain, my bangles, clusty, checking my swings
In Spain, my bracelets are sparkling, and I'm checking my powerful swings
Trillians on, yo, cuffing my jeans
I'm dripping in expensive jewelry and cuffing my jeans to show them off
Broad day, yo, body another, my microphone is like
I'm not afraid to commit murder in broad daylight, and my microphone is powerful like a gun
Blow 'caine, one, pull the trees, you love us, yo
We're smoking cocaine and marijuana, and you love us for our criminality
So killers be cool, pimps, read rules
We're warning murderers to stay calm, and pimps to follow our rules
When a grown man is rapping, it's Ill Street Blues
When a mature man raps, he's talking about real problems on Ill Street
Striving, nigga, with one side
I'm hustling hard, with only one way to go
Don't go against totally rent shit, nigga, baby gonna die
Don't mess with our lucrative business or you'll risk death
Yeah, bank robbers armored up, gear like the boys in Heat
We're well-prepared bank robbers, with equipment similar to those in the movie Heat
DeNiro told one soul to keep quiet
Robert DeNiro instructed someone to keep quiet in the movie, and we follow his example
Aiyo, word to mother
I'm telling the truth
Y'all niggas better bring ya selfs son, word
You better come prepared, for real
When Pun was packing a mack in back of the Acura
When rapper Big Pun had a gun in the back of his Acura car
I was dealing in them buildings, it wasn't no cameras
I was selling drugs in buildings without any surveillance cameras
The witness savages, snitching was hazardous, now it isin't
The witnesses were acting like savages, but now snitching is common
Shit is embarrassing, fuck a flow, this is a lyrical aquaduct
It's shameful how rappers focus on their flow, when it's really about the substance of the lyrics
Sink or swim for what I'm hearing you bagging up
You're risking success or failure with what I'm hearing you're trying to sell
Lyte like the MC, I'm 'paper thin', you tripping
Like the rapper MC Lyte, my rhymes are thin but powerful, and you're wrong if you don't think so
I'm taking trips, your eyes don't lie, take a glimpse
I'm traveling and getting rich, and you can see it with your own eyes
Into my life, you see me blazing clips, with the green to make it rich
You see me shooting my guns and making money
With a team that'll scrape the Knicks, and a v that's crazy quick
I have a team ready to defeat the New York Knicks basketball team, and a car that's very fast
I came to wear my Yankee fitted, represent for greatness
I'm wearing my Yankees baseball cap to represent for greatness
It's lyrical elevation, causing mental stimulation
My lyrics are elevating listeners and stimulating their minds
If I'm getting too deep, I give you a minute to take in
If my lyrics are too complex, take a minute to understand them
My jewels radiant, like a view of the Caymans
My jewelry is shining brightly, like a view of the Cayman Islands
And thinking you seeing me, who you playing with?
Are you really trying to step to me? Who do you think you are?
Cor, Mega, raw forever
Rappers Cormega and Raekwon will always be raw and authentic
Fell back, pause, fell off? Never
I never fell off or lost my edge
P! Shaolin, what up?
Shoutout to the rapper Sean Price from Shaolin (Staten Island)
Aiyo, listen giraffe neck niggas, I blast techs
I'm calling out tall and skinny people, and warning them that I have guns
Alejandro, came through with the Mexican Aztecs
My associate Alejandro came with a group of tough Mexican gang members
Rap smack niggas on a whole different aspect
I rap with a unique style and energy that no one can match
Homey, owe me dough, that's how we fucked up his last check
Someone owed me money, and that's why we took all their earnings from their last paycheck
Three train Saratoga, train stop, nigga been
We hang out at the Saratoga train station, where everyone knows us
Metro part with the plan, make major figures
We have a plan to make a lot of money in the metropolitan area
Foul flagrant, two shots, give me the ball back
I'm playing basketball aggressively, taking two shots and demanding the ball back
You got shot, get off my ball sack
You missed your shot, stop bothering me
You not hot, give me a call back, niggas is all wack
You're not good enough, call me when you're better, because everyone else is also bad
Super doopa stupid, get drugs and I fall back
It's foolish to do drugs, and I don't do them often
P, ain't a problem that the God can't handle
I'm confident that I can handle any problem, as I am a divine being
I set it off First Blood, Sean John Rambo
I cause trouble like in the movie First Blood, and I dress like Sean John and Rambo
Whoooo, as you can see, I'm focused
I'm fully committed, and as you can tell, I'm focused
Boot Camp for life, fuck the G.I. Joe shit
I'm loyal to the Boot Camp rap collective, and I don't care about G.I. Joe toys
Boot Camp is an Army, better yet a Navy
Boot Camp is like a military group, and maybe even more powerful and elite like a Navy
Marine Air Force Ones, nigga, the shit's crazy, don't play me
I have a powerful and rare pair of shoes, so don't underestimate me
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BOB PERRY, BORAHM LEE, COREY WOODS, CORY MCKAY, GINTAS JANUSONIS, JOSH WERNER, SEAN PRICE, WESLEY MINGUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JML897
"Fuck a flow, this is a lyrical aqueduct"...awesome
DillaDawg88
ππ₯π₯π₯ smooth voice of cormega fits perfect to this rhyme
Joshua Adair
Best track on the album. Everyone delivered. Chef opened the door Cormega did his thing and Sean Price demolished it
LEGALHUSTLE00
"when pun was packing the mack in the back the acura i was dealing in the building there wasn't no camera's the witness savages snitching was hazardess" Top 5 Cormega fell off never
matthew pickett
See we need more real music like this.
Michael Weyhrach
This shit goes hard..... Still knockin in 2020
Darkyy84
Gotta love Cormega on this one. Lyrical aquaduct, no doubt. One of my favs tracks of this year. Also, Royce has some ill shit on his Street Hop, check Dinner Time with Busta (sick flow) or Mine in thiz.
Caio #Rexpeito
the beat is awesome
Caio #Rexpeito
awesome beats with awesome rhymes.;
Uncle Roly
"Alejandro" is PF Cuttin, from Blahzay Blahzay. He produced alot of Sean Price's music. Sean would always shout him out this way.