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.
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The Monument
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flipmode Wu-Tang shit, what the fuck now?
Yeah yeah yeah
Historical and monumental shit
What the fuck now? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Straight smack a nigga right in the face like this was handball
Or make a mural out his face up on a damn wall
Y'all niggas better safeguard your shit
Even though we rep brass knuckle rap
Fuck with street geniuses and bowlegged chicks who walk with a gap
Street niggas now the corporate boss
Still go to y'all resteraunt for steamed fish and Irish moss
And y-yo, the way we do it and you see how my shit bomb
Your whole show wack and I'mma cancel your sitcom
Fuck a nigga broad 'til she tired and real calm
You ain't knowin my name tattoed on your bitch arm
The way we blow shit is a shame
Casually bust my gun and celebrate bustin' a cork on the champagne
Wrote you with a whole new approach that lead a whole team of niggas
Y'all should know I only ball like a coach, now
Check out the light fixture, freak lines like white bitches
Let the mic lines, hang that slang is ridiculous
Emperor of warlords, big gun only fuck with sawed-offs
That's my specialty, more to bust
Shot out my bed parrot keep it gangster, Lord
I analyze your work those that got merked were not established
Texture look classy, arm baby 2000 raspberry
S-5, blowin through Asbury
Soon to own steakhouses, glowin' like makeover thousand
Them them niggas, robbin from Pinkhouse's
Show and prove, knockin off cab drivers
God, sodomize money, ring two hundred thousand
See the color of the carved out Wu emblem
Baby, it's all designers, tailor-made Wu gooses
Limousine, automatic new uzi's in 'em yo
Relax, cousin just cruise through, jewels with him
Move up the block, giant box blast my song
Non-stop strictly hip-hop, march on
Doo-rag hang long, metal tape is high-bias
Graphics, captured with the colorful, iris
I zoom in, while the listeners tune in
Some assumin' they paid dues and joined the union
Lost nigga couldn't rumble in this wild jungle
Quick to crumble, type to be on the stand and fumble
Divine Master, threw on the track that made 'em bleed
He produce at unattainable rains of top speed
This powerful magnet, that left 'em stagnant
Was unlikely in cameras in larger fragments
Un-filled rifle, scout sniper, shots precise
Starlight scope, with the night vision device
Splendid marksman, that'll shoot the one off the dice
Split a grain of rice, in one shot we kill 'em twice
The Wu-Tang Clan's song "The Monument" is a boastful and aggressive display of lyrical prowess. The opening lines, "Historical and monumental shit / What the fuck now?" set the tone for the rest of the song, which features multiple Wu-Tang and Flipmode Squad members trading verses about their skills and success. The lyrics are full of violent imagery, with lines like "Straight smack a nigga right in the face like this was handball / Or make a mural out his face up on a damn wall" and "Shot out my bed parrot keep it gangster." The artists also brag about their business acumen and the power they hold in the music industry, such as when they claim that they "still go to y'all resteraunt for steamed fish and Irish moss" and threaten to cancel someone's sitcom.
Overall, "The Monument" is a song that celebrates the Wu-Tang Clan's dominance in the rap scene and asserts their status as streetwise, powerful figures. The aggressive, brash lyrics and confrontational energy of the song reflect the group's "brass knuckle rap" style, which emphasizes raw talent and a willingness to fight for success.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, yeah yeah now, what the fuck now?
Let's get started and see what's going on in here
Flipmode Wu-Tang shit, what the fuck now?
The collaboration between two great hip-hop groups is about to be unleashed
Historical and monumental shit
What's about to go down is so legendary that it will go down in history as phenomenal
Straight smack a nigga right in the face like this was handball
We won't hesitate to beat down anyone that stands in our way
Or make a mural out his face up on a damn wall
We are not afraid to take things to the extreme and memorialize our dominance
Niggas play hard and shit, if you know what's best for you
If you don't know better, you better pretend like you do
Y'all niggas better safeguard your shit
Make sure you protect what's yours
Even though we rep brass knuckle rap
We are known for our aggressive, hardcore brand of music
Fuck with street geniuses and bowlegged chicks who walk with a gap
We are associated with highly intelligent people from the streets as well as attractive women with a unique style
Street niggas now the corporate boss
We have taken our street smarts and leveraged them into business success
Still go to y'all resteraunt for steamed fish and Irish moss
Despite our success, we still enjoy the simple things in life
And y-yo, the way we do it and you see how my shit bomb
We have a unique style that can't be replicated and we know it
Your whole show wack and I'mma cancel your sitcom
We are so dominant that we could singlehandedly end someone's career
Fuck a nigga broad 'til she tired and real calm
We are sexually dominant and can seemingly make anyone submit to us
You ain't knowin my name tattoed on your bitch arm
We are so influential that people permanently tattoo our name on their body
The way we blow shit is a shame
Our style is so powerful and dominant that it's almost shameful to others
Casually bust my gun and celebrate bustin' a cork on the champagne
We celebrate our dominance with class and style
Wrote you with a whole new approach that lead a whole team of niggas
We have a unique style that has inspired a whole generation of musicians
Y'all should know I only ball like a coach, now
We control the game like a coach and make moves that have greater impact than simply playing the game ourselves
Check out the light fixture, freak lines like white bitches
We have a hyper-focused attention to detail that separates us from our peers
Let the mic lines, hang that slang is ridiculous
We are so good at freestyling that our talent is almost unbelievable
Emperor of warlords, big gun only fuck with sawed-offs
We are the top dogs that everyone fears and respects
That's my specialty, more to bust
We specialize in taking people out and we're damn good at it
Shot out my bed parrot keep it gangster, Lord
We have no problem getting violent and are always ready to defend ourselves and our reputation
I analyze your work those that got merked were not established
We carefully choose our targets and only go after people that we know can handle the pressure
Texture look classy, arm baby 2000 raspberry
We always look good and have the latest, high-end gear
S-5, blowin through Asbury
We have a fast and powerful car and enjoy cruising through town
Soon to own steakhouses, glowin' like makeover thousand
We are excellent businesspeople and are expanding our empire into new areas
Them them niggas, robbin from Pinkhouse's
We continue to dominate others and take what we want
Show and prove, knockin off cab drivers
We have no fear and are willing to take risks that others wouldn't even consider
God, sodomize money, ring two hundred thousand
We are extremely wealthy and aren't afraid to flaunt it
See the color of the carved out Wu emblem
We are so famous that everyone associates us with our iconic logo
Baby, it's all designers, tailor-made Wu gooses
We only wear the best clothes from the best designers
Limousine, automatic new uzi's in 'em yo
Our cars are luxurious and powerful, and we're always ready for whatever comes our way
Relax, cousin just cruise through, jewels with him
We are always in control and can handle any situation with ease
Move up the block, giant box blast my song
Our music is so powerful that it can be heard from a block away
Non-stop strictly hip-hop, march on
We are dedicated to hip-hop and won't stop until we've reached the top
Doo-rag hang long, metal tape is high-bias
We are always ready to perform and bring our A-game every time
Graphics, captured with the colorful, iris
We have an eye for detail and our visuals are always stunning
I zoom in, while the listeners tune in
We have an intimate connection with our fans and pay attention to their needs
Some assumin' they paid dues and joined the union
Other rappers think they have paid their dues, but they haven't even scratched the surface of our success
Lost nigga couldn't rumble in this wild jungle
Others might not be able to handle the pressure and chaos of our world
Quick to crumble, type to be on the stand and fumble
Others might not be able to handle the heat and could easily fall apart
Divine Master, threw on the track that made 'em bleed
Our music is so intense and hard-hitting that it can literally make people bleed
He produce at unattainable rains of top speed
We work at a pace that others couldn't even dream of, and produce music that is top-notch
This powerful magnet, that left 'em stagnant
Others are powerless to our magnetism and can't seem to move forward while we progress
Was unlikely in cameras in larger fragments
Our impact is so large and diverse that it's hard to capture everything on camera
Un-filled rifle, scout sniper, shots precise
We are precise and deadly, like a sniper with a rifle
Starlight scope, with the night vision device
We can see things clearly, even in the dark
Splendid marksman, that'll shoot the one off the dice
We can hit any target with ease, even something as small as a dice
Split a grain of rice, in one shot we kill 'em twice
We are incredibly accurate and can take someone out in a single shot
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: COREY WOODS, GARY E. GRICE, ROBERT F. DIGGS, T. SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind