Whatever Happened
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics

Yeah, some firm shit, you know I mean?
Introducing the song and expressing how the Wu-Tang Clan is here with some hard-hitting rap music.

For all the niggas, in New York all across the motherfuckin' world (world),
The song is meant for all the people living in New York and worldwide.

Ain't nuttin' changed yet (ain't nuttin' changed yet)
Everything is still the same as before - real and raw.

Shit's still real (shit's still real), yo yo
The black realities of life still persist and are present in this song.

Yo major large niggas get they grind on cash, while the crab thinkin'
While successful people are hustling to make money, negative and jealous people keep thinking about irrelevant matters.

Niggas keep they mind on ass
Many guys focus only on women's bodies and forget about important things in life.

I guess most motherfuckers ain't designed to last
The majority of people don't have the strength and staying power to last through life's hardships.

Whatever happened to the realness from back in the past?
The songwriter misses the days when life was more genuine and people were honest and true to themselves and others.

You know the routine, fast cars, rings get a crew seen
The usual way people try to show off or make a statement is by buying expensive cars, jewelry, and making an appearance with their entourage.

We true fiends, old school style that's how we do things
The Wu-Tang Clan members have a passion for rap music and create music with an old-school, classic hip-hop style approach.

Born and destined, hands on many investments
Members of the Wu-Tang Clan with a natural talent and calling for this work invest their skills and income into various ventures.

Strong, reflect this 'til I'm drawn back to the essence
Their strength is reflective of their ability to get back to their roots and stay true to themselves.

Street wise, thirty six waist, small feet size
The rapper is street smart and knows how life works, and has a large waist size but small feet size - contradictory to common body proportions.

The C.I.'s quick to slide off, once the heat rise
The police quickly back away from a dangerous situation when someone is likely to get hurt.

Detour, poverty's on, police war
During a national crisis, poverty and violence are heavy burdens to bear.

Grown through each dawn, searchin' new ways for me to eat more
Despite their challenges, they grow and learn each day, always searching for better ways to make a living and earn more money.

Fast learner, quiet storm, play the back burner
The rapper is a quick learner, but keeps a low profile and stays in the background.

Bureaucrats, I react like Nat Turner
The rapper has a revolutionary spirit and reacts strongly to those who abuse their power.

Hold weight, used to rock kicks wit no lace
The rapper is street smart and knows how to handle heavy situations, and used to wear shoes without laces - a sign of survival on the streets.

Fuck a soul mate, low heart pace, pulse at a slow rate
The rapper doesn't need a soul mate or companion, and has a low pulse rate - perhaps as a result of living in danger for many years.

Runnin' rapid, while others play as if they captive
The rapper moves quick and is successful, while others hold themselves captive with their own negative thoughts and actions.

Brain's inactive, bein' subjected to this crab shit
They don't want to be like the negative people around them and are instead making their own way, while being inadvertently held back by others.

To each his own, fuck the foulness, need a week alone
Everyone is different and unique, and the rapper needs time alone to separate himself from the negativity around him.

We can zone, all day long, on the speaker phone
The singer and friends can relax and chat all day, even from across a phone call.

Six hundred, nine five North, stay blunted, stress I came from it
The rapper deals with stress by being 'blunted' or high, and remains in north of New York City in vicinity 695.

Sex got drained from it
The gangster life and associated stressors have drained the love and passion from sex.

The new breed star gazin', raisin' two seeds
A new generation of rappers is on the rise, and the singer is raising two children.

To be free, the franchise is all a whole crew need, indeed
Freedom is important and vital and their whole crew needs this more than anything else.

Whips and full clips and pussy lips
Cars, guns, and women's bodies are on the minds of too many individuals.

Rubber grips attached to hips
Women who carry guns to protect themselves or engage in dangerous activities.

Past the journey to the crib, the purest sickness cura
After a long journey or adventure, the rapper has a feeling of sickness that comes with it.

Holy Koran, sirah, leaves man to understand, I stand up as rough briva
The rapper appreciates Islamic texts that help him understand life's complex issues, and believes he has a strong personality.

Heart is bleedin', stress got my hair line receedin'
The rapper is stressed out and this has affected his physical appearance.

God look we feedin', leadin' my seeds, back to Eden
God looks down and is proud of how the lyrics are earning a living, and the rapper is leading his children to a better, simpler life.

And stay suspicious of promiscuous bitches
One should look out for women who behave in a promiscuous manner.

Who don't wash and do dish and to big for your britches
Women who don't value cleanliness and do the simplest of tasks aren't worth one's time.

Lustin' riches, fuckin' the next man mistress
The rapper dislikes those who desire and obsess over getting rich, and also find time to have affairs with people's partners.

You wonder why your pussy itches, fat ass sample wit out the glitches
This line is a diss on the woman who is making poor life choices- the rapper is pointing out that her sexual health and weight are both poor.

Shatter your mental, split your bean up like a lentel
The rapper is capable of breaking someone's spirit and hurting them mentally.

Disfigure your face, you recognizin' by the dental
The rapper is capable of disfiguring someone's face, and if the person is lucky, they may only be recognized by their teeth.

Hot lead from raw heat, left in store meat
When they shoot someone, it's brutal and the bullets leave the victim in a state similar to the meat stored in a grocery store.

Lay it out on Broadstreet, before he
The person was killed and left on Broad Street.

Left all he heard was the echo from the shot
The victim knows the sound of the gunshot was the last thing he heard for the rest of his life.

Cops all tops see revealed, he was stopped by the Glock
The cops were able to see that the victim was stopped by a Glock pistol.

Devils lettin' off SCUDS, thugs trapped up in HUD houses
Those in power (devils) are abusing it by using weapons against their own citizens (SCUDS). Meanwhile, lower-income communities (HUD houses) are trapped and unable to escape the cycle of poverty and violence.

New York, been infested by Bloods, lustin' for colors of red
The Bloods gang has come to New York and is lusting after violence and the color red, associated with their gang culture.

More black lies done shed through
Innocent black people are still shedding tears due to racial injustice and violence.

Yet the blood travelin' through veins remain blue
Regardless of skin color or outward appearances, we are united by the same blood running through our veins.

Boned out until we zone out, no doubt
Until they die, they will continue to work hard and focus on their grind.

Chickenheads beg for the nine inch Applehead
Foolish women are begging for sex from the male rapper with a large penis (a nine inch Applehead).

Their legs open like fallopian, lubricated by petroleum
The women are willing and ready for sex, and their bodies are well-oiled and lubricated.

Nine months later comes the ovary explosion
After nine months of unprotected sex, the woman will have a child and a 'reproductive explosion'.

Bitch you stupid? A hundred dollars you couldn't recoup it
The rapper is calling someone stupid and is willing to bet that person one hundred dollars that they will not be able to recover from this insult.

When I reign the truth on your brain you muted
When the rapper speaks the truth to someone, that person gets quiet and mute.

Rula Zig-Zag, Zig Allah, plus Allah Zig, Zag-Zig
References to different gods and religious concepts that the rapper identifies with.

We addin' more knowledge to your wig
The rapper is educating and informing his listeners, adding more knowledge to their brains.

Holdin' it down stamp of approval, you know?
The Wu-Tang Clan is approved and holds itself to a high standard of professionalism.

Get ya brain washed, you know what I'm sayin'?
The music will wash away negative ideas and influences from the listener's mind.

Get ya muscle tendered & straight
The music will strengthen and refine the listener, making them stronger physically and mentally.

The black God exists in the physical form, you know?
The rapper believes in God and thinks that he is present in everyone's lives.

The Firm baby, holdin' this, A to the Z, I know what time it is
The Firm is holding it down and working hard to make their mark in the music world.

Armageddon
A reference to the end of the world in biblical texts, possibly meaning the end of the rapper's world or way of life.