Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group that consists of: RZA, GZA/Genius, Ghostfac… Read Full Bio ↴Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group that consists of: RZA, GZA/Genius, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group. They were formed in (and are associated with) the New York City borough of Staten Island (referred to by members as "Shaolin"), though Masta Killa and GZA are from Brooklyn and Inspectah Deck is from the Bronx. They have gone on to become multi-platinum record producers, Grammy winners, TV and film stars, screenwriters, product spokespersons, business owners and, most recently, major motion picture composers. The Clan featured nine MCs until the death of Ol' Dirty Bastard in 2004. One of the most critically and commercially successful hip hop groups of all time, Wu-Tang Clan shot to fame through their uncompromising brand of hardcore rap music. Since their debut, they have introduced or launched the careers of numerous other artists and groups, and already in 1994 there were credited to be over 300 Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, known as the Wu-Tang Killa Bees, consisting of rappers, producers, and record label CEOs.

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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Young Godz
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics

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Yo
Older cats
Yo
Whassup Rae? What's going on Son?
Whattup dude?
Yeah I ain't see y'all cats in a long time
Check it yo
Y'all better be on that shit too

Older cats max with young godz who got the guns
KnowhatI'msayin son?
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Y'all the little y'all the youth coming up
Or get stung by the killer bee stinga from the slums
KnowhatI'msayin son?
Yo son
Of the young Shaolin Monks, chickenheads will get done
You the first man, you go first son

I'm Mobb Deep, in cherry Cherokees I forever be
On some thug shit, runnin' wild through New York City
Bustin' guns rockin' jew-els that shine like sun
Stapleton is where I'm from
And been down for years stayed on point like stairs (yeah, word up)
Cause the jealous motherfuckers want to end my career
I never feared, the ghetto is hell, but I learned ta
Keep my mouth shut and pack a nickel-plated burner
And squeeze, if I get front on my nine millimi
Will have my enemies, behind trees
Niggaz that think they live 'cause they puff a little lye
Pack a bullshit, twenty-five, nah don't think they'll kill us

[Chorus]
Older cats mack, roll with young godz that got the guns
You right about that kid
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Now yo y'all just keep everything moving you know
Or get stung by the killer bee stinga from the slums
The beat is sounding like Star Trek
Of the young Shaolin Monks, taking heads, with the tongue
So yo, youknowhatI'msayin son?

Yo, deep in the ocean of the Atlantic, here comes the killa falcon
I meditate then swing with the force of mountains
Brain cells is able to be bi-debatable
When I think it's hazardous to your ozone layer
A premeditated killer plan so kill the Mayor, my silencer
Causes niggaz to hush, then I rush, like Manchus
Who guard jewels and collect, Cash Rules with heavy jewels
I live by name and cut veins
Burning bodies into flames
Between my anger, I lock down every chamber
Hillside strangler, a nigga with a mask like Lone Ranger
Rap poetic is injected into the brain athletic
Build off of rhymin' calisthenics
I'm determined, I raise a army like Hitler done Germans
And become the Allied commander, my enemies is catching on camera
They seek death, I begin to torture them (calm down kid take your time)
By giving butterfly stitches, bear witness
As I hang with Jehovah's Witnesses

[Chorus]

Older cats max with young godz that got the guns
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Or get stung, by the killa bee stinga from the slums
From the young Shaolin Monks, taking heads with the tongue

Yo, yo, this is manslaughter, so what you want to do
Last year, you ran for the border with your crew
I flip, stacks, all the, time when I rhyme
Libra is my sign, and can't stand swine
When I dine, the automatic weapon
Got niggaz steppin', in the opposite direction
My jurisdiction, is off grounds to you clowns
My proposition, meaning you go round for round
Straight up and down, I broke the sound barrier
Scarier, than a tight skirt wrapped around a transvestite
The grammar, hype, nigga check your stacks
Or you'll be rhyming with a broke back
Niggaz talk about they rollin deep up in here
The only way you roll is if you in a wheelchair

[Chorus]

Older
Yo, y'all calm down man calm down calm down
Yeah, and yo
Now yo, youknowhatI'msayin?
I want to tell y'all
Y'all up under the restrictions of the Wu camp
Aiyyo Rae, you got Killa Sin
YouknowhatI'msayin?
Madman, Shyheim the Rugged Child
So just take your time and handle life as it comes
Motherfuckin' Rubbabandz, the young godz comin' through
Cause the real nigga gonna know what they gotta do
Showin' and provin' youknowhatI'msayin? Shaolin forever

Yo, may all the bullshit cease, increase the war fuck the peace
Make shit hot like rockin' tube socks at Jones Beach
N the summer, number one gunner run for cover
Keep 'em steppin' with more Lethal Weapons than Danny Gloves
I cock back, action packed raps and gats
Niggaz trade mats for prats people react, to RZA sharp tracks
Another day nother body dropped you better keep your shottie cocked
For actin' snotty Hobbes catch karate chops
Cause Wu-Tang live, forever and a day
You better pray for better ways to get away when my Beretta spray
We never play with commercialism
The hardcore rhythm give em more hell than an exorcism

My terrordome be a clever poem let it be known
I'm packin' chrome and rollin phatter than eleven bones
My crew's sicker than that AIDS shit
While others get played quick, cause we be making hits through the grave sift
My right hand man, myself and the Clan
Gun and mic stands reverses help me see my first a hundred grand
And to my Physical one love power crazy real
For all them carbon copy niggaz lurkin' in the rap deal

[Chorus]

Older cats max, the young godz yo they got the guns
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Or get stung by the killa bee stinga from the slum
Come the young Shaolin Monks, taking heads with the tongue

Older cats max, young godz got the guns
Out of town niggaz best to run
Yo, older cats mack, the young godz, check it out
Yo, older cats mack, the young godz, they got the guns
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Or get stung by the killa bee stinga from the slum
From the young Shaolin Monks, takin heads with the tongue
From the slum comes the young Shaolin Monks, takin' heads with the tongue
Older cats mack, but young godz got the guns
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Or get stung
Killa bee stinga from the slum, come the young
Shaolin Monks taking heads with the tongue
Older cats max, but young godz they got the guns
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Aiyyo stop it
Older cats max but young godz they got the guns
Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Or get stung by the killa bee stinga from the slum
From the young Shaolin Monks taking heads with the tongue
Young Shaolin Monks taking heads with the tongue
Older cats max but young godz got the guns

Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Or get stung

Overall Meaning

The song "Young Godz" starts with a conversation between members of Wu-Tang Clan, reflecting their community and the inter-generational relationships in hip-hop. The lyrics speak of the older heads (cats) who roll with the young godz (generally, young rappers or streetwise youth) who have the guns. This lyric can be interpreted as the title of the song, "Young Godz," which is a play on words, emphasizing the youthfulness and power of young people, while the older generation supports them, keeping the balance in the community.

The verses of this song provide different perspectives from various members of the Wu-Tang Clan, showcasing their skills in rap music. Apart from being a display of their abilities, the lyrics imply the importance of keeping one's guard up in the streets. The mention of Stapleton represents a housing project in Staten Island, New York, known for its high crime rates. The lyrics portray the harsh realities of life and the violence that is often seen in the city. The chorus repeats the phrase "Older cats max with young godz who got the guns," forming a narrative of the individuals in the inner-city communities, their roles, and the power dynamics.

"Young Godz" encompasses the reality of street life, and the beat, featuring a traditional Wu-Tang sound, supports the song's overall message. The song showcases an intricate piece of storytelling, highlighting the dynamics, tensions, and experiences of life in the inner-city communities.

Line by Line Meaning

Yo
Hey

Older cats
Experienced individuals

Yo
Hey

Whassup Rae? What's going on Son?
What's up Rae? What's happening?

Whattup dude?
What's up man?

Yeah I ain't see y'all cats in a long time
I haven't seen you guys in a while

Check it yo
Listen up

Y'all better be on that shit too
You guys should also be prepared

Older cats max with young godz who got the guns
Experienced individuals team up with young ones who are armed

KnowhatI'msayin son?
Do you understand what I'm saying?

Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Rich people from outside the city should flee

Y'all the little y'all the youth coming up
You are the young generation who are rising

Or get stung by the killer bee stinga from the slums
Or face the consequences from dangerous individuals

Yo son
Hey man

Of the young Shaolin Monks, chickenheads will get done
The young members of our group will take care of the superficial girls

You the first man, you go first son
You're the leader, take the first action

I'm Mobb Deep, in cherry Cherokees I forever be
I represent Mobb Deep, always driving cherry Cherokees

On some thug shit, runnin' wild through New York City
Engaging in criminal activities, causing chaos in NYC

Bustin' guns rockin' jew-els that shine like sun
Using firearms while wearing expensive jewelry

Stapleton is where I'm from
I come from the Stapleton neighborhood

And been down for years stayed on point like stairs (yeah, word up)
I've been involved for a long time and remained focused

Cause the jealous motherfuckers want to end my career
Because envious people want to ruin my success

I never feared, the ghetto is hell, but I learned ta
I never felt scared, even though the ghetto is a difficult place

Keep my mouth shut and pack a nickel-plated burner
I stay quiet and carry a firearm

And squeeze, if I get front on my nine millimi
And shoot, if someone threatens me with a 9mm gun

Will have my enemies, behind trees
Will have my enemies hiding

Niggaz that think they live 'cause they puff a little lye
People who think they're tough because they smoke weed

Pack a bullshit, twenty-five, nah don't think they'll kill us
Carry a weak weapon, but they're not a real threat to us

Older cats mack, roll with young godz that got the guns
Experienced individuals hang out with armed young ones

You right about that kid
You are correct, my friend

Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Rich people from outside the city should flee

Now yo y'all just keep everything moving you know
Now, everyone just continue with their activities

Or get stung by the killer bee stinga from the slums
Or face the consequences from dangerous individuals

The beat is sounding like Star Trek
The instrumental sounds futuristic, like Star Trek

Of the young Shaolin Monks, taking heads, with the tongue
The young members of our group are verbally attacking others

So yo, youknowhatI'msayin son?
Do you understand what I'm saying?

Yo, deep in the ocean of the Atlantic, here comes the killa falcon
In the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, a dangerous individual is approaching

I meditate then swing with the force of mountains
I focus and then attack with great strength

Brain cells is able to be bi-debatable
My intellect can be debated

When I think it's hazardous to your ozone layer
When I think, it's dangerous to your well-being

A premeditated killer plan so kill the Mayor, my silencer
A carefully planned murder, so eliminate the authorities, using a silencer

Causes niggaz to hush, then I rush, like Manchus
Makes people quiet, then I attack quickly

Who guard jewels and collect, Cash Rules with heavy jewels
Who protect valuable items and accumulate wealth

I live by name and cut veins
I live up to my reputation and cause harm

Burning bodies into flames
Setting people on fire

Between my anger, I lock down every chamber
In my rage, I control every aspect

Hillside strangler, a nigga with a mask like Lone Ranger
A dangerous person who hides their identity, like the Lone Ranger

Rap poetic is injected into the brain athletic
Injecting poetic rap into the athletic mind

Build off of rhymin' calisthenics
Developing strength through rhyming exercises

I'm determined, I raise a army like Hitler done Germans
I'm motivated, I build an army like Hitler did with Germans

And become the Allied commander, my enemies is catching on camera
And become the leader of the opposition, my enemies are being recorded

They seek death, I begin to torture them (calm down kid take your time)
They want to die, so I start tormenting them (relax, take your time)

By giving butterfly stitches, bear witness
By stitching them up in a way that resembles a butterfly, they suffer

As I hang with Jehovah's Witnesses
As I associate with loyal followers

Older cats max with young godz that got the guns
Experienced individuals hang out with armed young ones

Out of town Big Willie niggaz best to run
Rich people from outside the city should flee

Or get stung, by the killa bee stinga from the slums
Or face the consequences from dangerous individuals

From the young Shaolin Monks, taking heads with the tongue
The young members of our group verbally attack others