Born in Staten Island, Grice developed an interest in hip-hop by attending block parties as a child in the late '70's. He formed a three-man group with his cousins, who would later be known as RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard. The group, All in Together Now, saw the three rapping and DJing, switching off names and performing local shows; since they lived in different boroughs, RZA and Dirty would travel out to Staten Island to meet up with their cousin, after which the three would travel across NYC and challenge other MCs to battles. After some years of this, GZA was signed to Cold Chillin' Records as a solo artist under the name The Genius. He put together an album called Words from the Genius, produced mostly by Easy Mo Bee, but after it failed to sell--and his rocky experience on tour--Grice became fed up and asked for release from the label[1].
After joining the Wu-Tang Clan, a group of nine which included himself, RZA and ODB, GZA boasted some high-profile appearances on the group's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, including a solo track, "Clan in da Front." This was followed up in 1995 with GZA's sophomore solo effort, Liquid Swords, produced entirely by RZA; the album was met with critical and commercial acclaim, and is still considered one of the best albums to come out of the Wu-Tang camp[2]; in 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums of all time.
After appearing on the Wu-Tang Clan's second album, Wu-Tang Forever, GZA released Beneath the Surface in 1999. Reviews were mostly positive, though it failed to live up to Liquid Swords' acclaim or commercial success. Like the sophomore projects of many Clan members, critics decried the album's lack of RZA production, claiming the underground producers and Wu-Elements used did not live up to the producer's skill level. Grice put in appearances on The W, Iron Flag and some of his group members' solo projects, but did not release another of his own until 2002 with Legend of the Liquid Sword. The album was received well by critics, but did not achieve commercial success, failing to go gold as his previous release had. GZA spent 2004 touring, both solo and with the Clan, and made an appearance with RZA in Jim Jarmusch's film Coffee & Cigarettes, opposite Bill Murray.
In 2005, GZA and DJ Muggs (the producer for Cypress Hill) released the LP Grandmasters. Muggs provided all the beats for the album, which saw GZA using chess as a metaphor for the rap game,[3]. The album received very positive reviews[4] and modest commercial success. He then partook in the recording of groupmate Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, originally stating that he was heavily featured along with Inspectah Deck, though he was later unsure about his status on the project[5].
2007 saw GZA teaming up with his Wu-Tang Clan to record the group album 8 Diagrams, and in the ensuing controversy, defended both Raekwon and Ghostface Killah's rights to speak their mind, and RZA's production job on the album.[6] In the summer of 2008, he released the album Pro Tools which featured production from Black Milk and past collaborators Jay "Waxxx" Garfield, RZA, Mathematics and True Master. GZA also stated his wish to record another full album with RZA[7].
b.i.b.l.e
gza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Knowledge this wisdom, this goes back when I was twelve
I loved doin' right but I was trapped in Hell
Had mad ideas, sad eyes an' tears
Years of fears but yo, my foes couldn't bear
I searched for the truth since my youth
An' went to church since birth but it wasn't worth the loot
That I was payin', plus the prayin'
I didn't like stayin' 'coz of busy bodies an' dizzy hotties
That the preacher had souped up with lies
Had me cooped up lookin' at loot, butt an' thighs
Durin' the service, he swallowed up the poor
An' after they heard this, they wallowed on the floor
But I ignored an' explored my history that was untold
An' watched mysteries unfold
An' dropped a jewel like Solomon but never followed men
'Coz if you do, your brain is more hollow
Than space oblivia or the abyss
With no trace of trivia, left with the hiss
Does it pay to be deaf, dumb, blind?
From a slave we was kept from the mind
An' from the caves he crept from behind
An' what he gave was the sect of the swine
When the Bible, it condemned the pig
I don't mean to pull your hems or flip your wigs
But we used to wear a turban but now we're in the urban
No more wearin' beanies an' dress like a genie
No hocus pocus 'coz I focus on the facts
An' put it on the tracks an' brought it through the wax
I speak on Jacob, it might take up some time
An' too much knowledge, it might break up the rhyme
I did it anyway just to wake up the mind
Of those who kiss stones or prays on the carpet
Those who sit home or sell books by the market
Need to chill an' get their mind revived
For years religion did nothing but divide
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
The basic instructions before leaving earth
I strolled through the books of Job to unfold
An' open Bibles instead of hopin' on revivals
Calling on His name an' screamin', ?Hallelujah?
When He hardly knew ya, that's how the Devil's fooled ya
See, look into my eyes, brethren, that's the lies of a Reverend
Why should you die to go to Heaven?
The Earth is already in space, the Bible, I embrace
A difficult task I had to take
I studied 'til my eyes was swollen an' only arose when
I found out that we were The Chosen
I deal with the truth an' build with the youth
An' teach my son as he kneels on the stoop
Son, life is a pool of sin, corrupted with foolish men
An' women with wicked minds, who build picket signs
To legalize abortion, the evil eye distortion
I quiz son with my wisdom
Before I converted, I was perverted an' knowledge was asserted
The study of wisdom, I preferred it
The understanding, it gave me mental freedom
I even learnt Caucasians were really the Tribe of Edam
The white image of Christ is really Cesare Borgia
An' uhh, the second son of Pope Alexander
The sixth of Rome an' once the picture was shown
That's how the Devil's tricked my dome
I prophesized to save a man but no one gave a damn
For my nation, the seed of Abraham
Blessed with the tongue of Hebrew
Now we're strung on needles an' some are plungin' evils
So study an' be wise in these days of darkness
Peace to my nephew, Marcus
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
The basic instructions before leaving earth
Life is a test, many quest the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
"B.I.B.L.E" (initialism of "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth") is a song by GZA that speaks to the importance of studying and understanding the Bible before passing on from this life. The song reflects GZA's personal journey of seeking spiritual knowledge and the realization that much of what he was taught in church might not necessarily be the truth. The word "Bible" actually means "book," and GZA stresses the importance of investigating and interpreting the text for oneself, rather than simply believing blind dogma.
The lyrics touch upon a variety of theological concepts including the idea that "life is a test and many quest the universe." GZA suggests that our time on earth is a trial, and we must use our experiences to learn and grow. He also speaks to the notion of salvation but suggests that many religious leaders have used it to control and manipulate people. Instead, he encourages listeners to seek the truth and to question authority.
Throughout the song, GZA uses metaphors and evocative language to paint a picture of the spiritual journey he's undergone. He refers to himself as "Solomon" dropping jewels of wisdom and mentions the need to "wake up" those who follow false religious leaders. Ultimately, "B.I.B.L.E" serves as a testament to the importance of spiritual growth and critical thinking.
Line by Line Meaning
Basic instructions before leaving earth
A phrase suggesting that the Bible is a guidebook for living life
Life is a test, many quest the universe
Life is a challenging experience, and people searching for answers in the universe
An' through my research, I felt the joy an' the hurt
The artist's search for knowledge yielded both pleasure and pain
The first shall be last an' the last shall be first
A biblical phrase that suggests that those who are humble may be exalted and vice versa
Knowledge this wisdom, this goes back when I was twelve
The artist has valued knowledge and wisdom since he was young
I loved doin' right but I was trapped in Hell
The artist had good intentions but was surrounded by negative influences
Had mad ideas, sad eyes an' tears
The artist had creative ideas but was also unhappy
Years of fears but yo, my foes couldn't bear
The artist faced many challenges but overcame them
I searched for the truth since my youth
The artist has always been interested in finding the truth about life
An' went to church since birth but it wasn't worth the loot
The artist grew up attending church but didn't find it valuable
That I was payin', plus the prayin'
Attending church was costly for the artist both in terms of money and time
I didn't like stayin' 'coz of busy bodies an' dizzy hotties
The artist found the people at church to be gossipy and superficial
That the preacher had souped up with lies
The artist felt that the preacher was not honest
Had me cooped up lookin' at loot, butt an' thighs
The artist felt that the church focused too much on materialism and superficial beauty
Durin' the service, he swallowed up the poor
The artist felt that the church didn't do enough to help those in need
An' after they heard this, they wallowed on the floor
The artist observed the emotional response of some churchgoers
But I ignored an' explored my history that was untold
The artist decided to look for knowledge outside of the church
An' watched mysteries unfold
The artist discovered things he had never known before
An' dropped a jewel like Solomon but never followed men
The artist shared valuable knowledge but didn't blindly follow others
'Coz if you do, your brain is more hollow
The artist believes that blindly following others leaves you with an empty mind
Than space oblivia or the abyss
The artist compares a hollow mind to the emptiness of space
With no trace of trivia, left with the hiss
A lack of knowledge leaves you with nothing but static noise
Does it pay to be deaf, dumb, blind?
The artist questions whether ignorance is really beneficial
From a slave we was kept from the mind
Slaves were not allowed to be educated to keep them subservient
An' from the caves he crept from behind
Humanity has come a long way from its primitive origins
An' what he gave was the sect of the swine
The artist references a biblical prohibition against eating pork and suggests that this may be symbolic of a rejection of materialism
When the Bible, it condemned the pig
The Bible is used to support the idea of not being consumed with materialism
I don't mean to pull your hems or flip your wigs
The artist does not want to upset anyone with his ideas
But we used to wear a turban but now we're in the urban
The artist notes changes in culture and fashion over time
No more wearin' beanies an' dress like a genie
Clothing styles have changed over time
No hocus pocus 'coz I focus on the facts
The artist is focused on evidence and reality, not superstition
An' put it on the tracks an' brought it through the wax
The artist expresses his ideas through music
I speak on Jacob, it might take up some time
The artist references a biblical story and notes that it may take a while to explain
An' too much knowledge, it might break up the rhyme
Explaining too much information may make the song less coherent
I did it anyway just to wake up the mind
The artist shares knowledge to help people think critically
Of those who kiss stones or prays on the carpet
The artist references religious practices and questions their validity
Those who sit home or sell books by the market
The artist challenges people who profit from religion
Need to chill an' get their mind revived
The artist suggests that people need to relax and think clearly
For years religion did nothing but divide
The artist acknowledges the divisive nature of religion
I strolled through the books of Job to unfold
The artist references a biblical book and suggests that he studied it carefully
An' open Bibles instead of hopin' on revivals
The artist prefers individual study of the Bible to attending revivals
Calling on His name an' screamin', ?Hallelujah?
The artist references emotional religious expressions
When He hardly knew ya, that's how the Devil's fooled ya
The artist suggests that people are deceived by the devil using religious language
See, look into my eyes, brethren, that's the lies of a Reverend
The artist suggests that some religious leaders are dishonest
Why should you die to go to Heaven?
The artist challenges the belief that people need to die to go to heaven
The Earth is already in space, the Bible, I embrace
The artist suggests that humans are already in a kind of heaven, and he values the Bible
A difficult task I had to take
The artist acknowledges that it is challenging to share his ideas
I studied 'til my eyes was swollen an' only arose when
The artist worked hard to gain knowledge
I found out that we were The Chosen
The artist discovered a sense of personal identity and purpose
I deal with the truth an' build with the youth
The artist shares knowledge with young people to help them grow
An' teach my son as he kneels on the stoop
The artist is a teacher and a parent
Son, life is a pool of sin, corrupted with foolish men
The artist recognizes that life has many challenges and pitfalls due to human failings
An' women with wicked minds, who build picket signs
The artist references social and political issues
To legalize abortion, the evil eye distortion
The artist objects to the legalization of abortion and suggests that it distorts people's perspectives
I quiz son with my wisdom
The artist shares his knowledge with his son
Before I converted, I was perverted an' knowledge was asserted
The artist changed his beliefs and values over time
The study of wisdom, I preferred it
The artist values knowledge and wisdom
The understanding, it gave me mental freedom
The artist believes that knowledge brings intellectual liberation
I even learnt Caucasians were really the Tribe of Edam
The artist references a theory of racial identity that he has learned
The white image of Christ is really Cesare Borgia
The artist suggests that widely accepted images of Jesus are historically inaccurate
An' uhh, the second son of Pope Alexander
The artist provides more context for the idea that Jesus' image is based on Cesare Borgia
The sixth of Rome an' once the picture was shown
The artist describes how the image of Jesus was created and spread throughout Western culture
That's how the Devil's tricked my dome
The artist suggests that mainstream religious teachings are manipulated by evil forces
I prophesized to save a man but no one gave a damn
The artist shares his ideas in order to help people, but he is often ignored or rejected
For my nation, the seed of Abraham
The artist identifies with the biblical story of Abraham and his descendants
Blessed with the tongue of Hebrew
The artist is proud of his Jewish heritage and language
Now we're strung on needles an' some are plungin' evils
The artist notes the moral challenges facing people in contemporary society
So study an' be wise in these days of darkness
The artist encourages people to learn and think critically despite difficult times
Peace to my nephew, Marcus
A shout-out to the artist's family member
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind