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A JOURNEY INTO THE LIFE AND MIND OF THE GENIUS GZA
Join me, Theo The Philosopher, as we a dive into the life and career of a true hip hop legend, one of the sharpest lyricists in the game who comes out of hip hop’s most legendary groups.
Early Life and First Connection with Hip Hop
Gary Grice better known by his stage name, GZA, and also known as, The Genius, was born August 22, 1966, in Brooklyn. He is an American hip-hop artist best known as one of the founding members of the legendary hip-hop group the, Wu-Tang Clan, where within the group he was regarded as the bench mark when it came to rap skills.
Gary Grice got attracted to hip-hop by attending block parties as a kid in the early 1970s. He was involved in breakdance, graffiti, and DJing all fundamental elements of the culture . Early on he developed an interest in writing, studying Mother Goose and nursery rhyme.
In 1974–1976 he listened to ''The Last Poets'' which are several groups of poets and musicians who arose from the late 1960s African-American civil rights movement's Black Nationalism. He was attracted by Last Poet's offensive use of language (profanity or cursing) rather than their content and underlying messages that were hard for him to understand at that time.
The Isley Brothers, the Commodores, Secret Weapon, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and the O'Jays had a big influence in his early life and had a massive impact on the up and coming hip hop fanatic.
Signing to Cold Chillin’ Records and His First Project
In 1990, GZA was signed to Cold Chillin' Records as a solo artist under the name The Genius. The label was back then heaven for an upcoming rapper who was looking for an inspirational place. Big names were signed to Cold Chiling Record at the same time, real legends of the game such as Kool G Rap, Biz Markie, and Daddy Kane.
Gza released his debut album, Words from the Genius (1991), produced mainly by Easy Mo Bee, but the album didn’t do well at all commercially or did it get much heat on the underground scene at the time. In a future interview The Gza went on to say the following.
"I was signed to Cold Chillin’ about five years ago. They put out an album but didn’t promote it. They tried to put it out again last year [1994] after everything happened with the Clan, put a ’94 date on it, but still didn’t put any money behind it, so it didn’t sell twice. I’m still proud of it though. The beats ain’t all that, but lyrically, s*** was bangin’. So it wasn’t all peaches and cream, but I was determined to break through. A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits. “
The album was re-released in 2006 as an expansion of the version under Traffic Entertainment Group, the owner of the majority of Cold Chillin’ Records’ catalog.
'' Words from the Genius '' was not the typical hardcore, heavily sampled, Shaolin sound that any Wu-Tang fans would be familiarized with. The beat choice on this project is more close to the classic boom-bap beat of the early 90s. His lyricism however is just as sharp as ever. GZA spread pure knowledge and wisdom regarding the everyday concerns of someone living in New York.
After this project, GZA proceeded on to join the Grammy Award-winning rap group Wu-Tang Clan, created by his cousin RZA.
Gza Into Wu-Tang Clan
In 1992, GZA joined the Wu-Tang Clan, a group formed by his cousin RZA. GZA had some high-profile appearances on the group's debut album, E84nter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), including a
solo track, "Clan in da Front".
This, combined with contributions on other Clan fellows' albums such as Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1995) and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (1995) got him much praise. And whenever listening to any of the other clans men speak of The Genius, it’s clear as day how highly he is regarded with in the group.
A Rapper with Wide Knowledge
GZA is educated in quantum physics, which is why his upcoming album, Dark Matter, is inspired by compelling questions in astrophysics. He even worked with physicists at MIT and NYU to comb out any inaccuracies or inconsistencies.
However, only one emcee has the audacity to call himself The Genius: Brooklyn-born Gary Grice, better known as GZA. His verses on both Wu-Tang Clan and solo releases certainly attest to his brilliance as a lyricist.
There’s no shortage of evidence across GZA’s discography to support his lyrical sharpness, but it’s still his 1995 masterpiece Liquid Swords that most presents the full capacity of his strengths as an emcee. Take these bars from “Swordsmen,” for illustration:
Light I shine, because my powers is refined
Through the truth, which manifests through eternal minds
Purified gases and masses the same elements
That helped spark civilization classes.
As GZA explains in his annotation, “Only people who really studied supreme mathematics would know this the fifth degree—power and refinement.” Beg pardon? The fifth degree, as it turns out, comes from the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Elements, a NYC-based offshoot of the Nation of Islam. His reference to “power and refinement,” the fifth of the 10 degrees laid out in the NGE’s concept of Supreme Mathematics, speaks to the use of creative energy to seek the truth.
Gza without doubts put his name with the most influential rappers of all time thanks to the way he crafts his double-edged rhyme flow mirrors the skill and precise technique of one who works with fine ceramics. GZA’s metaphoric and multi-layered lyrics are often touted by critics as his rap name implies; genius.
Can i get sooo!