Disco de GZA/Genius: “Liquid Swords”

Gza is the most lyrically sound emcee in the entire wu tang clan, and im not picking favorites, he is not even my favorite member of the clan. There is almost no doubting his remarkebly easy flow and creavtive metaphors, which can either make you just want to hear more, or rewind it to hear what he just said. While listening to this album, and earing some of his unbelieveably creative rhymes, I wondered how does he come up with these, "Lyrics are weak, like clock radio speakers", is just an example of his creatvity. He has the ability to hit you in all types of places which has been a rare quality in an emcee since the beginning of hip-hop and is completely exstinct in today's rap. Aside from the lyrics, Rza, brings in some of his sickest and his most eerie for this album. Using experimentally spooky and out there sounds to create his unbelieveable beats which are always put together perfectly to allow Gza to flow right over them. Some of the best Wu tang beats of all time are on this album, perhaps many are. Gza also often credits Rza for his insane production, "my sword still remain imperial, Before I blast the mic, RZA scratch off the serial" showing he knows he is not the only reason this album is monumental.

As an emcee, Gza seems to make other rappers on his tracks better lyrically. Notably Inspectah Deck and Method Man. On the albums best song "Cold World", The inspectah virtually outshines Gza which is a complete shock considering how sick Gza's verse is. The inspectah seems to just be a bit hungrier,"No time to freeze undercovers roll up in grand prix and seize packages and pocket the currency, clicks control strips full clips are sprayed, Yellow tape barricades sidewalks where bodies lay". Aside from whose better on the track, the two make the best tag team wu record of all time. However, its not just the lyrics that make this the best song on the album, the beat is also the best on the album, with spooky violins and drums which just flow so sickly. Another great tag team callobo is "Shadowboxin" featuring Method man. Gza does not get outshined on this one, though Meth throws in a sick verse. When Gza kicks the second verse though, he's hungry and he actually shows it a bit more then usual, he usually just seems so confident he doesn't have to be aggressive but his slight aggressiveness on this track is outstanding, "I slayed MC's back in the rec room era, My style broke mother_______ backs like Ken Patera, Most rap ______ came loud but unheard Once I pulled out, round em off to the nearest third". The beat on this one is also top of line, not as scary, more quietly aggressive, simple but not light. The "Oh man" every few seconds that chimes in is a nice touch.

One of the most creative rap songs ever written, and Im not exaggerating, is "Labels". Gza is able to tell a story while using the name of music labels, and he is not crediting them, more like he's dissing them. Never have I heard an emcee even attempt to create something like this, truly proof that he his the genius. "Investigative Reports" is another great track. It opens up with a sick verse from Raekwon. With U-god telling different reports during the chorus with a newscast going on in the backround. The beat is one of those that hit home, they go to your head and you don't hear the different instruments, just the beat as a whole, and it is a great one. "Swordsman" has a great beat that is mostly drums with strange sounds in the backround. Lyrically Gza seems to be trying to say something but he adds "I'm not caught up in politics I'm no black activist", so I guess it's more about self then political indevers. The final track is not Gza but it furthur prooves that success around "Liquid Swords" is contagious, Killah Priests raps the vastly different from the rest of the album "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth". It has more of a funky beat and it's a biblical song, initials are B.I.B.L.E. Priest tells a great story of his childhood and gives out instructions before leaving earth.

Every time I listen to this album, it gets better. Everytime I notice something different whether lyrically, or musically. It is easily the best Wu Tang solo album and perhaps riviles "Enter the Wu Tang" as best Wu production period, well not quite. Every track on this album is bangin' with some of them just completely off the chains. Could be lyrically the best album I have heard, and it shows how much of an amazing lyracist Gza is. He never changes his tone which is affective because he smooth easy flow is so good he does not need to compromise it at all. Not only Gza made this album the phenomenom it is, much of its success is due to the producer, Rza. "Liquid Swords has it's place amongst the greatest of all time and easily is one of my personal favorites.

I'm gonna do a track-by-track analysis of Liquid Swords. That's the only way I could to this album justice. This is easily stacks up in the top 3 albums I own, and that' s saying A LOT as I own tons of albums... the only track I didn't like on this was hell's windstaff, which is ironically enough the only skit on this album...

Liquid Swords - 4.75/5

This is an outstanding track and does justice to the "title track" title. I'd have given it a 5/5 were it not for the obnoxiously long 1:33 minute intro. It's an interesting intro to the album, but couldn't that have been a completely separate intro track to begin with? Aside from that though, it's a flawless track. Great hook, great beat, poetic lyrics as deep as the ocean... everything.

Duel of the Iron Mic - 4.5/5

Were it not for Mastah Killah's merely okay verse, this would be my favorite track off the album. Why did he get a verse over Raekwon, Method Man or ODB? Hell, GZA could've done a lot more with the extra space... still, though, there was one big, big reason why this was still a great guest track: Inspectah Deck killed it with a mere 7 bars. So good, in fact, that I need to post them.

"Adults kill for drugs plus the young bucks bust

Duckin handcuffs, throats get cut when dough rush

Out of town foes look shook but still pose

We move lioke real pros through the streets we stroll

Bullet holes lace the windows in one-six oh

So control the avenues that's the dream that's sold

Bulding lobbies are graveyards for small-timers

Bitches caught in airports, keys in they *******

No peace, yo the police mad corrupt

You get bagged up, dependin if you're passin the cut

Plus shorty's not a shorty no more, he's livin heartless

Regardless of the charges, claims to be the hardest

individual, critical thoughts, criminal minded

Blinded by illusion, findin it confusin"

The best guest appearance and some of the best lyrics on the album next to Method Man's appearance on Shadowboxin & Ghostface and RZA on 4th Chamber. Not surprising, though; this is Rebel "C.R.E.A.M." INS we're talking about.

Besides that, though, the beat was one of the best on the album; bangin. GZA's lucky he was in the same boat as RZA. Another interesting fact is that ODB did the hook.

Livin In the World Today - 4.25/5

It's a good song, but a good song is an average on on LS. Probably my least favorite song on the album. The lyrics are fire as usual, but the beat & hook were average in contrast to the rest of the album.

Swordsmen - 4.75/5

Dope song. Hook's good, beat's a banger and the lyrics are fresh from hell. I don't know if its just me, but GZA's delivery seemed to be especially on-point on this song.

Cold World - 5/5

Yeah, yeah, this is the joint "everyone likes". Who gives a damn? There's a reason why everyone likes it... it's one of GZA's best tracks, period. It really showcases his storytelling ability; it's almost like he decided to make a track to try to beat Kool G Rap at their own game like Nas did with NY State of Mind. In fact, that's the best track I can think of comparing this one to; detailed to the goddamned brim yet completely understandable; no comprehension is lost through the mix.

The beat is the best on the album (bar B.I.B.L.E, but that's not actually a track on this album). It's beautiful, harrowing, and really does succeed at conveying a "cold world". RZA really shows his merits as a producer on this one.

Labels - 5/5

Did GZA really just make a song about... record labels?! He sure did, and the whole joint is crazy. He namedrops almost every single record company under the sun, including Cold Chillin, the label that pretty much shafted GZA & RZA when they first started. Thus the line "Cause I smother you COLD CHILLIN' mother*******". The beat is dope too. All in all, it's the best track on the album, perhaps only equaled and/or surpassed by Cold World, 4th Chamber & Liquid Swords.

4th Chamber - 5/5

This is my favorite track off the album besides Cold World, LS & Labels. It's another collab track, but this time not a single one of the spots is wasted. Ghostface & RZA especially rip the track to shreds. To quote two of their bars (one from each):

"Yo, Wu whole platoon is filled with rac-coons

Corner sittin wine n***** sippin Apple Boone, this ain't no white cartoon"

-Ghostface

"Rollin with the Lands, the tribe's a hundred and forty four thousand chosen

Protons Electrons Always Cause Explosions"

-RZA

For those of you who didn't catch that last line from RZA, he basically said PEACE.

GZA's verse was great too. Killah Priest was the weakest one on the track, but he was still dope; THAT should tell you the pedigree of the verses on this one. This is the best verse on the album second only to Cold World.

Shadowboxin' - 4.75/5

2nd best collab track on the album (4th Chamber takes that) and another outstanding track on the album. Method Man really brought that hot **** to this track... beat's yet another banger. GZA impresses as usual.

Hell's Windstaff/Killah Hills 10304 - 3.5/5

The only track off this album I didn't think was good. The lyrics themselves are good, but I hate the beat & the whole intro. I can't explain why, but I just did... useless track in my opinion. Filler.

Investigative Reports - 4.5/5

Dope track. Good hook, great lyrics, great beat. Not my favorite, but an excellent track nonetheless.

Gold - 5/5

This is easily one of my favorites off the album. While it isn't on the same tier as Cold World, LS, Labels or 4th Chamber, the beat is... out of this world, to say the least. The lyrics are golden as usual, and... I dunno. I just can't stop listening to this song, but I always make sure I learn to the aforemented 3 before I turn this up. Still a spottieottiedopaliscious (OK, sue me ;) ) track; also one of the more slept-on on this album.

I Gotcha Back - 4.5/5

Another great track and a good ending for the album. Beat's dope, hook's straight & the lyrics are good, but the delivery is what elevates them to great.

Now, there *is* another track on this album... technically. The track itself though (B.I.B.L.E.) is actually a Killah Priest track off his album "Heavy Mental" another classic. Still, it fits in with the album very well and it's also a 5/5 track, beatwise, hookwise and lyric wise.

Overall:

60.5/65 or about 93%; A- to A

I'm going to round that to an A, though; I'm doing that because were it not for that stupid skit, this would be an A to A+ album. And let me tell you, you're doing good if there's only one song that's not that good and 12 that are audio bliss. Simply put, this is a masterpiece hampered by the extra baggage. An extraordinary accomplishment for any emcee, and it just adds to the rep of the Wu Tang. Wu Tang Ain't Nuthin To F*** Wit' indeed.

So the world is falling apart? No doubt about that. Turn on your TV, and it's the same thing, just different colors of crap. I mean, how did it all get this stupid?

Even the music, god... the music. Between Lil' Jon's stranglehold and TI and... is Nelly still around? The rock scene isn't much better, with all this The Killers From The Heat of 1979. I swear I'm so disillusioned.

"I drop megaton bombs more faster than ya blink..."

RZA and GZA are doing a pretty damn good job of taking it back to where it came from. If the beat doesn't get you quite grooving, just listen to GZA. That's what you're SUPPOSED to do. And then you're like... "Yeah, this is how it's done, damn you Justice." And this album is almost 10 years old now?

I'm afraid to get caught up in the "Duel of the Iron Mic". GZA, MK, and Deck aren't nice. I suppose I should listen to these guys. The beat is nice, but they're getting a tad confrontational. MK says it's not an 85 affair, but they definitely took a few cues.

Then it hits "Living In The World Today". But only raise your hands if you're sure. What is this? 3 for 3 already? The first 3 tracks on this CD knock the ball out of the city, screw the park. Damn, GZA isn't just coming out cutting heads. He's drawing and quartering. All opposition is probably running like hell. Don't get shattered like a glass jaw.

And of course, "Gold" comes through with some overdriven guitar and a beat farmed straight in Hell. It's just the beginning though, as it segues into the highlight of the CD, the icy and epic "Cold World". Probably the best beat RZA has ever done, hands down. No arguement. This is the beat that had me sold on Wu. GZA throws out an awesome narratto ive of the battle, only to be outdone by the INS. "No time to freeze, undercovers ease up in Grand Prixs and seize packages and pocket the currency".

What can I say about "Labels?" Either you know, or you don't. If you have no idea, that's your problem. I'd almost rather you not know if it's taken you this long.

And when I start thinking "Cold World" was the best thing this CD had to offer, "4th Chamber" starts beating you into submission. Featuring the Wu GOD up first, Ghostface drops some more cryptic science that takes forever to decypher. He's so good that by the time Killah Preist and the RZA are done, I'm hoping Ghost would come in to drop another verse.

But then you have to wait until the end of "Investigative Reports" to catch Ghost again. Rae and GZA throw out some good stuff (The chef cooks up some MOUTH WATERING words), but... Ghost throws the verse to end any MC's career into the Grand Canyon. Lines like "I grab the pen for revenge and let loose, see? Like Muslims standing on the block rockin' the Kufi" to "Packed with visions, copywritten, throwin' bread to pidgeons, christ has risen" to the ultimate "Yo, they used guns while we angrily shot arrows, you better keep your eye on the sparrow". What can you do? Nothing.

Before I end up analyzing every song on this, I'm gonna cut it short. By the time you're finished listening to the Killah Preist manifesto "B.I.B.L.E.", you realize that this CD is knowledge. Minimal, possibly old school, but 100% on point. It's also an escape.

Absolutely jaded by the world around you? Throw in "Liquid Swords". There's nothing I can say about the feeling you get when "Living In The World Today" starts after listening to the first two songs. The world might be falling apart, but screw it. If you've got "Liquid Swords", no one can mess with you.

GZA's 1995 masterpiece certainly earns a top spot in any "Best Of The Wu" list, if not any "Best Of Hip-Hop" list. Gary Grice's fortay is battle rapping, so most of the lyrics are "about" rhyming. However, GZA uses so many intellectual metaphors and similies that his emcee boasting becomes something higher than that of other rappers, and actually takes on a conceptual meaning. Not only are the lyrics dramatically complex ghetto-infused words of wonder, but the delievery of the Genius's thick New York accent is unriveled. The production by Robert Diggs is experimental, dirty, and solid. The no-nonsense beats fit GZA's lyrical fist like a glove. Features kung-fu movie clips and guest spots from all the other Wu-Tang members as well as Killa Priest (who has a solo track on the album, the last track "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth", produced by 4th Disciple, GZA & Priest are good friends) and little-known Wu-Affiliate Dreddy Kruger.

Without a single weak song, Liquid Swords will be tough for GZA to top. Beneath The Surface, although it has a few good tracks and earns points for being so different, dosen't even come close.

You can really tell if the album is a classic if you can stick on the headphones, listen from start to finish and not even relise you've listened to the whole album and this applies here. I have over 250 hip hop albums ranging from the 80's right up to this year and I have to say this not just the best from the wu not just the best in hip hop but its in best in any music genre! The wu are the most talented group of rappers ever to touch the mic! It's just amazing how GZA delivers his clever, witty punchlines. This guy should be president on this album alone never mind what he has contributed to the wu. Also don't forget RZA's contribution, not just this but everything the wu has done.

Peace!!!!