The RZA

[Devious]

so i can't explain why, but for years i slept on RZA's lyrical ability. i mean we all know he's an amazing producer and has made some of the most incredible hip hop beats ever heard, but i think his skills on the mic have been underrated over the years, i've even done it. i always thought he was pretty nice, but i never fully appreciated his ability until a couple years ago when i started going back and listening to that classic shit again. i discovered he was a lot tighter on the mic than i ever gave him credit for. some of his best shit was spit for other albums tho, which might explain why i never thought he came as hard as others in the group on Wu's shit.

i'm sure there will be some of you who think i'm crazy, and have always thought he was dope lyrically, but i'm wondering just how many may have underestimated his lyrical prowess. so does anyone else feel this way, that RZA's lyrical ability has been overshadowed by his production skills?

here's a couple of examples of amazing RZA verses.

Check the mic line for wiretaps, we under attack
Man your stations, take aim, proceed, fire back
All hands on deck, cadet vets, and serve cassettes
Tracks snap heads like berets, catch web sites like internet...
Sound the alarm, call for the suicidal kamikaze ninjas with the bombs
Flashes of Leon, all we saw was flyin' arms
Anytime I come by, alumni cut short their air supply
Send em back like George McFly
I be holdin' this, travel grounds like a motorist
Poisonous gas released from my tracks is odorless and tasteless
Like Ghost it's faceless, which allow the God to break backs and beat a hundred cases
MCs heads weave like trees
In a breeze to rhymes like these
I'm the one who flows tight like torpedoes, you get plugged more than Del Rio
Played short like DeVito, split the fuck up like Mike, Jack and Tito
Sword cut sharper than Concord needles, call my second private
Tell em, write this important message to Cypress
I heard y'all crew assisted on the island with Dr. Titus
And they just released a new deadly virus to infiltrate the western states
It's time to pump out more rap tapes, and use the Wu-Tang symbol to communicate
RZA over and out - RZA's verse from Third World

Assassinations, vaccinations, poor education
Infatuation with Satan with global nation taxation
Fiber optic, microscopic biological germ
Mad cat burglar on the market, captain of your starship
I never departed once I started
To explore these regions that was uncharted, leave ya heartbroken
Yo I stand tall like buildings on Van Dykes on mics
Beats strike like a noisy four train late night
Jakes got New York for the life, we out of state
Can't smoke a bone in the staircase without gettin' chased
Penny candy poisonous rappers best to chill or get ya head gassed
Lemonhead, Sour Patch Kids, best to grab
A Lifesaver, I'll jawbreak ya, Boston Bake ya
Then plant my sunflower seed on every square acre
The beauty of my nature shown through Shaquaisha (?), rhyme mecca
When I made myself equality known to my reflector
Stay in ya playpen boy, and babble for your formula
And cry as you pacify this lullaby from the black butterfly - RZA, Tragedy

 

[Bobby Sands]

The RZA is a genius imo.He doesn't get much credit for his rapping ability, as you said, but i think he is a very good lyricist and has a powerful, distinct voice. Saying all that though, his solo releases aren't anything special.

Have you heard Fatal from the Blade Trinity OST? That is one of my favourite songs of all time. I listen to it to get psyched before games. I love his verse on Triumph as well.

RZA is one of my favorite artists out of any genre.

 

[GhettoStar]

He'd be better as a ghost writer...his writing style and delivery conflict on some songs, like he trying 2 add too much shit in his rhymes (from Wu-Forever and beyond). He should follow GZAs advice from "As High as Wu-Tang Gets". But I still like him and his voice, his verse on "Reunited" is ill, as with the whole song.

 

[GhettoStar]

Funny thing is alot of underground, skateboard type of rappers try 2 rap the same style as RZA.

 

[masta247]

To me RZA is the best lyricist out of whole Wu-tang and that means a lot. He's one of the most intelligent rappers. Lyricwise I'd place him at no.2 after Tupac + he's my favorite producer. He's one of those dudes who tries to sound like a wise guy and does it with success.

Also I love how he shows his emotions in songs. Just listen to "Build Strong" (awesome, crazy song) or "Fatal"

Don't want to sound gay but I partied too much yesterday and had a dream about tha RZA lol

 

[ChrisZimbo]

was going to make one of these threads, wondering where he is at. Has he got another album in the pipeline? any new production?

btw "fatal" was a fucking masterful beat by him , has anyone listened to afro samurai OST?

 

[Bobby Sands]

^^yea i have heard it.

I presume he is still working on ob4cl2 and method man's next album. Not sure though.

 

[Devious]

here are 2 of my all time favorite RZA verses

Six fuckin' devils stepped up playin' brave God
Had the fucking nerve to try and enter my graveyard
I'm the RZArector, be my sacrafice
Commit suicide and I'll bring you back to life
The first was convinced, stuck a water hose in his mouth
At full blast so his head can explode
Second said hmmmm, that's good but I can top it
Put an ax up to his head and then he chopped it
Blood shot out in every direction
The rest didn't know what to do, I made suggestions
Put a slug in your mug, overdose on a drug
Wet your hand, stick a knife in the plug
Or play like Richard Pryor, set your balls on fire
Better yet, go hang yourself with a barbed wire
Three and four fell deep into spell and
Ran to the zoo, locked themselves in the lion's den
Number Five said it ain't worth being alive
Smoked a dust suede, laced it with cynaide
The only one to escape was number Six
He went home, sat in the tub and slit his wrists
Yeah, more graves to dig, goodbye
There's no need to cry cause we all die - 1-800-Suicide

The year 84, November, day 10
Overwhelmed by the wicked inspirations of an evil gen
I realize my ideas has spawned
For 400 years of blood sweat and tears
I saw the tourture, brutal murder of my father
So my brain became stained with the horror
I'm having reoccuring nightmares
Of being soaking wet, strapped down to the electric chair
I got tackled with handcuffs and shackled
In restraints at the bottom of a holy tabernacle
They gave me nothing to eat for two weeks
And sewed my eye lids open so I couldn't sleep
About to die from thirst, that's when the minister
quenched my jaws with a cold glass of vinegar
Upon my wounds, they seasoned my with salt
And nailed my hands feet to the form of the cross
AHH!! I cry, as the blood drips inside
Of my eye, refusing to die
Visions of hell tormented my fate
So I chewed my fuckin' arm off and made an escape - Diary Of A Madman

 

[Bobby Sands]

Diary of A Madman is such a great track. I love Shabazz the Disciple's verse on it as well.

I like RZA's verse in Mr Sandman as well.

 

[HipHop-Beef.com]

wu tang comes on that deep tip. The jimi hendrix's of rap man. Shit connects thoughts and ideas more than just gutter / butter.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

any1 got a link to "Fatal"?

 

[AmerikazMost]

Great content, subar delivery. Has difficulty at times conforming the delivery of his verses to the production.

I'll just say that I'd rather have him produce one of my tracks than rap on it.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I like his delivery on some songs but don't on others.


Here is Fatal:

http://rapidshare.com/files/47362953/The_Rza_-_Fatal.mp3

 

[GhettoStar]

He should release a book of poetry. Cant wait 2 see him and tha Wu on tha 18th