Spring Break
Wu-Tang's GZA goes 'Pro'
John Holmes
Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: Entertainment
10/07/08 - Hip-Hop is probably the most divisive genre in today's music scene. Where your mother may simply hear the profane boasting about money, cars and hos over repetitive beats, someone like myself might latch onto the clever wordplay and complicated rhymes that don't stick out with just one listen.
My point, and I do have one, is that no matter how dope I think a rapper's lyrics may be, someone else who doesn't appreciate the art form will likely just hear more of the same.
The album, Pro Tools, by the Wu-Tang Clan's GZA, is an exception. One thing a listener will notice immediately is the lack of cursing. GZA, also known as the Genius, doesn't seem to need explicit language to get his points across. The complexity of his lyrics is not hindered, and is possibly even helped by, his refusal to rely on rap clichés.
GZA dismisses lesser MCs on the albums second song, "Alphabets," declaring himself "A legend in my lifetime, from one rhyme / that was specially designed, from the hook to bottom line / Shines like a precious jewel, cut up in the workshop / with specialized handcrafted tools / Couldn't buy this hardware, so don't swipe your card there / better yet, fold your hand, 'cause you're holding the wrong hand."
It's hard to quote the best lines for the purposes of this review, as GZA carries his thoughts throughout entire songs, without ever letting up on lyrical quality.
Most of the songs on the album work with some sort of concept. The track "0% Finance" tells the story of a woman who gets caught up in prostitution, but what makes the concept great is that he tells the whole story through car metaphors.
Two other tracks with standout concepts include "Cinema" and "Life is a Movie."
In "Cinema," employing an amazing, creepy, ominous beat, GZA paints a picture of classic horror: "Creepy spot where the dust covers the floor / and some fishing rods is hanging on the door / painting on the wall of stick figures...where the imagination runs wild, like 'who's creeping?' / neighbors are acres away and probably sleeping."
My point, and I do have one, is that no matter how dope I think a rapper's lyrics may be, someone else who doesn't appreciate the art form will likely just hear more of the same.
The album, Pro Tools, by the Wu-Tang Clan's GZA, is an exception. One thing a listener will notice immediately is the lack of cursing. GZA, also known as the Genius, doesn't seem to need explicit language to get his points across. The complexity of his lyrics is not hindered, and is possibly even helped by, his refusal to rely on rap clichés.
GZA dismisses lesser MCs on the albums second song, "Alphabets," declaring himself "A legend in my lifetime, from one rhyme / that was specially designed, from the hook to bottom line / Shines like a precious jewel, cut up in the workshop / with specialized handcrafted tools / Couldn't buy this hardware, so don't swipe your card there / better yet, fold your hand, 'cause you're holding the wrong hand."
It's hard to quote the best lines for the purposes of this review, as GZA carries his thoughts throughout entire songs, without ever letting up on lyrical quality.
Most of the songs on the album work with some sort of concept. The track "0% Finance" tells the story of a woman who gets caught up in prostitution, but what makes the concept great is that he tells the whole story through car metaphors.
Two other tracks with standout concepts include "Cinema" and "Life is a Movie."
In "Cinema," employing an amazing, creepy, ominous beat, GZA paints a picture of classic horror: "Creepy spot where the dust covers the floor / and some fishing rods is hanging on the door / painting on the wall of stick figures...where the imagination runs wild, like 'who's creeping?' / neighbors are acres away and probably sleeping."
