Profile of Genius/GZA on Famous Like Me

GZA (pronounced jizza, aka The Genius, born Gary Grice August 22, 1966 in Staten Island, New York City) is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Known for his elaborate metaphors and cool, precise technique, GZA is one of the most critically acclaimed rappers in the Clan, both for his work with the group itself and for his solo albums.

Biography

Though born in Staten Island, GZA spent a childhood split between various groups of relatives in the other New York boroughs, and during this time began to visit the Soundview Projects in the Bronx where he witnessed the birth of hip hop and became enamoured with the rhymes of the earliest MCs. Sharing his enthusiasm for the new genre were his cousins, future Wu-Tangers Ol' Dirty Bastard and RZA; GZA, the oldest, would mentor RZA in the art of rhyme, and RZA would subsequently pass on the knowledge to the youngest, Ol' Dirty. The three cousins eventually formed the group All in Together Now (the three at that time going by the aliases Scientist (RZA), Professor (Ol' Dirty Bastard) and Genius (GZA)). Both RZA and GZA later attempted to launch solo careers of their own: in 1990, GZA signed to the legendary label Cold Chillin (which was at the time in decline) and released Words from the Genius in 1991 (see 1991 in music). The album's sound, produced by Easy Mo Bee, was heavily influenced by the wishes of its label Cold Chillin, who were eager to make it a commercial success. The album however was a flop, and GZA's experience with Cold Chillin, combined with a similar ordeal for his friend RZA at Tommy Boy, created a bitterness towards record labels that insured the evils of the music industry would be a prominent theme in his music for the rest of his career, and most importantly would ultimately provide the impetus for the Wu-Tang Clan's revolutionary ruthless business strategy. The trio of friends from All In Together Now formed the Wu-Tang Clan in 1992, gradually adding six other friends and associates from around Staten Island. Their debut together was Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), which took the hip hop world by storm. All nine members became a hot commodity and were allowed to sign with whatever record label they wished for a solo career, due to an unusual clause in their contract. GZA signed to Geffen Records.

His solo track "I Gotcha Back" was featured on the soundtrack to the film Fresh in 1994 and this was followed by GZA's first post-Wu-Tang solo album, the dark, foreboding Liquid Swords (1995, 1995 in music) which was widely acclaimed; it is still remembered as one of the pre-eminent Wu-Tang solo LPs. After the Wu-Tang Clan's second album together, Wu-Tang Forever, GZA released Beneath the Surface in 1999 (see 1999 in music). The understated, mysterious album received good reviews, but failed to live up to the massive expectations created by his revered debut work. GZA's last solo album was Legend of the Liquid Sword in 2002 (see 2002 in music), which was mostly well-received by critics, with the track Uncut Material marking the first time a GZA-produced beat had featured on a Wu-Tang album. In 2004 GZA released a greatest hits compilation titled Collection Of Classics, announced he was soon to be finishing work on a Wu-Tang Clan behind-the-scenes documentary, appeared opposite RZA and Bill Murray in Jim Jarmusch's Coffee & Cigarettes, toured first as a solo artist and then with the group throughout Europe and the US, and announced the forthcoming release of an album by his son. In 2005 GZA inked a deal with Babygrande Records to release an album/mixtape simply known as The GZA Presents. Alongside this album, GZA began work with DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill fame on an album entitled Grandmasters, alluding to the strategies of chess well known to the Wu-Tang Clan. Scheduled to be released on October 25th, 2005, the project has recieved critical acclaim as a return to form for both Muggs and the Genius. Ironically, however, System of a Down guitarist Damon Malakian recently announced that he would be writing the music for GZA's following album.

Samples

• Download sample of GZA on "Wu Banga 101" from Ghostface Killah's Supreme Clientele

Aliases

• The Genius
• Allah Justice
• Justice
• The Scientist
• The Head
• Maximillion

Discography

Albums

• 1991 Words from the Genius
• 1995 Liquid Swords
• 1999 Beneath The Surface
• 2002 Legend of the Liquid Sword
• 2004 Collection Of Classics
• 2005 GrandMasters
• 2005 The GZA Presents...

Singles & EPs

• 1995 "Cold World"
• 1995 "I Gotcha Back"
• 1995 "Shadowboxin"
• 1999 "Breaker Breaker"
• 1999 "Crash Your Crew"
• 2002 "Fame"
• 2003 "Knock Knock"

Appears On

• 1993 Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
• 1995 "Damage" (from the Ol' Dirty Bastard album Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version)
• 1995 "Guillotine (Swordz)" (from the Raekwon album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
• 1997 Wu-Tang Forever (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
• 1997 "Third World" (from the DJ Muggs album Soul Assassins, Vol. 1)
• 1997 "Cross My Heart" (from the Killah Priest album Heavy Mental)
• 1997 "Wu Banga 101" (from the Ghostface Killah album Supreme Clientele)
• 2000 The W (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
• 2000 "When The Fat Lady Sings" (from the DJ Muggs album Soul Assassins, Vol. 2)
• 2001 "Do U" (from the RZA album Digital Bullet)
• 2001 Iron Flag (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
• 2001 "Big Acts Little Acts" (from the Afu-Ra album Body Of The Life Force)
• 2004 "Silverbacks" (from the Masta Killa album No Said Date)
• 2004 "Head Rush" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor 2)
• 2004 "On The Eve Of War" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album Legacy Of Blood)
• 2004 Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 1 (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
• 2005 "Just The Thought" (from the Prefuse 73 album Surrounded By Silence)
• 2005 "Rush" (from the Mathematics album The Problem)

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