GZA
"The Genius" of the Wu-Tang Clan, whose ice-cold, chess-like lyricism made Liquid Swords one of the great solo Wu albums.
Who is GZA?
GZA (Gary Grice), also known as The Genius, is a rapper from Staten Island, New York. He is the oldest member of the Wu-Tang Clan and the cousin of RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard.
Known for
His second album Liquid Swords (1995), produced by RZA and opened with dialogue from the film Shogun Assassin. It is seen as one of the best Wu-Tang solo albums. Before the Wu he released Words from the Genius (1991).
Style
Calm, precise and cerebral. He builds verses like chess moves, with dense wordplay, science metaphors and cool, controlled delivery over dark, cinematic beats.
Impact
GZA is regarded as one of the most technically gifted lyricists in hip-hop. He has also given lectures on science and lyric writing at universities such as MIT and Harvard.
