Did u know that Gza's lyrics for "Breaker Breaker" was inspired by a book?
The Gza's song was inspired by a book titled " The Art of Wordly Wisdom" by Balthasar Gracian. This book contains 300 maxims or wise sayings that can help one through life. It is very helpful to read this book.
Other people have been inspired by this book as well. The author of " The 48 Laws of Power" has based a significant part of his book on "The Art of Worldly Wisdom".
Any one who has not read this book should check it out.
So first:
1) I will show the Lyrics to Gza's song "Breaker Breaker" and bolden and highlight the parts which were inspired by the Book.
2) After the lyrics, I will show the exact parts of the book in bold and highlight and the link to show that the song was truly inspired by it.
The parts from the book will be in the same sequential order as Gza has stated them in his rhyme.
Breaker Breaker
by GZA
album: Beneath The Surface (1999)
[Chorus: GZA]
Breaker, breaker, one nine,
clear the lineCan you read me?
Extorted your rhymes
MC's should expect the worst
I stay alert and shoot first
[GZA]
This is not a test,
it's difficulty
Picture closely,
the ignorant mostly
Blind, deaf, dumb, your mind left numb
Lost soul who failed to hear the roll of the drum
In the bottom of your bomb shelter, still felt the
heavy blast that blew off the masks of twelve welders
The math of an elder, praise the Lord - thank you Genius
Operation: Project English
Commander-n-chief of flight style, check the aircraft
Glide like the frisbee, Digi look Disney
To check fault in oneself is pure loveliness
You break the mirror that remind you of your ugliness
So when I bust, no one is untouched
Some returning with the mic clutched, like such
who plan but never execute
He had the heat in his hand, but yo he didn't shoot
Therefore; your mechanism of material better be sickly
or let your lead spread incredibly quickly
I move bravely, travellin on a horse
on the battlefield, surrounded by the lost
of those who plotted with the brains of animals
My high molecular structure be untangible
The name ring a bell, killable two syllable
The Wu is comin through, the outcome is critical
To be blunt, the beef was cooked up like coke goods
The rhyme first came to me in the oak woods
Up to no good, rap icon
"Milk" the industry like the Wall Street junk bond
You see the bright stone, I got your height sewn
Direct current, that move through the mic-phone
Key contributor, well known major factor
Rhyme distributor, the drive of a tractor
who run ya down if you don't wanna move or wanna linger {*echoes*}
Chorus: repeat 2X
[GZA]
The immortality of my fame is the measure of other's torture
Burnt offer, from a flamin author
The falconer who flies enough birds for the chase
Strictly excel in what is excellence with grace
The significance was not the vulgar applause of interest
but the feelin that exit, completion of a sentence
With age and experience, my reason ripens
I strike on you Vikings, slash like a hyphen
If you enter the house of fortune by the gate of pleasure
You will leave by sorrow, the flow measures
everything fails with the unfortunate
Learned that recordin it, so my mind broaden it
Track records, ranks us, with the exceptional
Extreme complex physics, high technical
The truth is usually seen and rarely heard
What's more dangerous than hatred, is the word
You wild cards, Jack of all trades
Those who parade their positions, show their Spades
A large flock of MC's, they figure to be taught
It ain't hard to see why I'm vigorously saught
Chorus: repeat 2X
[Outro: GZA]Breaker, breaker, one nineBreaker, breaker, one nine
Now for what parts inspired him:
Maxim # 237 -- Never share the secrets of your superiors. In this maxim, on the 4th line, it is stated: Many break the mirror that reminds them of their ugliness. This is open to a few interpretations.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=237
Maxim #162 -- How to triumph over your rivals and detractors. On the 9th line in the link to this paragraph it says: The immortality of his fame is the measure of the other's torture.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=162
Maxime #58 -- Adapt yourself to those around you. On the 4th line it says: The skillful falconer only flies enough birds to serve for the chase.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=58
Maxim # 53 -- Be diligent and intelligent.Diligence promptly executes what intelligence carefully thought through. Haste is the failing of fools - they know not the obstacles and set to work without preparation.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=53
Maxim # 59 -- Finish off well.On the 3rd line it says: You ought therefore to think of the finish, and attach more importance to a happy exit than to applause on entrance.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=59
Maxim # 60 -- Have sound judgement. On the 3rd line it says: With age and experience their reason ripens, and thus they attain a sound judgement
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=60
Maxim #59 -- Finish off well. Gza uses another quote from this maxim that says:In the house of fortune if you enter by the gate of pleasure you must leave by that of sorrow, and vice versa.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=59
Maxim #163 -- Never - out of sympathy with the unfortunate - involve yourself in their fate. Gza did not use this one line for line, but he still was inspired by it.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=163
Maxim #61 -- Excel in what is excellent. Starting at the third line it says: Eminence is some distinguished post distinguishes one from the vulgar mob and ranks us with the exceptional.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=61
Maxim #80 -- Take care when you get information. On the 3rd line of the paragraph, it says: The truth is generally seen, rarely heard.
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=80
Maxime # 85 -- Do not be a wild card, a jack-of-all-trades. The Gza used this one
http://www.davidbrandt.com/wisdom/index.php?number=85
So there u have it. If u want to read the whole book that inspired the Gza, go here:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/aww/index.htm
