General Wu-Tang lyric question to all of you Wu-heads.

[As0n.]

First of all, I'm a big Wu fan and I LOVE everything Wu-Tang made from Enter the 36 Chambers to Forever. Also, my first language isn't language, so my question might be caused of this.

What I wanted to ask is, don't you think some of the Wu lyrics are kind of empty? They don't describe anything, they don't storytell anything, just lyrics of being the "best". Example:

I smoke on the mic like smokin Joe Frazier
The hell raiser, raisin hell with the flavor
Terrorize the jam like troops in Pakistan
Swingin through your town like your neighborhood Spiderman
So uhh, tic toc and keep tickin
While I get ya flippin off the shit I'm kickin
The Lone Ranger, code red, danger!
Deep in the dark with the art to rip charts apart
The vandal, too hot to handle
Ya battle, you're sayin Goodbye like Tevin Campbell
Roughneck, Inspector Deck's on the set
The rebel, I make more noise than heavy metal.

Not that I'm saying this verse is bad, exactly opposite - it's fucking great. But the thing is, don't you guys think that some of the Wu verses just lack point? It's almost battle-rap, describing how good the MC is and how good Wu is. It's definitely their style, but there should be more content in some of the verses though. Maybe it's just that I don't understand some of them, maybe others think like this too?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all the Wu tracks are like these. There are mad story-telling or deep tracks. 260, Heaven and Hell from OB4CL, Tearz from Enter the 36 Chambers, etc etc.

What I'm really looking for is opinions. Thanks.

[crass]

welcome to forum.

you pretty much just answered your own question. 36 chamber is full of some of the sickest battle rhymes while forever has a greater s hare of storytelling/"knowledge" rhymes. i prefer battle rhymes above all else

if you're an ill MC you can rap about anything whether its boasting or storytelling and you can still be fly. that's wu-tang

[Ghost In The 'Lac]

Ok, most Wu lyrics are all about abstract expressionism. Its about drug fuelled imagination, nearly all of the classic modern music in the last 100 years has been written on drugs. The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley you name it, they were high on some drugs. Now im not saying its all down to drugs (the RZA was known to avoid the clan when they used to smoke blunts, he did all of OB4QL sober). Ghostface has been compared to one of the greatest living abstract poets living today (i cant remeber his name), but theres no doubt, alot of what he says, come from being on some trip. Especially in the early days. Thats what makes the albums have so much replay value, you hear a new word everytime you listen to it.

But theres a mix, between abstract, and storytelling. Ghostface is the best storyteller in the whole Clan, but hes also can be the most abstract. NONE_ONE in rap can compare to Ghostface's emotional VIVID storyteling on tracks like Impossible, All that I got is You, I cant go to sleep, plus add Raekwons & Decks's street tales, so with the Wu you have all types of styles that no-one can fuck with.

If you find abstract rhymes "empty", you cant hear it right, youre not appreciating the creativity, do you know how difficult it is to write some of those verses that you dont think make any sense?

[As0n.]

Ok, most Wu lyrics are all about abstract expressionism. Its about drug fuelled imagination, nearly all of the classic modern music in the last 100 years has been written on drugs. The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley you name it, they were high on some drugs. Now im not saying its all down to drugs (the RZA was known to avoid the clan when they used to smoke blunts, he did all of OB4QL sober). Ghostface has been compared to one of the greatest living abstract poets living today (i cant remeber his name), but theres no doubt, alot of what he says, come from being on some trip. Especially in the early days. Thats what makes the albums have so much replay value, you hear a new word everytime you listen to it.

But theres a mix, between abstract, and storytelling. Ghostface is the best storyteller in the whole Clan, but hes also can be the most abstract. NONE_ONE in rap can compare to Ghostface's emotional VIVID storyteling on tracks like Impossible, All that I got is You, I cant go to sleep, plus add Raekwons & Decks's street tales, so with the Wu you have all types of styles that no-one can fuck with.

If you find abstract rhymes "empty", you cant hear it right, youre not appreciating the creativity, do you know how difficult it is to write some of those verses that you dont think make any sense?

Yeah, thanks for both of the answers. I didn't really say that some verses don't make sense, I meant they lack point. But crass answered what I really was wondering about, props.

And word, those battle verses are ill.

[Analyze]

Like they say, they have different Chambers. Deck, is a battle rapper, Ghost & I think Gza are the storytellers, Rae the crime nigga and so on. Oh yea U-God the crunk chamber..if there is such a place. I think thats the 37 Chamber?

[Sifu Dragon]

that's mc'ing for you

[As0n.]

that's mc'ing for you

?

Sorry for a useless post.

[Sifu Dragon]

do you know what 'mc'ing' is?

[venex]

isn't that rappin' ????? LOL

[Ghost In The 'Lac]

Yeah, thanks for both of the answers. I didn't really say that some verses don't make sense, I meant they lack point. But crass answered what I really was wondering about, props.

And word, those battle verses are ill.

You said you were looking for opinions, not answers. So i wasnt trying to answer anyhting, i was just educating you. Youd did say they didnt make sense. If something is explained, but as you say has no point or substance, then it doesnt make sense. Thats why I tried to explain to you that they do have sunbstance and point, just in a way yourself is not aware of.

peace.

[MC Fidel]

36 Chambers just proved you can't fuck with Wu-Tang, and Protect ya neck was one of the many songs on that Cd that proved you can't fuck with them. I mean that CD is one the bets of all time. They just started off strong so no one would question them.

[Bungle]

to say the lyrics on Protect Ya Neck have no point, is the same as saying the lyrics on Tearz have no point,

Protect Ya Neck is a battle song, hence the title, thats why it is all battle lyrics, Tearz has meaning to it, so the lyrics have meaning, u dont get on a battle track & spit knowledge & wisdom, same as u dont jump on a meaningful track and spit battle raps

[dadivine1]

Well lets break it down, Wu Tang was a invinsible sword-style if used correctly, (just listen to their samples) so the Wu Tang as a whole is supposed to be the best all around battle rap group collectively, and realistly that is what they thrived off of. So the Wu without battle lyrics is like a fiend without drugs.

[Tecknowledgist]

Deck is swift with the braggadaccio-type rhymes, but he's also an amazing storyteller (Cold World, CREAM). I regard him as the best straight-up rhymer in the clan.

A lot of people hate on Masta Killa, but looking back, he was pretty much flawless in the first five years. He killed all the guest-spots and his one 36 Chambers verse. Masta Killa is a poet. It's a shame that most people can't see through his loose rhyme scheme.

RZA is a prophet. Pure knowledge. He has an amazing way with words.

Method Man is, surprisingly, hated on a lot as well. As far as flow goes, Meth kills it, hands down.

U-God is, at times, more abstract than Tony Starks himself, which is a good thing. He's that voice cat, the Barry White of Wu-Tang.

Ghost and Rae are one and the same. They're both extremely slang-heavy and spit abstract metaphors.

The GZA is the Genius. Enough said.

ODB is the character of the Clan. He has a presence on the mic. You can feel it on any song he's on. As soon as he comes on, he either gets heads bumpin', or faces smilin'. RIP Dirt.

[rubyspirit]

Look deeply to find the meaning in their lyrics. Its not wasted breath.

D-Rez, your descriptions are on point.