Tag: Wu-Tang

The RZA, Wu-Tang

The House That Hatred Built by Gravediggaz

Back in the early 2000’s the idea of a proper Gravediggaz reunion or a recasting was super exciting. Over and over there were rumors. Warcloud, Killah Priest & Shabazz would be more involved. RZA would take the reigns again. But nothing ever really materialized after the death of Poetic, making Nightmare In A-Minor their last official collective effort.
Nowadays I’m not following everything what happens that much, and much time has passed since it sounded like something I’d like to hear. But some time ago Prince Paul took the time to share an unreleased Gravediggaz demo called The House That Hatred Built.
Apparently this was the first demo the group recorded ever, back in 1991. This recording, and the start of the Gravediggaz, predates the recording of the Wu-Tang Clan for RZA. There is actually a lot of interesting information about this and the formation of the Gravediggaz in this interview he did with Brian Coleman at Trinity College. Like how the album was recorded in full before Enter The Wu-Tang, but only released 9 months after. So be sure to read all about that there.

Another thing I came across, was the fact that the Gravediggaz declined a deal with Ruthless Records. Prince Paul actually met with Eazy-E & Jerry Heller, and this was during which he had a hard time finding a home for the record. But the deal they offered was so bad he still had to decline. There is more to read in this track by track run down of 6 Feet Deep that Prince Paul did with HipHopSite back in 2013.

Speaking of tracks. It seems that from time to time people did still record under the Gravediggaz monniker. Which leads to the following track I came across, 2 More Cups Of Blood. In 2010 Shabazz did an interview with Wu-International in which he revealed that the Gravediggaz was back together. It was him, Priest, Frukwan, 9th Prince, Beretta 9/Kinetic was there, and RZA & Prince Paul were also involved. Shabazz stated, ‘3 more songs and the new album is done! I recorded at Rza’s crib. He called me and we had a looong overdue reunion!!! Priest came thru too. So yes Gravediggaz is coming soon!!https://wutangcorp.com/forum/showthread.php?103433-Shabazz-the-disciple-wu-international-interview!!!!!!‘ He even mentions that he has some Poetic verses that they might use on the record, making it a complete reunion. Sadly nothing official ever saw the light of day or the dark of night save for this track. Apparently this was leaked by RZA himself, and most defintely flew under my radar.

One of the biggest tracks that Gravediggaz are known for, and also introduced some people to Shabazz The Disciple & KIllah Priest, is Diary Of A Mad Man. Now people seem to think that RZA produced this record, but in a video interview back in 2018 Prince Paul cleared up the air surrounding that record: “Alright, so RNS gets credit for the record [sample]. RZA gets credit ’cause it went through RZA, and me, ’cause I put the whole record together: programmed the drums, put the court pieces and stuff in it. But when you look at the credits, everybody goes ‘Yeah, RZA produced it, but Paul had nothin’ to do with it.’…it’s obviously a Prince Paul production, you can hear how it’s done. Nobody makes stuff like that, at least during that time.“

The whole story you can hear about in the video underneath.

That said, Diary of a Madman is obviously a classic that many people hold dear. The track itself with the court, and the video is like no other. The video was actually direct by Hype Williams, who would later direct many more music videos in his own style. Which brings me to the following: Diary Of A Madman Part 2
About six month ago the Warcloud meets Killah Priest effort Savage Sanctuary got released on Black Stone of Mecca. This album carrying the track Diary of a Madman Pt. 2 featuring a slew of people on a original RZA beat. The track first surfaced on a Black Knights album a few year ago, but with in a horrible state. This time around they seemed to have cleared up the recordings and the mix a bit.
Rumors about this track travel back to around 2005 I believe. Word was that a part 2 was recorded with Priest, Shabazz & Warcloud. And again nothing ever got released, and now we finally have the track, 15 years later. Was it worth the wait?

by Jet Set
Wu-Tang

U-God Hasn’t Been Paid?

U-God Is Reportedly Suing The Wu-Tang Clan For $2.5 Million | The FADER

Hawkins claims that it’s been six years since he’s received a royalty payment for any of the over 170 songs he contributed to the group’s catalogue, which began with appearances on their 1993 debut Enter The 36 Chambers. He also claims he hasn’t been receiving the two payments he’s entitled to every year from merch sales, or his share of the sale of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, which was purchased last year for $2 million by Martin Shkreli.

Here we go again. I remember when U-God was angry years ago. This looks like the same. And that OUATIS is a Ringz album. Interesting.

Wu-Tang

The Tale of Cappa’s Winter Warz Verse, As Told In Dutch

A Dutch Hiphop site has a nice story about the epi Cappadonna verse on Winter Warz that just goes on & on. It is in Dutch. But it would suit you well to use some Google translate on this one to get the gist of the story.

Winter Warz: Cappadonna over zijn legendarische verse – Hiphop In Je Smoel

You heard other raps before but kept waiting
For the Son of Song, I keep dancehalls strong
Beats never worthy of my cause, I prolong
Extravaganza, time sits still
No propaganda, be wary of the skill
As I bring forth the music, make love to your eardrum
Dedicated to rap nigga, beware of the fearsome
Lebanon Don, Malcolm X beat threat
CD massacre, murder to cassette
I blow the shop up, you ain’t seen nothing yet
One man ran, tryna get away from it
Put your bifocal on, watch me a-cometh
Into your chamber like Freddy enter dream
Discombumberate your technique and your scheme
Four course applause, like a black jack to dat
You’re stuck on stupid like I’m stuck on the map
Nowhere to go except next show bro
Entertaining motherfuckers can’t stop O
In battling, you don’t want me to start tattling
All up on the stage cause y’all snakes keep rattling
Bitch, you ain’t got nothing on the rich
Every other day my whole dress code switch
So just in case you wanna clock me like Sherry
All y’all crab bitches ain’t got to worry
Can’t get a nigga like Don dime a dozen
Even if I’m smoked out I can’t be scoped out
I’m too ill, I represent Park Hill
See my face on the twenty dollar bill
Cash it in, and get ten dollars back
The fat LP with Cappachino on the wax
Pass it in your thing, put valve up to twelve
Put all the other LPs back on the shelf
And smoke a blunt and dial 9-1-7
1-6-0-4-9-3-11
And you could get long dick hip-hop affection
I damage any MC who step in my direction
I’m Staten Island best son, fuck what you heard
Niggas still talking that shit is absurd
My repertoire, is U.S.S.R
P.L.O. style got thrown out the car
And ran over by the Method Man Jeep
Divine can’t define my style is so deep
Like pussy, my low cut fade stay bushy
Like a porcupine, I part backs like a spine
Gut you like a blunt and reconstruct your design
I know you want to diss me, but I can read your mind
Cause you weak in the knees like SWV
Tryna get a title like Wu Killa Bee
Kid change your habit, you know I’m friends with the Abbott
Me and RZA rhyme name printed in the tablet
Under vets, we paid our debts for mad years
Hibernate the sound and now we out like bears
In Born Power, born physically, power speaking
The truth in the song be the pro-black teaching

Wu-Tang

GZA Gives A Track By Track Rundown Of Liquid Swords

Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA runs down every track off Liquid Swords – Wax Poetics

“Duel of the Iron Mic”

This might be my favorite track on the album. I like how I delivered on this one, and I love RZA’s beat. I remember writing to it and that it took me a while because I was trying different things. I remember being so happy after Ol’ Dirty [Bastard] blessed the track like he did. I love how the recording sounds too. When we perform this song live, the music gets real low for Deck’s part, and then it comes in real loud and it still always gets me hype. I also love the skit at the beginning. I just love that shit.

Ghostface Killah

Ghost Makes RapCity Turn Awkward

Back in 2000 or 1999, Ghost visited RapCity in promotion of his Supreme Clientele. Ghost being him, this led to some very weird moments in the show with references to bodies being in bags and Cappa walking in and out like a henchman. Wu-Tang Gold.