GZA

All Music Guide:

The Genius, aka the GZA, was the most cerebral MC in the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as perhaps the most acclaimed. His cool, precise flow and intricate, literate rhymes weren't as theatrical as Method Man or Ol' Dirty Bastard, the two biggest commercial stars to spring from the collective. But among hip-hop aficionados, the Genius was revered for his flawless technique and lyrical dexterity, and was considered by many to be the best pure rapper in the entire Clan. The Genius was born Gary Grice on August 22, 1966, in Staten Island, NY, and shuttled between several other New York boroughs with various relatives during his childhood. He started learning rhymes by the earliest hip-hop MCs while spending time in the Bronx, and returned to Staten Island to share them with his cousins, who later became Ol' Dirty Bastard and the RZA. In fact, the three of them first teamed up in the early '80s as part of an obscure group called All in Together Now.

Time passed, and the Genius landed a recording contract with Cold Chillin', which, unfortunately, was nearing the end of its brilliant run. In 1991, he became the only future Wu-Tang member to release a solo album prior to the Clan's formation, with Words From the Genius. Produced mostly by Easy Mo Bee, the album flopped badly and, creatively, did little to hint at the Genius' future standing. Conflicts with the label sent the Genius packing, and he reteamed with a similarly disenchanted RZA (fresh off a failed stint with Tommy Boy) and Ol' Dirty Bastard to co-found the Wu-Tang Clan. Adding six other friends and associates, the group became an underground sensation and took the rap world by storm with its 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Their innovative contract allowed each member to sign a solo deal with whatever label they chose, and the Genius wound up on Geffen. In 1994, his first post-Wu solo track, "I Gotcha Back," appeared on the soundtrack of the film Fresh. His second solo album, Liquid Swords, followed in 1995 and was hailed as a hip-hop classic thanks to its coolly understated menace. While it didn't make him a star on the level of Method Man, the album did sell well, reaching the pop Top Ten and falling one spot short of the top of the R&B charts. There were no big mainstream hits, but the title cut, "Cold World," and "Shadowboxin'" all did well on the rap charts.

Following the Clan's 1997 sophomore set, Wu-Tang Forever, the Genius returned to the solo arena with 1999's Beneath the Surface. While critics didn't praise it quite as lavishly as Liquid Swords, it was another well-received effort (especially compared to some of the lackluster follow-ups elsewhere in the Wu-Tang camp), and it topped the R&B album charts. After reconvening with the Wu for 2000's The W and 2001's Iron Flag, the Genius dropped his fourth solo effort, Legend of the Liquid Sword, in late 2002, consolidating his reputation as one of the most skillful rappers around. Grandmasters, a collaborative project between himself and Cypress Hill DJ Muggs was released in 2005, followed the next year by an instrumental version and then a remix version in 2007. A year later GZA released the solo album Pro Tools on the indie label Babygrande. It featured guest shots from Wu affiliates RZA, Masta Killa, and producer Mathematics.

Wikipedia:

Gary Grice (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage names GZA (pronounced /ˈdʒɪzə/ JIZ-ə) and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. Within the clan, he is known as the "spiritual head," being both the oldest and the first within the group to receive a record deal.

GZA has appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and since the release of his critically acclaimed solo album, Liquid Swords (1995), he has maintained a successful solo career. Steve Huey of Allmusic has called him "one of the best lyricists of the 1990s," while the editors of About.com ranked him #17 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), making him the highest-ranking Wu-Tang Clan member on the list (ahead of Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon).

Biography

Gary Grice developed an interest in hip-hop by attending block parties as a child in the early '70s. He formed a three-man group with his cousins, who would later be known as RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard. The group, All in Together Now, saw the three rapping and DJing, switching off names and performing local shows; since they lived in different boroughs, GZA and Ol' Dirty would travel from Brooklyn out to Staten Island to meet up with their cousin RZA, after which the three would travel across NYC and challenge other MCs to battles. After some years of this, GZA was signed to Cold Chillin' Records as a solo artist under the name The Genius. He put together an album called Words from the Genius, produced mostly by Easy Mo Bee, but after it failed to sell—and his rocky experience on tour—Grice became fed up and asked for release from the label.

After joining the Wu-Tang Clan, a group of nine which included himself, RZA and ODB, GZA boasted some high-profile appearances on the group's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), including a solo track, "Clan in da Front." This, combined with appearances on other Clan albums such as Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... brought him much recognition and respect (more than he achieved solo as "The Genius"). These guest appearances were followed up in 1995 with GZA's sophomore solo effort, Liquid Swords, produced entirely by RZA; the album was met with critical and commercial acclaim, and is still considered one of the best albums to come out of the Wu-Tang camp; in 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums of all time.

After appearing on the Wu-Tang Clan's second album, Wu-Tang Forever, GZA released Beneath the Surface in 1999. Reviews were mostly positive and the album did well (going Gold), though it failed to live up to Liquid Swords' acclaim or commercial success. Like the post-debut projects of many Clan members, critics decried the album's lack of RZA production, claiming the underground producers and Wu-Elements used did not live up to the producer's skill level. Grice put in appearances on The W, Iron Flag and some of his group members' solo projects, but did not release another of his own until 2002 with Legend of the Liquid Sword. The album was received well by critics, but did not achieve commercial success, failing to go Gold as his previous release had. GZA spent 2004 touring, both solo and with the Clan, and made an appearance with RZA in Jim Jarmusch's film Coffee & Cigarettes, opposite Bill Murray.

In 2005, GZA and DJ Muggs (the producer for hip-hop group Cypress Hill) released the LP Grandmasters. Muggs provided all the production for the album, which saw GZA using chess as a metaphor for the rap game. The album received positive reviews and modest commercial success. He then partook in the recording of groupmate Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, originally stating that he was heavily featured along with Inspectah Deck, though he was later unsure about his status on the project.

2007 saw GZA teaming up with his Wu-Tang Clan to record the group album 8 Diagrams, and in the ensuing controversy, defended both Raekwon and Ghostface Killah's rights to speak their mind, and RZA's production job on the album. In the summer of 2008, he released the album Pro Tools which featured production from Black Milk and past collaborators Jay "Waxxx" Garfield, RZA, Mathematics and True Master. A very controversial song on the album was entitled "Paper Plates" a smooth flowing response aimed at rival rapper 50 Cent. After the release GZA toured various parts of Europe on a "Liquid Swords Tour" where he performed songs from Liquid Swords as well as Pro Tools. He later toured parts of the USA. GZA also stated his wish to record another full album with RZA.

In 2009, GZA made appearances on two more Wu-Tang Clan albums. The first being on a song entitled "Stomp Da Roach" on the album Dopium, by fellow clan member U-God, the other being appearances on the tracks "We Will Rob You", "Rockstars" and "House of Flying Daggers", on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II. The Genius continued to tour during the year, appearing on the "Rock The Bells" lineup and also performing at the NXNE music festival in Canada. Recently, RZA confirmed that he will be producing Liquid Swords II: The Return Of The Shadowboxer, which is tentatively due in 2012. The GZA also made an appearance in a video for Devendra Banhart's song titled "Baby". For Liquid Swords II, he has recently confirmed with Examiner.com that Killah Priest will hold a solo song ala 'B.I.B.L.E.' to act as the closer to the album just like the original. He has also begun work on an album, a concept album, called Dark Matter. The album is based on a journey thru time and space. He will also be appearing on the upcoming collaboration album between producers Pete Rock & DJ Premier V.S. album appearing on Premier's track. In a recent lecture, GZA also "hinted at the possibility of an album without a Parental Advisory sticker", after denouncing profanity in hip-hop as "filler which is not needed".