Since the seminal release of Liquid Swords, The Gza/Genius has been one prolific in-the-cut kind of dude. With the tsunami of rappers coming out these days, only a few know what the worth of one’s word and how not to drown in the abyss of ‘fake shit’. Gza spoke to me from his hotel room in Toronto on the good ol’ days (remember like, back in ‘79? That was my favorite shit ga’), hip-hop, writing and focus. Never one to hold his tongue, his brutal honesty can chop through you like the greatest samurai in the Empire. When the emcee came to live out his name, he made sure you wouldn’t forget the first sword slash to your brain.

Real Name: Gary Grice
Born Day: 09/22/1966
Born Place: Brooklyn Zoo
Occupation: Wordsmith, Chess Enthusiast, Bondsman
Favorite Album: Liquid Swords. Cuban Linx. Wu-Tang Forever. 36th. Tical.
Favorite Book: The book of life.The Living Book. Everyday.

NarcelX: Since the Wu started with Rza, Ol’ Dirty and You, I’m sure you’ve shared alot of priceless moments with Russell Jones. What is your fondest memory of the one we call Ol’ Dirty?

Gza: Oh man, there are so many. We used to have so much fun in our early days in hip-hop, there were so many funny moments being with Dirty. He was really really raw. We would enter contests and MC Battles and all that; I was always the laid back one and he didn’t have a single shy bone in his body. He would ALWAYS get on me about that shit. He would just say it out loud on stage like ‘WHATS THAT STAGE FRIGHT SHIT??!?!” On stage! Funny Dude. Funny Moments. God rest his soul.

N: One on my favorite quotes from you is “Too many songs, weak rhymes mad long, make it brief son.” Do you still feel the same about Hip-Hop?

G: Yeah, I always feel like that.  feel like that about writing in general. It hasn’t changed. What you can write in 16 bars, you can say in 4 lines. I still have the same approach when it comes to writing and how i put things together. Less is more.

N: Speaking of writing, you are a very conceptual kind of poet. What is your overall process like?

G: I do it track by track, put out ideas. Then I have to find a beat that’s compatible to it. Sometimes it works like that, other times the beat comes first. There’s some beats that just bring it. Alot of times I write to get the thoughts in and strive to match it to certain music.

N: Do you find writing easier as you go?

G: Naw, I emphasize it so naw, it’s the same. Not that its’ difficult but it’s important.

N: It’s been mentioned before that you are working on graphic novels and scripts. Is it Wu related at all. What do you write about?

G: It’s mostly on other things in my life. One of the scripts I was working on took place at a neighborhood pool where we grew before we were known as Wu-tang.  It’s about us to a certain degree but you know, it’s about growing up, childhood.  I like to write on other things, nothing Wu-related. I’m just letting the pen flow right now…

N: To me, Wu-tang epitomizes the ‘international’ Hip-Hop brand. Growing up in the Middle East, even in the nineties I would see bootleg Wu-wear shirts and cats respected Wu. The branding was unmistakable. How do you see someone not rhyming in english making it in the “hip-hop” industry outside the “international” scene? How did you think about your music when you first started?

G: I just focused on making music for myself, I never thought about where it was gonna get. I just did it for the love, for the art, for the culture. But,  as far as international artists, its beautiful that hip-hop has spread. I’ve been to countries and performed and we used to say “they don’t know the language, but they know the singles.” If you can feel something in a song, and not understand the words, then you’ve accomplished the goal of music. Sometimes it’s about vibe as opposed to language. There was this french track, I don’t wanna throw the wrong name out,  you might have to talk to Fab Five Freddy or some shit ahaha. But the point is, I didn’t understand it, but it had a vibe to it that moved me. I don’t think there are barriers to success, as long as you focus on making good music.

N: Besides verses and liquid swords, How do you diversify your bonds?

G: All I do is write. I like to play chess! Life is a big chess game. It brings peace. Really, no, I haven’t ventured into anything but writing…yet.

N: There is a rumor of an unreleased Nas, Ghost, Raekwon and Gza track from liquid swords era. I read about it in an old interview with the Rza. Can you give us any information about this myth?

G: You would have to ask Rza, who knows what he may have! When I was doing Liquid Swords, Rae was doing Cuban Linx, Meth was doing Tical, we were all coming to see Rza for music and some songs were laying around. I remember one day, Nas rolling through as I was recording for the Liquid Swords album. We kicked it but not much; He must have come in that morning and I had been there all night laying vocals down. But when I left, I don’t know if he layed a verse down or if he got on something. Perhaps I never heard it. Rza would know. He’s got stashes.

(Ed. Note: F*CK! Still no answer!)

N: Anything else you would like to add?

G: Thank you. New Gza record this year.

Catch him performing alongside D-Shade, Loe Pesci and Sam Osa at Foufounes Electriques on Wednesday January 27th, 2009. Click here for more info.

Also you can check GZA at his official links here.
MySpace |  Official Website | Wikipedia

Interview by Narcel X