Wu-Tang Classics: The Gza's Liquid Swords

A look back at the Gza's (a.k.a. the Genius) sophomore release, 1995's "Liquid Swords" invokes a sort of strange, Wu-Tang nostalgia. Ahh, when rap was still good.

That isn't to say that the latest Wu-Tang releases haven't been good; Ghostface Killah's newest releases are a cut above the rest. But the hip hop think tank that was Wu-Tang is at it's strongest on "Liquid Swords." No other album since has captured the essence of rap, while allowing listeners enough of a suspension of disbelief to truly enter the Wu-Tang 36 chambers.

The sounds presented on "Liquid Swords" are those of a hip hop kung-fu showdown, with all the swinging blades, soul-shattering dropkicks, and dialogue to boot. Many of the album's best sounds come on the songs' introductions.

The Gza comes out cutting off heads. Track one of the album is ..., a real skull-chopper. After a minute and a half of dialogue taken from "Shogun Assassin," a cult-classic for anyone who knows kung-fu, the beat drops, along with some lines from the Gza. A suspenseful intro indeed!

In fact, suspense is one of the finest attributes of "Liquid Swords." Practically every song on the album opens or closes with a sound byte taken from some obscure source, or a bit of knowledge from the Genuis himself. This makes for an entertaining and, sometimes, an educational listening experience.

One of the greatest, and most appropriate, intro/song combinations appears on "Assassination Day," a song about the dangers and spoils that result from drug smuggling. The introduction is taken directly from the climax of the film "The Unusual Suspects," when the boat that's supposed to be filled entirely with cocaine is found to be empty.

Another great introduction that fits the quality of its song is that of "Gold," the 4th song on "Liquid Swords." In this introduction, the Rza is heard questioning a fellow drug-dealer: whether everything has been arranged properly, whether he has the thirty thousand dollars cash, whether he's ever heard of a Mr. Don Rodriguez... because Don just happens to be down at the precinct testifying to the police! Gza drops a line, the beat kicks in, and the finest in rap is put on full display.

Perhaps many of "Liquid Swords'" intro/song combinations can be a bit formulaic, as well as the three rappers/three verses structure that's repeated for almost every song, but this album is surely one of the shiniest rap gems to date, as well as a staple to the Wu-Tang collection. The Gza's "Liquid Swords" is a must-have for rap fans, as well as Wu-Tang fanatics.