Review Summary: The genius of music and science returns as sublime and fortunate in his career, Wu-Tang Clan member GZA makes an outstanding comeback!
After a successful third effort peaking at position # 9 on the US Billboard 200, GZA recorded and released a fourth studio album titled Legend of the Liquid Sword. The album's name was taken from the 1993 Wuxia comedy film of the same name and was released as a sequel to the GZA's second full-length masterpiece Liquid Swords (1995). Legend of the Liquid Sword was released in December 2002 under MCA and Universal Recordings, failing to receive gold due to the cause of selling poorly, it was considered from critics as another big success and received well-given reviews.
Featuring production work from famous and well-known hip-hop associates such as producer Bink!, producer/mixers Mathematics, DJ Muggs and RZA, Legend of the Liquid Sword shows consistency and talent in one. With guest appearances from Ghostface Killah, Streetlife, RZA, Inspectah Deck as well as 12 O'Clock and a great twist of RZA-type melodies, hardcore beats and catchy hooks, the album is a total 'WOW!' at first glance.
Adding it with a great production, and topping it off with understandable and listenable lyrics including themes of dealing with record companies over goals in music, the lyrics mean a lot and show emotions.
Like lyrics on songs such as "I'm the obscene slang kicker with no parental sticker/Advisin' y'all that wise words is much slicker", and later adding "I wrote this rhyme with a Sharpie You see this dark the /ignition's for those with keys who wanna start me up" on the song's third verse, those lyrics proves that GZA is expressing his feelings and also shows great lyric themes and skills.
Bursting out with the beginning piano-chilling song "AutoBio", that brings the song to a hardcore beat that makes a perfect beginning of an album, (as the intro is a kids voice spitting out the words "It was the summer of '77/New York was just recovering from the raves due to the blackout/Hip Hop was young and growing rapidly/It was during that time when my father would oftent make journeys across the waters/From Shaolin on his way to the place where many say this art form started/The ferry, or the boat, as most called it, was a floatin' forum, for talent especially MC's, who would often battle while in route to the city. It was on the boat, where he would sharpen his sword on neighborhood MC's, preparing for the battles that were soon to come...).
From the talking-intro straight to the chilling piano to the hardcore beat and piano together on the second track, that makes a perfect beginning.
Like Liquid Swords, Legend of the Liquid Sword is a perfect beginning to a perfect ending and is a rhyme-spitting, and chilling fourth album from a true hip-hop G.O.D.
Just remember who the REAL legend of the liquid sword is here... ...It's the GENIUS!
