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Biography
Other usespp-move-indef|small=yesInfobox musical artist| name = GZA| image = GZA at Paid Dues 3.jpg| caption = GZA performing at the Paid Dues hip hop festival| landscape = yes| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Gary Grice| Born = birth date and age|1966|8|22 Brooklyn, New York|Brooklyn , New York , United States | death_date =| alias = The Genius, Maximillion, Justice, Allah Justice, the Head| genre = Hip Hop music|Hip hop , hardcore hip hop | occupation = Lyricist , rapper , songwriter | years_active = 1975–present| label = Cold Chillin' Records|Cold Chillin' , Loud Records|Loud , Geffen Records|Geffen , MCA Records|MCA , Angeles Records, Babygrande Records|Babygrande | associated_acts = Wu-Tang Clan , DJ Muggs , Soul Assassins , Easy Mo Bee Gary Grice (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage name s GZA (IPA-en|'d??z?|pronrespell|JIZ|?) and The Genius , http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2011/05/25/768771.aspx is an United States|American hip hop music|hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan . (in fact, within the clan he is known as the spiritual head, being both the oldest and the first within the Wu to strike a solo deal) He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career. Steve Huey of Allmusic has called him "one of the best lyricists of the 1990s," http://www.allmusic.com/album/liquid-swords-r227605/review 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 ). http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top50Emcees_7.htm
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.cite web|url= http://www.wutang-corp.com/forum/showthread.php? t=8212 |title=OMFG& #33; I found previously unpublished GZA interview from 2002 :) CRAZY& #33; - Wu-Tang Corp. - Official Site of the Wu-Tang Clan |publisher=Wu-Tang Corp. |date= |accessdate=2010-08-19
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;Allmusic|class=album|id=r227605|pure_url=yes Liquid Swords , Allmusic.com in 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source (magazine)|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 Citation needed|date=May 2009. Like the post-debut projects of many Clan members, critics decried the album's lack of RZA productionCitation needed|date=May 2009, 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 (album)|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 (album)|Grandmasters . Muggs provided all the production for the album, which saw GZA using chess as a metaphor for the rap game. http://www.riotsound.com/hip-hop/rap/interviews/Gza-of-Wu-tang/index.php GZA of Wu-tang: Rap, Hip-Hop Interview , Riotsound.com The album received positive reviewsAllmusic|class=album|id=r804212|pure_url=yes Grandmasters , Allmusic 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. http://www.xxlmag.com/online/? p=9330 GZA Legendary Style , XXLmag.com
2007 saw GZA teaming up with his Wu-Tang Clan to record the group album 8 Diagrams , and in the ensuing 8 Diagrams#Artistic disagreements|controversy , defended both Raekwon and Ghostface Killah 's rights to speak their mind, and RZA's production job on the album. http://www.sixshot.com/articles/9042/ dead link|date=August 2010 In the summer of 2008, he released the album Pro Tools (album)|Pro Tools which featured production from Black Milk and past collaborators Jay "Waxxx" Garfield, RZA, Mathematics (producer)|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.cite web|last=Barshad |first=Amos |url= http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/09/gza_on_his_new_album_revisitin.html |title=GZA on His New Album, Revisiting ‘Liquid Swords,’ and the Problem With RZA - Vulture |publisher=Nymag.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-19
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|Devendra Banhart's song titled What Will We Be|"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 will also be appearing on the upcoming collaboration album between producers Pete Rock & DJ Premier V.S. album appearing on Premier's track. http://www.wutang-corp.com/forum/showthread.php? t=101706
Discography
Albums
Year
Title
Chart positionshttp:/ / www.billboard.com/ #/ artist/ gza/ chart-history/ 12488? f=305& g=Albums Billboard 200 chart history. Retrieved December 27, 2010.http:/ / www.billboard.com/ #/ artist/ gza/ chart-history/ 12488? f=333& g=Albums R& B/ Hip-Hop Albums chart history. Retrieved December 27, 2010.http:/ / www.billboard.com/ #/ artist/ gza/ chart-history/ 12488? f=335& g=Albums Rap Albums chart history. Retrieved December 27, 2010.http:/ / www.billboard.com/ #/ artist/ gza/ chart-history/ 12488? f=309& g=Albums Canadian Albums chart history. Retrieved December 27, 2010.http:/ / www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/ rpm/ 028020-110.01-e.php? PHPSESSID=sp19smnjn4io5g2nmhli5tdfo5& q1=gza& q2=Top+Albums%2FCDs& interval=20 RPM results. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
http://www.maximonline.com/GZAMAXIM/video/11198.aspx? src=BB3839:MD GZA interview and photo shoot with Maxim.com
http://www.scion.com/broadband/index.html? ch=0& sh=1& ep=7 Video interview with GZA
http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx? csid1=127& csid2=6& fid1=34519 GZA Interview with exclaim!
http://www.style43.com/news/2008/12/02/gza-wu-tang-review-live-in-london-bristol GZA UK Live Reviews 2008
http://waxpoetics.com/content/? article=gza The Making Of Liquid Swords: Waxpoetics' Interview By David Ma
http://lookoutpresents.com/featured/gza-interview/ LOOKOUT Presents: Montreal interview with GZA
http://conspiracyworldwide.podomatic.com/entry/eg/2010-01-23T06_19_07-08_00/ UNCENSORED GZA Radio Interview 2010
http://www.slugmag.com/exclusives/2039/GZA-The-Extended-Interview.html GZA Interview - GZA Interview with SLUG Magazine
GZAWu-Tang Clan Persondata | NAME =Gza | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =August 22, 1966 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Gza Category:American vegetarians Category:African American musicians Category:African American rappers Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Wu-Tang Clan members Category:Geffen Records artists Category:MCA Records artists Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Living people Category:Cold Chillin' Records artists Category:1966 births
