Legend of the Liquid Sword [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

Genius

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 10, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B00007FXQF
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #45,034 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Bouncing back from the deplorably mediocre Beneath the Surface, GZA reasserts his position at the head of the Wu-Tang corpus. The most obvious improvement is in the production, masterminded by various Wu-Tang acolytes of RZA's dissonant funkalistics. Beats are kept simple--one- and two-bar loops sampled from across the musical spectrum--but despite their austerity, they're impressively efficient sonic packages that complement GZA's own powerfully compact lyrical style. The self-proclaimed "ill rhyme kicker / with no parental sticker" rolls with almost nonstop braggadocio on the album, flashing his virtuosity with metaphorically inspired songs like "Fame" and "Animal Planet" and wordplay parties such as "Knock, Knock" and "Sparring Minds." The album's main liability is that it's consistent to a fault. The 15 tracks begin to sound like variations on one another and, despite the individual qualities of any given song, the overall album begins to get monotonous halfway through. --Oliver Wang

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wu's Sharpest Sword is Back!, December 10, 2002

By A Customer

Did he ever leave? Not really, but the last album by the senior member of the Wu-Tang Clan was, while solid, not up to the standard set by his masterpiece "Liquid Swords". Thankfully the "Legend of the Liquid Sword" is almost entirely free of skits and corny choruses letting the GZA's lyrical genius and unique style shine on every track.
The Album starts with a short intro where GZA's son gives us some background, reminiscent of the Lone Wolf and Son intro on the original Liquid Swords album. The first track "Auto bio" is a triumphant piece of hip-hop history, documenting the GZA's paying of dues in the early days of rap. The track is dope; it reminds me of "Out of Here" on the first solo album by KRS-ONE. The rest of the album is of an equal caliber, amazing rhymes over solid beats.
The GZA drops not one but two of his trademark "Label" raps. Fame is an acrobatic flow through a star map worth of famous names, another instant classic. Animal Planet uses the names of various wild animals to create a flow that reflects on the beauty and violence that exist both in natural and human environments. If it sounds like elementary school you haven't heard the song, the GZA/Genius is way beyond college!
This is the best Wu album I've heard since Ghostface dropped Supreme Clientele, possibly the best since the original five classics of the Wu. That said, I firmly believe that the Wu-Tang will not regain their past glory until the RZA starts producing entire albums again. I know the man is busy, but a true Wu epic deserves the coherent atmosphere and consistent production that the RZA brought to the earliest Wu albums; this 9 different producers on a 15 track album ... that has taken over rap has got to stop! Even with the somewhat inconstant mood there are no throwaway songs on this one and the beats are all at least solid. The real shine on the album is, of course, the GZAs lyrics. The man never stops dropping absolute jewels, bar after bar he creates poetry that can be listened to dozens (or like the first Liquid Sword thousands) of times and will continue to engage and amaze. Unlike with many recent Wu releases I can easily recommend this album to all rap fans, proof that the Wu is not done creating true classics!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slept., March 20, 2006

By	London Boggs "M I N D" (El Paso, Texas) - See all my reviews

Wow. I can't believe I have slept on this album for so long. GZA shreds through this album with some of the illest rhymes, concepts, ideas, and flow I have heard in awhile. I loved every minute of it and suggest to every Wu and Hip Hop fan alike to cop this album ASAP!

Bar none one of the top 100 Hip Hop Albums of all time.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GZA - Legend Of The Liquid Sword, December 25, 2005

By	Wu-Tang_Assassin (California) - See all my reviews

After "Beneath The Surface", GZA took 3 years off and came back in 2002 with his next album called "Legend Of The Liquid Sword". By the title, you might be thinking it might sound like "Liquid Swords", but no, it doesnt... at all lol. But let me get into the album a little bit more.

Lyric wise, GZA seemed like he did a little better on this album than he did on Beneath The Surface, maybe he didnt but to me it just seems like it a bit. There are NO skits on this album, which is by far good and shows GZA didnt show lazyness here. Every single song has great lyrics, so lyrically, I think GZA definately stepped up big time. "Knock Knock" has some NICE lyrics in the verses. "Fame", WOW, let me tell you something, READ the lyrics to this song and tell me if your amazed out of your AZZ! THEN! Read the lyrics to "Animal Planet" and tell me if you arent amazed again. GZA is a genius so he isnt trippin out when he calls himself that. He deserves to be called a genius. Lyrically he did better on this than he did on Beneath The Surface. If you want to see GZA step up, get this!

Production wise, still hardly not RZA production but then again its still good! Some beats I liked were "Silent", "Knock Knock", "Stay In Line", "Fam", "Fame", "Highway Robbery", "Luminal", "Sparring Minds" and "Rough Cut". These are all really good beats. The rest are decent efforts. But it sort of has the same sound as Beneath The Surface but a little better in my opinion. So production is good.

Overall, this album has a little bit more potential than B.T.S had, so if you liked that album then you will definatly like this album.

***SUPPORT GZA AND REAL HIPHOP AND BUY THIS***

My Top 5 Songs
1.Silent
2.Stay In Line
3.Animal Planet
4.Fame
5.Sparring Minds