Wu-Tang's GZA goes 'Pro'

10/07/08 - Hip-Hop is probably the most divisive genre in today's music scene. Where your mother may simply hear the profane boasting about money, cars and hos over repetitive beats, someone like myself might latch onto the clever wordplay and complicated rhymes that don't stick out with just one listen.
My point, and I do have one, is that no matter how dope I think a rapper's lyrics may be, someone else who doesn't appreciate the art form will likely just hear more of the same.
The album, Pro Tools, by the Wu-Tang Clan's GZA, is an exception. One thing a listener will notice immediately is the lack of cursing. GZA, also known as the Genius, doesn't seem to need explicit language to get his points across. The complexity of his lyrics is not hindered, and is possibly even helped by, his refusal to rely on rap clichés.
GZA dismisses lesser MCs on the albums second song, "Alphabets," declaring himself "A legend in my lifetime, from one rhyme / that was specially designed, from the hook to bottom line / Shines like a precious jewel, cut up in the workshop / with specialized handcrafted tools / Couldn't buy this hardware, so don't swipe your card there / better yet, fold your hand, 'cause you're holding the wrong hand."
It's hard to quote the best lines for the purposes of this review, as GZA carries his thoughts throughout entire songs, without ever letting up on lyrical quality.
Most of the songs on the album work with some sort of concept. The track "0% Finance" tells the story of a woman who gets caught up in prostitution, but what makes the concept great is that he tells the whole story through car metaphors.
Two other tracks with standout concepts include "Cinema" and "Life is a Movie."
In "Cinema," employing an amazing, creepy, ominous beat, GZA paints a picture of classic horror: "Creepy spot where the dust covers the floor / and some fishing rods is hanging on the door / painting on the wall of stick figures...where the imagination runs wild, like 'who's creeping?' / neighbors are acres away and probably sleeping."
"Life is a Movie," on the other hand, is a more lighthearted affair, wherein GZA and featured guest RZA trade off verses, making light of life's problems. "I got a smile that'll make a mirror crack / and I seem to stay under clouds that's pitch black / so when it rains it pours, and when it pours I'm soaked / I contracted lung cancer from third-hand smoke."
Another notable track is "Paper Plate" which brutally disses 50 Cent and G-Unit. As a hip-hop listener who's never had a problem with explicit language, I am nonetheless impressed by GZA's ability to write such a stinging attack without once referring to 50 as a "faggot" or "bitch."
Instead, it's all just superior wordplay. "I get it, you got rich robbin' those in the industry / bite off this one, steal from your enemy /Enough to make you Vogue on the cover of GQ / only missin' the sheer blouse, homie, you're see-through."
All in all, I have very few complaints about this album. GZA excels with rhymes so complex and intellectual that I'm still listening, trying to work them all out.
I do have to say, however, that the beats are fairly unremarkable, and that GZA doesn't perform his lyrics with the intensity that they deserve. His flows are fairly monotonous, making it difficult to get emotionally invested.
However, if you're looking for a hip-hop album with superior lyrics that rewards on repeated listens, definitely pick this one up. You can play it when your mother comes to visit, and she won't even get offended.