Legend of the Liquid Sword [PA] (CD - 2002)

Personnel: Genius/GZA, Ghostface Killah, Streetlife, RZA, Masta Killa, Anthony Allen, Governor Two's, Prodigal Sunn, 12 O'Clock ,Inspectah Deck, Armel (rap vocals); Santi White (vocals); Jay "Waxx" Garfield (programming).

Producers include: Jay "Waxx" Garfield, Boola, Bink, Arabian "Q-Base" Knight, Tyquan Walker.

Recorded at Liquid Sword, Sound On Sound and 36 Chambers Studios, New York, New York.

Personnel: Genius/GZA, Ghostface Killah, Streetlife, RZA, Masta Killa, Anthony Allen, TSanti White, Prodigal Sunn, 12O'Clock, Governor Two's, Inspectah Deck, Armel (rap vocals).

Producers includes: Jay "Waxx" Garfield, Boola, Bink, Arabian "Q-Base" Knight, Tyquan Walker.

Recorded at Liquid Sword, Sound On Sound & 36 Chambers Studios, New York, New York.

Audio Mixer: Doug Wilson.

Recording information: 36 Chambers, New York, NY; Liquid Sword Studios, New York, NY; Sound on Sound Studios, New York, NY.

Photographer: Hassan Jarane.

Wu-Tang elder statesman Genius's mind runs at a dizzying pace in numerous and often inscrutable directions. It's ceaselessly fascinating to watch his Shaolin-meets-hip-hop world unfurl on 2002's LEGEND OF THE LIQUID SWORD. While a discernible logic is apparent throughout LEGEND, Genius's records always retain the tinge of madness and unpredictability that made the best of the Wu-Tang collective recordings so captivating.

The record can shift from blithe earnestness (aptly titled "Auto Bio") and righteous posturing ("Fam (Members Only)") to outright goofiness (the bizarrely fascinating "Fame"). In fact, few would have either the ingenuity to write or the guts and lack of self-consciousness to release the latter, a bouncing track laced with puns on celebrity names such as "used Bernie's Mac to search Veronica's Web" and "Pete's Rose lay on Vanessa's Red Grave." However, Genius/GZA is nothing if not his own man, a rapper with a remarkably complex world to draw from, making LEGEND OF THE LIQUID SWORD ever a provocative listen with new revelations to offer upon each listen.

Wu-Tang elder statesman Genius's mind runs at a dizzying pace in numerous and often inscrutable directions. It's ceaselessly fascinating to watch his Shaolin-meets-hip-hop world unfurl on 2002's LEGEND OF THE LIQUID SWORD. While a discernible logic is apparent throughout LEGEND, Genius's records always retain the tinge of madness and unpredictability that made the best of the Wu-Tang collective recordings so captivating.

The record can shift from blithe earnestness (aptly titled "Auto Bio") and righteous posturing ("Fam (Members Only)") to outright goofiness (the bizarrely fascinating "Fame"). In fact, few would have either the ingenuity to write or the guts and lack of self-consciousness to release the latter, a bouncing track laced with puns on celebrity names such as "used Bernie's Mac to search Veronica's Web" and "Pete's Rose lay on Vanessa's Red Grave." However, Genius/GZA is nothing if not his own man, a rapper with a remarkably complex world to draw from, making LEGEND OF THE LIQUID SWORD ever a provocative listen with new revelations to offer upon each listen. minimize