Legend of the Liquid Sword
Studio album by
GZA/Genius
ReleasedDecember 10, 2002
Recorded2001–2002
GenreHip hop
Length50:32
LabelMCA, Universal Records
ProducerBink!, GZA, Arabian Knight, Mathematics, RZA, Jaz-O, DJ Muggs
GZA/Genius chronology
Beneath the Surface
(1999)		 Legend of the Liquid Sword
(2002)		 Grandmasters
(2005)

Legend of the Liquid Sword is the fourth solo studio album by American hip hop artist GZA, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. It was released on December 10, 2002. The album is named after the kung fu film Legend of the Liquid Sword. In the songs "Did Ya Say That", and "Knock Knock", GZA focuses on the politics of record labels, and expresses his issues in dealing with record companies over artistic goals in music.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Pitchfork Media8.3/10[2]
RapReviews[3]
Robert Christgau(2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention)[4]
Rolling Stone[5]
StylusB[6]
Vibe[7]

Brett Berliner of Stylus Magazine said: "The man simply is brilliant, and although these aren’t the lyrics that will appeal to most, they are certainly some of the best. It’s just like why simple books appeal to the masses – most people can’t comprehend this much depth."[8]

Jonah Weiner of Blender magazine stated: "This abstract skill put his 1995 masterpiece, Liquid Swords (name-checked here in the title and every other song), in the running for best Wu solo album, but dense, volatile production pushed it over the top — the prosaic soul loops here are solid enough, but fall short of the legend."[9]

The overall sound of the album conflicted much of the mainstream hip-hop at the time of its release. Samira Niazy of prefixmag.com rated the album 8.0 out of 10 and concluded: "One of the things you'll notice is that GZA's more unique and real style shines through because he focuses on lyricism rather than distracting the listener with loud instrumental background noise. It draws your attention to his best asset, his distinct style. Thankfully, Legend of the Liquid Sword sounds nothing like the hip-pop that's on heavy rotation on hip-hop stations right now."[10]

Though many opinions varied on whether the album was the classic "Wu-Tang sound", Ari Levenfeld of PopMatters feels: "If Legend of the Liquid Sword is any indication of the Wu-Tang Clan's efforts to come, it doesn't seem like the group is all that interested in expanding their fan base or growing musically. Maybe they've done what they set out to do. The franchise is working... GZA isn't trying to be something or someone he's not. He's all about the original recipe."[11]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro" (featuring Young Justice)Justice Kareem 0:42
2."Auto Bio"Gary Eldridge GriceJay "Waxx" Garfield3:54
3."Did Ya Say That?"GriceBoola3:54
4."Silent" (featuring Ghostface Killah & Streetlife)
Bink!2:41
5."Knock, Knock"GriceJay "Waxx" Garfield3:34
6."Stay in Line" (featuring Santi White)
Arabian Knight4:02
7."Animal Planet"Grice
  • Tyquan Walker
  • Bink!
4:16
8."Fam (Members Only)" (featuring RZA & Masta Killa)
Mathematics4:10
9."Legend of the Liquid Sword" (featuring Anthony Allen)
  • Grice
  • Anthony Allen
Jaz-O3:37
10."Fame"GriceArabian Knight3:45
11."Highway Robbery" (featuring Governor Two's)GriceArabian Knight4:00
12."Luminal"GriceDJ Muggs2:59
13."Sparring Minds" (featuring Inspectah Deck)
Arabian Knight2:48
14."Rough Cut" (featuring 12 O'Clock, Prodigal Sunn & Armel)
RZA3:05
15."Uncut Material"GriceGZA2:58
Total length:50:32

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[12] 75
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] 21

References

  1. ↑ John Bush (2002-12-10). "Legend of the Liquid Sword – GZA | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  2. ↑ "GZA: Legend of the Liquid Sword | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. 2003-01-07. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  3. ↑ "GZA :: Legend of the Liquid Sword :: MCA Records". Rapreviews.com. 2002-12-14. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  4. ↑ "CG: GZA/Genius". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  5. ↑ Blashill, Pat (January 23, 2003). "New CDs: Legend of the Liquid Swords". Rolling Stone. No. 914. p. 66.
  6. ↑ "The GZA – Legend of the Liquid Sword – Stylus Magazine". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on October 21, 2004. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  7. ↑ Lemon, Damien (December 2002). "Revolutions: GZA – Legend of the Liquid Sword". Vibe. p. 208.
  8. ↑ "The GZA – Legend of the Liquid Sword – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  9. ↑ "Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur". Blender. 2001-09-15. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  10. ↑ Samira Niazy (2002-12-10). "GZA: Legend of the Liquid Sword". Prefixmag.com. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  11. ↑ "GZA/Genius: Legend of the Liquid Sword – PopMatters Music Review". Popmatters.com. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  12. ↑ "GZA Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  13. ↑ "GZA Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
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