Pro Tools
GZA/Genius
Think Differently Music/Babygrande Records


Coming off of last year’s disastrous, to say the least, 8 Diagrams, and Tony Starks’ own solid, but commercially ignored, The Big Doe Rehab, it’s really up to the Wu Tang Clan’s chief architect to show & prove for the team. Always hailed as the strongest lyricist in the eight-man Hip-Hop juggernaut, Shaolin’s own version of Voltron if you will, Gary “GZA” Grice is literally, as his moniker boldly implies: a microphone “Genius.”

On his latest solo release [although He and DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill dropped a collaborative effort, GrandMasters, in ’05], the first since Legend of the Liquid Sword in 2002, GZA continues to display his sharp and witty wordplay making it quite clear that throughout the years he hasn’t lost one iota of a step from a true lyrical standpoint.

Following some disparaging remarks from “Mr. Controversy” himself, 50 Cent, regarding the relevancy of the veteran rap artist, GZA’s first offering from Pro Tools is the honest, but scathing, RZA supplied dis track, ‘Paper Plate.’ It comes across perfectly as one gets to fully witness the master expertly educating the student -- Eat your words Curtis!

Elsewhere, there’s the other RZA entry, ‘Life is a Movie,’ which is upbeat and has a live-band feel. Next, ‘Pencil,’ produced by Wu affiliate Mathematics, is a slickly layered, head-nodder. Then, there’s the brilliant ‘Columbian Ties,’ a verbal gem hooked up by another extended Clansman, Bronze Nazareth. And, ‘Alphabets,’ the current single, has GZA spitting flaming darts with so much precision that it, once again, further proves as to why the Genius is one of the illest to ever do it! Mission accomplished.