Yeah... My mind has been fixated on Liquid Swords, the classic hip hop album by the Gza (pronounced "jizza" if you didn't know... but he also answers to "the Genius"), for the last couple weeks... You may imbibe some Gza-directed youTubery while I drop a little blah blah...
As you (SHOULD) know, the mighty Wu-tang Clan was at the height of their popularity when Gza -arguably the Clan's most talented lyricist- dropped Liquid Swords (his second solo plate following the '91 record Words from the Genius) in 1995.
In an era that was littered with dope emcees, and as a member of arguably the most talented rap crew ever, Gza received universal well-deserved praise for Liquid Swords. Like most of the Wu-Tang solo albums, this one sports guest features by the rest of the Clan, while still maintaining the somber, determined sound that is Gza'z trademark. Produced in Rza's basement studio with generous samples from the classic martial arts film Shogun Assassin (which was itself based on the manga series Lone Wolf and Cub by the way), Liquid Swords is emblematic of what Wu-Tang is all about.
For the album art, Gza's manager and business partner Geoff Garfield wisely commissioned Denys Cowan, chief artist of Milestone Comics, DC's revolutionary yet short-lived multi-cultural imprint that was home to some of my favorite characters ever like Hardware and Static. The edgy, violent and intelligent visuals seen in Hardware are reflected in the Liquid Swords cover art. The Gza's concept of the hooded warriors on a chessboard battlefield combined with Cowan's art and produced a perfectly appropriate package for one of the best hip hop records ever made. I do album art from time to time, and Liquid Swords is brought up by prospective clients more than any other. The combination of comicbook art and gutter hip hop is an intoxicating mixture, I guess... holla! -samax.
