Wu-Tang Clan lyricist GZA took time to address the origins of Hip Hop during a lecture about his Science Genius program at a recent TEDx Teen Talk series.
According to the Brooklyn-born musician, Hip Hop was created to stop violence, specifically gang violence. He later revealed that Hip Hop can still be used to educate the youth and “promote a positive vibe.”
“Rap itself or rhyming is sometimes considered by some as an inferior or lower language because or probably because of the ignorance and the negativity and the violence that’s associated with it,” GZA said. “Hip Hop was started to stop violence, not increase violence. Or not help promote violence. It was started to stop gang violence. When those from the early days, the pioneers came out and played the music and put down all they colors and formed a group and came together. So, back to using Hip Hop as a means of educating the youth is a great thing because we can uplift them to a certain level and promote a positive vibe.”
The topic of science and music and the parallels between the two was also discussed during GZA’s lecture as he expressed interest in wanting to learn more about the science behind sound.
“Science is a way to improve our quality of life by understanding ourselves more and the things that surround us,” he said. “It’s a way of upliftment. But why music? Because music is a universal language. Music is a world within itself and a language we all understand. Said by Stevie Wonder. Music is a healing force of the world. Understood by every man, woman, and girl. Said by The O’Jays. It is a healing force. Music is universal. Both imaginary and real. I’m more interested in the reality of sound and how sound physically exists in the universe.”
In addition to his discussion on science and music during the TEDx Teen Talk series, GZA has also lectured at Harvard University, Cornell University, New York University and other institutes of higher learning.
RELATED: GZA Says Wu-Tang Clan Hasn’t “Been On The Same Page In Years,” Talks “Dark Matter” LP
Thank you! The way hip hop should be represented..
The fourth kid is dressed like Jay-Z in the Picasso Baby video, but little man is hot.
Its true if you look at the history. It was a refuge from some real rough shit, and as it spread, the gangs turned to hip hop instead bangin
thats why he is the genius. Much respect to GZA and his positive message
This article is so true this devil is scared of Strong Black Men and damn so scared of a brother with knowledge thats why they push SellOuts like Snoop dogg and Rick Ross Diddy and Kanye Jay Z rapping bout dope and prison and loving the devil and when yu get garbage spilling out them speakers 24/7 it leaves a stain on a young mind to mislead Only God can save us
I 2nd that!
This is why rap is dead, no MC’s like GZA around with intellectual curiousity, and the trolls on this site will perpetuate that stupidity forever, your generation is retarded
It’s a ton of great resources about Hip Hop being used as a tool to uplift, but these cats at HHDX are too concerned about how many clicks an article receives, so they strickly fucks with the shock value and bullshit stories. They like giving attention to these fucking 12 and 13 year old white boys who don’t know shit about Hip Hop, but will post ignorant dumb ass comments to get a fucking laugh. Don’t get it twisted, I understand writers making a living and the advertising dollars too, but still this is sad shit to say the least. Balance this shit out already!
Rap isn’t dead, it’s on life support. Dj’s are told what to play. Bullshit sells unfortunately. The powers that be don’t want us to hear the real message. There would be a revolution believe me. The younger generation has to go out and seek knowledge. Don’t expect your school to feed it to you. They only want you to learn what they want you to learn.
Slow day at the office hhdx? That was a dope presentation by Gza and it would’ve been nice to acknowledge that with a write up versus stating the obvious.
^ and that’s what they did bruh.
HONESTLY I GIVE GZA CREDIT ON HIS BLAND INTELLECT OF SCIENCE WHICH DOESNT AMOUNT TO MUCH, HIS FLOW HAS WENT FROM CONSCIOUS STREET SCIENCE TO JUST LABRAOTORY NERD/ACTUAL SCIENTIST SCIENCE, LIKE GTFOH….DUDES LIKE AOTP ROCK THE WU, I THINK WU TANG WAS GOOD UNTIL ALL THESE SKATER NERD KIDS PLAYED THEM OUT, THERES A COUPLE OR FEW GOOD WU DUDES INS BEING THE MOST CONSISTENT…GZA SUCKS NOW IN MY OPINION HIS STYLE COMPARED TO AOTP, ROC MARCI, ALPHA FAKTION, PLANET ASIA, EPIDEMIC, MINDSONE, JAMLA SQUAD, J-ZONE, MALIK B, ZILLA ROCCA, EL DA SENSEI, ETC DOESNT HOLD A MATCH, GZA FELL OFF IN MY BOOKS, SORRY
skater nerds like dumb lyrics like YMCMB and MMG. GZA is for intelligent people, that’s why you don’t like him – you are stupid, sir.
Honestly, “dudes like AOTP rock,” sounds like some shit a skater nerd would say. Maybe it wasn’t the most charismatic presentation but it was coherent and well articulated. Respect the architect. Gza is a founding member of the Wu. AOTP wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for him and and the rest of the clan.
just cause you listen to underground shit doesn’t mean you know dick about rap. I’m tired of hipsters like you trying to critique flows like you know what the fuck you’re talking about. You don’t.
dunlock I would stuff your head in a toilet bowl fast and honestly YOU ARE FUCKIN STUPID u hip hop hippie faggot, I would like to see how bad you are in person fuckin clown and anonymous I am SIR…SIR YOUR KING IS MY NAME YOU FUCKIN COUTR JESTER, I WOULD FINISH YOU OFF IF I SEEN YOU FUCKIN GOOF, INTERNET BIG MOUTH R USUALLY FUCK ALL IN PERSON, IF I SEEN U GUYS U GUYS WOULD ALL BEG ME TO NOT DO ANYTHING…FUCKIN LOSERS I SAY WHAT I SAY, GZA IS FUCKIN WACK AND THATS MY OPINION, EAT A DICK NOW IDIOTS
case in point….KOOL G RAP IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS AND FLOW HIP HOP, MOST RAPPERS R INFLUENCED BY KOOL G RAP U FUCKIN SLIMEBALL FOOLS, SLAP ALL OF YOU FUCKIN MEGA HARD…CLOWNS
I WOULD TAKE A SHIT IN ALL YOUR MOUTHS, PISS ON YOU AND WOULD OUTMUSCLE YOU FUCKIN DEEP THROATERS, I BET BEHIND THE INTERNET YOU CANNOT EVEN DO ANYTHING U FUCKIN CLOWNS, RUN TO THE COPS I IMAGINE U PIECES OF SHIT, U DISS ME…U R DISSING A KING U FUCKIN BALLS OF SHIT. GZA IS RHYMING PREACHIY CONSCIOUS SHIT, HE IS WACK NOW, LIQUID SWORDS IS 95 I GOT THAT ALBUM BACK THEN U HUMAN URINALS. NOW U SAY I AM STUPID, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW U WOULD ACT IF U SEEN ME, I AM A GENERAL AND WOULD BEAT THE LIVING OUT OF YOU 3 CLOWNS WHO DISSED ME, U GUYS ARE ZERO AND I AM ALSO A MMA WARRIOR IN TRAINING, SO WATCH WHAT U SAY TO THE KING SHIT HOLES
I agree – all because a dudes underground/indie doesn’t mean he is an instant great
Comment above is on point, it is this type of fruits who know jack about hip-hop and think they could dissect the GZA’s fow, style et al., all they are doing is repeating bullshit that people, ahem, neo-hippie writers who are knew to rap and who got into rap ’cause it is the ‘hip’ thing of the moment are vomiting. Fuck out of here
Too bad Democrats and Eric holder have blocked voucher programs allowing inner city kids to attend better charter schools – because charters arent controlled by teaching unions.
blacks are being played by democrats.
* inner city kids are being played by democrats
that voucher program has been debated since the 90s, you’re late and misinformed
wtf GZA, youve been choppin fools heads off with your sword for a minute now… that’s violence to me am i right people?
lol right
You missed the point obviously.
The only dumb muthafuckas that took the shit literally. Basic remedial ass niggas.
Rap itself or rhyming is sometimes considered by some as an inferior or lower language because or probably because of the ignorance and the negativity and the violence thats associated with it, Yeah, that and that fact that a lot of the themes are drug, gang and violence related. Let’s not forget that!
Amen
Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Biz Markie, Fat Boys, Heavy D, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Kool Moe Dee, Soulsonic Force, Cold Crush Brothers were all spitting negativity, gang & violence raps?
lol, your comment is oozing with ignorance
cosign let’s not forget them.
He’s right to an extent, Hip hop did kill off a lot of NY 70’s street gangs(Black spades, assasinators, sex boys etc.) but the dope scene didn’t go away unfortunately. Crack killed what hip hop did in the begining.
And then came Schooly D and ruined it all with that gangsta rap shit.