GZA is an American popular rapper, songwriter and one of founders of the hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan.
His lyrics are unique in rap music since he promote the science and philosophies through them.
He is also partnership with an education group in the New York City which promotes science education via hip hop.
He left the school in the 10th grade.
More about interesting career development and private life of this very popular musician you can read in the text below.
Early years
The full and initial name of GZA is Gary Grice. He was born on August 22nd 1966 in Staten Island, New York, United States of America (USA).
There is no many information about his childhood and growing up.
He left the school in the 10th grade. Nothing more about his education, family and early years isn’t known in the public.
Before he began his professional music career GZA was interested in hip-hop music since he was a boy. Later he showed interest in street art such as graffiti and also in breakdance as in Disco Jokey (DJ) profession.
Career development
His music career began for the first time when he formed music group under name “FOI” which is abbreviation of phrase “Force of the Imperial Master”. Later they change the name of group into “All in Together”. The other two members of group besides him were his cousins Russell Jones and Robert Diggs.
Russel later became known under stage names Ol’ Dirty Bastard and RZA.
The group FOI performed in local shows and also took challenges in a music contests with other MCs in the New York City (NYC).
Few years later GZA got offer to start partnership with the record label called “Cold Chillin’ Records” as a solo musician with stage nickname the Genius.
In 1991 GZA published first album called “Words from the Genius”. On the album worked producer named Easy Mo Bee. Unfortunately, the album wasn’t sold since it wasn’t promoted. Besides that, the Genius had very bad music tour so the record label stopped the collaboration with him.
The topics of songs on his album mostly refer to the daily life of people who lives in the different places in New York. .
In 1992 after fiasco of his first album GZA started to develop his professional music career more seriously.
He became a member of group called Wu-Tang Clan which founder was RZA. Besides those two guys there were seven more members.
In 1993 the group published first studio album titled “Enter the Wu-Tang” on which was one single named “Clan in da Front” performed by GZA who also had a several notable performing on that album.
Two years later (1995) GZA published the album under name “Liquid Swords” which was signed by record label “Geffen Records”. The album got certificated Platinum status because it was sold in over than one million copies. GZA became recognizable and famous after releasing this album so he succeed in his intention to develop serious music career.
After four years of pause he published one more album named “Beneath the Surface” (1999) which was signed by “MCA Records”. That album got the certificated Gold status and it also took ninth place on the chart “Billboard 200”. Besides that, it was ranked on the chart “Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums”.
Three years later he published the sequel of his most successful album under name “Legend of the Liquid Sword” (2002).
After two years he started his solo music tour and also with his group. Besides that, he also performed along with the RZA in the movie under name “Coffee and Cigarettes”. It was his first appearing in the film industry.
These two musicians also were guests in two skits under names “Racial Draft” and “Wu Tang Financial” that belongs to Chappelle show.
Next year he published the album titled “Grandmasters” (2005) on which he worked with DJ Muggs who figured out that chess in GZA’s lyrics is the metaphorical representation for the game of rap and that the chess is topic of each track name on the album. Since Muggs realized that GZA is very talented for writing lyrics he decided to take on himself whole album production.
In 2008 he was performing his music at Paid Dues in NYC.
Soon after that great performing he published the album under name “Pro Tools” on which he worked with five well known musicians such as RZA, Black Milk and others.
On that album was very disputable track under name “Paper Plates” which was soft reaction on to famous rapper 50 Cent who was music rival of GZA.
Soon after publishing his fifth album he started to performing on his music tour under name “Liquid Swords Tour” in the different places in the Europe and later in the USA.
In 2010 GZA started collaboration with an education group which promotes science education via hip hop in the NYC.
After that he visited several more reputable colleges such as Harvard University, Oxford, Cornell, USC, MIT, NYU where he met scientists like Sallie W. Chisholm and David Kaiser. GZA discussed with them on many themes that interested him so he got motivation to develop new projects in the music industry.
In 2012 he met one more scientist who gave him inspiration for creating his new album under name “Dark Matter”. It was astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson with whom he was discussing on the topic “hip-hop and science” and after that he got new ideas for his album which refers to the topics of physics, universe and journey through time and space.
Same year GZA started the pilot program called Science Genius B.A.T.T.L.E.S. where abbreviation B.A.T.T.L.E.S. means Bringing Attention to Transforming, Teaching and Learning Science.
He launched that program in collaboration with Christopher Emdin who is professor at Columbia University and also with the website named “Rap Genius” with aim to upgrade the education.
The program inspired mostly African-American and Latino high school students, who make up about 70 % of all students in the NYC, to develop their education by writing rap lyrics which refers to science themes and also by participating in the rap contests.
Three years later he decided to call off his European music tour that was scheduled for 2015 because he wanted to produce a new album in collaboration with music composer Vangelis. According to his plans that album would refer to the topics of Earth and oceans which belongs to series of albums on the Earth themes. GZA said in that time that won’t be nakedness, parent’s advices and vulgarity on that album.
Same year he published a song named “The Mexican” which actually is the cover track for track titled “Babe Ruth”. In that single besides GZA were two more guest performers, singer Kara Lane and guitarist Tom Morello.
In the summer next year he published a song named “The Spark” (2016) which refer to the topic of new universe space. That song was signed and created by music producer Paul Ryder within project of The National Aeronautics and Space Administration under name “Destination: Jupiter” that belonges to the celebration of NASA under name “Juno Mission”.
Some analysis of lyrics in GZA’s tracks showed that his vocabulary in the hip-hop music takes second place since he often uses metaphorical meanings and various themes in his songs including science and universe.
GZA has his own accounts on social networks like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Spotify. He has more than 170 thousand followers on his Instagram profile and over than 360 thousand on Twitter. He also has more than 600 thousand fans on his official Facebook page and over than million listeners monthly on his Spotify account.
Personal life
There is no any notable information about his private life. It is obvious that GZA hide his privacy from the public and that he doesn’t like to expose his personal and intimate details in the media and on his social networks accounts on which he is active.
Net worth
His net worth is estimated on about $18 million in total.
Quick summary
Full name: Gary Grice
Nickname, stage name: GZA
Date of birth: August 22 1966
Age: 53
Zodiac sign: Leo
Birthplace: Staten Island, New York, United States of America
Profession/Occupation: rapper, songwriter, founder of hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan
Net worth and salary: about $18 million
Height: 181 cm or 5 feet and 11 inches
Weight: 75 kg or 165 Ibs
Body Measurement: Unknown
Marital status: Unknown
Children: Unknown
Residence: Unknown
Religion: Unknown
Nationality: American
Origin: Unknown
Ethnicity: African American
Social media accounts and web site:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealgza/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theGZA/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealgza
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ns6XAOsw4B0nDUIovAOUO
