Liquid Swords
Encyclopedia
Liquid Swords is the second solo studio album
by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan
member GZA
, released November 7, 1995, on Geffen Records
. Recording sessions for the album began mid-way through 1995 at producer RZA
's basement studio in Staten Island
New York
. The album heavily samples dialogue from the martial arts film Shogun Assassin
and maintains a dark atmosphere throughout its course, while it incorporates lyrical references to chess
, crime
and philosophy
. Liquid Swords features numerous guest appearances from the entire nine piece Wu-Tang Clan.
Upon its release, Liquid Swords peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200
chart, and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. On January 11, 1996, it was certified gold
in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). The album initially received favorable critical reviews for its lyrically complex and musically hypnotic style. Over the years, its recognition has grown, with a number of famous publishers proclaiming it as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2007, the Chicago Tribune
cited it as "one of the most substantial lyrical journeys in hip-hop history". Along with Raekwon
's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
, Liquid Swords is often cited as the best solo Wu-Tang work. In 2010, GZA and RZA announced that they're working on a sequel
to commemorate its 15th-year anniversary.
solo albums Tical
and Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
, Wu-Tang member Raekwon
began recording his acclaimed debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
in early 1995. While he and producer RZA
were putting the final touches on that album, RZA and GZA
began writing and recording what would eventually become Liquid Swords. In regards to their decision to begin the album at the time they did, GZA later commented "We (Wu-Tang) were on a roll, and it was the perfect time to get in the studio and just do it."
Similar to other early solo Wu-Tang albums, Liquid Swords was recorded in RZA's basement studio in Staten Island
New York
, with some beats playing for over two days straight while recording. When asked in a later interview about his opinion of the album's beats, GZA remarked "I loved them. A lot of them had a grimy, rock
-like feel to them. I just remember absolutely loving them." In the same interview, GZA described the writing process as "real slow." He further commented "I don’t say slow in the sense that it necessarily took me a long time to finish what I’m writing. I mean, Raekwon and Ghostface
can step in and record a song in about forty-five minutes. I on the other hand, would often go back and finish rhymes that I started. I would say I pieced things together more slowly then. Songs generally take me two to three days to write. Sometimes I take different sentences and put them together."
Regarding the overall sensation of writing Liquid Swords, GZA stated "It's hard to say something is gonna be classic or not. But I can say that I felt the magic with this one. I actually saw it grow and come together, and felt that it was special as we were doing it." GZA later noted in an interview with The Seattle Times
:
The album's cover was designed by DC-Milestone Comics
chief artist Denys Cowan
, according to the album's liner notes, and GZA's personal manager Geoffrey L. Garfield, who commissioned Cowan. Garfield, an avid comic book fan, said the cover art was supervised under the auspices of GZA GrafX, a subsidiary company of GZA Entertainment owned by Genius and Garfield. The concept of the chessboard with its sword-wielding warriors was conceived by Genius, an avid chess player. The Genius version of the Wu-Tang Clan logo, the "G" using the logo iconography, was rendered by Wu-Tang Clan DJ Mathematics
who was also an accomplished graphic artist.
Genius also enjoyed a successful side career as a music video director, and with Garfield as writer and producer, created all four videos for the Liquid Swords album ("Liquid Swords", "Cold World", "Shadowboxin'/4th Chamber", and "I Gotcha Back"), and also did videos for Sunz of Man
, Ghostface Killah
's song ("Motherless Child") on the Sunset Park film
soundtrack, Shabazz the Disciple (Penalty Records) and Case (Def Jam). The Source
recognized their video "Shadowboxin'/4th Chamber" as one of the Top Five Videos of 1995.
Liquid Swords was performed in its entirety on July 13, 2007, at the Pitchfork Music Festival
and again in England, on December 9 at All Tomorrow's Parties
and on December 10 at KOKO (venue) in London, as part of the ATP-curated Don't Look Back
series. After the cancellation of an appearance in Brooklyn, New York, the performance was rescheduled for December 13 and 14 at the Knitting Factory
in New York.
," the song first appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Fresh, and was the first song written for the album. Describing the song's background and theme, GZA later stated "This was a short rhyme I wrote for one of my nephews. When I said, “My lifestyle so far from well, could’ve wrote a book called Age Twelve and Going Through Hell.” It’s for my nephew who was twelve at the time, and whose father, my brother, had been locked up since ‘88. So he wasn’t around for my nephew when times were rough, so I wanted to up my nephew a bit with this track. I had two nephews in the video, they were both real young at the time. And in video, they both had met up and shots rang out from some young gangsters. It’s a shame because both those kids in the video, both nephews of mine, ended up getting in trouble for ringing out shots and are both doing time right now. It’s kind of ironic. One of my nephews ended up getting eights years for that shit. So the whole song is a sad irony to me now."
The second single released for the album, was the title track "Liquid Swords," released over one year later on October 10, 1995. GZA later commented "Usually I take a beat home and write to it for a few days, but it wasn’t like that with this track. I think RZA played the beat for me and I just spit to it right there. The hook was actually a routine from around ‘84 that me RZA and Ol' Dirty
would do: 'When the emcees came, to live out the name.' Just like that."
November 28, 1995 saw the release of the album's third single "Cold World
." In regards to his writing approach to the song, GZA stated "Normally, when I hear a beat, I already know where to go with it. I can picture the track and just vibe off it. As soon as I heard the beat to “Cold World,” I knew it would be another inner-city story."
The fourth and final single released for the album was "4th Chamber," released early 1996, with "Shadowboxin'" as its B-Side. GZA later remarked "Making “4th Chamber” was crazy because I didn’t have a rhyme ready for that one. That’s why I went last on it. Plus, Ghost killed it with his verse so I knew I had to come correct. It’s not even a GZA song to me—it’s a Wu-Tang song. And Ghost’s verse is just incredible to me. He delivered so well. I don’t know if you saw the video, I directed that too. This song, the guest verses, the video, the crowd response, all turned out perfect for this one."
, Dimitri Ehrlich rated the album a B+ and stated that "With its tight beat, Liquid Swords emphasizes the finesse with which GZA weaves his vocals over straightforward rhythms. Selwyn Seyfu Hinds from The Source
rated the album 4 out 5 mics, and wrote "GZA comes across like a highly focused master-graftsman. Throughout Liquid Swords he maintains a clear, precise flow, one that reflects deadly-sharp purpose and skilled execution." Hinds also praised the album's production stating "RZA's production continues to excite the spine. That's an astonishing fact when one considers the volume of work he's put out this year. Liquid Swords contains all the elements of RZA's increasingly sophisticated style: shuffling kicks, neck snapping snares, haunting melodies via strings or vibe-like textures and penetrating bass tones." He finally went on to say "If the Wu message hasn't been beamed into your brain, rest assured; the GZA will offer swift remedy and swifter understanding. Folks may as well hand the key over. Liquid Swords has officially put shit on lock." L J'amal Walton from The Chronicle
wrote a favorable review of the album stating "All the tracks are good. This is a CD that you can pop into the player without worrying about programming the CD player to skip bad tracks ... The GZA proves that he can hold his own with tracks like "Liquid Swords," "Labels," and "Gold." Cheo H. Coker from Los Angeles Times
rated Liquid Swords 3½ out of 4 stars, and wrote in his review "Like a hip-hop M.C. Escher, this Wu-Tang Clan member serves up urban tales that reveal layer after layer of thought with repeated listening. The head-banging "Gold," the hypnotic "4th Chamber" and the ice-smooth "Shadowboxing" add to the evidence that the Wu-Tang Clan are the kings of New York rap."
wrote a favorable review of the album stating "like one who tries to catch lightning in a bottle again, they (Wu-Tang) never yet managed to make anything this memorable, otherworldly, and strangely beautiful again. Christian Hoard from Rolling Stone
rated the album 4 out of 5 stars, and stated that on the album GZA "... went goth, painting the Wu's street grime black." In its "Back to the Lab" series, RapReviews.com's Steve Juon gave the album a perfect 10/10 rating, and stated that "On Liquid Swords you have an album of 100% Wu-Tang sonic mastery. A lot of good Wu-Tang Clan albums have been released over the years, both collectively and individually, but out of all the solo albums this may be the best – if not one of the top two or three." Steve Huey from allmusic gave the album a maximum score of five stars and commented on its significance in the Wu-Tang Clan's catalogue, stating:
As of January 2011, Liquid Swords was ranked the 69th best album of all-time on Rate Your Music
, as well as the 4th best album of the 1990s.
page, entitled Liquid Swords 2: The Return of the Shadowboxer
. The album will be entirely produced by RZA and is set to be released sometime in 2011. On November 9, 2010 GZA announced on his facebook page that he is still currently writing and recording Liquid Swords 2.
Track 13 was originally omitted from the vinyl and cassette versions, but present on the reissue and the CD.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
member GZA
GZA
Gary Grice , better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career...
, released November 7, 1995, on Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
. Recording sessions for the album began mid-way through 1995 at producer RZA
RZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
's basement studio in Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The album heavily samples dialogue from the martial arts film Shogun Assassin
Shogun Assassin
Shogun Assassin, known in Japan as , is a jidaigeki film made for the British and American markets and released in 1980. In 2006 it was restored and re-released on DVD in North America by AnimEigo....
and maintains a dark atmosphere throughout its course, while it incorporates lyrical references to chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Liquid Swords features numerous guest appearances from the entire nine piece Wu-Tang Clan.
Upon its release, Liquid Swords peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. On January 11, 1996, it was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). The album initially received favorable critical reviews for its lyrically complex and musically hypnotic style. Over the years, its recognition has grown, with a number of famous publishers proclaiming it as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2007, the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
cited it as "one of the most substantial lyrical journeys in hip-hop history". Along with Raekwon
Raekwon
Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is the solo debut album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, released August 1, 1995, on Loud Records in the United States...
, Liquid Swords is often cited as the best solo Wu-Tang work. In 2010, GZA and RZA announced that they're working on a sequel
Liquid Swords 2: The Return of the Shadowboxer
Liquid Swords 2: The Return of the Shadowboxer is the seventh studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, scheduled to be released in 2012...
to commemorate its 15th-year anniversary.
Background and recording
Following the success of Wu-Tang ClanWu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
solo albums Tical
Tical (album)
Tical is the debut solo album of American rapper, and Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man, released November 15, 1994, on Def Jam Records. It was the first Wu-Tang solo album released after the group's debut, Enter the Wu-Tang ...
and Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version is the solo debut album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ol' Dirty Bastard, released March 28, 1995 on Elektra Records in the United States. It was the second solo album to be released from the nine-member Wu-Tang camp, following the release of...
, Wu-Tang member Raekwon
Raekwon
Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
began recording his acclaimed debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is the solo debut album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, released August 1, 1995, on Loud Records in the United States...
in early 1995. While he and producer RZA
RZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
were putting the final touches on that album, RZA and GZA
GZA
Gary Grice , better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career...
began writing and recording what would eventually become Liquid Swords. In regards to their decision to begin the album at the time they did, GZA later commented "We (Wu-Tang) were on a roll, and it was the perfect time to get in the studio and just do it."
Similar to other early solo Wu-Tang albums, Liquid Swords was recorded in RZA's basement studio in Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, with some beats playing for over two days straight while recording. When asked in a later interview about his opinion of the album's beats, GZA remarked "I loved them. A lot of them had a grimy, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
-like feel to them. I just remember absolutely loving them." In the same interview, GZA described the writing process as "real slow." He further commented "I don’t say slow in the sense that it necessarily took me a long time to finish what I’m writing. I mean, Raekwon and Ghostface
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
can step in and record a song in about forty-five minutes. I on the other hand, would often go back and finish rhymes that I started. I would say I pieced things together more slowly then. Songs generally take me two to three days to write. Sometimes I take different sentences and put them together."
Regarding the overall sensation of writing Liquid Swords, GZA stated "It's hard to say something is gonna be classic or not. But I can say that I felt the magic with this one. I actually saw it grow and come together, and felt that it was special as we were doing it." GZA later noted in an interview with The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
:
Promotion
The album's cover was designed by DC-Milestone Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
chief artist Denys Cowan
Denys Cowan
Denys B. Cowan is an American comic book artist and television producer. He gained prominence as the primary artist on The Question, an acclaimed comic book series published by DC Comics for 36 issues from 1987 on, written by Dennis O'Neil.-Career:Denys Cowan is a 1979 graduate of the High School...
, according to the album's liner notes, and GZA's personal manager Geoffrey L. Garfield, who commissioned Cowan. Garfield, an avid comic book fan, said the cover art was supervised under the auspices of GZA GrafX, a subsidiary company of GZA Entertainment owned by Genius and Garfield. The concept of the chessboard with its sword-wielding warriors was conceived by Genius, an avid chess player. The Genius version of the Wu-Tang Clan logo, the "G" using the logo iconography, was rendered by Wu-Tang Clan DJ Mathematics
Mathematics (producer)
Mathematics, also known as Allah Mathematics, is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan. As well as producing many tracks for the Wu-Tang Clan and for its solo and affiliate projects, Math has released two solo albums.-Biography:Born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York Mathematics was...
who was also an accomplished graphic artist.
Genius also enjoyed a successful side career as a music video director, and with Garfield as writer and producer, created all four videos for the Liquid Swords album ("Liquid Swords", "Cold World", "Shadowboxin'/4th Chamber", and "I Gotcha Back"), and also did videos for Sunz of Man
Sunz of Man
Sunz of Man is a Wu-Tang Clan affiliated group that currently consists of Prodigal Sunn, Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin, Shabazz the Disciple and Killah Priest. The group's first incarnation also included 7th Ambassador and Supreme...
, Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
's song ("Motherless Child") on the Sunset Park film
Sunset Park (film)
Sunset Park is a 1996 basketball film. It stars Rhea Perlman as the head coach of a high school boy's basketball team from the Sunset Park neighborhood in New York City. The film also stars rapper Fredro Starr and an early film appearance from Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard...
soundtrack, Shabazz the Disciple (Penalty Records) and Case (Def Jam). The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
recognized their video "Shadowboxin'/4th Chamber" as one of the Top Five Videos of 1995.
Liquid Swords was performed in its entirety on July 13, 2007, at the Pitchfork Music Festival
Pitchfork Music Festival
The Pitchfork Music Festival is an annual summer music festival organized by Pitchfork Media and held in Union Park in Chicago, IL. The festival, which is normally held over three days in July, focuses primarily on artists and bands from alternative rock, rap & hip-hop, electronica, and dance...
and again in England, on December 9 at All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
and on December 10 at KOKO (venue) in London, as part of the ATP-curated Don't Look Back
Don't Look Back (concert series)
Don't Look Back is a yearly series of concerts in which London based promoters All Tomorrow's Parties ask artists and bands to play one of their seminal albums live in its entirety...
series. After the cancellation of an appearance in Brooklyn, New York, the performance was rescheduled for December 13 and 14 at the Knitting Factory
Knitting Factory
The Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....
in New York.
Singles
Four total singles were released for Liquid Swords. The first of which was "I Gotcha Back," released August 22, 1994. Similar to Raekwon's single "Heaven & HellHeaven & Hell (song)
"Heaven & Hell" is the solo debut single by Wu-Tang Clan rapper Raekwon, released as the lead single from his solo debut album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.... It features fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah and backing vocals from Wu-Tang affiliate singer Blue Raspberry...
," the song first appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Fresh, and was the first song written for the album. Describing the song's background and theme, GZA later stated "This was a short rhyme I wrote for one of my nephews. When I said, “My lifestyle so far from well, could’ve wrote a book called Age Twelve and Going Through Hell.” It’s for my nephew who was twelve at the time, and whose father, my brother, had been locked up since ‘88. So he wasn’t around for my nephew when times were rough, so I wanted to up my nephew a bit with this track. I had two nephews in the video, they were both real young at the time. And in video, they both had met up and shots rang out from some young gangsters. It’s a shame because both those kids in the video, both nephews of mine, ended up getting in trouble for ringing out shots and are both doing time right now. It’s kind of ironic. One of my nephews ended up getting eights years for that shit. So the whole song is a sad irony to me now."
The second single released for the album, was the title track "Liquid Swords," released over one year later on October 10, 1995. GZA later commented "Usually I take a beat home and write to it for a few days, but it wasn’t like that with this track. I think RZA played the beat for me and I just spit to it right there. The hook was actually a routine from around ‘84 that me RZA and Ol' Dirty
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB...
would do: 'When the emcees came, to live out the name.' Just like that."
November 28, 1995 saw the release of the album's third single "Cold World
Cold World (song)
"Cold World" is a 1996 hit song by GZA featuring Inspectah Deck from the Classic album Liquid Swords, Rolling Stone marked this song as one of the best songs in 1996....
." In regards to his writing approach to the song, GZA stated "Normally, when I hear a beat, I already know where to go with it. I can picture the track and just vibe off it. As soon as I heard the beat to “Cold World,” I knew it would be another inner-city story."
The fourth and final single released for the album was "4th Chamber," released early 1996, with "Shadowboxin'" as its B-Side. GZA later remarked "Making “4th Chamber” was crazy because I didn’t have a rhyme ready for that one. That’s why I went last on it. Plus, Ghost killed it with his verse so I knew I had to come correct. It’s not even a GZA song to me—it’s a Wu-Tang song. And Ghost’s verse is just incredible to me. He delivered so well. I don’t know if you saw the video, I directed that too. This song, the guest verses, the video, the crowd response, all turned out perfect for this one."
Initial reaction
Upon its release, the critical response of Liquid Swords was almost universally positive. In his review for Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, Dimitri Ehrlich rated the album a B+ and stated that "With its tight beat, Liquid Swords emphasizes the finesse with which GZA weaves his vocals over straightforward rhythms. Selwyn Seyfu Hinds from The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
rated the album 4 out 5 mics, and wrote "GZA comes across like a highly focused master-graftsman. Throughout Liquid Swords he maintains a clear, precise flow, one that reflects deadly-sharp purpose and skilled execution." Hinds also praised the album's production stating "RZA's production continues to excite the spine. That's an astonishing fact when one considers the volume of work he's put out this year. Liquid Swords contains all the elements of RZA's increasingly sophisticated style: shuffling kicks, neck snapping snares, haunting melodies via strings or vibe-like textures and penetrating bass tones." He finally went on to say "If the Wu message hasn't been beamed into your brain, rest assured; the GZA will offer swift remedy and swifter understanding. Folks may as well hand the key over. Liquid Swords has officially put shit on lock." L J'amal Walton from The Chronicle
The Chronicle (Duke University)
The Chronicle is a daily student newspaper at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The Chronicle was first published as The Trinity Chronicle on December 19, 1905. The paper's name was changed to The Chronicle when Trinity College was renamed Duke University following a donation by James...
wrote a favorable review of the album stating "All the tracks are good. This is a CD that you can pop into the player without worrying about programming the CD player to skip bad tracks ... The GZA proves that he can hold his own with tracks like "Liquid Swords," "Labels," and "Gold." Cheo H. Coker from Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
rated Liquid Swords 3½ out of 4 stars, and wrote in his review "Like a hip-hop M.C. Escher, this Wu-Tang Clan member serves up urban tales that reveal layer after layer of thought with repeated listening. The head-banging "Gold," the hypnotic "4th Chamber" and the ice-smooth "Shadowboxing" add to the evidence that the Wu-Tang Clan are the kings of New York rap."
Retrospect
In a retrospective review, Chris Smith from Stylus MagazineStylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
wrote a favorable review of the album stating "like one who tries to catch lightning in a bottle again, they (Wu-Tang) never yet managed to make anything this memorable, otherworldly, and strangely beautiful again. Christian Hoard from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
rated the album 4 out of 5 stars, and stated that on the album GZA "... went goth, painting the Wu's street grime black." In its "Back to the Lab" series, RapReviews.com's Steve Juon gave the album a perfect 10/10 rating, and stated that "On Liquid Swords you have an album of 100% Wu-Tang sonic mastery. A lot of good Wu-Tang Clan albums have been released over the years, both collectively and individually, but out of all the solo albums this may be the best – if not one of the top two or three." Steve Huey from allmusic gave the album a maximum score of five stars and commented on its significance in the Wu-Tang Clan's catalogue, stating:
As of January 2011, Liquid Swords was ranked the 69th best album of all-time on Rate Your Music
Rate Your Music
Rate Your Music is a metadata database where musical albums, EPs, singles, videos, bootlegs, and movies are rated and reviewed by users. This data is then used to generate recommendations for users and to create rated lists of albums...
, as well as the 4th best album of the 1990s.
Sequel
A sequel to Liquid Swords was announced on April 27, 2010 on the official Wu-Tang Clan FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page, entitled Liquid Swords 2: The Return of the Shadowboxer
Liquid Swords 2: The Return of the Shadowboxer
Liquid Swords 2: The Return of the Shadowboxer is the seventh studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, scheduled to be released in 2012...
. The album will be entirely produced by RZA and is set to be released sometime in 2011. On November 9, 2010 GZA announced on his facebook page that he is still currently writing and recording Liquid Swords 2.
Track listing
- Tracks #1–12 produced by RZARZARobert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
, track #13 – produced by 4th Disciple4th DiscipleSelwin Bougard, now known as El-Divine Amir Bey, better known by his stage name 4th Disciple, is a hip hop producer and engineer who was one of the founding members of Killarmy and one of the best-known Wu-Tang-affiliated producers.- Biography :...
.
| # | Title | Time | Performer(s) | Sample(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Liquid Swords" | 4:31 |
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Groovin' "Groovin" is a single released in 1967 by The Young Rascals that became a number-one hit and one of the group's signature songs.Written by group members Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati and with a lead vocal from Cavaliere, it is indeed a slow, relaxed groove, based on Cavaliere's newfound... " by Willie Mitchell Shogun Assassin Shogun Assassin, known in Japan as , is a jidaigeki film made for the British and American markets and released in 1980. In 2006 it was restored and re-released on DVD in North America by AnimEigo.... |
| 2 | "Duel of the Iron Mic" | 4:06 |
Ol' Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB... Masta Killa Jamel Arief , better known as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan... Inspectah Deck Jason Hunter, better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and member of the Wu-Tang Clan... |
David Porter (musician) David Porter is an American soul musician. Porter is best known as the songwriting and production partner of Isaac Hayes at Stax Records during the 1960s... |
| 3 | "Living in the World Today" | 4:23 |
Method Man Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man... |
Ann Sexton Ann Sexton is an American soul singer.Sexton recorded a number of records for John Richbourg during the 1970s... |
| 4 | "Gold" | 3:57 |
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| 5 | "Cold World Cold World (song) "Cold World" is a 1996 hit song by GZA featuring Inspectah Deck from the Classic album Liquid Swords, Rolling Stone marked this song as one of the best songs in 1996.... " |
5:31 |
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The Dramatics The Dramatics are an American soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1962. They are best known for their 1970s hit songs "In the Rain" and "Whatcha See is Whatcha Get", both of which were #1 R&B and Top 10 Pop hits.-Career:The Dramatics originally formed in 1962 recording as the... Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... Plastic People "Plastic People" is the first track of the Frank Zappa album Absolutely Free. It also was featured on the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore compilation as Track 1 on disc 2, along with a "Louie, Louie/Plastic People"-like version entitled "Ruthie, Ruthie" as Track 10 on disc 1... " by The Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1964 to 1969, and again from 1970 to 1975.They mainly performed works by, and were the original recording group of, US composer and guitarist Frank Zappa , although other members have had the occasional writing credit... |
| 6 | "Labels" | 2:54 |
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| 7 | "4th Chamber" | 4:37 |
Ghostface Killah Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success... Killah Priest Walter Reed, better known as Killah Priest, Iron Sheik from the Middle East, or Masada, is an American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant & Brownsville neighbourhoods in Brooklyn. He is known for intensely spiritual lyrics loaded with metaphors and religious... |
Kalyanji Anandji Kalyanji Anandji is a name used by Indian composer duo known for its work on Hindi film soundtracks, particularly action potboilers in the 1970s. The name comes from first names of the two Gujarati brothers that formed the duo, Kalyanji Virji Shah and Anandji Virji Shah... |
| 8 | "Shadowboxin'" | 3:30 |
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Ann Peebles Ann Peebles is an African American singer-songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s on the Hi Records label... Shaolin Vs Lama Shaolin vs Lama is a kung fu film starring Alexander Lo.-Plot:Lo Jui plays Sun Yu Ting, a kung fu fanatic in search of a teacher. After five years of challenging masters but never being beaten he runs into Hsu Shi , a young Shaolin monk who stole money from a gambling match in order to acquire meat... |
| 9 | "Hell's Wind Staff / Killah Hills 10304" | 5:09 |
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Lost in Love (New Edition song) "Lost in Love" is a 1985 ballad by R&B/Pop group New Edition, and is the third single from their eponymous second album, New Edition. Released in early 1985, the song peaked at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on Billboard's Hot Black Singles chart.... " by New Edition New Edition New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync... |
| 10 | "Investigative Reports" | 3:50 |
U-God Lamont Hawkins , better known as U-God , is an American rapper and member of the hip hop collective, Wu-Tang Clan. He has been with the group since its inception, and is known for having a deep, rhythmic flow that can alternate between being gruff or smooth... Raekwon Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with... |
Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One... |
| 11 | "Swordsman" | 3:21 |
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| 12 | "I Gotcha Back" | 5:01 |
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| 13 | "B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)" | 4:33 |
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Track 13 was originally omitted from the vinyl and cassette versions, but present on the reissue and the CD.
Personnel
- GZAGZAGary Grice , better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career...
– performer - RZARZARobert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
– producer, performer - Killah PriestKillah PriestWalter Reed, better known as Killah Priest, Iron Sheik from the Middle East, or Masada, is an American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant & Brownsville neighbourhoods in Brooklyn. He is known for intensely spiritual lyrics loaded with metaphors and religious...
– performer - Inspectah DeckInspectah DeckJason Hunter, better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and member of the Wu-Tang Clan...
– performer - Ghostface KillahGhostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
– performer - Method ManMethod ManClifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
– performer - Masta KillaMasta KillaJamel Arief , better known as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan...
– performer - RaekwonRaekwonCorey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
– performer - U-GodU-GodLamont Hawkins , better known as U-God , is an American rapper and member of the hip hop collective, Wu-Tang Clan. He has been with the group since its inception, and is known for having a deep, rhythmic flow that can alternate between being gruff or smooth...
– performer - Ol' Dirty BastardOl' Dirty BastardRussell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB...
– performer
- Dreddy Kruger – vocals
- Life – vocals
- 4th Disciple4th DiscipleSelwin Bougard, now known as El-Divine Amir Bey, better known by his stage name 4th Disciple, is a hip hop producer and engineer who was one of the founding members of Killarmy and one of the best-known Wu-Tang-affiliated producers.- Biography :...
– producer - Tom Coyne – mastering
- Wendy Goldstein – A&R
- Geoffrey L. Garfield – personal management
- Cyril Gittens – art direction
- MathematicsMathematics (producer)Mathematics, also known as Allah Mathematics, is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan. As well as producing many tracks for the Wu-Tang Clan and for its solo and affiliate projects, Math has released two solo albums.-Biography:Born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York Mathematics was...
– art concepts - Mark A. Humphrey – photography
- Denys CowanDenys CowanDenys B. Cowan is an American comic book artist and television producer. He gained prominence as the primary artist on The Question, an acclaimed comic book series published by DC Comics for 36 issues from 1987 on, written by Dennis O'Neil.-Career:Denys Cowan is a 1979 graduate of the High School...
– cover art
Album
| Year | Album | Chart positions | ||
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
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| 1995 | Liquid Swords | #9 | #2 | |
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1994 | "I Gotcha Back" | — | — | #29 | #39 |
| 1995 | "Cold World" | #97 | #57 | #8 | #8 |
| "Liquid Swords" | #48 | #33 | #3 | #2 | |
| 1996 | "Shadowboxin'" | #67 | #41 | #10 | #9 |
Accolades
- The information regarding accolades is adapted from acclaimedmusic.net,except for lists with additional sources.
- (*) signifies unordered lists
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| About.com About.com About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company.... |
United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
100 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums | 2008 | 62 |
| Best Rap Albums of 1995 | 2008 | 3 | ||
| Ego Trip Ego trip (magazine) ego trip was the name of a hip hop magazine started in New York City in 1994. It lasted four years and 13 issues and distinguished itself based on its irreverence and defiant attitude, eventually adopting the tagline, "the arrogant voice of musical truth."-Description:The roots of the publication... |
Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980–98 | 1999 | 3 | |
| Face | United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
Albums of the year | 1995 | 16 |
| The Guardian The Guardian The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format... |
1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die | 2007 | * | |
| Hervé Bourhis | France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
555 Records | 2007 | * |
| Hip-Hop Connection | United Kingdom | The 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995–2005 | 2005 | 7 |
| HUMO HUMO HUMO is a popular Belgian weekly radio and television magazine, written in Dutch.Originally the magazine was titled Humoradio, a portmanteau of 'humor' and 'radio'.... |
Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Albums of the Year | 1995 | 13 |
| Melody Maker Melody Maker Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody... |
United Kingdom | Albums of the Year | 1995 | 42 |
| NME NME The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles... |
Albums of the Year | 1995 | 30 | |
| OOR | Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
Albums of the Year | 1995 | 24 |
| Pitchfork Media Pitchfork Media Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock... |
United States | Top 100 Favorite Records of the 1990s | 2003 | 87 |
| Q Q (magazine) Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology... |
United Kingdom | Albums of the Year | 1995 | * |
| Robert Dimery | United States | 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd... |
2005 | * |
| Rolling Stone Rolling Stone Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J... |
Top 25 Hip Hop Albums (by Chris Rock Chris Rock Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central... ) |
2006 | 13 | |
| Select | United Kingdom | The 100 Best Albums of the 90s | 2006 | 42 |
| Albums of the Year | 1995 | 36 | ||
| The Source The Source (magazine) The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988... |
United States | The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time | 1998 | * |
| Stylus Magazine Stylus Magazine Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog.... |
Top 101–200 Albums of All time | 2004 | 137 |
External links
- Liquid Swords at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Album Review at Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
- Accolades: Liquid Swords at acclaimedmusic.net