GZA/The Genius
Pro Tools
(Babygrand)
Gary “GZA/The Genius” Grice cemented his place in the annals of hip-hop history with his sophomore album, Liquid Swords, which he’ll perform in its entirety at the Halifax Pop Explosion on October 24. Its success was both a blessing and a curse—GZA’s success set a high expectation that would not fully be met until the release of his sixth studio release, Pro Tools. LS is very much an offshoot of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and the Wu’s hardcore east coast sound. Pro Tools is its antithesis, firmly rooted in early east coast hip-hop. The Wu fingerprints are present, but this is a GZA record and his best work to date.
Trevor Savory
This article appears in Oct 16-22, 2008.