One of my all-time favourites. I think what the GZA is saying is not one thing, but many things. But the over-arching concept behind the track is about what happens when a person decides to seriously examine issues of spirituality, when a person looks beyond the simple superstitions. Society reacts to your search with either indifference or outright hostility. Even friends and family react that way.
When the GZA tries to base GOD he gets hostility (slapped in the face) from those in authority. And authority's followers (the "whole clique") unquestionably react the same way. But the followers only oppose the GZA because their leader opposes the GZA. They think that unquestioning obedience to authority is enough to "qualify" them for whatever spiritual rewards.
The first verse is a short history of the GZA's spiritual development. He started out as superstitious as everyone else. Maybe even more so, 'cause he talks about black cats, salt, etc, which are things only the real superstitious worry about. I often wonder whether it's the most superstitious that become the most questioning, because in order to be THAT superstitious, you have to take your beliefs seriously. Anyways, the GZA investigates his beliefs and finds them to be nothing more than a hoax.
Second verse seems to be about African American heritage. Who can know himself without knowing where he's from? And he sees the development of his beliefs in the context of his African American history. By seeing this he can look beyond those beliefs and see a deeper truth. And yet he sees so-called authority figures "feed they own seeds" with the same old superstitions.
The track is a call for questioning, for searching beyond what you've been taught. The GZA does not tell you what he found to be the truth. If he did that, he'd be no better than those so-called authority figures. You have to find your own truth.
One of my all-time favourites. I think what the GZA is saying is not one thing, but many things. But the over-arching concept behind the track is about what happens when a person decides to seriously examine issues of spirituality, when a person looks beyond the simple superstitions. Society reacts to your search with either indifference or outright hostility. Even friends and family react that way.
When the GZA tries to base GOD he gets hostility (slapped in the face) from those in authority. And authority's followers (the "whole clique") unquestionably react the same way. But the followers only oppose the GZA because their leader opposes the GZA. They think that unquestioning obedience to authority is enough to "qualify" them for whatever spiritual rewards.
The first verse is a short history of the GZA's spiritual development. He started out as superstitious as everyone else. Maybe even more so, 'cause he talks about black cats, salt, etc, which are things only the real superstitious worry about. I often wonder whether it's the most superstitious that become the most questioning, because in order to be THAT superstitious, you have to take your beliefs seriously. Anyways, the GZA investigates his beliefs and finds them to be nothing more than a hoax.
Second verse seems to be about African American heritage. Who can know himself without knowing where he's from? And he sees the development of his beliefs in the context of his African American history. By seeing this he can look beyond those beliefs and see a deeper truth. And yet he sees so-called authority figures "feed they own seeds" with the same old superstitions.
The track is a call for questioning, for searching beyond what you've been taught. The GZA does not tell you what he found to be the truth. If he did that, he'd be no better than those so-called authority figures. You have to find your own truth.