Gza Bio

Name: Gary Grice

A.K.A.: The Genius

Bio

Inside and outside of the Wu-Tang Clan, the inventive hip-hop
supergroup he co-founded, Staten Island, NY native
GZA/Genius likes to make his own rules when it comes to his music.
GZA/Genius (Born Gary Grice) grew up in a large, musically-inclined family
that included cousins Ol' Dirty Bastard and RZA ; as the eldest of
the three, he was the first to absorb hip-hop culture and the first
to make a record. 1989's "Words From the Genius" was
released on Cold Chillin' Records; when problems with the label
stifled record sales, GZA/Genius saw the other side of the record
industry. This inspired him to join forces with Ol' Dirty Bastard
and RZA among others as the Wu-Tang Clan ; the group's clever
wordplay, twisted humor and innovative production techniques
provided them with platinum-level success on their own terms. It
also provided Genius the opportunity to have an equally lucrative
solo career, which started with the 1995 album "Liquid Swords"
and continued with 1999's "Beneath the Surface". As with other
Wu-Tang side-projects, Genius/GZA's albums featured guest
 appearances from most of the other Wu-Tang Clan members.