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Liquid Swords

Liquid Swords was a 1995 (see 1995 in music) solo album by Wu-Tang Clan member Genius (GZA). Though the album was credited to Genius alone, there are numerous guest appearances from the entire Wu-Tang Clan. Liquid Swords is widely acknowledged as one of the best Wu-Tang solo albums, on par with classics like Ironman (Ghostface Killah) and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (Raekwon).

Liquid Swords is characteristic of the Wu-Tang Clan in its distinctive, spare, menacing beats by producer RZA, and its cinematic themes relating to kung fu movies. The album begins with a monologue from a little girl; her monologue, and many of the other skits scattered throughout the album, are from the cult classic kung fu film Shaolin Vs. Lama.

Table of contents
1 Track listing
2 Personnel
3 Chart positions

Track listing

  1. Liquid Swords - 4:30
  2. Duel of the Iron Mic (with Ol' Dirty Bastard) - 4:06
  3. Living in the World Today (with Inspectah Deck) - 4:23
  4. Gold (with Inspectah Deck) - 3:57
  5. Cold World (with Inspectah Deck) - 5:31
  6. Labels (with Ghostface Killah) - 2:54
  7. 4th Chamber (with Ghostface Killah) - 4:37
  8. Shadowboxin' (with Method Man) - 3:29
  9. Hell's Wind Staff/Killah Hills 10304 (with Killah Priest, Dreddy Kruger) - 5:08
  10. Investigative Reports (with Raekwon) - 3:49
  11. Swordsman performed by (with Killah Priest) - 3:21
  12. I Gotcha' Back performed by (with Killah Priest) - 5:01
  13. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (with Killah Priest) - 4:32

Personnel

Chart positions

Billboard (North America) - album 
1995	The Billboard 200	                No. 9
1995	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	                No. 2
Billboard (North America) - singles 
1994	I Gotcha Back	Hot Rap Singles	                        No. 29
1994	I Gotcha Back	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	No. 39
1995	Cold World	The Billboard Hot 100	                No. 97
1995	Liquid Swords	Hot Rap Singles	                        No. 3
1995	Liquid Swords	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	No. 33
1995	Liquid Swords	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales      No. 2
1995	Liquid Swords	The Billboard Hot 100	                No. 48
1996	Shadowboxin'	The Billboard Hot 100	                No. 67
1996	Cold World	Hot Rap Singles	                        No. 8
1996	Shadowboxin'	Hot Rap Singles	                        No. 10
1996	Cold World	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	No. 57
1996	Shadowboxin'	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	No. 41
1996	Cold World	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	No. 8
1996	Shadowboxin'	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	No. 9