Wise Men
Wu-Tang Clan · Other Songs - Wu-Tang Clan
Christians say that you can study all day
pray all day, and chant all day
But you get to heaven faster
if you hang with the wise men
Yeah I would say once you got inspired spark
Y'know, you strive, to, y'know
You gotta put, y'know you gotta keep puttin wood on it as they say
Right? Keep it burnin or whatever
You gotta find a way to keep it burnin
But then there's the optimum side of it
That's the burnin fire that's burnin but it don't burn
Knahmean? Just in life, like the sun
You know the sun is seen, like that
But it's like a eternal sun that
that it is on regardless, you just on
You just free from, y'know
Shit don't work on you no more
The story of the villain
Wise Men - Wu-Tang Clan
Released in 1993 on the group's seminal album *Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)*, "Wise Men" stands as a quintessential example of the collective's gritty, jazz-inflected East Coast hip-hop sound. The track features the group's signature call-and-response structure, with each member delivering distinct verses that showcase their individual vocal styles while maintaining a unified, menacing presence. Produced by the legendary RZA, the recording blends sample-based beats with live instrumentation, creating a dense, atmospheric backdrop that complements the lyrics about street survival and the dangers of making the wrong choices. As a cornerstone of the Wu-Tang catalog, the song helped define the group's identity and influenced a generation of artists who sought to blend complex lyricism with raw, urban storytelling.