Sunz of Man

Sunz of Man's 1998 Album

Quotes
"Poor versus rich. . . . politics get rich off the Bloods and CRIPS; slaves shoot slaves, modern day Egypt. . . . government give us guns so we go and kill each other; manmade drugs destroy our sisters and our brothers. . . . pale horses, evil forces, crime bosses. . . . a young fugitive soldier. . . . soon to make the devil kneel";
"Not Promised Tomorrow"; Sunz of Man, Sunz of Man: The Last Shall Be First, 1998, Threat Records, Wu-Tang Records, Red Ant Entertainment, BMG Distribution, BMG Entertainment, Bertelsmann AG.

"Camouflaged for the mission; use your third eye to see the Israelite; detect those who tell lies. . . . become Bonnie and Clyde; carry .45's in these Last Days in time. . . . a soldier and I strive with a duty to civilize these 85's. . . . an original black man with a plan to run these devils off our motherfucking land; now listen real close while I explain the operation; you'll take the first platoon . . . for this military attack. . . . the Sunz of Man war track. . . . I was a Sunz of Man; kept gun in hand, stalking the land";
"Can I See You"; Sunz of Man, Sunz of Man: The Last Shall Be First, 1998, Threat Records, Wu-Tang Records, Red Ant Entertainment, BMG Distribution, BMG Entertainment, Bertelsmann AG.

Article
      Wu-Tang Clan aided Sunz of Man on its 1998 album called The Last Shall Be First. For examples, Wu-Tang Clan rappers wrote lyrics, rapped, and produced for it, and Method Man in particular helped write and rap on a few tracks. The primary rappers are Hell Razah, Prodigal Sunn, 60 Sec Assassin, and Killah Priest. Sunz of Man preaches racial Jewish doctrines like that of the black group called the Israeli Church of Universal Practical Knowledge.

      "Fuck the tricks of the government," shouts out Hell Razah on the opening track of their 1998 album, and he complains about cops tightening down handcuffs so tightly that wrists bleed. In the following way, he says that he is looking out for blacks: "watch my people suffering." He describes Sunz of Man rappers as "black Lebanese, [as] rabbis in green fatigues, [and as] microphone masked MC's." He makes a positive note about buying marijuana. ("Cold.") Hell Razah calls himself "Mr. Military" when saying that he "roll[s] with a militia" and that he "roll[s] with a team of Jim Kelly's." (Jim Kelly is a black martial artist who starred in movies.) Prodigal Sunn says that he unites the "kingdom," that he "learned Egyptian timetables," and that he is "living Israelite," and he imagines the White House being "wiped out." Hell Razah calls blacks "slaves," and he condemns the government, saying that it enslaves blacks in prisons. "Devils try to drown" him, he says. He complains about "snakes" and "player haters." ("Natural High.")

      Sunz of Man makes it seem as if they personally encountered slavery as follows: "I remember we used to pick cotton out of fields." The rappers issue the following threat at whites: "devils in the mist hate we exist; my clique from a fist; punch them with your shit; styles murderous." They say that they "judge whose who rich [and] cut those who snitch." The US is called "modern Egypt [with] Pharaoh presidents," and the rappers say that it is a place where blacks die over drugs and rob for to pay for food and rent. They say that "the deaf-dumb acknowledge" them. ("Flaming Swords.") Violently racist rappers express allegiance to anyone who opposes what is perceived as whites in control, and sometimes Arab leaders are named. For example, Hell Razah describes Sunz of Man music as follows: "red-and-white Saddam [Hussein] rap." He says that "the real Jews are black." Wu-Tang Clan rapper Masta Killa joins in to say "Allah has spoken [and that] the golden code of silence has been broken." He calls the rappers "Wu-Tang swordsmen." Prodigal Sunn says that the rappers converse "about the downfall of Satan [and that] ghetto frustration keeps [his] head-piece aching." ("Illusions.")

      Earth, Wind & Fire, winners of six GRAMMY's, and Wu-Tang Clan's Ol Dirty Bastard, joined in on a track that was produced by Wyclef Jean of the Refugee Camp, another GRAMMY winner. The rappers say that they speak the "truth" and they are like "Noah." They say that through their music they "come hard with the underground like camouflage." The rappers say that although there are black men who live right, such black men being called "the gods" by the rappers, there are still too many blacks out there who "lack," as the rappers say, and it is evidenced by "black-on-black crime." They have much on their minds, they say, because they are at "war with the devil." Ol Dirty Bastard singles out by race the people who he claims to have an effect on, and they are called "white boys," blacks, and "the Chinese." He says that he grew up in "the ghetto where times is hard," and that it is there where he was "born as a king, not [as] a slave for jobs." ("Shining Star.")

      Killah Priest says it is time for "all tribes" to unite, and his complete description of the tribes is as follows: "Hispanic brothers, black brothers, [and] Mexicano." The exclusion of Asians and Caucasians from his list corresponds to the same exclusion of the two racial groups from what the Israeli Church of Universal Practical Knowledge lists as the 12 Tribes of Israel. On the tracks, as on many of the tracks, black men are referred to as soldiers. "Soldiers [are] calling for Jehovah," he says. He calls black men "Jehovahs." Blacks are locked up in prison where they are beaten by "the state cops." The following reference is made to slavery: "stripped of our language [and] walked around nameless." The "devil [heli]copter" is aimed at blacks. "Society is trying to gain" the trust of blacks, he says; but, he says, "fuck a 9-to-5" for he will "squeeze the nine at Five-0 [and] watch them die slow." Listeners are told the following about blacks hurting blacks: "stop killing your own [and] hitting your peop[le]s with sticks and stones." Guest rapper Trebag says that he is "burning" up because he is "black," and Hell Razah refers to blacks in the plural by "black" in the singular. ("Israeli News.")

      Again, blacks who do not hurt blacks are called "the gods," and blacks who commit "black-on-black crime" are said to be lacking. The following somewhat coded threat at whites is made: "break bread; eliminate feds and Dead-heads; I seen the bloodshed; devils in caves torturing slaves." "Snakes" are threatened. Blacks used to be "pyramid builders [and] ancient healers." ("Tribulations.") "Devils drive" the souls of blacks, say the rappers, and it is "they" who plan to "delete" blacks. Sunz of Man rappers say that they speak Hebrew. 60 Sec Assassin describes the influence of Sunz of Man's music as "black power to destroy the real McCoy." There is "pain" in the "projects" because there is joblessness and there is "no welfare [and] no healthcare." It is "they" who deceive blacks through television, and it is "the government [who] raise[s] the rent." Whites are referred to as "forked tongue." He refers to the theme of his raps as "black internationalist." Prodigal Sunn sends out "peace to black man, woman, and child." He says that he is defined by "Islam." Listeners are told that Sunz of Man rappers are the listeners' Asiatic brothers who bring "true knowledge." ("The Plan.")

      A rapper calls the Sunz of Man lyrics "this hardcore Art of War." Method Man says that listeners must "prepare for the next millennium" because they are "in a race against time." A rapper says that "lyrics feed the poor while the rich receive the sword." It is "Islam" that keeps them calm. ("Collaboration '98.") They say that their music forms a concentration camp, and they say that they "ignite the jam," saying the following: "fuck you and your Uncle Sam." Prodigal Sunn describes the Sunz of Man rappers as "fully-armored seven soldiers on the lookout for Jeffrey Dahmer." The government is called "the unholy government," and they say that the blood of the poor is being sucked. ("Inmates to the Fire.")

      The streets are a "modern day Egypt" where "slaves shoot slaves," and where politicians get "rich off the Bloods and the CRIPS." There are "wars and conflicts" out there where it is the poor versus the rich. The following claim of a conspiracy shows how easily the rappers lift fundamental responsibility off of the conscience of blacks: "government give us guns so we go and kill each other." The rappers say that "Brooklyn convicts is conned to be vic[tim]s" of harassment by "cops." Rather than saying that black individuals destroy themselves with drugs, the rappers say that it is "manmade drugs [that] destroy our sisters and our brothers." On the street, there are "pale horses, evil forces, [and] crime bosses." 60 Sec Assassin refers to whites as "Caucus," and he relates his words to the Koran, the Bible, saying that there will be the "coming of the Noahs, Mahadis, [and] Messiahs." Prodigal Sunn calls himself a "young fugitive soldier" who is "soon to make the devil kneel." ("Not Promised Tomorrow.")

      An example of Prodigal Sunn being direct about black identity is as follows: "I love my black women from Erykah Badu to Robin Givens." (Erykah Badu is a black female artist who has performed with the rap groups Outkast and Roots, and Robin Givens is a black female actress.) Hell Razah says that Sunz of Man will "teach our people what is right from what is wrong." Brooklyn is referred to as Medina, and Sunz of Man says the following: "never do what Simon say; stay original; Israel break the spell." Getting rich through crime is glorified, and the rappers boast about "young lions strapping [concealing guns] through New York holding irons [pistols]." ("For the Lust of Money/the Grandz.") Hell Razah says that he is "camouflaged for the mission," and he tells listeners to use their "third eye[s] to see the Israelite [and to] detect those who tell lies." He speaks of acting like "Bonnie and Clyde" and of packing ".45's in these Last Days in time." His words are like "Braille for the blind," and he is like "black Jesus." Guest rapper Baretta 9 calls himself a "soldier" who has a duty to "civilize these 85's." He makes the following threat and plan: "an original black man with a plan to run these devils off our motherfucking land; now listen real close while I explain the operation; you'll take the first platoon . . . for this military attack." He calls himself a "newborn god," and he calls the song "the Sunz of Man war track." "I was a Sunz of Man," Prodigal Sunn says, while he "kept a gun in hand stalking the land." ("Can I See You.")

      The rappers identify themselves as guerillas and killers, while at the same time saying that they have an effect like John the Baptist. Hell Razah says that he "raise from the dead, black Lazarus." The following quote shows how Method Man associates himself with the themes of an Ice Cube album which is packed with kill-the-whites messages: "my P.L.O." are like "Guerillas in tha Mist, swinging from the highest trees, bombing enemies." "See [him] in the global war," he says, where he is in "camouflaged fatigue[s]" and is "armed and dangerous." ("Next Up.") 60 Sec. Assassin describes Sunz of Man's messages as those of "Malcolm X type" and of "holy war type," and he describes the rappers as "Israelites from the poor life." ("Intellectuals.")

      Other Wu-Tang Clan members who rapped on the album were True Master, Raekwon, and U-God. The RZA, 4th Disciple, and True Master produced tracks. Among the long list of those who were thanked by Sunz of Man rappers were the following: "The Most High," The Nation of Gods and Earths, Nation of Islam, "the lost tribes," Papa Wu, Kid Capri, Funkmaster Flex, The Fugees, Gravediggaz, LA the Darkman, 12 O'Clock, Shyheim, Busta Rhymes, T-Bone, C-Knowledge, Cypress Hill, Heltah Skeltah, Cocoa Brovas, Inspectah Deck, Osirus, Cappadonna, Wu-Wear, Killarmy, Source magazine, Vibe magazine, and Rap Pages magazine. The album's title is explained near the end of the liner notes as follows: "We understand the struggle. But always remember First shall be last and last shall be first. PEACE."

References
The Last Shall Be First, Sunz of Man, 1998, Threat Records, Wu-Tang Records, Red Ant Entertainment, BMG Distribution, BMG Entertainment, Bertelsmann AG.

Posted at http://home.att.net/~phosphor on June 30, 1999.

Last editing was posted on September 21, 1999.

The above article is not a complete summary of Sunz of Man's connections to violently racist music, and readers may want to research and expose more of it.

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