Tomorrow's Harvard Lecturer: Wu-Tang Member GZA

One of hip-hop's most influential figures will be trading in his rhymes for a more traditional presentation tomorrow afternoon. The Black Men's Forum will host a lecture by rap legend and Wu-Tang Clan co-founder GZA (pronounced jizza for those who aren't down with the Wu). He will speak about his career, influences, and songwriting techniques on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Science Center D.

The famed songwriter, who is also known as The Genius, Maximillion, The Head, and Allah Justice, will be making his first trip back to Harvard since the spring of 2008, when he and the rest of Wu-Tang performed at Yardfest.

The visit to Harvard seems appropriate for an artist renowned for his intellectual and socially aware lyrics. Since Wu-Tang Clan released its first album in 1993, The Genius has won fans with his rapid wordplay and vocabulary that rivals Harvard's best.

"A lot of us listen to hip-hop for enjoyment," said Damilare K. Sonoiki '13, the president of BMF and an inactive Crimson news writer. "We also thought it would be interesting to approach it from an academic perspective."

GZA will continue his tour of the academic circuit with visits to MIT and Harvard's Broad Institute and the MIT Media Lab.