Grandmasters is a collaborative
studio album by American
Los Angeles–based record producer
DJ Muggs and
New York–based rapper
GZA. It was released on October 6, 2005 via Angeles Records, serving as Muggs' first in his "DJ Muggs vs." series and GZA's fifth album. Produced entirely by Muggs, it features fellow
Wu-Tang Clan members and affiliates
Raekwon,
RZA,
Masta Killa and
Prodigal Sunn, as well as
Cypress Hill's
Sen Dog. The project has a theme of
chess as can be seen by the track names. Introductions featuring
chess strategy, including instruction for a
chess opening using
algebraic notation, are within the album. The album was also released in '
Instrumentals' and '
Remix' versions. The latter containing a bonus DVD featuring world tour and studio footage.
Background
Chess is the ultimate
board game.
Monopoly is not in its league and
Checkers doesn't compare at all. It's civilized war. It's a mathematical thing, its science, and it's strategy. That's life all the time. Just planning your day, being ten steps ahead and seeing the moves ahead. That's what chess is about. I'm not the greatest player. I'm not a master or a grandmaster. I lose a lot, but I learn. I've been defeated plenty times. I play online and I might have 900 wins and 850 losses but I play all the time. The game is fascinating and I am captivated by that. The album I just dropped is called
Grandmasters. That's the highest level you reach when playing chess and it's also the highest level of emceeing, producing and deejaying. Most of the titles are chess slang 'Queen's Gambit', 'Destruction of a Guard', 'Unprotected Pieces', and 'Illusory Protection'. I incorporate chess into certain rhymes. I use chess all the time. Chess is a big part of what I do.