In only the first four moves of a chess game, there are 318,979,564,000 possibilities. In almost every instance, it’s impossible for a player to consider more than a tiny fraction of choices. In order to narrow down the choices to ones worthy of consideration, players must rely on chess principles. (We know GZA is referring to chess here because the album name and every song title is related to chess.)

As per the title, GZA discusses some of the general principles of hip-hop and life.

• Hard work is required to achieve success without sacrificing your integrity. (example)
• Be true to yourself and develop a market from your true fans. Don’t chase bigger markets and money at the expense of your art. (example)
• Beware of the possibility of betrayal and the dangers of the “streets.” (example)
• Embody and have respect for true hip-hop culture. (example)
• Always strive for excellency in your craft, and never be deterred by limited commercial success. (example)