RZA

RZA
RZA at The New Yorker in 2005.
Background information
Birth name	Robert Diggs
Also known as	Bobby Digital, Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah, Bobby Steels, Rzarector, Abbott, Prince Rakeem
Born	July 5 1969 (1969--) (age 38) Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York
Origin	Staten Island, New York City, New York, United States
Genre(s)	Rap, Hardcore Rap
Occupation(s)	Rapper, Producer, Actor
Years active	1991 to present
Label(s)	Columbia, EMI, Virgin
Associated acts	Wu-Tang Clan Gravediggaz Achozen

RZA (IPA pronunciation: /ɹɪzʌ/) (born Robert Diggs, July 5, 1969 in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.) is an American hip hop producer, rapper and actor. He is the de facto leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, and was also a member of Gravediggaz. He has produced almost all of Wu-Tang Clan's albums as well many Wu-Tang solo and affiliate projects. Lately he has gained more attention for his work in films, whether it be on screen or on the boards composing original film scores.

He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital, which concerns himself only with the lawlessness of the male power fantasy, women, drugs, alcohol and shooting guns.

Currently RZA is working on his new Bobby Digital album and the new Wu-Tang Album 8 Diagrams, as well as the highly-anticipated sequel to Raekwon's mafioso rap classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.... He has also confirmed he has co-produced a track on the highly-anticipated Dr. Dre album Detox.

Biography

Mid-80s-1991: Early career

After an impoverished childhood in a family of 11 children, RZA began his hip hop career in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a member of the trio Force of the Imperial Master (which subsequently became known as the All in Together Now Crew after they had a successful underground single of that name). The group consisted of future Wu-Tang members and his cousins GZA (then known as the Genius) and Ol' Dirty Bastard (then known, respectively, as Ason Unique, the Specialist, and the Professor). Once this acclaimed local band dissolved, both he and GZA attempted to kick start solo careers. With the help of GZA's friend Melquan (then owner of Jamaica Records) they both secured single deals with album options at successful labels, GZA going to Cold Chillin and RZA to Tommy Boy. GZA ultimately released the Words from the Genius album, but RZA's stint at Tommy Boy ended with only the EP Ooh I Love You Rakeem to show for it when he went to jail soon after its release. GZA's album flopped, and the two cousins became determined to conquer the hip hop industry on their own terms.

1992-1993: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

From this determination came the Wu-Tang Clan, formed with Ol' Dirty Bastard as well as with 7 others (Inspectah Deck/Rebel INS, Raekwon the Chef, Method Man, Masta Killa, The GZA/Genius, Golden Arms/U-God and Ghostface Killah). With the Clan, Prince Rakeem started going by the name RZA (derived from the word "Razor", his graffiti tag). After the single "Protect Ya Neck," which was driven by a raucous RZA-produced beat, made the group into underground sensations, the group released their debut LP Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The album, which only cost $30K to produce, eventually went platinum, and was heralded by hip-hop fans as a classic. Enter the Wu-Tang revolutionized hip hop and helped bring the East Coast back into the spotlight after Dr. Dre's G-funk had come to dominate the rap scene, in large part thanks to RZA's lean, gritty and very distinctive production style.

1994-1996: Wu-Tang Solo Projects: Round One

As each of the group's members embarked on solo careers, RZA continued to produce nearly everything Wu-Tang related during the period 1994-1996, producing in both the "hip hop producer" sense (composing and arranging the instrumental tracks) and in the wider "music producer" sense (overseeing and directing the creative process as well as devising song concepts and structure). Indeed, RZA's rule over the Clan at this time is described by himself in 2004's Wu-Tang Manual book as "like a dictatorship". His sound was to develop from the raw, minimalist sounds of Method Man's Tical and Ol' Dirty Bastard's Return to the 36 Chambers to more cinematic and expansive soundscapes driven by string sections or thick layers of synthesizer on Ghostface Killah's Ironman, GZA's Liquid Swords and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. All of the group's albums during the period from 1994 to 1996 are highly regarded by critics and hip hop enthusiasts. During this time, RZA also took part in the creation of a niche rap genre called horror-core with the Gravediggaz, an off-and-on rap supergroup including Frukwan of Stetsasonic, Poetic of The Brothers Grym, and Prince Paul who released the critically acclaimed album 6 Feet Deep in 1994. As part of the Gravediggaz, he went by the name RZArecta. RZA is associated with The Nation of Gods and Earths.

1997: Wu-Tang Forever

The success of Wu-Tang Forever, which hit number one on the charts after selling 600,000 in its first week, also marked the end of RZA's "five year plan"; at the group's inception, he promised the group if he had total dictatorial control of the Wu-Tang empire, it would conquer the hip hop world within five years.

After Forever's success, RZA ceased to oversee all aspects of Wu-Tang product as he had previously, delegating much of his existing role to associates such as Oli "Power" Grant and his brother Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, and giving each Clan member more individual control. This move was designed to enable the Wu-Tang empire to expand further and further into the fabric of the hip hop industry, and in accordance with this an extremely large amount of Wu-Tang music was to be released over the next two years.

This had already to some extent begun on Wu-Tang Forever, which for the first time featured RZA delegating a small number of beatmaking duties to other producers in the Wu-Tang camp, such as his proteges True Master and 4th Disciple (known as the Wu-Elements) and Clan member Inspectah Deck.

1998-1999: Wu-Tang Solo Projects: Round Two

During the 1998-2000 period RZA ceased to produce every Wu-Tang solo album as he had done previously, but continued to contribute usually one or two beats on average to each record as well as receiving an Executive Producer credit. He also released his first solo effort titled RZA as Bobby Digital in Stereo in 1998 (see 1998 in music). This was an experimental concept album featuring him rapping as his hedonistic, fun-loving alter-ego Bobby Digital and showcasing a unique keyboard-driven sound RZA called "digital orchestra", receiving mostly positive reviews. He also reformed with the Gravediggaz for the album The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel, a calmer and more mature album than their horrorcore-oriented debut.

2000: The W

After helming another Wu-Tang group album titled The W (his production on which received much praise) and providing narration to a Clan greatest hits album titled RZA Hits, RZA released another Bobby Digital album, 2001's Digital Bullet. Digital Bullet was an attempt to develop Bobby Digital further, and the album followed a loose story arc which saw the character becoming more "enlightened" and more disillusioned with hedonism as the album went on.

2001-2004: Post The W solo projects

In 1999 the RZA moved into composing film scores. His first work, Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), earned praise; he also had brief cameo in the film itself. The experience was positive and, as he noted during an interview on National Public Radio's Fresh Air, the work with traditional musicians gave him the desire to learn how to read and write music[1].

The critical success of the Ghost Dog soundtrack led to further work. The RZA created and produced the original music for Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series, as well as Blade: Trinity, and Soul Plane. The RZA was nominated for four different awards for the work he did on the Kill Bill vol. 1 and 2 soundtracks, winning one.

His first solo album as simply the RZA, Birth of a Prince, was released in 2003 (see 2003 in music) and spawned the single We Pop. The album itself featured a mix of lighthearted Bobby Digital tracks and more lyrically highbrow RZA tracks. In 2003 he also released an album of collaborations with international rap and R&B musicians (including the UK's Skinnyman, France's Saïan Supa Crew, Germany's Xavier Naidoo and Italy's Frankie Hi-NRG MC) entitled The World According to RZA, which was successful in many countries, despite not being sold in the U.S..

2005-Present: Solo Projects: Round Three

In 2005 RZA released the long-gestating book Wu-Tang Manual, an in-depth discussion of the Wu-Tang's virtues, vices and philosophies. RZA continued to act in and score movies such as Derailed, Blood of a Champion and Miami Vice. In 2006 he contributed four beats to Method Man's latest album 4:21...The Day After and also executive produced the project.

Currently he is working with Raekwon on his highly anticipated Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II . He has also recorded with the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante and is set to contribute to Cannibal Ox's upcoming album, along with Pete Rock and El-P.^{[citation needed]}

Talks are on between System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian and RZA regarding a collaboration between the two artists called ACHOZEN.[2] GZA is also involved in the project and has stated so in an interview.[3]

In late January of 2007 he announced that he was working on a new Bobby Digital Album tentatively titled DigiSnacks.[4]

Also in 2007 he did the score of the American adaptation of the Japanese anime Afro Samurai starring Samuel L. Jackson.

Acting career

In addition to working behind the scenes on movie scores, RZA has impacted Hollywood on-screen as well. He begun an acting career in the mid 2000's alongside fellow Wu-Tang member GZA in one segment of Jim Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes opposite Bill Murray. He and the GZA have also made several appearances on Chappelle's Show, in one more popular appearance pitching a financial services firm called Wu-Tang Financial. He followed up with a big role in the hit 2005 film Derailed. The same year, he served as the Artist in Residence for the LA Film Festival.

He has appeared as himself in numerous major motion pictures throughout the course of his career such as Be Cool, Scary Movie 3, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood and a myriad of others.

Rza's most recent role, and possibly his biggest to date, is in American Gangster as "Jones". American Gangster is a 2007 crime drama film directed by Ridley Scott starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. He recently appeared in a thriller against type titled "Derailed" starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen in 2005.

He has also been confirmed for roles in Gospel Hill and Life Is Hot in Cracktown. He is also said to be attached to Quentin Tarantino's next Kill Bill project in one way or another.

Controversy

John Gotti, "The Dapper Don"

The Wu Tang Clan and their associates are being investigated by the FBI for weapon trafficking in Staten Island and their relationship with the Gambino crime family. RZA admitted to being friends with several members of the Gambinos in The Wu-Tang Manual, both before and after his rise to fame.

In 2000 the Village Voice ran a story about the FBI infiltrating the Wu Tang Clan through a criminal-turned-informant named Michael Caruso who got a job as the personal manager for Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna. Several other members of the group did not like Caruso, however his ties with Ghostface and Cappadonna got him into the inner circles of the Wu. [5]

Due to Caruso's criminal past he was prohibited by law to associate with felons (which many members of the Clan are) or leave the state of New York, however these restrictions were lifted in return for providing information on the group. The federal government turned their head and allowed Caruso to tour around the country with Wu-Tang as long as he was kicking back info on their involvement in gunrunning and the Gambino crime family.[6]

Caruso was subsequently fired from all duties regarding The Wu Tang Clan's business when these allegations came to light. RZA forced Cappadonna to fire him as his manager, however Caruso still works with Ghostface and is on his new poker team.[7]

The report rules out the majority of Wu Tang affiliated performers and focuses on those running the business aspect of the Wu empire, Oli "Power" Grant and Mitchell "Divine" Diggs (RZA's brother) and The RZA himself.

The issue was recently resurfaced by FOX News in mid-2007 after RZA attended one of Hillary Clinton's parties and donated money to her 2008 campaign. FOX News criticized the fact that Clinton took money from The RZA, claiming it was contradictory due to RZA's felony record, FBI investigation, ties to the Gambino family and his music lyrics. [8]

RZA referenced the investigation in one of his lyrics, "Feds had one ad saying I gun traff'/I sold 20 million records bitch! You make me laugh."

Influence

RZA has stated Ennio Morricone, Syl Johnson, The Fall, Marley Marl, Augustus Pablo and Danny Elfman as musicians he is fond of and has taken influence from. During the Enter the Wu-Tang period, RZA's production consisted mainly of stripped-down, frenetic piano loops and finger-snaps with heavy bass and drums, though he experimented with more melodic sounds on the album's "Method Man" and "C.R.E.A.M." He also began incorporating skits consisting of clips of old kung fu movies.

The next two solo albums from the Wu, Method Man's Tical and Ol' Dirty Bastard's Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, featured versions of the same style of production from the RZA; the former delved somewhat into old soul records and became somewhat bouncy rather than quite as gritty, while the latter was at times even more simplistic than the group's debut.

On Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and GZA's Liquid Swords, RZA would immerse his beats in dark, sinister soul sampling, pioneering the technique of speeding up or slowing down samples to fit the beat that artists such as Kanye West and Just Blaze would later use. He also fully realized the potential of the skit, using old kung fu clips to string the Cuban Linx album together into a loose storyline.

RZA's production technique, specifically the manner of chopping up and/or speeding or slowing soul samples to fit his beats, has been picked up by currently popular producers--most notably Kanye West and Just Blaze, the two main producers behind Roc-A-Fella Records. West's own take on RZA's style[9] briefly flooded the rap market with what was dubbed "chipmunk soul," the speeding of a vocal sample to where it sounded as though the singer had inhaled helium. Several producers at the time copied the style, creating other offshoots. West has admitted that his style was distinctly influenced by the RZA's production,[10] and RZA has acknowledged his influence in an issue of Scratch magazine, saying he wished he had produced "Jesus Walks" and "Breathe", two 2004 hits produced by Kanye West and Just Blaze, respectively.^{[citation needed]} Said by Kanye West:

Wu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the time... We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that.

^[1]

Subsequent Wu group albums saw RZA become even more experimental, usually with soul samples as well as the layers added his beats. Around 1997 he began tutoring 4th Disciple, True Master and Mathematics in production. The early-mid 2000's have seen him move more toward smoother and more tightly-assembled productions, where the melody, drums, bass and other elements play more off each other than they previously had in his beats.

His Bobby Digital albums introduced tweaked-out new age elements to his sound; these have incorporated themselves more fully into his beats on newer albums such as Method Man's 4:21...The Day After.

Rza was not the first hip-hop artist to use aliases, though he did become known as having a great number of them. These include: The Abbot, Chester Benningston, The Razor, Bobby Digital, BZA-Bobby, Bobby Steels. Prince Delight. Prince Rakeem. Prince Dynamite, RZArecta (from resurrector - waking up the mentally dead),The Scientist, Bob Digi, Robert Diggs, Bobby Boulders, Bob Digitech, The Kid Wit Braids.

Trivia

• RZA was offered the role of "Brown" in The Departed (2006), but turned it down because of scheduling conflicts.[11]
• In late 1992, RZA was charged with murder for shooting a man and faced 8 years in prison. He was found not guilty, claiming self-defense.
• Before signing with SRC Records in early 2007, RZA was flooded with offers from Bad Boy Records, Aftermath Records, Interscope and Def Jam among others for the Wu-Tang Clan super-group.[12]
• The Daily News reported that his family is allegedly the largest extended family living in New York City.[13]
• The RZA appears on the audio commentary for the Region 1 Dragon Dynasty DVD of 36th Chamber of Shaolin.
• One of RZA's songs Biochemical Equation is featured in the videogame Final Fight: Streetwise.
• A keen Chess player, he helped organise the idea of "Hip Hop Chess," and was seen participating in a tournament in May 2007.

Discography

Main article: RZA discography

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

RZA

• The RZA at MySpace
• RZA at All Music Guide
• RZA at the Internet Movie Database
• RZA's iTune's Celebrity Playlist (Requires iTunes)
• RZA at WuTang-bg.Info (bulgarian)
• November 2000 Interview
• October 2003 Interview
• May 2004 Interview
• March 2005 Interview
• May 2005 Interview
• February 2007 Interview
• May 2007 Interview
• June 2007 Interview
• July 2007 Interview
• RZA guest edits Boldtype
• RZA Commonwealth Club Conversation (requires RealPlayer)
• RZA interviews Shaolin Monk, Sifu Shi Yan-Ming
• RZA Interview in Complex Magazine

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