the rza
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
The RZA talked extensively about his meatless lifestyle in an interview, encouraging others to “let your natural body speak for you.”
The RZA has always been a reasoned mind on certain subjects, especially so when it comes to living a vegan lifestyle. The leader of the Wu-Tang Clan first started his meatless journey in the mid-1990s, dropping red meat as he recounted in his memoir The Tao of Wu: “I felt like an idiot — I would surely be able to come up with ideas of what to eat instead of dead meat? I thought to myself ‘I live, my flesh lives. Why would I want to eat something that’s dead?’ Starting from this day, I ate to live.” He would then cut out chicken and fish before dropping eggs and other dairy products from his diet. He spoke about that at length in a recent interview meant to encourage others to follow suit.
When asked about eliminating red meat in light of the current conversations about the environmental concerns about its production, The RZA replied: “For me, it was consciousness. It was just the awareness of life itself. It became almost illogical, almost unethical. Why does the animal have to die for me to live? And then learning that our digestive system really has a hard time digesting red meat. As I became more conscious, it started to make less and less and then no sense to eat a dead bird. To even eat a dead fish.”
Expounding further, The RZA stated that “We’ve been taught a lot of myths” when it comes to eating red meat. The 54-year-old artist also talked about the evolution of the Black community’s position. “For the Black community, health has been a struggle, from obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, all these different things that have plagued our community for some years,” he said. “I think as generations kept growing, you start seeing us drop certain things.
The RZA ended his interview with words of encouragement for those looking to take up a meatless lifestyle to help save the planet from the effects of climate change. “Start with one day a week at least. Moderate yourself. I didn’t go cold turkey. It took me years to get to veganism,” he said before adding, Let your natural body speak for you. But if you’re thinking about helping all of us, helping the world, at least knock out a couple of days a week.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
The RZA and Raekwon will unite to perform the iconic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… album with a live orchestra next week.
Fans of the Wu-Tang Clan and Raekwon will get to hear his iconic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx album in a unique way – performed with the RZA and the Colorado Symphony. The veteran MC announced the news through his Instagram account with a dramatically styled poster of himself and the RZA poised behind a depiction of an orchestra.
“A NIGHT AT THE OPERA !!!!! In two weeks experience myself & @rza and the @coloradosymphony perform Only Built 4 Cuban Linx,” Raekwon wrote in the post’s caption. The two-night event will take place on Feb. 16 & 17 at the Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex in Denver, Colorado.
“Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… is a landmark Hip-Hop album released by rapper Raekwon who rose to prominence as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Produced by fellow Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA, this record is a cornerstone of East Coast Hip-Hop and a quintessential piece of the genre’s golden era, thanks in part to RZA’s extraordinary beats and the introduction of Raekwon and Ghostface Killah as a legendary rap duo,” the event announcement on the Colorado Symphony’s website read.
“With its gritty storytelling, intricate lyricism, and cinematic production, Cuban Linx offers listeners a vivid glimpse into the street life of 1990s New York City. Together with the Colorado Symphony, this legendary duo will reimagine their timeless album that continues to inspire and shape the sound of contemporary Hip-Hop today,” the statement continued.
The RZA also spoke of the event’s significance in his statement: “Continuing the collaboration with the Colorado Symphony as an Imagination Artist, we are presenting Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…. The album was always intended to give audiences a ‘cinematic’ experience. These new orchestrations will give fans a new experience through imagination and creativity that was not possible with our early recordings.”
The two-night event is part of RZA’s continued partnership with the Colorado Symphony as an “Imagination Artist.” The Imagination Artist Series was started by the Colorado Symphony in 2022 to reimagine the American symphony through the creative visions of three vanguard musicians from diverse backgrounds. There is no hint – yet – that Ghostface Killah will make an appearance given his presence on the album. Tickets are available at the symphony’s website.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
The Wu-Tang Clan will now have their own official day in New York City in honor of its contributions to Hip-Hop and popular culture.
On Wednesday (November 8), New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a proclamation that Thursday (November 9) will officially be Wu-Tang Clan Day. The proclamation coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Staten Island group’s iconic debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The members of the Clan will also be on hand at the Empire State Building as it will be lit in black and yellow as night falls.
In addition to the proclamation, Legacy Recordings announced that they would be releasing a special edition 7-inch box set version of Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in collaboration with GetOnDown at noon EST on their website. The box set includes the full debut album of the Wu-Tang Clan on six split black & yellow vinyl, a 60-page book titled “The Shaolinothology” containing liner notes, rare photos, and interviews with the RZA along with trading cards commemorating the anniversary.
For The RZA, he describes being “very excited” along with the rest of the Clan in an interview with the New York Daily News. “I will say some of these accolades that’s coming this year, this lighting for instance. I’m telling you, me and the crew have been looking at each other like, ‘Hmm, we’re living out the words that we said: Wu-Tang Forever.’ And that’s the aspiration and I’m thankful. There’s nothing better than leaving a footprint for someone else to figure out this path.”
The honor for the Wu-Tang Clan also comes as its members are deep into their own endeavors. The RZA is concluding his three-night series at the Gramercy Theatre which features Enter The Wu-Tang being performed with an orchestra. There will also be a pop-up activation run by RZA’s 36 Chambers companies in the East Village where RZA will be signing copies of his graphic novel, Bobby Digital and The Pit Of Snakes. Other Wu-related items will also be available for purchase at the shop. Lastly, a new Ghostface Killah action figure has been released by Super7, and a new podcast, ODB: A Son Unique chronicling the life of the late Ol Dirty Bastard was released this week with the first three episodes now streaming.
-
Pages