RZA (b. 1969)

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Biography

Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA or the RZA, is an American rapper, record producer, composer, actor, and filmmaker. He is the de facto leader of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having produced most of the group's albums and those of its members. Known for his signature use of soul samples, sparse beats, and cinematic elements, his production style has been widely influential in hip-hop. The Source and Vibe both ranked him among the greatest hip-hop producers of all time, while NME included him on its list of the 50 Greatest Producers Ever, spanning all genres.

In Their Own Words (2)

I tell you one thing I did used to like: the fish and chips. But I stopped eating fish this year. One day I just felt the death in it.

"One of these men is God" by , in Select, July 1997, p. 60. , 1997

When you think about a better tomorrow, you think about veganism in the world. I don’t need a dead animal or dead piece of flesh to go into my live body. There’s nothing on this planet that doesn’t want to live. I had animals as friends, they were happy to see me in their own animal way. I’m quite sure they did not want to be on my plate. I think hip-hop has become more conscious about diet… You are what you eat, so if this cow who is stressed, dumbfounded, sick becomes your meal, when you eat it, you are eating that stress and sickness. You are eating that fear. My peers and people that are related to me appreciate the vegan lifestyle, it’s really spreading.

From a PETA video (24 November 2014). Quoted in "Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA says he refuses to put ‘dead animals’ in his ‘live body’ in PETA advert", in NME.com (24 November 2014). , 2014

Timeline

The story of RZA, told in moments.

1969 Birth

Born Robert Fitzgerald Diggs in Brooklyn, New York. One of eleven siblings. Grew up between Brooklyn and Staten Island. Spent time on the streets selling drugs as a teenager.

How did Staten Island and Brooklyn shape you differently? Was selling drugs survival or a choice? When did hip-hop replace the streets?

1992 Event

Formed the Wu-Tang Clan with eight other MCs from Staten Island and Brooklyn. He produced their debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), on a four-track recorder.

How do you produce a masterpiece on a four-track recorder? What held nine egos together in the Wu-Tang Clan? Did you know 36 Chambers would define an era?

1993 Life

Negotiated an unusual deal: each Wu-Tang member could sign solo deals with different labels. It was unheard of. Five major labels signed individual members. RZA produced most of the solo albums.

How did you convince five major labels to buy into your plan? Was the solo-deal structure about business or brotherhood? Did anyone tell you the idea was insane?

1997 Event

Released Wu-Tang Forever, which debuted at number one and sold over 600,000 copies in its first week. RZA's production style, built on obscure soul samples and kung fu movie dialogue, defined East Coast hip-hop.

Where did the kung fu and soul sample fusion come from? Did 600,000 copies in week one validate the five-year plan? Was Wu-Tang Forever the album you heard in your head?

2012 Life

Directed The Man with the Iron Fists. He'd studied martial arts films obsessively since childhood. Scored films for Quentin Tarantino and Jim Jarmusch.

Is martial arts cinema your deepest creative influence? How does directing films compare to producing beats? What did working with Tarantino teach you?