RZA

RZA (pronounced the rizza, born Robert Diggs, July 5, 1969 in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York, USA) is an African American producer, rapper and the leader of the hip hop crew Wu-Tang Clan. He was also a member of the group Gravediggaz. As well as producing almost all of the Wu-Tang's albums, he has also produced many of their solo and affiliate projects, as well as releasing a succession of solo albums (two under the alter-ego Bobby Digital) and composing the scores for several movies.

Early career

After an impoverished childhood in a family of 10 children, RZA began his career in hip hop 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) with future Wu-Tang members, and his cousins, GZA (then known as the Genius) and Ol' Dirty Bastard (then known as Ason Unique, the Specialist, and the Professor). Once this acclaimed local band dissolved, both he & 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. From this determination came the Wu-Tang Clan, formed with Ol' Dirty Bastard as well as with 6 others. With the Clan, Prince Rakeem started going by the name RZA (pronounced "the rizza" and derived from the sound produced when "Rakeem" or "Robert" was scratched on a turntable). After the singles Protect Ya Neck and Method Man, both driven by raucous RZA-produced beats, made the group into underground sensations, the group released their debut LP '. The album was incredibly successful, revolutionizing hip hop; one of the major reasons was RZA's sparse, lean, gritty and very distinctive production style. As each of the group's members embarked on solo careers, RZA continued to produce nearly everything Wu-Tang related during the period 1994-1997, 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 Gravediggaz, an off-and-on rap supergroup including Frukwan of Stetsasonic, Poetic The Grym Reaper 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.

Related Topics:
1980s - 1990s - All in Together Now Crew - GZA - Ol' Dirty Bastard - Words from the Genius - EP - Hip hop - Method Man - Tical - Return To The 36 Chambers - Ghostface Killah - Ironman - Liquid Swords - Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - Gravediggaz - Supergroup - Frukwan - Stetsasonic - Poetic The Grym Reaper - The Brothers Grym - Prince Paul - 6 Feet Deep

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