The RZA sat down to speak with Billboard.com recently about the Wu-Tang Clan’s upcoming album The 8 Diagrams – the group’s first album since 2001. RZA assured that the album, which is due in October on SRC, will be very much influenced by the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard: “He left a piece of himself in each and every one of us,” RZA said. “Even in the performance of some of the lyrics,
you’ll hear a style or attitude that he injected.”
The group, largely hailed as one of hip hop’s all time greats, began recording the album in April. “Me personally, I wasn’t ready until then,”RZA revealed. “I reached out
when I knew I was 100% ready to do it, and everybody came to the table.”
The highly-anticipated album will feature the ODB tribute Life Changes, as well as tracks titled You Can’t Stop Me Now, We Got This, Campfire and Thug World, which features System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian.Q-Tip also appears on the project, possibly for the first single.
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RZA also spoke on the varied production, which will be handled not only by him. “You will hear some unique sounding stuff and a vintage hip-hop spirit.”
Finally, the Wu-Tang mastermind revealed that he is busy working with an ODB outtake, originally slated to make Enter the 36 Chambers, the group’s classic debut. “I lost it, because the DJ who handled my equipment back then, we just
got disconnected,” he says. “He actually found the tape about eight
months ago and flew out to California with it. The problem is, it
doesn’t sound all that great, because this was 1992 or 1993 when it was
recorded. But ODB’s performance is fuckin’ immaculate. So maybe I can
find some software to restore it and put it on as a bonus track.”
RZA also remained hopeful about the possibility of bringing the Wu back for good, as the group readies for the Rock the Bells tour, which will commence in the coming weeks. “We’re rekindling flames,…There’s a strong potential this
could be a long campaign, so this will keep us on the road together, on
TV together and keep us working together.”
