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I am the RZA. Actor, author, musician, producer, and artist. Back once again to answer your questions. AMAA.
It has been almost exactly one year since my first AMAA.
I am excited to be back again.
My latest movie The Man with the Iron Fists 2 is now available for purchase on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. In it, I reprise my role as the enigmatic blacksmith Thaddeus and am joined by a cast that includes Dustin Nguyen, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Eugenia Yuan, Pim Bubear, Carl Ng, Simon Yin, Ocean Hou, Grace Huang and Andrew Lin.
You can watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcbYBZsklGQ
Victoria is with me on the phone. AMAA.
https://twitter.com/RZA/status/588825110276104192
Update: I would love to stay and talk longer, guys, but they have me on what we call a "promo campaign." Thank you for taking the time to send your questions in. I really had fun talking and sharing different ideas witchu. I look forward to the next time I get to come by and talk more. And I'll be sure to have my publicist carve out more time.
I wish you all peace. And thanks to all the fans out there who have been supporting Wu-Tang and RZA throughout the years.
Bong Bong.
Frajer320 karma
What do you think of the dude on Divorce Court who said his girlfriend had sex with the whole Wu-Tang Clan? link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB_FZa8SNic
authenticRZA437 karma
Look: this lady, she says clearly, that she did not have sex with the ENTIRE Wu-Tang Clan. I'm not saying that she didn't dance with somebody!
shanetargaryen176 karma
Hey RZA huge fan! Do you plan on going back to the days of Bobby Digital and release another solo album?
authenticRZA245 karma
I think about it a lot.
The character sometimes brings out certain sides of me that I try to suppress.
Drew_Shoe144 karma
In 2005, I made an effort to set the Wu-Tang Clan as my top 8 on Myspace. Everyone friended me except you, so I went with Cappadonna, but it just didn't feel right so I shut down my account.
My question: Beyond your contribution to hip hop music and entertainment, your cultural contributions are often overlooked. Wu-Wear was among the first successful clothing lines associated directly with a hip hop act, and according to this interview, you even delved into electronics with a product called the Replicator which you say was the inspiration for Serato. As an innovator and thought leader, to what do you attribute the financial successes of subsequent artists who have invested in similar ventures? If you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently, business-wise, in the mid/late 90's?
authenticRZA395 karma
The beauty of America and Capitalism is the power of inspiration, that one man or one person gives to the next generation.
When you're in the water, you never think about how far you swam.
You just head toward the other shore.
When you reach the shore, and look back - then you realize how far you came.
If you lost something in the water, or gained something in the water, none of those things matter.
What does matter is that you made it to the other shore.
CreativityLacking142 karma
What do you think is the most glaring difference between hip hop now and when you first started?
Genetycs135 karma
Hey RZA. If you had to pick only one hip hop album to listen to for the rest of your life, not including Wu Tang affiliated ones, which album would it be?
authenticRZA439 karma
Hmmm.
If I had to choose one album, which one would it?
I would go with... Eric B. & Rakim, "Paid in Full."
MysticalTurban119 karma
Whats it like working with John Frusciante and is there any chance your gonna collab again?
authenticRZA175 karma
John is a brilliant musician.
Had many fun days and nights working with him, talking about music and other creative art forms.
We haven't worked together in a while. And I don't know when we will in the future.
But one thing that I know is that he's rooting for Pac-Man, and I've been rooting for Mayweather.
We've been talking about that fight for years. And now it's finally upon us.
kbbeets119 karma
RZA!!!!
Huge fan, I named my dog RZA because when my wife and I adopted him we thought he was the sharpest motherfucker in the whole clan. How do you feel about this?
Here is a picture of him. http://imgur.com/Kl5LK5W
Looseseal99118 karma
Man I'm happy I'm finally in time for one of these! I'm a massive fan, thank you for all your music over the years!
Who would you say your favorite up and coming artist is currently? What have you been listening to lately?
authenticRZA443 karma
My favorite at the moment is Kendrick Lamar. I've been listening to a lot of Drake, Kanye, Big Sean, as far as hip-hop is concerned. But I also spend a lot of time listening to the Arctic Monkeys.
authenticRZA208 karma
Hehe.
It's holding. L - O- L.
I always thought that that could be a great sitcom.
Come on FOX! Come on NBC! Come on HBO! Come on CBS! Come on ABC! Come on CNN Money!
Somebody, anybody! Help me, pleeeease!
FiveVO81 karma
RZA. First thank you for the many years of Wu Wisdom. What is your fondest memory Russell Jones - ODB - Baby Jesus?
authenticRZA282 karma
I have so many fond memories, that I will never say what the fondest is.
But I will share one witchu.
ODB came out of his car to lift a car off a little girl to save her life.
It's an example of the warmth of his heart that wasn't showed a lot to the public.
JCMarino12366 karma
What's up RZA, I'm a huge fan of yours & the rest of Wu-Tang. What was it like working with Kanye on White Dress & So Appalled?
authenticRZA234 karma
Working with Kanye on "White Dress" was so cool because he had to come visit me in the editing room to discuss the song. So he had to walk down a hallway that was maybe 2 or 3 city blocks long.
And at the end of the hallway, he finally gets to my editing bay.
And he said it gave him a lot of time to think. And it made him think What does the RZA think about every day walking down this hallway?
Anyway, that prompted me to show him the clip of Lucy Liu walking down a hallway into the bathroom with all these pretty ladies. And I aksed him for - and I played a music cue that was only an instrumental. And I asked him if he could write a song for me. He was immediately inspired. And a few months later, he called me, and spit the verse over the phone.
It sounded like fire.
And the rest is history.
wordskis66 karma
Whatup RZA, I'm a huge fan of Wu. But I have a different type of question. What's the deal with Soul Temple Music? I bought the Execution In Autumn 7" two years ago and never received it, and was ignored by customer service every time I tried to contact them for a refund.
authenticRZA145 karma
Sadly, Soul Temple Music was a label that was ran by a crook who destroyed it, defamed Wu-Tang and our brand, and basically robbed and misled many of our fans. I spent thousands of dollars trying to remedy the situation. But the hole was so deep, I couldn't find a solution. And there was more than one hole. But what I would like to say is that business has been closed down, and the crooked individual will never be allowed to do business with me again.
wordskis45 karma
Well shit. I had heard some of those details but always held out hope that I'd eventually get a refund. At least I only lost $5, I saw some people needing refunds for $50-100+ purchases. Thank you for the reply though (and thanks /u/chooter for assisting with this).
authenticRZA129 karma
Okay, I guess I'll try to release a free download or something to make up for that guy's mistake. Something else.
TheBroery62 karma
You're good friends with Tarantino, who uses explicitly vulgar and racist language in most of his movies. Samuel L. Jackson has been on the record saying his use racial slurs [in Django, at least] was just how it was. While Spike Lee has been an outward critic of his abundant use of slurs. My question is, what are your thoughts on Tarantino's use and it's placement in the vernacular due to the growth of hip-hop and rap?
authenticRZA244 karma
I think that freedom of speech really exists. Of course, every man will face the consequence of his own words, as it says in when the police read us our rights - you have the right to remain silent, and if you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can... and will... be used against you.
So as an artist, and writer, I don't think nothing is taboo in the form of what has been written, or created. But we should all be prepared to understand that our expression carries weight. And we should accept the good - and bad - response that we attract.
localafrican46 karma
Are you into any anime and if so which ones? After watching The Man with the Iron Fists I was curious if you had any interest in the anime/manga medium of entertainment.
authenticRZA204 karma
I'm super-duper into anime and manga.
You know, I have so many favorites that it would take up this whole interview.
But one I always suggest to people is NINJA SCROLL.
I guess we can also suggest to them - let's give 'em 8 MAN.
Let's give 'em GUYVER.
Of course everybody should see AKIRA.
And here is one for 18 and over, only - VIOLENT JACK.
JakeWils42 karma
What do you wish you knew when you first started producing music, and/or what advice would you give to someone first starting out?
authenticRZA122 karma
I think I wish I would've known music theory.
And how to play instruments.
I would give today's producer the advice of not only buying a drum machine, and a sampler, and a DAW, but also taking lessons in piano, guitar, and drums.
Yawgie35 karma
Hello sir,
I am a fan of your work, I am curious, are you and Russell Crowe good friends? Have you got any cool stories about spending time with him?
I look forward to viewing your new movie. Thanks for your time.
authenticRZA58 karma
Yes. We are good friends. He's a great all-around guy. I was fortunate to see his new film, THE WATER DIVINER, which he directed.
And I must honestly say that he never ceased to amaze me.
Simmons2pt031 karma
Hey RZA, I picked up The Tao of Wu when it first came out during a troubled time in my life. After reading it, it helped me find myself somewhat spiritually and led me to begin studying The 12 Jewels.
What advice would you give someone looking to delve deeper into self study and spiritualism?
Are there any books you would recommend to continue the journey into the study of the Jewels?
authenticRZA60 karma
The 12 Jewels have not been put into book form.
A book I would suggest you to read is the Tao Te Ching.
And I would also suggest to you the Bhagavad Gita.
NSA__4__the__NSA31 karma
When am I going to be able to watch The Last Dragon remake? Please say it is really happening.
Emthree331 karma
Triumph is my favorite beat of all time. What was it like constructing that one?
authenticRZA35 karma
Oh, that was a very fun day.
I started creating it in New York. And didn't finish it until sometime in California. It was one of the first times that I combined three different beat machines together.
ItachiZaku29 karma
Amituofo! My question, how do you think Shifu Shi Yan Ming would fair in the UFC?
authenticRZA63 karma
Hehehehehehehehe!
Shifu is a very powerful man.
Shifu is a very powerful man.
More chi. Train harder.
Sirlantedise28 karma
It is obvious that you have been heavily influenced by kung fu, do you think you bridged the gap between asian and African cultures? Also, who's your favorite kung fu artist. (I share the same birthday as Jet Li (April 26).
authenticRZA79 karma
Great birthday. Jet Li is a modern master. I've been loving his films since the 1990s. But still, I will always consider Bruce Lee my number one, for not only his martial arts, but for his philosophy, his view of the world, his smile, and his physical abilities, all very unique.
I think he is the first bridge of our two cultures. And I'm glad to be considered a bridge nowadays, carrying on ideas he spawned before I even knew what Kung Fu was.
OhJohnNo28 karma
Hello RZA, big fan of you and the Wu - Liquid Swords may have my favourite production job of all time.
You've expressed affectionate thoughts on Kanye West before and I'm wondering what you make of his recent spot on the Times 100 Most Influential People of 2014. What do you think it means for hip-hop that a rapper is now appearing in such an important magazine, with a blurb written for him by Elon Musk? Does it signify anything from a racial standpoint?
authenticRZA68 karma
Hm.
I wouldn't calculate it from a racial standpoint.
But I think it's a respectable acclamation.
Blastoff_to_uranus28 karma
Mr. Digital, is the beeping noise you make sometimes on various tracks supposed to be a space ship?
authenticRZA92 karma
Yes.
It's sort of like a "beam me up" theme.
And since you aksed, I consider my studios spaceships. I call them by those types of code-names. My smaller studio, in Los Angeles, is my Millennium Falcon. My larger studio, at the Wu-Mansion, is called the Starship Enterprise.
4chains28 karma
RZA what is the most obscure meal that has ever had the grace of being eaten by you?
authenticRZA107 karma
I think my vegan diet may be considered obscure to people.
For instance, last night, I had for dinner, sliced avocado, brussel sprouts, and butternut squash.
CptMortos24 karma
What's the best worst old Kung Fu movie you've ever seen?
Like, the ones that are so bad they're awesome.
authenticRZA83 karma
8 Strikes of the Wildcat.
It starts off with 3 guys, just interruptin' a guy for no reason, walking through the woods, saying they want the book. And they pull out 3 live rats, and start rubbing the rats, and the 3 of these guys, do the rat style - and the only way to beat these guys is through the cat style. So they have to learn the cat style, to beat the rat style. But what makes it great is the hero is a female.
It actually inspired a scene in IRON FISTS, that movie.
RAlJlN21 karma
Hey RZA! Huge fan of your works!
If you could have ANY superpower, what would it be and why?
authenticRZA88 karma
If I had any superpower?
Hm.
I always thought I'd be something like the Silver Surfer, who's able to use cosmic energy.
And then of course, I always considered myself to be similar to Professor X. Someone who's dared to help mutants develop themselves, to help artists find themselves. If you take a look at Wu-Tang history, you will notice in the development stages that I remained way in the back. This was because, as the abbot, I was using my power to increase the power of the Brothers.
authenticRZA53 karma
I think you should go to the Wu-Tang name generator, and see what name it gives you.
RequiemFTW19 karma
Hi RZA. Have you been playing any videogames lately? What do you think about videogames in general?
authenticRZA54 karma
I didn't get a chance to play yet, but I just picked up MORTAL KOMBAT for Xbox One.
authenticRZA48 karma
Hehehehe.
I really do love burritos.
But now that my metabolism is slowing down, sometimes I take it in a bowl.
TheBroery16 karma
RZA, Thanks for doing this. Have you noticed any change in rap culture with the wave of states legalizing marijuana?
authenticRZA49 karma
Hmmmheehehee!
Yes. I just say that the legalization of marijuana has accepted younger entry levels that does infuse a certain vibe of creativity. And being that rap culture has such a roll-that-shit, light-that-shit, smoke it attitude, it's multiplying quicker.
MVNI16 karma
Salute to a true master! My question is, what was it like working with the amazing cast of American Gangster?
authenticRZA30 karma
That was a great experience for me. Working with Russell Crowe, Yul Vasquez, John Hawkes, really gave me a glimpse into high level skill.
And pushed me further.
hghrmnd16 karma
These days, do you think of Wu Tang as as much of a group or a unit as it was? Or do you think of yourself or the others as individual artists that work together?
authenticRZA57 karma
I still think of Wu-Tang as a family.
Wu-Tang is the slang, the sword style, and Clan means family.
fabook14 karma
RZA! Huge fan.
When did you discover acting was something you enjoyed doing?
authenticRZA26 karma
I discovered that about 10 years ago, working on a film entitled DERAILED.
authenticRZA29 karma
It always changes.
I think right now, I just really am into the song "Miracle."
authenticRZA76 karma
I don't watch a lot of TV.
I did watch EMPIRE this season.
But most of the TV that I watch - and please don't laugh - is I watch back-to-back episodes of FAMILY FEUD with Steve Harvey. Love that guy.
FusJoeDah12 karma
What was it like working on Afro Samurai? Which character do you relate to the most?
authenticRZA31 karma
That was a very fun project.
I actually relate to Afro. Because I want the #1 headband.
authenticRZA65 karma
Bruce Lee - if I was to be in a fight with Bruce Lee- I would use one of his own concepts - which is "run."
someguyonthiswebsite11 karma
Peace RZA. First off, thank you because Wu-Tang soundtracked an incredibly important time in my life. I've always wondered, as a writer myself, whats your writing process like? Do you tend to put verses to beats or make beats for verses? What's your approach in the studio like?
authenticRZA25 karma
Actually, the writing process varies. There are times when I could be walking, driving, or sitting in silence, and lyrics will come out. And then there are other times when it takes a hard, rugged beat to make me want to write lyrics. This same creative process flows also in my music creating. Sometimes there's a melody in my head, sometimes there's a chord progression, sometimes there's just a simple beat.
I would give you this advice, though: if you ever get writer's block, take a walk.
And let the outside energy inspire you.
colton91110 karma
Hey RZA, love you and the Wu. Just wanted to ask how do you feel about working with Wu? Do you prefer to do your own thing or make music with clan? Also, you got anymore films in the works? Maybe MWTIF 2?
authenticRZA29 karma
Hehehehe.
Well, actually, young man, THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS 2 is available now on DVD, Blu-Ray or direct download digital!
RizzMustbolt10 karma
Thanks for doing another AMA Mr. Digital.
If you could remake any Shaolin movie, which one would you choose?
authenticRZA21 karma
My first choice would probably be THE 5 DEADLY VENOMS.
My second choice would be 36 CHAMBERS OF SHAOLIN.
authenticRZA25 karma
There are a lot of other holy grounds that I didn't get the chance to set my foot on that I would love to view before my physical body decays. Temples in South America. Temples in India. Etcetera.
I want to go to the Kaaba at Mecca.
I want to go to the Wall in Jerusalem. I've never been to Israel. It's crazy.
authenticRZA17 karma
Roel was very focused, very on-point.
And had a lot of tricks up his sleeve, in regards to filmmaking.
He was also director of photography and director. He had a certain flair of creativity that allowed me to be very comfortable in the movie.
NecroBob2 karma
In Brick Mansions, did you throw in the "cash rules everything around me" line yourself, or did the script writers throw that in for you as a nod?
authenticRZA5 karma
Hehe.
Hmmm.
Actually, it wasn't in the script. I did that take a few times. And I thought it'd be funny to just do a take with a freestyle on it, such as that.
And I'm happy the director chose to keep it.
TroubleshootenSOB1 karma
Hey RZA, just wanted to say what's up? My sister got this "Wu-Chess" lanyard signed by you when you were in town doing a show and sent it out to me for my birthday while I was deployed. Coolest shit ever.
Question: Will we ever get another "The World According to RZA"?
authenticRZA3 karma
First of all, tell your sister thanks and big ups. I'm glad it brought a smile to your face.
If time permits, I would love to do another album collaboration with different artists around the world.
authenticRZA334 karma
Someone asked what I thought about UK artists and making the UK scene better: UK has always had a lot of talented MCs, musicians, etcetera. But it's been hard for hip-hop acts to break out. I think one thing that should be considered is they forget about our influence and draw from their own influence and experiences, since hip-hop started as a story of young people in America, I would suggest UK artists tell us more about their story, their culture, their neighborhoods, their grace and their triumphs.
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