RZA
The Wu-Tang Clan's leader and producer, whose dusty soul samples and kung-fu film clips built the sound of 36 Chambers.
Who is RZA?
RZA (Robert Diggs) is a producer, rapper and filmmaker from Staten Island, New York. He is the founder, leader and main producer of the Wu-Tang Clan, and the cousin of GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard.
Known for
He produced almost all of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993) and the classic solo albums that followed, from Liquid Swords to Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.... He set up the deal that let every member sign solo contracts with other labels. Later he scored films such as Ghost Dog and Kill Bill, and directed The Man with the Iron Fists (2012).
Style
Dark, dusty and cinematic: grainy soul samples, off-kilter piano loops, raw drums and dialogue from kung-fu films. As a rapper he is wild and full of Five Percent wisdom, and as Bobby Digital he plays a comic-book alter ego.
Impact
RZA's lo-fi, gritty sound shaped '90s New York rap, and his business model of one group with many solo careers became a blueprint for hip-hop crews.
