RZA, the founder of the Wu-Tang Clan moves from rap to classical music. For his new album, the hip hop legend is embarking on a new musical adventure. Il designs a ballet and an album of surprisingly traditional classical music entitled « A Ballet Through Mud »a ballet through the mud.
“As I get older, as an artist, my boundaries become more artistic than confined to a box. And I said to myself, “This is what I have to do.” I’m going to become a dancer. But this time, it won’t be with turntables. It will be with the orchestra. It’s like this concert. I was like, “Okay, I’m going to do this.” But I wanted to do a short version because I want to try my ballet. Tony said okay. It might work. So I said, “I need dancers, I need a choir.” I need a choir. I need all this. And we succeeded. We got everything we needed,” RZA explained.
It was by diving back into his notebooks during the pandemic that RZA, born Robert Diggs, got his hands on old texts and film ideas.
As he looked through the books, he noticed a series of narrative raps. He then began to strum on his keyboard, and to create melodies that corresponded to the emotions of one of his nursery rhymes.
“The first intention is that someone listens to her, goes through the story she tells them in their own mind and enjoys it. That’s the first thing. It’s a gift. I created it. I think other people should play with it. I would love for a high school to take it, play it, dance it and share it. That would be great. I would like it to be played in high schools or by college freshmen, or in places where young people can express it and feel it. »added the artist.
After watching a documentary about Alvin Ailey on a flight, he sought out dancers to visualize the imagined narrative, and eventually collaborated with the Colorado Symphony for two performances in February 2023.
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