The RZA says that the Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow album is slated for a Black Friday release, November 28.
“It’s a record to me that merges the way music was made in the classic essence, in an analog way, as well as merging what’s going down the digital way,” RZA says during an interview with Billboard. “All the entire 10 Clan members are on it. All the [living] members, which is a beautiful thing. And the album has a small concept in a sense, musically it travels from a guy who is going through difficulties, tries to find himself, gets involved with some violence, some troubles, but then realizes that it’s best sometimes to walk away from the past and all the bad times and maybe work on making his life better, and making a better tomorrow. The process of making this album was very unique for me. I started first in my home studio in L.A., then I went to my buddy Adrian Younge and I went to his basement in Southern California where he has all this old ’60s equipment that he be using.”
RZA, who also said that he recorded some material in Memphis, also said that there will be a Wu-edition Boombot Rex limited-edition version of the album, which will be delivered on a portable speaker platform. This version of the album will have a production run of 3000 and will be embedded with eight songs from A Better Tomorrow, two unavailable-on-album instrumentals and the exclusive song, “Big Horn B.” It will be released in advance of the full-length release is slated to only be sold by Zumiez.com.
RZA says that he got the idea when thinking about his interaction with music during his formative years.
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“I had the idea pop up into my head, for a while, about music being kind of disconnected to us, of being so digitized and accessible, but yet not tangible,” RZA says. “I just remember how I enjoyed music, when I bought the record, or bought the CD, or bought the cassette. I bought it, it was in my hands, it was mines. I felt like music wasn’t really ours anymore. You know what happened to me one day? I got a lot of songs I bought from iTunes. And then, I tried to play them on my Serato. But because it was in my purchase section, it wouldn’t show up in my Serato library. … That bummed me out. I paid for it but don’t really have access to it. Something about that don’t make no sense, you know what I mean? But this thing here, a tangible item, like your old Walkman or your old cassette, or your old record, that’s what this is bringing back. As far as this company Boombotix, there’s a few people reaching out to us: ‘Put your Wu logo on this.’ But something about this company resonated. I think the ruggedness. Also, their device is more geared to portability. Put it on your bookbag, or strap it on your belt. And so, I felt so cool about that.”
(October 1, 2014)
UPDATE: Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow is set to be released December 2, 2014 via Warner Bros., according to REVOLT.
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During a press conference, RZA added, “Our mission is to inspire a better tomorrow.”
(October 3, 2014)
UPDATE #2: The cover art for the Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow album has been released. It is as follows:
(October 29, 2014)
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UPDATE #3: The tracklist for the Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow has been released, according to iTunes.
It is as follows:
1. “Ruckus In B Minor”
2. “Felt”
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3. “40th Street Black / We Will Fight”
4. “Mistaken Identity”
5. “Hold the Heater”
6. “Crushed Egos”
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7. “Keep Watch”
8. “Miracle”
9. “Preacher’s Daughter”
10. “Pioneer the Frontier”
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11. “Necklace”
12. “Ron O’Neal”
13. “A Better Tomorrow”
14. “Never Let Go”
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15. “Wu-Tang Reunion”
(November 4, 2014)
UPDATE #4: The stream of the Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow album is available.
