Recently speaking with the New York Times, RZA spoke on the financial cost of Wu-Tang Clan’s upcoming album, A Better Tomorrow.
After revealing that he is investing a large portion of his own money into the new Wu album, RZA says he’s expecting to lose $500,000 off of the album.
“Everything,” RZA says of what he’s paying for out of his own pocket. “And I won’t recoup. I’m already overbudget. Maybe I’ll net out a half-million-dollar loss.
“I invested in the album,” he continues. “Look, if I never did anything again in music, it wouldn’t affect my life materially. I live a very satisfying life. Not because I’ve made a few dollars, but because I have a wife who loves me and children who wait for me to come home. And that is beautiful. I think that’s the American dream: to be at peace at home.”
Later in the conversation, RZA spoke on the Wu’s prestigious single copy album The Wu – Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, and how they came to the $5 million reported price tag.
“When we made the announcement, emails came in,” RZA explains. “People just started — ‘Yo, I want it.’ My boy from London, 1.2. The biggest offer that came in was, ‘Yo, five million.’ Whoever pays five million for this, I don’t know what they’re going to do with it. There’s potential to make much more, but I don’t think it’s a commercial thing… I think this is an art thing. You don’t buy the Mona Lisa to sell it.”
In an interview released earlier this year, RZA spoke about the $5 million price tag.
“So far, $5 million is the biggest number,” RZA says. “I don’t know how to measure it, but it gives us an idea that what we’re doing is being understood by some. And there are some good peers of mine also, who are very high-ranking in the film business and the music business, sending me a lot of good will. It’s been real positive.”
Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow is scheduled for release on December 2.
RELATED: Wu-Tang Clan “A Better Tomorrow” Release Date, Cover Art & Tracklist
Mona Lisa?! Lol, c’mon now. Much respect to Wu-Tang for what they’ve contributed, but these old niggas haven’t been hot for more than a decade.
You must be young or new to hip hop.
probably both, these young kids are so ignorant. Yall show mad respect for biggie and pac just because they died but all there peers from the same era that are still around constantly get $hitted on. No respect for nas, wu tang, mobb deep, busta rhymes, snoop, any of the legends. Because theyre “old”. So if pac and big were still around theyd be “old” too would u be hating on them as well?
what hot track did wu tang as a group put out in the last ten years? they dropped 8 diagrams in 2008 n it was hot trash
they haven’t been consistent as a group… but ghost raekwon n meth are still putting out quality solo shit
8 diagrams was actually good… Def better than like The W.
I hated 8 diagrams when it came out, besides a few songs, but I like it now. The real reason WU cant make an album like they used to is because these guys dont talk no more. They do not live under the same roof like did during the Wu Tang Forever era. Also, Rae is always conflicting with RZA. Ghost is still the most consistent member, he has been dropping album after album; and every single one was hot (even the wizard of poetry).
But, Ruckus in B minor sounds good, necklace sounds dope, and A Better Tomorrow is the best song they have made in a decade… Those first two singles were whack tho, I’m hoping they dont make it to the album.
its bc he knows bum ass rap fans r too broke to buy their favorite artist who deserves its music. im coppin this wu tang..and royce..and eminem..and ghostface
Realness should change his name to the fakeness, just coz its black cant be compared to the mona lisa…is that it? focus your hate playa, what you mad about…personally I think the mona lisa is a shit painting but I understand its place in art so I cant hate just coz its not my taste of things…do you get your money. them “old ass niggaz” revolutionized hiphop – now deal with it…oh… eat a dick
This lets me know that RZA and Wu-Tang signed a shitty deal with Warner Bros.
i dont get it, who in the world would pay 5 million for this record. TERRIBLE business idea by a guy who makes terrible movies. RZA done lost his mind. He is acting like this album is going to auction at Christies. Nigga please.
This is the most uncomfortable album ever made, its already a disaster – but I’m still coppin it – long live the clan
I hear the old Wu magic in a couple of songs, but for the most part, those dudes are done as a group and not because they fell of but because they don’t have the tools to make a cohesive album anymore.