Wu-Tang Clan’s Masta Killa, RZA and DJ/producer Mathematics recently stopped by Hot 97 to discuss the pioneering New York Hip Hop collective’s forthcoming album, Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues.
About 11 minutes into the interview, as the trio was talking about Hip Hop as a business, RZA doled out a handful of gems about what MCs can do to become a reverberating voice in the culture.
“I would advise any MC who is coming on as an MC, or as they call it a rapper, to definitely strive to have powerful bars, great lyrics,” RZA said. “Because even a singer strives to become a better singer, a guitar player strives to become a better guitar player, you know what I mean? I think that it’s important for their longevity and for them to recognize at one point in life — whether it’s Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, Nat King Cole, as far as we can go back — sometimes the artist’s voice becomes the voice of the time, then the voice of the world. It’s important they recognize they are making a soundtrack of our generation.”
As he continued, he touched on Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole’s roles in the current Hip Hop landscape, explaining how they provide the balance the culture needs. He uses Future‘s “Mask Off” and its reference to the powerful pain killer Percocet to make his point.
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“It’s [‘Mask Off’] not giving a description of everything that’s happening,” he says. “But now Kendrick will come on, who I think is an MC who keeps the balance for us, I think J. Cole keeps the balance and I love Future, trust me. Put on Future, I might jump up and start dancing with you. I’m into it, but there has to be a balance, and I think the MCs who aren’t putting that focus into it that they should always consider it, and go back and study the great ones so that they can add that. I mean, we watch Drake just become greater and greater. We watch that happen — even Kendrick. You watch him continue to become a better MC because he cared about being that.”
Later in the interview, they touch on Martin Shkreli, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Azealia Banks, classic Hip Hop and their excitement for the new album.
Watch the full interview above.
