RZA has always been the maestro of the Wu-Tang Clan, but the legendary rap figure has just announced his orchestral debut, A Ballet Through Mud.
The album, which was announced on Friday (July 19), is set to be released on August 30. It was first performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.
According to a press release, the composition tells “a poignant coming-of-age story that delves into the complexities of love, the bonds of friendship, and personal growth.”
The album features characters named for Greek musical scales and tells the tale of RZA’s life from his childhood to modern day.
“I have been composing my whole life, although I didn’t know initially that was what I was doing,” RZA said regarding the project. “The inspiration for A Ballet Through Mud comes from my earliest creative output as a teenager, but its themes are universal—love, exploration, and adventure.
“I hope people use it to score their own lives, to transform a drive to the grocery store or sharing a meal with loved ones into something magical, to be inspired and let their imaginations take them into a different chamber, if only for a moment.”
The suite was composed and produced by RZA, performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Christopher Dragon. Check out the tracklist below.
A Ballet Through Mud Tracklist:
1. Aeolian Beauty
2. Clear Sky After Storm
3. Ballet Through Mud
5. Divine Intervention
6. Freedom of Movement
7. Soft Footsteps
8. Goodnight
9. The Night Dances When You Least Expect It
10. Moving Meditation
11. The Lotus Arrives
RZA has been in the spirit of celebrating collaborations of late.
Back in February, he refused to let J Dilla‘s birthday pass by unnoticed, hopping on his Wu Wednesday show on SiriusXM radio to pay tribute to the Detroit native, who passed away in 2006.
Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah played two songs that Dilla produced for Raekwon‘s 2009 LP Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II and reminisced about their creation. He recalled that Busta Rhymes was the bridge between Dilla and the Wu-Tang Clan.
“This is one of those joints Busta Rhymes had brought to the studio,” RZA said of the album cut “10 Bricks.” “He was like, ‘Yo God, Dilla made a joint just for the Wu.’ And we passed it on to Chef and he blessed it.
“This track is one of them tracks I wish I produced myself. The way he chopped this sample, the way he caught this cadence, it was something that I was impressed with.”
as long as RZA has a genuine interest in composing works for audiences that appreciate these production and he has taken as serious interest in the form as it stands then it’s a good thing. If it’s just some bs no one will care
as long as RZA has a genuine interest in composing works for audiences that appreciate these production and he has taken a serious appreciation in the form as it stands then it’s a good thing. If it’s just some bs like andre 3000 no one will care
Radio Raheem!
He got to a point where in his mind he could throw a piano down a flight of stairs and it would be dope, because anything he touches is dope and he IS hip-hop. His ego wouldn’t let him see that this stuff just doesn’t SOUND good, and if music doesn’t sound good then it’s not good, it doesn’t matter who makes it. It even got to the point where I wonder sometimes if he was even the one who actually made the early Wu stuff, because at times it just sounded like he didn’t even know how to make a beat anymore. It’s one thing to be creative, but some of his stuff in the last 15 years has been so bad that it has tarnished his legacy some. I mean if you listen to the Cuban Linx album, then listen to his stuff from the 2000’s, it’s hard to believe that’s the same producer. Even the engineering and fundamental techniques are worlds apart. It’s not just some ‘different chamber’, there’s someone that used to be in the studio helping him that’s not there anymore.