4th Disciple, one of Wu-Tang Clan’s most prominent producers, has filed a lawsuit against RZA and Mitchell “Divine” Diggs over unpaid royalties.
According to documents obtained by Vibe, 4th Disciple has allegedly never received any accounting statement or royalties from his production and publishing agreements with Wu-Tang Productions and Diggs Family Music. The deals were originally signed in 1993 or 1994.
The veteran producer claims he’s been owed “50 percent of mechanical royalties, 50 percent of synchronization income and 50 percent of other income” in exchange for RZA and Divine having the rights to his written and production works.
“We reached out several times to RZA and his brother Mitchell, through their longtime attorney, and they refused to address the situation,” 4th Disciple’s lawyer Kevon Glickman told AllHipHop. “Its a shame that with all of the success of the Wu Franchise, it will take a lawsuit to force the Diggs brothers to face their contractual responsibilities.”
4th Disciple is part of the Wu-Elements production team that cultivated the signature Wu-Tang sound with RZA in the 90s. He’s also a member of the Wu-Tang affiliate Killarmy, producing the majority of the group’s three albums.
His lawsuit lists his notable credits, which include five tracks on the multi-platinum Wu-Tang Forever and two on the Clan’s 2014 album A Better Tomorrow. He’s also responsible for songs on solo albums by GZA, Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna and Killah Priest.
4th Disciple is seeking the full accounting of his contract and at least $500,000 in damages.
Check out the documents below.
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Damn RZA you keep giving your day 1’s more and more reason to disown you smh
Rza f’ing with that formula…in a bad way. Lately his business and his beats are in question. Get yo shit together and take care of ur team
This the first hhdx post I seen with actual paperwork and I been logging in for at least 7 years minimum. Yall bugging now
“Robert diggin all in my pickets” – U-God
It’s “Pockets” you idiot… tryna front like you the GOD….Anyway chickens are coming home to roost…I guess UGOD’s book was more NON FICTION THAN FICTION!
The only way out of this is to restore faith with the fans. That means a fire I mean fire wu album. For someone like 4th to say this then unfortunately I look at Rza differently now. I don’t understand why he can’t produce beats of even a passable standard. I don’t get why clan members have to lease the W. Rza needs to look in the mirror
Rza been hanging around them rich white hollywood types, he prob learn all kinds a ways to rip people off. He rip off his on bandmates. What we learning is tha Rza is more grimey then Diddy with ripping people off. Who more grimey for real though
Rza or Birdman??
Birdman.
a lot of that is also his brother divine
Where there is smoke there is fire… All these Wu dudes with issues cant be wrong.. a shame
Can’t help but think RZA might’ve been somewhat jealous of 4th Disciple and True Master trying to upstage him on the production tip. While RZA was crafting classics for his group, you had 4th making next level beats for Sunz of Man and Killarmy. (check “Five Arch Angels”, “Soldiers Of Darkness”, “Wu-Renegades, etc) And True Master has “Brooklyn Zoo” and “Fish” which was one of the best beats on Ironman. And he also had fire beats on Cap’s Pillage album. RZA might’ve been the lead producer, but 4th and True were for sure catching up to him fast.
C’mon mang! 4th & True are nice producers no doubt but lets be real. Rza was elite. For a while Bobby Steels was in the Premo Dr Dre sphere “legendary”
We must get pass this god there’senough money to go around we the true living how you the god gonna let the devil over poor your mind and soul with money. Loveness for 1 Love 1 of the most powerful in in the 1 10 Where is the Love! TAXone of the Captains in this Army you have Generals and Lieutenant
Rza is starting to feel like the man behind the curtain the Wizard of Oz. I really wonder how many of his ‘classic’ beats were actually mad by him. Why can’t he make beats like that anymore? Why is everything with him such a mystery? I gotta see this dude make a beat by himself. As much as I’ve praised him in the past, I have to admit that I’m skeptical now of how much of that stuff he actually did. It seems like once the hidden hands weren’t around him anymore the beats stopped coming. His beats now sound not only bad, but like they were made by someone who never made beats before. He’s got all this unconventional equipment and ‘formulas’, but son, just make a dope beat. I don’t care of its on a MPC or a digital harpsichord, just make SOMETHING to show that you still know how to do this without people around you pressing buttons for you. Peace.
RZA IS THE GOD. WITHOUT HIM UGUD & 4th DISIPLINE WOULD BE DEAD OR IN JAIL.
RZA IS THE GOD. WITHOUT HIM UGUD AND 4TH DISIPLINE WOULD HE DEAD OR IN JAIL.
Ive lost count on how many wu members and affiliates been mad at rza over the years due to money being owned to then. He needs to make everything right with everybody and stop bullshitting.
I still feel that Wu hasn’t been the same since Ol’ Dirty passed.
Prince Paul turned his back on Too Poetic as well. RZA wasn’t the only one.