RZA and The Wu-Tang Clan Are Huge Geeks (You Read it Here First!)

Earlier today, I watched this interview (embedded below, via BoingBoing) with RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan, in which he talks about how much of a geek he is and how that influenced his music.

"I'd rather raise nerds than raise gangsters", the hip-hop star says as he talks about his interest in new music-creating software, and that hip-hop has a lot of geeks amongst its ranks.

I've been saying that the Wu-Tang Clan were huge needs for a while now. Last year, I wrote that that they were huge nerds ("36 Chambers of Social Media") due to the fact that they were obsessed with Kung-Fu movies and Voltron, and I'm glad that the RZA has confirmed my thoughts.

For examples of some of their music and its relation to nerd culture, check here.

Hip-Hop and Social Media: Together Again

This post on TechCrunch made me think that my earlier post about how social media might be the new hip-hop was way more on point than I had thought. Apparently, the RZA (aka future-crime fightin' gangsta B.O.B.B.Y. Digital) came up with the concept of WuChess, a Wu-Tang-themed online social network based around chess. Even though I'm a fan of the Wu, I don't know how successful this venture will be. There are just too many free chess social networks, and I doubt that the Wu Army cares enough to support this one.

At least least the RZA seems to understand that it can be a good idea to give away his music for free. Wikipedia quotes him as saying that the Razor makes music...

"...to be heard, personally. And, if somebody download it, if they heard it, then my job was delivered. Of course I love to make the money. I get million dollar album budgets, so of course there's money involved with it. But, personally, as a musician, as an artist, the first thing is to be seen and heard. If you're not seen and heard, who cares? ... I never got pissed off at the Internet kids with the downloading. In fact, I told them, 'Help yourself. Have a good time."

Well put, RZA.

With that, I'll leave you with search for a version of their track "Da Mysteries of Chess boxin'."

-Parker