RZA ist ein visionärer Musikproduzent und eine zentrale Figur im Hip-Hop, der vor allem als de-facto-Anführer der Wu-Tang Clan bekannt ist. Seine Produktionsarbeit hat den Sound einer ganzen Generation geprägt, wobei seine einzigartige Handschrift auf fast allen Alben der Wu-Tang Clan und zahlreichen verwandten Projekten zu finden ist. Über seine Schlüsselrolle im Hip-Hop hinaus hat sich RZA auch als Autor, Schauspieler und Regisseur etabliert und damit seine künstlerische Tätigkeit erweitert. Sein Einfluss auf die Musikindustrie ist unbestreitbar, und seine Kreativität reicht über Genre-Grenzen hinaus.
The RZA, the Abbot of the Wu-Tang Clan and hip-hop culture's most dynamic
genius, imparts the lessons he learned on the journey that took him from the
Staten Island projects to international superstardom, all the while a devout
student of knowledge in every form he's found it - on the streets, in
religion, in martial arts, in chess or in popular culture. Part chronicle of
an extraordinary life and part spiritual and philosophical discourse, The Tao
of Wu is a Siddartha for the hip-hop generation.
The Wu-Tang Manual is The RZA’s first written introduction to the philosophy and history of Hip-Hop’s original Dynasty, the Wu-Tang Clan. Written in a style that is at once personal and philosophical, The Wu-Tang Manual unravels the intricate web of personalities (and alter egos), warrior codes, numerological systems, and Eastern spiritual ethics that define the Wu-Tang dynasty. Packed with information that reflects the breadth and depth of the RZA’s — and rest of the Clan’s — intellectual interests and passions, The Wu-Tang Manual is divided into four books of nine chambers each, for a total of 36 chambers. All together, the book provides the breakdown of essential Wu-Tang components, from basic information about each of the nine core members of Wu-Tang Clan to deeper explorations of the key themes of the Wu-Tang universe, a dictionary-like Wu-Slang lexicon, and an entire section of Wu-Tang lyrics with densely annotated explanations of what they mean. For the hardcore Wu-Tang disciple and the recent initiate alike, The Wu-Tang Manual is the definitive guide to the essence of Wu, one of the most innovative hip-hop groups of all time. The RZA's most recent book, The Tao of Wu , is also available from Riverhead Books.
