RZA
The influence of the Shaw Brothers films on my work has been profound. In addition to the richness of Asian culture, we at Wu-Tang were fascinated with the struggles between the oppressed Chinese villagers and the repressive Manchu authority and how it mirrored our own experiences growing up as black kids in America's inner cities.
I thought that Wu-Tang was the best sword style - the best sword-style of martial arts. And the tongue is like a sword. And so I say that we have the best lyrics, so, therefore, we are the Wu-Tang Clan.
I'm not the first guy to make a record or to make hip-hop, but I did it differently.
When Def Jam wanted to sign Method Man, they wanted to sign Method Man and Old Dirty. And Old Dirty wanted to be on Def Jam - everybody, that was like the dream label. But if I had Old Dirty and Method Man on Def Jam, that's two key pieces going in the same direction, whereas there's other labels that needed to be infiltrated.
I live a very satisfying life. Not because I've made a few dollars, but because I have a wife who loves me and children who wait for me to come home. And that is beautiful. I think that's the American dream: to be at peace at home.
I've been vegan for over 20 years, but I started as a vegetarian and grew into veganism in between.
I'm focused on creating art and whichever outlet it can get out in.
When I first heard hip-hop, in 1976, there were maybe only 500 people that could do it.
A wise man has to always listen to the peers he surrounds around himself. That's why you surround yourself with other smart people. Captain Kirk keep Mr. Spock right beside him.
Beyond Greek mythology, history just didn't have a strong resonation with me.
I will keep a Bible or Koran on me at all times - the Bible I can actually carry on my phone, and any hotel you go to has a Bible, but the Koran is harder. I keep a physical Koran in my guitar case and put it on the table in hotel rooms so after a day's work, I can read a few verses.
I will say, for Wu-Tang, money wasn't the motivation, it was artistic domination.
The way you have to think in chess is good for everyday thinking, really, especially for brothers in the urban community who never take that second look, never take that second thought.
If you keep eating McDonald's, you gonna get sick. You need a real home-cooked meal. And I knew that that would be healthier. And that's what Wu-Tang was: It was a home-cooked meal of hip-hop. Of the real people.
I'm a director! I don't work with no amateurs!
With '8 Diagrams,' I just skimmed the surface of musical exploration.
I was definitely a big Run-DMC fan.
I was writing lyrics since I was nine years old, so by age 15, I was feeling pretty confident about my talent.
I always argue with a lot of people. They ask me for my top rappers, and he's always on my list. I mean, the GZA inspired me.
'Rainy Dayz' and 'Glaciers of Ice,' those two songs - I mean, I just love those songs.
I thought about doing '36 Chambers' on Broadway.
A lot of people don't know this about Wu-Tang, it started from a focused mind. I was given total autonomy to do whatever I want with them... They agreed, to me, to be a dictator for five years. And in those five years, it's considered some of our best work.
I'd love to make 10 to 12 films in my life. That's a lot of films, but it's doable.
I tell my sons, I say, if you're going somewhere, you don't have to wear a hoodie - we live in New York, so a hoodie and all that is all good. But sometimes, you know, button up your shirt. Clean up.
If I'm a cop, and every time I see a young black youth - whether I watch them on TV, movies, or just see them hanging out - and they're not looking properly dressed, properly refined, you know, carrying himself, conducting himself proper hours of the day - things that a man does - you're going to have a certain fear and stereotype of them.
I could never be a control freak. If Wu-Tang is a dictatorship, how does every Wu-Tang member have their own contract, their own career, and have put out more albums without me than they've done with me?
I don't have the same respect for time as most people. I take that extra day to think about it.
Growing up, all of my friends would set their schedules to the showing of kung fu movies on TV.
A servant sometimes need to be served.
I got a chance to act in a film, 'Derailed.' I was having a recurring nightmare, and after doing that film, the nightmares stopped.
Twenty percent of my records, you'll find a loop, like two or three loops per album out of 13 or 15 songs. I'd rather keep it like that.
When we was making a song called 'Bring Da Ruckus,' we took the snare, and we put it in an elevator shaft and recorded it.
I actually heard hip-hop before I saw a movie in a movie theater. I heard hip-hop first, at the tender age of seven, so that came first. I didn't see a movie until I was eight.
I didn't discover how music and film could work together until Jim Jarmusch had me do 'Ghost Dog.'
I wrote a big animation scene for 'Iron Fists,' but we couldn't afford all that.
Wu-Tang Clan's first album, '36 Chambers,' there wasn't a lot of money given to make that album.
Being black in America - especially as I was growing up - the feeling of oppression, the feeling of being outcast, the feeling of not having a voice was part of my life.
I didn't learn black history in school. I had to go find Malcolm X books.
The black community has for a long time been a part of the Hollywood community, and of course we would love to have a more proportionate ratio of films that tell our stories.
The history of black America was from slavery, oppression, civil rights, and you felt kind of isolated as an entity in our country.
I keep all my work and files and kung-fu movies on my laptop because sometimes you travel, and the Internet is slow.
I actually have eyes that irritate easily, so I wear the glasses to keep stuff out of my eyes. If you see me in shades indoors, you might be like, 'RZA is wearing shades inside. What the hell is going on?' I'm protecting my eyes, and I'm looking cool.
Wisdom is important in every man's life.
While a lot of hip-hop was inspired by jazz or James Brown samples and was made to be played live in the clubs, I made hip-hop that was made for MCs to eat the mic up. It was an aggressive form of hip-hop. It was made just for hip-hop. It's not made to sing or dance to, though you can if you want.
I'm glad Wu-Tang was able to inspire other producers and artists, but I would never want to be erased or removed.
If you take 'Nothin' But a G Thang' by Dr Dre, that could also be an R&B record. 'Bonita Applebum' by A Tribe Called Quest could even be a jazz record. 'Bring Da Ruckus,' you gotta call it hip-hop.
My mom gave me the children stories of the Bible. I memorized that book at the age of nine.
'The Good Earth' is a great book.
An artist is made to entertain. That's their primary goal, to entertain you. But some artists record the moments of time. You wouldn't know what was happening in the '20s and '30s; you got to check the song or art.