RZA facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
RZA
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RZA at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
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Robert Fitzgerald Diggs
July 5, 1969 New York City, U.S.
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| Years active | 1984–present |
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Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (born July 5, 1969), known by his stage name RZA, is an American rapper, music producer, actor, and filmmaker. He is the leader of the famous hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. RZA produced most of the group's albums and is known for his unique production style. He often uses samples from old soul music songs and sounds from movies to create his beats.
His work has been very influential in hip-hop. Magazines like The Source and Vibe have called him one of the greatest hip-hop producers ever. He has also released solo albums under the name Bobby Digital and was a member of the group Gravediggaz.
Beyond music, RZA has a successful career in movies. He has composed music for films like Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2. He also directed his own movie, The Man with the Iron Fists. As an actor, he has appeared in movies like American Gangster and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and even voiced characters in The Simpsons and Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
RZA was born Robert Fitzgerald Diggs on July 5, 1969, in Brownsville, Brooklyn. His mother admired the Kennedy brothers, so she named him after Robert and John Fitzgerald. He has a younger brother, Terrance, who is also a rapper known as 9th Prince.
When he was a child, he spent summers in North Carolina with his uncle, who encouraged him to read. RZA was introduced to hip hop music at age nine and was competing in rap battles by age eleven.
As a young man, RZA faced some difficult challenges. He moved to Steubenville, Ohio, and got into trouble. He had a serious legal problem but was found not guilty. He has called this experience a "second chance," and it motivated him to focus on making a positive change in his life through music.
Music Career
Before the Wu-Tang Clan
RZA's interest in making music started in 1979. In 1984, he formed a rap group with his cousins GZA and Ol' Dirty .... They called themselves "All in Together Now." He later signed a deal as a solo artist with Tommy Boy Records under the name Prince Rakeem, but he was dropped from the label after his first release did not sell well.
Forming the Wu-Tang Clan
After his "second chance" in 1992, RZA decided to form a new group with his cousins and five childhood friends. They named the group Wu-Tang Clan, after a 1983 kung fu movie called Shaolin and Wu Tang. Each member chose a new nickname, and Diggs became RZA.
The Wu-Tang Clan released its first album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in 1993. RZA was the group's leader and main producer. He created the beats and decided which members would rap on each song.
Leading the Clan and Solo Work
From 1994 to 1996, RZA produced almost all of the music for the Wu-Tang Clan and its members' solo albums. He was the main creative force behind the group's sound. During this time, he was also part of another group called Gravediggaz with producer Prince Paul.
In 1997, the Wu-Tang Clan released their second album, Wu-Tang Forever. For this album, RZA started to share some of the production work with other producers in the group's circle, like Mathematics and Inspectah Deck.
Bobby Digital and Film Scores
In 1998, RZA created an alter ego named Bobby Digital and released the album Bobby Digital in Stereo. He said he used this character to explore a different side of his music.
RZA also began composing music for movies. His first film score was for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999). He even had a small acting role in the movie. Working with musicians for the film inspired him to learn how to read and write music. His most famous film scores are for Quentin Tarantino's movies Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2.
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This is one of my biggest adventures... We watched Kill Bill in Manhattan... and when it said, "Original Music by The RZA", we hear the audience clapping... for somebody to see that and then clap, that's a different thing right there. That felt pretty pleasing.
Later Career and New Projects
RZA has continued to work on many different projects. He produced the music for the anime series Afro Samurai. He has also collaborated with many famous artists, including Kanye West, John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Paul Banks from the band Interpol. Their group was called Banks & Steelz.
In 2020, the ice cream company Good Humor asked RZA to create a new jingle for ice cream trucks. RZA created a new, modern tune for everyone to enjoy.
In 2024, RZA released a unique album called A Ballet Through Mud, which is an orchestral score for a ballet.
Musical Style and Influence
RZA is famous for his production style. He often takes small pieces of old soul music songs, called samples, and speeds them up or slows them down to create a new beat. This technique has been copied by many other producers, including Kanye West. West's style of speeding up vocal samples was even called "chipmunk soul" because of how it sounded.
Kanye West has said that the Wu-Tang Clan had a huge impact on him. RZA has spoken positively about this, saying it shows that "Wu-Tang is forever."
Over time, RZA's style has evolved. After learning music theory, he began to create music that could be played by a live band, not just sampled.
Film and Television Career
Acting
RZA has acted in many movies and TV shows. He often has small but memorable roles, called cameos, in films like Funny People and Due Date.
He has had larger roles in movies like American Gangster, G.I. Joe: Retaliation (as the Blind Master), and Nobody (as the main character's brother). He also played the main villain in the Thai martial arts movie Tom Yum Goong 2. On television, he had a recurring role in the show Californication and voiced himself on The Simpsons.
Filmmaking
RZA has always been inspired by movies, especially martial arts films. He once said, "I made my albums like movies... I wanted people to be able to listen to a movie in their car."
In 2012, he directed his first movie, The Man with the Iron Fists, which he also co-wrote and starred in. Famous directors Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth helped with the film. He has since directed other movies, including Love Beats Rhymes (2017) and Cut ... City (2020).
Personal Life
RZA is related to several other members of the Wu-Tang Clan. His cousins are GZA and the late Ol' Dirty ....
He has a deep love for martial arts films and knows a lot about them. He is also an expert chess player and helps run the Hip-Hop Chess Federation, an organization that uses music and chess to help young people.
RZA is a vegan, which means he does not eat any animal products. He has worked with the organization PETA to promote a vegan lifestyle.
Discography
Studio albums
- Bobby Digital in Stereo (1998)
- Digital Bullet (2001)
- Birth of a Prince (2003)
- Digi Snacks (2008)
- Bobby Digital and The Pit of Snakes (2022)
- A Ballet Through Mud (2024)
Collaboration albums
- 6 Feet Deep with Gravediggaz (1994)
- The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel with Gravediggaz (1997)
- The World According to RZA (2003)
- Anything But Words with Banks & Steelz (2016)
- Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater with DJ Scratch (2022)
Selected Filmography
As Actor
| Year | Title | Role |
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| 2003 | Coffee and Cigarettes | RZA |
| 2005 | Derailed | Winston Boyko |
| 2007 | American Gangster | Moses Jones |
| 2009 | Funny People | Chuck |
| 2010 | Repo Men | T-Bone |
| 2012 | The Man with the Iron Fists | Blacksmith |
| 2013 | G.I. Joe: Retaliation | Blind Master |
| 2014 | Brick Mansions | Tremaine Alexander |
| 2015 | Mr. Right | Steven |
| 2019 | The Dead Don't Die | Dean |
| 2021 | Nobody | Harry Mansell Jr. |
| 2022 | Minions: The Rise of Gru | Biker (Voice) |
As Director
| Year | Title |
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| 2012 | The Man with the Iron Fists |
| 2017 | Love Beats Rhymes |
| 2020 | Cut ... City |
See also
In Spanish: RZA para niños
