Producer Profile: RZA (Part 1, 1993-1994)

After early work with the group All in Together Now Crew (with the GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard) and one single with Tommy Boy under the alias Prince Rakeem, Robert Diggs (aka the RZA) formed the Wu-Tang Clan with 8 other members in 1992. The most noteworthy single from their debut 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' is the classic cut 'C.R.E.A.M.' which this year was finally certified as a gold single having sold 500,000 copies on its own. The song samples 'As Long As I've Got You', a Stax single from the Charmels.

To cash in on the success of the Wu-Tang Clan, Cold Chillin' re-released the debut GZA album under the alias the Genius as well as released the RZA produced track 'Pass the Bone' as a single (RZA production is credited as Prince Rakeem). 'Pass the Bone' samples the heavily used Wu breakbeat 'Impeach the President' by the Honey Drippers and 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba' by the Harlem Underground Band produced by Paul Winley and famously featuring George Benson. The year also saw the release of Method Man's debut album 'Tical' which featured the single 'Release Yo' Delf' that interpolates the hook from Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' as well as samples Herb Alpert's 'Treasure of San Miguel' and Graham Central Station's 'The Jam'.

Finally, in 1994, RZA contributed production work and rhymes to the horrorcore all-star outfit the Gravediggaz's debut album '6 Feet Deep'. Their first single, 'Diary of a Madman', produced by the RZA, RNS and Prince Paul and featuring a guest verse from the Wu's Killah Priest, samples two cuts from crooner Johnny Mathis to extremely creepy results: 'No Love (But Your Love)' and 'Warm and Tender'.

Check back for our next look at the RZA's production discography.

The Lowdown:
Wu-Tang Clan 'C.R.E.A.M.'
from 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993) (MP3/CD)
The Charmels 'As Long As I've Got You'
from 'As Long As I've Got You' 7" (1967) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Genius 'Pass the Bone'
from 'Pass the Bone' 12" (1994) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Honey Drippers 'Impeach the President'
from 'Impeach the President' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Harlem Underground Band 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba'
from 'Harlem Underground' (1976) (MP3/CD not available)
Method Man 'Release Yo' Delf'
from 'Tical' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Gloria Gaynor 'I Will Survive'
from 'Love Tracks' (1978) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass 'Treasure of San Miguel'
from 'Sounds Like' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Graham Central Station 'The Jam'
from 'Ain't No Bout-a-Doubt It' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Gravediggaz 'Diary of a Madman'
from '6 Feet Deep' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Johnny Mathis 'No Love (But Your Love)'
from 'No Love (But Your Love)' 7" (1957) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Johnny Mathis 'Warm and Tender'
from 'Warm and Tender' 7" (1957) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (Part 1)
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (Part 2)

Rewind: Wu-tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of our look at 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'.

'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F--- Wit' may not be an A-side single, but its one of Wu-Tang's most endearing and well known tracks. The track, produced by the RZA and Method Man, samples the break from Lafayette Afro Rock Band's 'Hihache', the opening break from the Honey Drippers' 'Impeach the President', and elements of Biz Markie's 'Nobody Beats the Biz'. The biggest single from 'Enter the Wu-Tang', maybe the biggest single of the Wu's career, is 'C.R.E.A.M.'. This classic uses a sample of the Stax single 'As Long as I've Got You' by the Charmels, written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Don't sleep on that download link, this track has never been easy to come by!



Method Man takes on a track solo for 'Method Man' which samples 'Sport' by Lightnin' Rod (featuring instrumentation by an early Earth, Wind and Fire), 'Sundown' by Gordon Lightfoot, and re-interpolates Hall and Oates' 'Method of Modern Love' from 1984's 'Big Bam Boom'. The Wu's first single, originally released independently but redone for the album, was 'protect Ya Neck' which contains samples of Lowell Fulsom's 'Tramp' and Albert King's 'Cold Feet'. Finally, 'Tearz' samples another Stax 7": Wendy Rene's 'After Laughter (Comes Tears)'.

Wu-Tang Clan, following the release of their debut, became a legacy with more albums as a group and dozens of solo releases from the Wu members. Look for more Wu-Tang Clan associated posts in the future of this blog.

The Lowdown:
Wu-Tang Clan 'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F--- Wit', 'C.R.E.A.M.', 'Method Man', 'Protect Ya Neck', and 'Tearz'
from 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Lafayette Afro Rock Band 'Hihache'
from 'Soul Makossa' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
The Honey Drippers 'Impeach the President'
from 'Impeach the President' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Biz Markie 'Nobody Beats the Biz'
from 'Goin' Off' (1988) (MP3/CD)
The Charmels 'As Long As I've Got You'
from 'As Long As I've Got You' 7" (1967) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Lightnin' Rod 'Sport'
from 'Hustler's Convention' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Gordon Lightfoot 'Sundown'
from 'Sundown' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD)
Hall and Oates 'Method of Modern Love'
from 'Big Bam Boom' (1984) (MP3/CD)
Lowell Fulsom 'Tramp'
from 'Tramp' (1967) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Albert King 'Cold Feet'
from 'King of the Blues Guitar' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Wendy Rene 'After Laughter (Comes Tears)'
from 'After Laughter (Comes Tears)' 7" (1964) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Bonus Cuts:
Wu-Tang Clan 'C.R.E.A.M.' (Acapella)