RZA has always been the maestro of the Wu-Tang Clan, but the legendary rap figure has just announced his orchestral debut, A Ballet Through Mud.
The album, which was announced on Friday (July 19), is set to be released on August 30. It was first performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.
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According to a press release, the composition tells “a poignant coming-of-age story that delves into the complexities of love, the bonds of friendship, and personal growth.”
The album features characters named for Greek musical scales and tells the tale of RZA’s life from his childhood to modern day.
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“I have been composing my whole life, although I didn’t know initially that was what I was doing,” RZA said regarding the project. “The inspiration for A Ballet Through Mud comes from my earliest creative output as a teenager, but its themes are universal—love, exploration, and adventure.
“I hope people use it to score their own lives, to transform a drive to the grocery store or sharing a meal with loved ones into something magical, to be inspired and let their imaginations take them into a different chamber, if only for a moment.”
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The suite was composed and produced by RZA, performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Christopher Dragon. Check out the tracklist below.
A Ballet Through Mud Tracklist:
1. Aeolian Beauty
2. Clear Sky After Storm
3. Ballet Through Mud
5. Divine Intervention
6. Freedom of Movement
7. Soft Footsteps
8. Goodnight
9. The Night Dances When You Least Expect It
10. Moving Meditation
11. The Lotus Arrives
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RZA has been in the spirit of celebrating collaborations of late.
Back in February, he refused to let J Dilla‘s birthday pass by unnoticed, hopping on his Wu Wednesday show on SiriusXM radio to pay tribute to the Detroit native, who passed away in 2006.
Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah played two songs that Dilla produced for Raekwon‘s 2009 LP Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II and reminisced about their creation. He recalled that Busta Rhymes was the bridge between Dilla and the Wu-Tang Clan.
“This is one of those joints Busta Rhymes had brought to the studio,” RZA said of the album cut “10 Bricks.” “He was like, ‘Yo God, Dilla made a joint just for the Wu.’ And we passed it on to Chef and he blessed it.
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“This track is one of them tracks I wish I produced myself. The way he chopped this sample, the way he caught this cadence, it was something that I was impressed with.”
