'I hadn't paid my dues to music, and so I went and started studying theory,' Wu-Tang beatmaker tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Adam Murphy
RZA
Photo: MTV News
Behind the Beats: RZA
RZA can chop a sample with the best of them. The chief Wu-Tang producer has flipped samples from Isaac Hayes and Gladys Knight to make classic hip-hop records like "C.R.E.A.M." and "Can It Be All So Simple," but it was a random encounter while buying music equipment that changed the Abbot's entire perspective on sampling music.
"The first thing happened was that I was at a music store buying equipment," RZA told Mixtape Daily. "I went platinum, I became a millionaire, I was probably feeling myself egotistically, going to Sam Ash to buy a whole bunch of equipment, and a regular musician stopped me because people were giving me attention, 'That's RZA, that's RZA.' And this guy said, 'You're ruining music.' "
Of course, a young RZA was taken aback at first. "He's a musician, but because of sampling, he can't get a job. Because of drum machines, his drummer can't get no work. He said, 'You're not a real musician.' I said, 'What you mean I'm not a real musician? I got a platinum album.' He said, 'You're not a real musician. You don't know nothing about music.' "
It was at that point that RZA's outlook began to change. "He was right. I couldn't tell him what a C note was. So he challenged me, basically," he said.
Feeling inspired, the Wu-beat banger started to study music theory and began to craft sample-free tracks. That, coupled with multiple lawsuits that he faced for reworking compositions from others, led to RZA's growth. "It's unfair sometimes for us to have success on things when we haven't paid our dues," he said. "So even though I paid my dues to hip-hop, I hadn't paid my dues to music, and so I went and started studying theory."
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667374/rza-wu-tang-sampling.jhtml
Ashley Olsen Ashley Scott Ashley Tappin Ashley Tisdale Asia Argento Aubrey ODay Audrina Patridge Autumn Reeser Avril Lavigne Bali Rodriguez Bar Refaeli Beyoncé Bianca Kajlich Bijou Phillips Blake Lively Blu Cantrell Bonnie Jill Laflin Bridget Moynahan Britney Spears Brittany Daniel Brittany Lee Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow Brittny Gastineau Brody Dalle Brooke Burke Brooke Burns Busy Philipps Cameron Diaz Cameron Richardson Camilla Belle Carla Campbell Carla Gugino Carmen Electra Carol Grow Carrie Underwood Cat Power Catherine Bell Chandra West Charisma Carpenter Charli Baltimore Charlies Angels Charlize Theron Chelsea Handler Cheryl Burke China Chow Chloë Sevigny Christina Aguilera Christina Applegate Christina DaRe Christina Milian Christina Ricci Chyler Leigh Ciara Cindy Crawford Cindy Taylor Cinthia Moura Claudette Ortiz Coco Lee Connie Nielsen Cristina Dumitru Daisy Fuentes Dania Ramirez Danica Patrick Daniella Alonso Danneel Harris Deanna Russo Denise Richards Desiree Dymond Diane Kruger Dido Diora Baird Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain Donna Feldman Drea de Matteo Drew Barrymore Ehrinn Cummings Elena Lyons Elisabeth Röhm Elisha Cuthbert Eliza Dushku Emilie de Ravin Emma Heming Emma Stone Emma Watson Emmanuelle Chriqui Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen Erika Christensen Estella Warren Esther Cañadas Eva Green Eva Longoria Eva Mendes Evangeline Lilly Eve Fergie Foxy Brown
No comments:
Post a Comment