RZA Reveals He Could Have Been A Billionaire With Wu-Tang Clan Strategy

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RZA had a moment to himself during his interview, and he confessed that had he decided to pursue a career on his own, he could have been a billionaire. Alternately, they might “have made an industry that would be good for many people” by attempting to sign every member of Wu-Tang under separate record labels. This was such a disruptive action that it forced the group into every corner of the track industry from the ’90s onwards and laid the foundation that others would use in the future.

When asked to shed more light on the onset of this unorthodox manner, RZA explained that, compared to today in which they cooperated, record labels actually didn’t cooperate but went to war with each other. So in a way, by splintering the clan across various labels like Elektra, Warner, Loud Records, and BMG, RZA basically ensured that Wu-Tang would somewhat tilt the industry to his collective advantage: maximizing exposure but also profiteering maximums for each member.” RZA explains that in essence they were working on both cultural and commercial levels: While at one point consolidating the group under one label might have made him a billionaire, that was secondary to him-the creation of an ecosystem with which many could prosper.

The interview of Mehdi Maïzi on “À la régulière” touches on just how radical this decision was. From the normal point of view, an act would have signed solely to one label, which meant it was the group’s ability to split that forced labels to cooperate in support of expanding the group’s weight and success. Wu-Tang’s conception catapulted him to legendary stature and uprooted the business from under the musicians so that artists would begin to bargain for better accounts for themselves and help make decisions autonomously.

This revelation prompts outpourings of a somewhat different kind from the fans and followers. “They though big, bravo 👍🏽,” went a comment, with hundreds applauding this courage-popup. Another added, “But the thing is, it wasn’t focused on money in spirit,” calling back to the philosophy that guided the project, something the Wu-Tang themselves spoke of many time in a spiritual and communal vibe.

Few comments dwell upon RZA’s legacy and impact. One fan stated, “Apart from that annoying French voiceover, RZA is one of the best beatmakers who ever existed. I thought he was done at one point, but his work on series the Throne reminded me how immense his inspiration and musical culture are.” This clearly shows that sentiment about RZA goes way beyond Wu-Tang and continues to have an impact on newer generations of artists and producers.

Another comment was about the interview itself, quite funny at that: “Impossible to follow two voices at the same time 😂,” referring to the bilingual mode of presentation. Then another congratulated the moment: “We go from Michou to RZA in a few days, my mind is blown,” and indicating great variety in guests aired on France Inter.

From a serious and heartfelt angle, a user stated: “What a visionary. For guys from my era, it was simply revolutionary. A huge source of inspiration. Thanks to them, among others, we got into the track business. 🎤. We realized it was possible. With hindsight, I think these artists from that time helped us structure ourselves and believe in us. For the young people reading my post, know that it was hard before.” This comment showcases the inspiring ripple effect of RZA’s concept that allowed succeeding generations of band members to pursue their dreams on their own despite the odds.

Critiques came from some corners, bashing the show itself: “Pathetic ‘translation.’ Stick to subtitles… smh,” sparked another user in rebuttal, “It’s a radio show, how do you put subtitles on audio alone?” The discussion thus highlighted the disadvantages of working with multilingual content, but those very disadvantages might have fueled engagement.

So to conclude, the interview reveals another of the many ways in which RZA can continue being acknowledged as one person who really shook things up in the track industry. Rather than aiming to amass personal wealth, his goal of setting up for collective success became the actual legacy of Wu-Tang and the empowerment of artists. Or, as one fan so well put it: “This man is a genius 👐,” summing up the respect with which RZA is regarded in the track and cultural world. There’s a story on RZA filled with narratives of legacy, collaboration, and vision-based longevity.

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