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RZA is back with a new album—a recording of the score to A Ballet Through Mud, which the Wu-Tang Clan alumnus wrote and composed for performance in 2023 at Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver, Colorado. Performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Christopher Dragon, the score includes spoken word and orchestration that RZA says was inspired by revisiting his childhood notebooks. The recorded version will stream, via Platoon, from August 30.

Orchestration Credits:

03 Ballet Through Mud
06 Freedom of Movement
08 Goodnight
09 The Night Dances When You Least Expect It
11 The Lotus Arrives

Orchestration Credits:

1. Atomic Man

2. Creep in a T-Shirt

3. Marching with 6

4. Sea of Air

5. Waves

6. What Me Worry

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is a landmark hip-hop album released by rapper Raekwon who rose to prominence as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Produced by fellow Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA, this record is a cornerstone of East Coast hip-hop and a quintessential piece of the genre's golden era, thanks in part to RZA's extraordinary beats and the introduction of Raekwon and Ghostface Killah as a legendary rap duo. With its gritty storytelling, intricate lyricism, and cinematic production, Cuban Linx offers listeners a vivid glimpse into the street life of 1990s New York City. Together with the Colorado Symphony, this legendary duo will reimagine their timeless album that continues to inspire and shape the sound of contemporary hip-hop today.

Orchestration Credit - Spot Rusherz

From the mind of RZA – Colorado Symphony Imagination Artist and de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan – comes a symphonic double-feature that bridges the gap between classical and contemporary music. This February, don't miss A Wu-Tang Experience featuring 36 Chambers of Shaolin alongside a brand-new work by RZA that highlights spoken word, live ballet, and rich orchestration, all with the Colorado Symphony. This concert does not include members of the Wu-Tang Clan other than RZA. “This collaboration really came about at the perfect time for me,” said RZA. ”As an artist, I’m always striving for ways to grow and evolve and when you get a chance to hear your music translated by an orchestra, it’s so fulfilling, the vibration of it, the feel of it. As musicians we strive to inspire or give inspiration to our listeners. At the same time, I was inspired to take my own music in a new and different direction and having the opportunity to collaborate with the Colorado Symphony had a huge impact on this project. This music comes straight from my heart and I’m excited to finally share it with the world.”

Orchestration Credits:

1. A Ballet Through Mud

2. The Night Rises and Falls

3. Winds from the West

4. Soft Footsteps

5. Freedom of Movement

6. Night Dances When You Least Expect

7. Goodnight

8. Lotus Arrives