RZA Confirms There Will Be Unreleased ODB Vocals On The New Wu-Tang Clan Album (Video)

Last week, Wu-Tang Clan gave Hip-Hop fans a welcomed surprise when they announced that they would be releasing a new album, Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues, in October. Shortly after the announcement, the group released the project’s first single, “People Say,” their first ever group record featuring Redman.

Wu-Tang Clan Are Releasing A New Album And It’s Coming Soon (Audio)

The new album will be released through RZA’s 36 Chambers ALC, making it the first in which Wu controls its own destiny. A statement about the project cited contributions from Wu members RZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killa, Inspektah Deck, and Masta Killa, as well as verses from Redman and Sean Price. One of the details that garnered particular attention, however, was that the album would feature vocals from fallen Clan member, ODB. At the time, it was unclear whether those would be recycled vocals or previously unreleased material, but now, in a conversation with Hot 97, RZA has provided more insight.

Wu-Tang Is Forever And In Control Of Its Destiny With Its Own Record Label (Video)

At the 16:30 mark of the interview hosted by Nessa, RZA, Masta Killa and DJ Mathematics touch on the void left by ODB’s death “He will always be greatly missed. His element is just irreplaceable. It can never be replaced–music and his stage presence,” says Masta Killa. Building on Masta Killa’s response, RZA shares that ODB will be present on the new project. “The cool thing on the new record Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues…Allah Math was able to dig into some of our files and pull out some Ol’ Dirty speaking, verses, energy.” He continues, “This is a spoiler alert for those who are going to get the album, but ODB said something on this record that’s really important for today. He says ‘I want y’all to listen to me. Everybody listen. Listen to me. And, when I say this, you’re going to know that you heard it here. What they’re going to try to do. They’re going to try to pit Blacks against Whites, but it ain’t gonna work because we all having a good time in this.'”

RZA notes that ODB’s message could not be more timely, despite being recorded years ago. “He already saw that was gonna happen. There was going to be a big conflict of our races here in this country,” says The Abbot. RZA also says ODB spoke of the importance of instilling messages of peace in the next generation. “He said ‘Teach the babies this, so that we don’t end up fighting each other.'” RZA then takes a moment to highlight an aspect of ODB that he believes has been under-appreciated. “One thing about ODB that I think a lot of the world missed about him, don’t understand about him, was that he was very truthful. And, I gotta say, in a way, he was prophetic in what he would talk about. He said a lot of things that I didn’t believe, until it came out…He was a very unique individual. It’s always the ones that don’t give us all the time that we want from them that give us something for the times.”

In other parts of the interview, Wu discuss their place in Hip-Hop, the balance that MCs like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole provide in today’s Hip-Hop landscape, the purchase of the single copy of their album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, by the infamous pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli, and more. RZA also touches on the next single from Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues, which he says will feature Method Man. Masta Killa also notes that his album, Loyalty Is Royalty, will be released soon.

#bonusbeat: The First Rhyme Masta Killa Ever Wrote Was For Wu-Tang Clan’s 36 Chambers