Hear Unreleased Snippets From RZA & GZA Demos That Birthed The Wu-Tang Clan (Audio)

Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and GZA each had careers prior to 1993’s game-changing Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). While GZA’s February, 1991 Cold Chillin’/Warner Bros. Records release Words From The Genius garnered some hardcore interest, RZA (t/k/a Prince Rakeem) did not fare as well with his Tommy Boy Records maxi-single, Ooh, I Love You Rakeem. While the July of ’91 maxi included a “Wu-Tang” mix on Side B, the video single of a similar name did not blaze a path for Robert “Rakeem” Diggs as planned.

Appearing on episode #171 of The Cipher, Monica brought cassette tapes from 1991 and 1992. Included–and believed to be not previously digitized, these recordings feature post-Ooh, I Love You Rakeem RZA coming into form. In the podcast, Heads can hear snippets of RZA and GZA long before they had a Loud contract or advance. In fact, these are the recordings believed to be the very moments that led a nine-man collective to literally swarm on the labels, suits, and powers that be that did believe.

[via Ambrosia for Heads & The Cipher]