Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA sells rights to 50% of his songwriting and production credits

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Song management company Hipgnosis Songs has announced that it has acquired 50% of the copyright interest and writers share in the song catalogue of Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA.

He’s produced nearly all of Wu-Tang Clan’s albums, as well as many solo albums that have been released by the group’s members. In all, RZA’s, real name Robert Diggs, song catalogue takes in 814 songs. 

“I wear various hats in my artistic expressions but the one that has been so deeply reflective of my life’s journey is my songwriting,” RZA said of the decision to sell the share. “I’m honoured to partner up with Merck [Mercuriadis] and the Hipgnosis team to usher my songs into an exciting future.”

Merck Mercuriadis, Founder of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited and The Family (Music) Limited, said: “RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan did not invent hip-hop but they took it from being fun to something that represented a true reflection of what the streets, and being Black in America was really like. They were and are the most authentic band and brand in hip-hop and it all starts with RZA’s vision, his songs and his struggle, manifested in music, that could show the entire world what was really going on. He is now globally recognised as a true renaissance man of hip-hop and most would argue that he is the G.O.A.T.”

Alongside producing Wu-Tang Clan’s influential 1993 debut album, ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’, and others by Wu-Tang, RZA has worked with Jay-Z and Kanye West, released four solo albums, and produced albums for Wu-Tang’s Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, GZA and Ghostface Killah.

Earlier this month, RZA revealed a new tune that he produced for ice cream vans.