Wu-Tang Clan spill details on new album

Six years after Iron Flag, The Wu-Tang Clan plan to release its fifth studio album, The 8 Diagrams in October.

The record will mark the group’s first new material since the November 2004 death of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the group’s most visible member. The long awaited track “Life Changes” will pay tribute to the late rapper, and RZA says that he may use a recently re-discovered ODB tape on the album.

"I lost it, because the DJ who handled my equipment back then, we just got disconnected," he told Billboard.com. "He actually found the tape about eight months ago and flew out to California with it. The problem is, it doesn't sound all that great, because this was 1992 or 1993 when it was recorded. But ODB's performance is f—in' immaculate. So maybe I can find some software to restore it and put it on as a bonus track."

Notably, RZA also told Billboard that he plans to split the production duties on the album with other, as yet unnamed producers. This could mean a change to the rough, sparse Wu-Tang sound.

The group has already been performing together on the Rock the Bells Tour this summer. Still, despite the revived momentum, they haven’t abandoned the all-for-one and one-for-all approach they began with. Raekwon’s new group Ice Water will unveil its debut album Icewater: Polluted Water on August 28.

Related links:
Billboard.com talks to RZA
Wutang-corp.com
Rockthebells.net

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