RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan: "We geeks man, we geeks!"

In an interview with True/Slant, the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA admits to being a geek; in fact, he claims that geekyness played an integral part of hip-hop history. This video is part of an interview about his new autobiographical, philosophical book, The Tao of Wu. RZA: 'Me Being a Geek Helped Hip-Hop Grow' (via Jason Tanz' Twitter)

• [Anonymous]

  I just want to point out that Professor X doesn’t have telekinesis. He has telepathy. And you all call yourself geeks.

• [h4x0r]

  pabarge is a douchebag, obviously.

  On topic, he’s not exactly geek. Neither am I at times, though…but there’s nothing wrong with him considering himself ‘geeky’. Also, Wu-Tang is pure pwnage. Word.

• [zdawg20]

  I’ve actually seen the RZA, a.k.a. Bobby Digital, speak on racial equality and cultural identity at UCSB about 3 years ago; the man is a genius, pure and simple. Granted, when he gets excited, his old school NY vernacular (ebonics) kicks in, and stupid white people say things like “Just another dumb …” Put in prison? RZA kept dozens of youths from doing just that, ending up behind bars. Put your hands down Pabarge, and learn your hip-hop history before you open your mouth.

  And learn some terminology, a Geek was a guy who used to bite the heads off of chickens in a Vaudeville show. A Geek nowadays can be anyone with a penchant for technology or a technical fascination with the way things work; Geek’s rebuild trucks, too, so pwnage from the L337 haxxorz.

• [MrJM]

  I’m more of a ODB-style geek.

  – MrJM

• [arkizzle / Moderator]

  Firstly, I’m not agreeing with Parbage’s attitude or intent.

  I am pointing out the fact that seven of the nine members of the WuTangClan (including RZA according to wikipedia) went to prison, so can be considered criminals (if that is how you like to box people up – no pun intended).

  Really I’m looking to the Anon comment that says “..he is a writer and a good father and also a very spiritual man. He’s also a great chess player. Does that sound like a criminal to you? No.”

  Does the fact that he has been a criminal take away from the work he has also/relatedly created?

  Maybe you need to meet more criminals (the non fear-fantasy ones) and broaden your limits of appreciation (many of the people you respect have been criminals). Because the qualities you list don’t seem too far from a lot of people (who also have been criminals) that I’ve known. They are human, not caricatures of their deeds.

  “..RZA’s stint at Tommy Boy ended with only the EP Ooh I Love You Rakeem to show for it when he went to jail soon after its release.”
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RZA

  “Seven of Wu’s nine members all served hard prison time. People were scared of us.” -RZA
  http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/magazine/15-11/pl_music

• [Brainspore]

  I’m still waiting to find out why pbarge thinks RZA should be in prison right now. (Past offenses for which he has served his time don’t count.)

• [Day Vexx]

  I wouldn’t call RZA a geek either, but he’s one hell of a musician and producer. But hip-hop has its freaks and geeks– I’m calling out ODB and Kool Keith for starters.

• [Baldhead]

  …and anyone who can rattle off the stats of college and high school players is a football geek. same mindset, different focus. RZA is a music geek, most producers are. you have to be to be any good at your job.

• [Anonymous]

  “He’s also a great chess player. Does that sound like a criminal to you? No.”
  http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2003/02/24/7412/

• [zdawg20]

  Thank you! Finally some people with some sense! Many good people are forced to serve times for mistakes made, willingly or unwillingly. Nearly all served for non-violent crimes, so I think that labeling grand-fathers of the hip-hop world as criminals is a bit much; I seem to remember the last three presidents committing crimes and nobody calls them criminals, in fact, we praise them. ODB (RIP) was most definitely a geek, so is Kool Keith, and DJ Nu-Mark of J5 is non-too shabby with the tables and gear… I’d say any DJ is pretty much a geek to start with, considering the level of sophistication involved with the equipment.

• [arkizzle / Moderator]

  MF Doom is a geek, fo’realz.

  • [siliconsunset]

    MF Doom is a geek, indeed. In addition, he is AWESOME.

• [Anonymous]

  “I’ve actually seen the RZA, a.k.a. Bobby Digital, speak on racial equality and cultural identity at UCSB about 3 years ago; the man is a genius, pure and simple.”

  No, GZA is the Genius. =P

• [Day Vexx]

  I agree, zdawg20– there’s definitely a big geeky correlation to be made in book/record shelf pr0n.

• [Anonymous]

  The RZA spoke at length about his book and his life to Flavorpill: http://flavorwire.com/44399/the-rza-on-starting-out-hitler-and-the-tao-of-wu

• [grimc]

  I did not know that knowing perl was a precondition for geekiness. So should people like musicians that consider themselves ‘band geeks’, in the interest of geek purity, stop referring to themselves as such unless they can fix a Windows registry? How much C++ does a comic book collector need to know in order to graduate to being a comic book geek?

  Anybody who’s seen “Nerdcore Rising” is probably enjoying the irony of some of these comments as much as me.

• [zdawg20]

  Self-proclaimed Geek sitting right here. I collect, repair, resell or give away all sorts of A/V equipment. I’ve installed numerous stereo systems, play certain video games w/uber pwnage G0|} status, and my hobby is repairing a ’97 Chevy C1500 w/PG&E cabinet rear. WHAT. MF Doom is da king Geek of cartoon hip-hop :-)

• [Anonymous]

  rza owns

• [Anonymous]

  he owns so much

• [Chet]

  I, too, disagree with the narrow definition of geek put forward by Sam. I tend to use it as a shorthand for anyone who pursues things obsessively, with an emphasis on fantasy/science fiection/technology/computers. Regardless, have any of you ever listened to a Wu-Tang album? It’s an insane mythology patched together from equal parts comic books, kung-fu movies and Five Percenter crazitude. It really doesn’t get more geeky. Plus, he’s not only one of the most influential and innovative producers in hip hop, but popular music in general over the past two decades. Hell, if “Liquid Swords” was the only thing he ever put together, he’d still be one of the most amazing music producers of all time.

  Protons and Electrons Always Cause Explosions.

• [towlemonkey]

  He was awesome on the Colbert Report the other night. Most people can’t keep up, but he was right there with him.

• [scifijazznik]

  And when everyone’s a geek, no one’s a geek. I am Spartacus, too, yo.

• [failix]

  Haha, 4 hours “enough”! I like the guy!

• [stickystyle]

  Come on, he is even a geek in the Web 2.0 sense of the word – He partnered up with chesspark.com to make WuChess.com so you can play chess against him.

• [pabarge]

  Y, ths flks nd t b pt n th stt prsn. Nt glrfd n Bng Bng.

• [lhl]

  wait, all these self-proclaimed geeks here an no one’s mentioned that Professor X is *telepathic* and not *telekinetic*?

  err, i mean… GEEKS!

• [Anonymous]

  Why should they “be put in a state prison”?

  What the heck is pabarge talking about?

• [Anonymous]

  Shame on you, pabarge. Just because RZA is black and sings rap music doesn’t mean he’s a criminal. As you can see from the video he is a writer and a good father and also a very spiritual man. He’s also a great chess player. Does that sound like a criminal to you? No.
  RZA has contributed more to society than you ever have and ever will! Go take your rudeness to 4chan. That kind of talk does NOT belong on a site dedicated to wonderful things.

  • [Moriarty]

    No, shame on YOU for assuming it has anything to do with race or rap music. Maybe RZA is guilty of insider trading, and pabrage knows about it. Is that impossible? Also, way to stereotype non-chess players as criminals.

    • [A former race mechanic]

      @Moriarty

      Are you implying that Wu Tang Financial has anything other than my best interests at heart?

• [madzack]

  @pabarge: lool

• [Anonymous]

  I’ve actually seen the RZA, a.k.a. Bobby Digital, speak on racial equality and cultural identity at UCSB about 3 years ago; the man is a genius, pure and simple. Granted, when he gets excited, his old school NY vernacular (ebonics) kicks in, and stupid white people say things like “Just another dumb …” Put in prison? RZA kept dozens of youths from doing just that, ending up behind bars. Put your hands down Pabarge, and learn your hip-hop history before you open your mouth.

• [Anonymous]

  causin more family feuds than richard dawson!

• [Sam]

  I’m as big a fan of the RZA as the next guy, but I don’t accept him as a geek. Just because you’re interested in new gadgets and software related to your career doesn’t make you a geek.

  Call me when the RZA’s mom is calling him every day for Windows tech support, he’s scripted his next album in perl, he gets rejected by a girl, and he writes a song about net neutrality.