Once Upon A Time In Marakesh: Forbes Takes Us Inside The Secret Wu-Tang Album
Wu-Tang fans have been thrown through some lunar loops as of late with all of the drama surrounding the group's next album(s), particularly revolving around this new beef between Raekwon and RZA. However, to ease our worry and instill a bit of faith in Once Upon A Time In Shaolin and the foundational group at large, Forbes has taken it upon themselves to capitalize on a rare opportunity to peer into the minds that conceived the cloaked project, interviewing the album's producer longtime Wu-cohort and RZA disciple Cilvaringz and the architect of its fabled encasing, Moroccan metalsmith and artist Yahya.
Cilva took us on a tour of the studio in which the majority of the production was handled, and clued us into how he was able maintain such a tight wrap on the project, without opening it up to even the prospect of bootlegging. Apparently, the production was completed prior to any of the members (including RZA) hearing it and in order to record their verses, they were given different beats with a similar BPM as to be sure the secrecy of the album remained unfettered. This also means that no member of the clan has heard the final product, which was mixed and mastered by Ken Lewis of Watch The Throne and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy fame. They even meet up with media mogul/affluent wild-man Richard Branson to have him chime in on the strategy. While no one other than Cilva has endorsed the marketing/distribution scheme as a good idea, a verdict will eventually come whenever the group decides its finally time to unveil the piece. Those looking for some insight into Wu's Once Upon A Time In Shaolin have had their prayers answered. Take a trip to Marrakech with journalist Zack O'Malley Greenburg below and head over to Forbes for the full scoop.
