RZA Is Releasing a Classical Album ‘A Ballet Through Mud’

RZA’s musical expertise knows no bounds, whether he’s rapping with the Wu-Tang Clan or producing the soundtrack for movies like Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. For his latest project, the artist is showcasing yet another side of himself – this time, as a classical composer.

He’ll be releasing a classical music album, entitled A Ballet Through Mud. The composition made its debut in the form of a ballet last year, performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in Denver. Composed and scored by RZA, the piece mirrors his journey from growing up in the projects in Staten Island to performing in concert halls as a renowned musical artist, “weaving in tales of love, loss, exploration, Buddhist monks, and a journey “through mud.””

RZA began the project early in the pandemic after rediscovering notebooks full of lyrics he had written as a teenager.

“I have been composing my whole life, although I didn’t know initially that was what I was doing. The inspiration for A Ballet Through Mud comes from my earliest creative output as a teenager, but its themes are universal — love, exploration, and adventure,” RZA said. “I hope people use it to score their own lives, to transform a drive to the grocery store or sharing a meal with loved ones into something magical, to be inspired and let their imaginations take them into a different chamber, if only for a moment.”

RZA’s A Ballet Through Mud will be available for streaming via Platoon on August 30.