By Scott T. Sterling
This past May, Rock the Bells hip-hop tour founder Chang Weisberg ignited headlines and controversy with the announcement that this year’s outing would feature a hologram of late rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard during headlining performances by the legendary Wu-Tang Clan (ideally with the blessing of the rapper’s widow, who was initially surprised by the news).
Now, the Wu-Tang Clan has revealed that previously unheard vocal performances by Ol’ Dirty Bastard will be featured on the group’s upcoming 20th anniversary album, tentatively titled A Better Tomorrow.
“RZA has a bunch of Ol’ Dirty tracks and verses that for years nobody’s heard and, from my last conversation [with RZA], we’re supposed to have an Ol’ Dirty track on there,” Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck told Line Of Best Fit in a recent interview. “It may be by itself or we might join it on to another song. But Ol’ Dirty is going to be part of this album, that’s a fact.”
“All I can tell you is that we’re striving for that first essence, that first sound of Wu-Tang, that first voice, that first everything,” added fellow Wu-Tang Clan rapper Masta Killa about the new album. “I don’t think anybody’s expecting us to do what everyone else is doing, but instead what we do. Because that’s what’s actually missing out there.”
While there had been intimations that the new Wu-Tang album would be ready for a summer 2013 release, rapper and production mastermind RZA says the crew is currently aiming for a November date for the album to see the light of day.
“If things go right and we finish this album, I think that we’ll try to put it out in November, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of [Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)],” he said to Hip Hop DX. “That’s my goal.”
