RZA

For other uses, see Rza (disambiguation).

RZA
RZA at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs

(1969-07-05) July 5, 1969 (age 55)
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • composer
  • actor
  • filmmaker
  • record producer
  • record executive
Years active1984–present[1][2]
Spouses
  • Eboni Mills
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2000; div. 2006)​
    [3]
  • Talani Rabb
    ​
    (m. 2009)​
    [3]
Children10
Musical career
Also known as
  • Prince Rakeem
  • The Scientist
  • Bobby Steels
  • Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah
  • Prince Delight
  • (The) Abbott
  • Bobby Digital
  • Bobby Dynamite
  • RZArector
  • Bobby Boulders
GenresHip hop
Discography
Labels
Member ofWu-Tang Clan
Formerly of

Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (born July 5, 1969), better known by his stage name RZA (/ˈrɪzə/ RIZ-ə) or The RZA, is an American rapper, record producer, composer, actor, and filmmaker. He is the de facto leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan,[4] having produced most albums for the group and its respective members. He is a cousin of two other original Wu-Tang Clan members: GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard. He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital, along with executive producing credits for side projects. After forming the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA was a founding member of the horrorcore group Gravediggaz, since 1992, where he went by the name The RZArector.

RZA has been heavily involved in filmmaking since the late 90s. He has scored a number of films, most notably Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004). He has written and directed in film and television, starting with his directorial debut, The Man with the Iron Fists, in 2012. He has also acted in numerous films and TV series, including the films American Gangster and Brick Mansions, and the TV series Gang Related and Californication.

He is especially known for his music production, with a style that includes the use of soul samples and sparse beats that has proved highly influential. The magazine The Source placed him on its list of the 20 greatest producers in the magazine's twenty-year history.[5] Vibe listed him among the top 8 greatest hip-hop producers of all time,[6] and NME placed him on their list of the 50 Greatest Producers Ever.[7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference HipHopCore was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "TODAY IN HIP HOP HISTORY: RZA RELEASES 'BOBBY DIGITAL IN STEREO' 17 YEARS AGO; THE FIVE PERSONAS OF RZA". The Source. November 24, 2015. Archived from the original on September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Elizabeth Sloan (September 3, 2019). "RZA aka Bobby Diggs: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "RZA Biography at Wu-Tang Corp. – The Official Site of the Wu-Tang Clan". Wutang-corp.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  5. ^ The Rap Beat Creator: Make Your Own Beats!!!: The Source Magazine Picks 20 Greatest Producers Archived March 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Createrapbeats.blogspot.com (August 24, 2008). Retrieved on April 17, 2013.
  6. ^ Dr. Dre Is VIBE's Greatest Producer Of All Time, Speaks On Win Archived November 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Vibe (June 1, 2010). Retrieved on April 17, 2013.
  7. ^ "50 of the Greatest Producers Ever". Nme.com. March 14, 2012. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2015.