Wu-Tang Clan founder and producer extraordinaire RZA has released his first collection of guided meditation recordings. The Guided Explorations EP was produced in coordination with the TAZO Tea Company.
The RZA has been a vegan since 1997 and he’s also a consumer of principles from Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. So it’s only natural that the 50-year-old hip hop legend wants to guide us towards our inner creativity.
“My career’s taken many forms and crossed all continents,” RZA says on the intro track. “And at every stage exploration has been essential to my process. This series of guided explorations attempts to share that process.”
Prince Rakeem describes the five tracks that follow as episodes in a shared exploratory journey. The tracks are all five-to-six minutes long and can be listened to separately or in succession.
Watch: Camp TAZO with the RZA
Episode one is ‘Kill the Noise’, an essential first step. “Together we’ll begin our quest to kill the noise,” RZA says. He suggests we all get settled somewhere serene. “I want you to find a chill environment. Sit down in a very comfortable position. Plant both feet squarely on the ground. Place your hands together or rest them gently on you knees.”
It’s all good advice for embarking on a meditative journey. RZA’s not able to remove the sense of foreboding from his production, however, but that’s not necessarily an obstruction.
Listen: GZA – 4th Chamber ft. RZA, Ghostface, Killah Priest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOQGhC5nzus
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By episode two, ‘Fan the Flames’, it’s time to seize our creativity. But first RZA says we need to “prepare the body and mind for what’s next.” Episode three is called ‘Bite or Stop Barking’. “Give your mind a clear, set destination. Visualise it. Your verbal commitment is your plan,” he says.
The intentions behind Guided Explorations are genuine, but there’s something unavoidably comic about the RZA’s prescriptions. So whether you’re keen to follow his advice or just want some light amusement, Guided Explorations is worth a listen.
