RZA

RZA, born Robert Fitzgerald Diggs on July 5, 1969, is an American rapper, record producer, musician, actor, and filmmaker. He is best known as the de facto leader and primary producer of the Wu-Tang Clan, a pioneering hip hop group formed in the early 1990s in New York City. RZA's production blends gritty drum programs with soulful samples and martial-arts film dialogue, establishing the Wu-Tang sound and influencing East Coast hip hop and the broader genre.

As a member and producer, he crafted much of Wu-Tang's debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993) and contributed to numerous tracks on later Wu-Tang releases and solo projects by individual members. He organized collaborations and helped the group maintain a distinctive unity while pursuing divergent solo careers. Under the alter ego Bobby Digital, he released several solo albums that explore science fiction and martial-arts themes. He has also produced for a wide range of artists beyond Wu-Tang.

In film and television, RZA has expanded his creativity beyond music. He directed and starred in The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), a martial-arts film that integrated Wu-Tang aesthetics with hip hop culture. He has worked on film soundtracks and appeared in various projects. Notably, he was the primary architect behind Once Upon a Time in Shaolin (2014/15), the one-copy Wu-Tang Clan album that drew international attention for its unusual release model.

RZA's influence on hip hop production, group leadership, and cross-media ventures has established him as one of the genre's most enduring and controversial figures. He continues to work in music and film, guiding Wu-Tang's legacy as a cultural phenomenon.