Wu Tang Clan's love of Asian martial arts movies and culture has always been obviously, but this November, the RZA is going to make the link between hip hop and kung fu a little more explicit by performing live at a screening of one of Wu Tang's favorite films, The 36th Chamber of the Shaolin.
Originally released in 1978, The 36th Chamber of the Shaolin was produced by the legendary Shaw Bros. and was directed by Liu Chia-Liang, who also directed Jackie Chan's Drunken Master II. The film is frequently referenced in Wu Tang Clan songs, and now Wu Tang founder The RZA is doing a special, one time performance in honor of the influential kung-fu film.
On November 10th in New York City, The RZA will perform a live scoring of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. The RZA will perform songs from Wu Tang's extensive catalog live in time with the film, re-contextualizing the classic film with a brand new soundtrack.
"The influence of Shaw Brothers films on my work has been profound," RZA said of the upcoming event. "From the first time I saw their movies as a kid in New York's Times Square, I knew that this was something I had to do. For decades, I've been dreaming of stepping into the 36th Chamber."
"This really is a clash of the titans - two icons, masters of their craft, coming together to create something very special and wholly unique," said Tim League, CEO and founder of premium theater chain Alamo Drafthouse, who is sponsoring the event. "We're incredibly excited to be a part of this and help RZA realize his dream whilst sharing it with fans across the country."
If you're in New York and have a love of both classic hip hop and classic martial arts cinema, you should probably clear your schedule on the November 10th, when this once in a lifetime event will be held at The Town Hall theater on W 43rd Street.
By Michael Lacerna for RAPstation.com
