Interviewing RZA On All Things Ballantine’s & Hip-Hop Legacy

The legendary RZA hardly needs an introduction, but we’re going to give you one anyway. The Wu-Tang Clan mastermind burst out on the scene in the 90s with his New York-born musical collective. With a hefty discography that not many artists can even dream to compete with, from Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) to his solo work like Birth of a Prince.  As easily as he could have, RZA did not fly under the radar as just another great of the past, continuing his living legacy not only through music, but also through culturally-relevant ventures. The whiskey brand Ballantine’s has been a go-to for RZA, especially with this recent collaborative release of the Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel x RZA Limited Edition bottle, a culmination of their long-term partnership that took the artist up to the Scottish highlands for a campaign shoot he told us all about. To commemorate this launch, we caught up with RZA for one hell of a conversation on all things Ballantine’s, his work with the cult favourite Japanese brand NEIGHBORHOOD, looking back on his own career, what new artists should be striving for in his eyes, and, of course, how he feels about Rihanna and A$AP...