When we arrived at the path everything appeared quite ordinary. The being on whose back I had travelled introduced himself simply as Aha. Minus the glowing light above his head he looked somewhat serious, never the less gentle; he suggested I stay close by as he led the way a bright flame in his hand.

The sights resembled those of a busy night market. Everyone was a buzz with freedom from the chains. I found many exceptional travellers each with their own individual tale of how they had become free from the chains and shadows

I soon noticed that about twelve travellers with out flames followed each traveller with a flame. The travellers with flames such as Aha would greet each other like old friends and knew each other by name. Apparently the first to notice this flame hierarchy in the group, I asked Aha why this was so? Aha seemed pleasantly surprised and responded excitedly if I wished to be shown how to get my own flame? Yes left my lips without a thought.

My own flame would mean I would have to leave Aha as travellers with flames never followed each other. They appeared to follow the flame. The combination of sadness and exaltation made me buzz as I was allowed to follow closest to Aha so he could begin to impart the ritual of obtaining the flame. 

He said little as we journeyed along the path except that he would show me where I could get a stick when we passed such a place. Journeying ever on Aha always began to glow as we moved into the darkness. When he stopped and spoke to other flame bearers the flames changed, pulsate blue around them. At times I would be in the blue glow with them and we would speak of strange worlds, things I could remember but had forgotten after staring at shadows in the dark for so long. I knew Aha would soon share the true nature of flame with me.

xxxxxxxx 

In those last few moments under Aha’s blue light my eyes turned to the darkness that fell on either side of the path illuminated so clearly in his light. I could see the millions of people chained row after row on the terraced slopes along the cave, watching the shadows move as I had done for so many years.

I knew my life would be irrevocably altered as Aha stopped at the edge of a deep ravine. The path took a sharp turn right. In front lay the darkest depth of the cave. The flickering shades hypnotised the masses.

‘You are to journey down this cliff face, passed all the chained and en-shadowed people’  

His voice turned inside me.

‘Alone. With out a flame’

The sound lifted me up but my body froze.

‘At the base is a cave in which not even the shadows can dwell, for they are also of the light and no light dwells there. Without becoming fear, retrieve a stick and wait for the whole of you to light it’

Each word blazed, subtitles in a foreign horror movie, across the front of my head. 

The movie rolls. I launch off the side of the cliff. I’m running through the chained folk.

‘You’re interfering with the shadows. You little fuck!’

They try to grab my legs in the dark. I dive, sucked into the darkness. Hopefully the cave!

Fear burns a black flame ready to consume the unseen moment. I scratch around for a stick. My hand turns into snakes.  I slither in un-controllable panic.

‘Without becoming fear’ snaps like a bungee cord as Aha’s blue light explodes through my heart. I’m standing with him holding a stick. He’s gone. Its lead dead black.

The pressure of waiting coagulates a perfect blue flame between my eyes. Blinded, there is nothing to see. I raise the stick instinctively to my head. My body jolts. I stare into blue plasma. My heart opens.

¬¬¬

In 2006 I wrote a short story after reading Plato’s Republic. This is all that survived of that story. It always reminds me of Pluto in Capricorn.

Some unreleased RZA that was originally slated for Digi Snax. Props to Alex.

DOWNLOAD: RZA – Killa Bee Till Ya Die f. The Black Knights & Thea Van Seijen | Mediafire

The latest video off of Bobby Digital’s latest album Digi Snax. I don’t know what it was, but I didn’t really feel the album all that much.. IMO Pro Tools > Digi Snax

RZA’s creative output as Bobby Digital has been a mixed bag. The Zorro-masked alter ego allows the Wu-Tang shogun to lighten up his usual Five Percenter demeanor and indulge in guilty pleasures. On 1998’s RZA as Bobby Digital in Stereo and 2001’s Digital Bullet, the MC/producer’s scene-stealing beats furthered his split personality. Yet RZA’s B-level lyricism and overcrowded, C-grade guest lists spoiled their overall taste. In the wake of the Clan’s feud-engulfed reunion, 8 Diagrams, comes Digi Snacks, a dish that’s equally sweet and sour.

Unlike its predecessors, Digi Snacks bumps along with a notable disconnect from the Wu’s sample-heavy, dusty sound. Acoustic guitars and melancholic keys make up the macabre “Don’t Be Afraid to Call My Name,” where RZA turns lethal (“Tap the mic on the floor, change to the mighty Thor/Two blades in my arm, look like the god of war”). He continues the assault with Inspectah Deck (the disc’s only featured Clansman) on the bluesy “You Can’t Stop Me Now,” while on the homicidal “Creep,” shrieking xylophones back the album’s hardest moment.

Verbally, RZA is as nonsensical as ever (see “Try Ya Yi Ya”), and when the production misfires, his lyrical deficiencies amplify. On the Southern-tinged “Straight off the Block,” a Jay-Z vocal sample screams gimmick, as RZA employs an overly simplistic rhyme scheme to drop laughable bars. Elsewhere, terribly crooned choruses surface, most painfully on “Digi Snacks/Booby Traps,” which contains a grating hook that’s reminiscent of the awkward refrains heard throughout 8 Diagrams.

Overall, Digi Snacks convincingly displays RZA’s fearless sensibilities. While risk taking is always welcome, for Bobby Digital, his artistic overzealousness is ultimately a hindrance. By meal’s end, it’s all a bit overcooked.–Matt Barone XXL Mag

Le maître est de retour avec l’album Digi Snax. J’en parlais il y a déjà quelques semaines en vous faisant écouter “You Can’t Stop Me Now“, premier extrait de ce nouvel opus.

La vidéo est désormais disponible.

I got this in my inbox today and the artwork is just too dope not to post. You know Shake and his artsy ways. RZA’s new album, Digi Snax will be dropping July 1st through KOCH. Check below for the clean & dirty versions of the artwork, a tracklist that’s not in order and upcoming tour dates. Thanks Pitchfork…

Digi Snacks Intro [ft. Understanding]
U Can’t Stop Me Now [ft. Inspectah Deck]
Drama [ft. Monk and Thea van Seijen]
Goodnight Kiss [ft. Rev. Burk, Thea van Seijen, and Crisis]
Don’t Be Afraid to Call My Name
Straight Up the Block
Booby Traps / Digi Snacks [ft. Dexter Wiggles]
Money Don’t Own Me [ft. Monk and Stone Mecca]
I-Scream [ft. Dexter Wiggles and Crisis]
No Regrets
Love Is Digi Parts II [ft. Kinetic and Crisis]
Long Time Coming
O’Day
Try Ya Yi Ya [ft. Thea van Seijen]
Creep [ft. Black Knights]

05-01 Manchester, England – Academy 1 (Futuresonic Festival)
05-02 Brighton, England – TBA
05-04 Nottingham, England – TBA
06-10 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
06-11 Austin, TX – Emo’s
06-12 Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom
06-14 Denver, CO – Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
06-15 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
06-17 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater
06-18 Phoenix, AZ – The Brickhouse Theater
06-20 Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Theater
06-21 San Francisco, CA – 1015
06-23 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
06-24 Seattle, WA – Showbox at the Market
06-25 Vancouver, British Columbia – Richard’s on Richards
06-27 Calgary, Alberta – Sled Island Music Festival
06-30 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
07-01 Chicago, IL – House of Blues
07-02 Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Ballroom
07-04 Ottawa, Ontario – New Capital Music Hall
07-05 New York, NY – Webster Hall
07-07 Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero
07-08 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

Bobby Digital aka RZA revient pour la 4ème fois en solo avec “Digi Snax“. Il faudra attendre le 1er juillet 2008 pour écouter la nouvelle œuvre du maestro et tête pensante du Wu Tang.

En attendant, un premier titre est déjà disponible à l’écoute : “You Can’t Stop Me Now” en featuring avec Inspectah Deck.

RZA ft. Inspectah Deck – You Can’t Stop Me

On notera la reprise du sample des Whatnauts, “Message from a Black Man“.

It’s Called “You Cant Stop Me Now“, RZA actually spits the better verse on this. Impressed, this B-Boy is.

Some more goodness off the upcoming RZA (Bobby Digital) LP, Digi Snax, dropping this Summer. The B-Side to the track I dropped on ya’ll last week. Featuring Monk (of Black Knights) and Thea. My man Alex also supplied some good bonus material from Lounge Lo, who album is already out, Simpstonian Institute.
DOWNLOAD: RZA (Bobby Digital) – Drama f. Monk & Thea
BONUS: Lounge Lo – Blockstars f.  Trife Da God
PREVIOUS: RZA – You Can’t Stop Me f. Inspectah Deck

First single off the upcoming Bobby Digital project, Digi Snax, which will be dropping in the Summer. Shouts to Alex for the track, he always comes through with the Wu. And since it’s “Biggie Day” I threw in a little bonus for ya’ll.

DOWNLOAD: RZA – You Can’t Stop Me f. Inspectah Deck
BONUS: Notorious B.I.G. – Long Kiss Goodnight (prod. RZA) [via vexblog]