The RZA Connection: From Shaolin to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
The architect of the Wu-Tang sound is the RZA. His genius for production—raw, cinematic, and dark—is foundational. That's why, 17 years after 36 Chambers, when Kanye West was creating his 2010 magnum opus, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he sought the master's touch.
RZA’s influence is all over the album's opener, "Dark Fantasy," which he co-produced. But his most direct contribution is his spoken-word bridge, a moment of pure, unfiltered Wu philosophy:
"Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day... The RZA, a.k.a. Bobby Steels, a.k.a. Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah, Prince Rakeem..."
It's a declaration. In an album defined by maximalist excess, Kanye stops everything to let the Abbot speak. It was a sign of ultimate respect, proving that the dark, complex textures RZA pioneered were still the gold standard.
The New Generation Pays Homage: The Drake Declaration
You know your legacy is eternal when the biggest artist of the next generation titles a track "Wu-Tang Forever." In 2013, Drake didn't just make a subtle reference; he made a direct declaration.
The song's core is a direct homage to the Wu-Tang track "It's Yourz." The entire hook is a riff on its main theme:
"And nowadays when I ask about who got it / They say it's yours, nobody else's"
Drake takes the Wu-Tang concept of "owning the game" and applies it to his own romantic and professional dominance. He doesn't stop there. He explicitly name-drops the Clan, cementing his own come-up as part of their lineage:
"Young nigga came through on his Wu-Tang"
This wasn't just a sample. It was Drake, the biggest star in the world, telling everyone that the Wu-Tang blueprint—raw, unapologetic, and dominant—was the very foundation he built his own empire on. He was positioning himself as the modern heir to the throne they built.
