On Friday (Aug. 30), RZA unveiled A Ballet Through Mud, a classical music album he composed and produced. Originally debuting as a ballet in 2023, the project was brought to life by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in Denver, Colorado, under the direction of conductor Christopher Dragon.

The making of A Ballet Through Mud project idea struck the New York native during the pandemic when he rediscovered old lyrical notebooks from his teenage years. “I found my old book of lyrics that were written from the age 14 to 19, and I wanted to find a way to put music to it, so I started that as the foundation, storytelling in a way that was not just confounded to the lyrics. It was almost like the story started lyrically, and then I wanted to express it without having to say anything,” RZA says.

The 11-track album features characters named after Greek musical scales, mirroring RZA’s personal journey from Staten Island’s project housing to the grandeur of concert halls. Through these compositions, RZA weaves tales of love, loss, exploration, encounters with Buddhist monks, and a transformative journey “through mud.” He reveals that Alvin Ailey is a major inspiration, influencing his decision to tell this deeply personal story through instrumentals and dance. “I wasn't conscious of him as I was growing up,” the 55-year-old says of the legendary dancer and activist. I mean, I was hearing his name, but I was into hip-hop. But when I watched the documentary… Maybe I had about three or four songs done on this album before I saw the documentary about his life. Then, it just clicked to me like, ‘wait.’ I was gonna put lyrics on this at first. This was gonna be an orchestrated lyrical album. There's no need because the imagination of the listener will give them the space to create their narrative. Even though my narrative is embedded in the music and in the dance.”

RZA, best known for his hardcore rap skills as a member of the iconic Wu-Tang Clan, is no stranger to instrumental music. While many recognize him for his lyrical prowess, he has been crafting instrumental compositions for years. In 2007, he released The RZA–Instrumental Experience, an album showcasing his talent beyond the mic. He’s also composed powerful soundtracks for films like “Ghost Dog” and “Kill Bill,” further cementing his versatility as a musician and composer. “I'm definitely gonna do more of this,” RZA tells BET. “But, I got my bars or whatever. Whoever wants some bars, I got bars and darts. That's like writing lyrics to make a hip-hop beat, and at this phase of my career, it is very easy. It's been easy for years, and I'll be quite frank about it. If you go back and you really check my catalog and you start listening to a lot of my albums, you'll realize that maybe sonically you could recognize it’s me, but I'm not doing the same thing over and over.”

He continues, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) don't sound like Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Liquid Swords don't sound like 36 Chambers, and the Ol' Dirty album doesn’t sound like either one of them. Method Man was able to make Grammy-nominated records with a different approach. So as a creative, my goal and my strive is to always be different.” 

RZA expressed that this classical album marks a significant milestone in his career, as he has never before created a project of this nature. He explained that while he has worked with instrumental music, this is his first time crafting a full classical story through audio, using a range of orchestral instrumentation to convey the narrative. “And, when I do it again, I probably would do it differently the next time I do it, but I'm gonna continue because my brain and my energy is just evolving to that,” he adds.

​​RZA wants to show the world that hip-hop artists are not limited to just one genre—they have the creativity and versatility to explore and excel in any type of music. He believes that the boundaries traditionally placed around hip-hop are outdated, and artists in the genre can masterfully navigate different musical landscapes. “They put us in a box a lot, and we put our own selves in a box,” he explains. “Some of those boxes are cool. If that's your box, then that's your box. But it's so many levels to us as creative energy. You can see great examples. Let’s look at Donald Glover. Right? Childish Gambino… He's a writer. He’s an Emmy award-winning writer, he's also an actor, and he's an MC, a rapper who makes music that matters. That had us all fill in a certain way. Then, he becomes a showrunner and creates a TV show. He's a great example of showing that there are no boundaries.”