RZA Takes Advice from Chili Pepper, Makes Music for Free

While Wu-Tang producer and spiritual leader the RZA is known for his shrewd contract negotiations and consequently been involved in several recent financial disputes with fellow Wu members U-God and Ghostface, he's ultimately not in it for the money, after all.

In a recent interview with MTV, the legendary producer/rapper explained how his relationship with Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist John Frusciante helped him to realize that music is something he would rather pursue for the sake of the art than the dollars and cents.

"Musically, I got a friend of mine that's given me a big musical lesson," RZA told MTV. "His name is John Frusciante from the [Red Hot] Chili Peppers. He said to me that he doesn't make music no more for profit or people. Those that like it, love it or don't love it - he doesn't worry about the critics. He has enough financial security that he doesn't have to never sell music again. I don't have the same security, because I got so many family members. I'm never gonna be rich enough."

Though RZA still has money coming in from his various catalog releases, books, films and film soundtracks etc, he claims he'd rather make music, even if no one hears it, just for music's sake.

"I go to [Frusciante's] house a lot and make music with him," RZA continued. "We just make music. I've made 100 songs this year, and probably nobody won't hear them but us who made it. It feels good, yo. It feels good to do it with no strings attached. Not having to worry about if somebody is gonna criticize it, if it's gonna sell. I'm past that. That's a great place to be. I did a project recently with Damon Dash, the BlakRoc project with the Black Keys. He said, 'RZA, if you in town, come by the studio and hang out. I got a few guys that like you. Maybe y'all can do some music together.' I went through, we had a good vibe, did a little smoking. We just did music. It's coming out. I don't know who got paid, who did what. I got nothing. It's nothing for me. It's an expression of art. It feels good to do it that way. That's how we started out."

That's dope and we applaud that, but we know Dame Dash is happy to be caking off all these artists that just want to do art. Meanwhile, how can we hear the Frusciante/Diggs joints?