NY Times Article: Where Hip-Hop, Martial Arts and Chess Meet


Another one of those posts that has nothing to do with photography per se, but it is a story that counters the negative and perverse nature of hip-hop today.

I bet the last time you bumped Wu-Tang you didn't imagine the RZA and the GZA as chess kings! But it all makes perfect sense to me...

The music of Wu-Tang triggers many memories. As a Brooklyn teenager I could spit the lyrics of the clan's epic hits like "C.R.E.A.M." and honey dip-lovin' tracks like "Ice Cream" (shout out to my boy Dennis C. for his tutelage :)

I always enjoyed listening to the interludes on a Wu-Tang album: laced with audio from old kung-fu flicks - swords cling/clanging and fast tongues challenging each other.

My point is, The Wu-Tang Clan ain't nuthin' to f*ck with.

These are guys who have definitely enjoyed the fun and games that came with bootie, weed & hip-hop - but have also managed to find balance in their lives with the mental stimulation and discipline that the game of chess and the martial arts affords.

I'm sure not all of the clan's members fit this description (i.e. ODB, may he R.I.P.), but I give much respect to the RZA and GZA (shown in the photo) for stepping outside of the life box, growing as men/humans and challenging stereoptypes.

Read the full article by Dylan Loebb McClain.

PHOTO: Heidi Schumann for The New York Times