RZA Reveals He Previewed André 3000’s Flute Album During the Pandemic: It 'Was Very Enjoyable to Me' (Exclusive)

• RZA recalls meeting André 3000 during the early days of the pandemic in a new interview with PEOPLE
• The Wu-Tang Clan co-founder reveals that he previewed part of the Atlanta rapper’s flute album, New Blue Sunbefore arriving in late 2023
• The legendary producer also says that he played parts of André’s first classic album, Ballet through the mudout now

Before André 3000 presented his all-instrumental, flute-filled album, New Blue Sunto the world last year, he briefly introduced some of his musician friends — including Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA.

The legendary producer, 55, reveals to PEOPLE that he and the Atlanta rapper-turned-flautist, 49, met during the pandemic and played each other songs from their latest albums — RZA is his first classic album, the self-titled LP Ballet through the mud.

“During COVID, we ran into each other and spent some time together and talked about what we were doing,” says the Wu-Tang Clan co-founder. “I wrote this and he wrote that. And we shared a piece of music together. He said, ‘Yeah, I’m doing this album for flute,’ and then he played me a piece.”

RZA attends a screening of ‘Enter The Dragon’ during the Tribeca Festival in New York in June 2023.

Jason Mendez/Getty

RZA (born Robert Diggs) remembers telling the OutKast rapper about his orchestral album before its release, explaining that he happened to have a flute-based track on it called “Freedom of Movement” that he played him.

“He was like, ‘Oh, wow, that sounds classic, whimsical,'” the hip-hop legend recounts André’s reaction, adding that at the time he found “some similarity” between the pair’s new centers amid their largely hip-driven careers. – by the way.

“We both talked [our albums] and headed our way and, of course, he did. He put [New Blue Sun] out,” continues RZA. “And I think the beauty of it is that it didn’t take that many people to translate. That’s a mistake when you’re dealing with a 60-man orchestra. But when his album came out, it just inspired me to keep going. Like, ‘Yo, I’m going to throw mine out too.'”

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Reflecting further on that chance meeting, RZA says it gave him great satisfaction to see that he and André “both lived up to” the commitments they made by releasing their risky instrumental albums. Contrary to fellow rappers and fans who criticized his decision to record a flute album for his first solo LP, the “CREAM” producer says he was a huge fan.

“To be quite honest with you, I was very comfortable,” he shares. “It came out around the time I just finished [A Ballet Through Mud]and usually when I finish a project, I like to clear my palate and let my mind be free and get away from things. I remember playing [New Blue Sun] in my house, me and my wife, for a week. It was like our routine.”

RZA of Wu-Tang Clan performs at Parklife Festival in June 2023 in Manchester, England.

Shirlaine Forrest/Getty

Delving deeper into his professional relationship with André, RZA recalls their relationship since the “early days” of their career when they were “in those little clubs” opening for fellow rap icons like Ice Cube.

“We have known each other since we were children,” he says. “At the end of the day, when you look back on it, we’ve always had a really cool, down-to-earth relationship with each other. We don’t spend a lot of time with each other, but [we had] this mutual respect like, “Oh, that’s my man, that’s my man,” pull yourself together and then move on.”

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This fall, André embarks on his New Blue Sun Tour to promote his debut solo album, with stops in New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Atlanta and other cities. The tour will end on November 14, just a few days before the first anniversary of his project.

Meanwhile, the RZA’s Ballet through the mud hit streaming platforms on August 30 after first debuting the composition live last year with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra — who also performed on the album itself.

Ahead of his hip-hop group’s next set of shows in September for their extended Las Vegas residency, RZA tells PEOPLE that the idea for his latest studio album was born from old notebooks he wrote in as a teenager.

“It was really nice to come across and read some of that stuff,” he shares, “and then I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to set this to music. I’ve got to figure it out. I’ve got to tell this story musically.'”

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Source: HIS Education