Legendary hip-hop outfit the Wu-Tang Clan are teaming up with producer and group DJ Mathematics to release their first new record in eight years.
Set for release on Record Store Day, on April 12, the album’s full title is Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman: Wu-Tang, The Saga Continues Collection, and brings to mind their last joint effort, 2017’s The Saga Continues.
A somewhat controversial entry in the band’s discography, the release was issued without the word ‘Clan’ in the group’s name, and described as a ‘compilation’ album due to the absence of U-God. “It can’t be a complete Wu-Tang Clan album without UG,” Mathematics said at the time.
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The forthcoming record, however, has seen Mathematics recruit the entire group for the project. As Variety reports, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Cappadonna, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, GZA and RZA all confirmed to appear, along with guest spots from Kurupt, Kool G. Rap, Benny the Butcher, and more.
“You can be sure of a great body [of] work,” Raekwon said to Variety. “Mathematics is a top tier producer who makes music with his soul attached.”
“Wu-Tang has always been about pushing boundaries — musically, artistically, and culturally. With Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman, I’m giving fans not just an album, but a piece of history — something truly one of a kind,” Mathematics explained in a statement. “This is more than music; it’s innovation, storytelling, and legacy all in one. I am excited for everyone to hear the music and see the artwork around this album.”
5,000 copies of the album will be made available for Record Store Day. According to its dedicated page on the RSD website, “Every album jacket features unique ‘1 of 1’ cover art, making each design truly distinct and highly collectible – a first in the vinyl record industry.” A digital release is also expected, with final track “Charleston Blue, Legend of a Fighter” described as a vinyl-only bonus track.
Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman will mark the first Wu-Tang Clan record to feature the full current lineup of the collective since 2015’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. To date, no widespread commercial release for that album has been announced since its controversial sale to the notorious so-called “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli. It did, however, receive a debut public airing at the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Australia last year.
