The RZA Prepared to Unleash Some Martial Arts on You MoFos
As reported by Billboard and since confirmed by CHUD, RZA has written a martial arts movie, and will be directing the film, titled The Man with the Iron Fist, with the help of Eli Roth. Normally news of a rapper making a film would be disconcerting (see Fred Durst's Longshots trailer, if you're willing to use the term "rapper" loosely), but RZA has extensive knowledge and long-standing love for classic martial arts cinema, and he's been studying filmmaking under the tutelage of Quentin Tarantino, so there's some hope. Plus, Eli Roth gives it his dubious endorsement:
Yes, it is true. RZA's script is amazing. He has been studying directing with Tarantino for years. and he's really ready to get behind the camera. His impact on rap music and hip hop culture cannot be measured, and he's ready to add his own unique style and vision to the world of film. This movie will have everything martial arts fans could want, combined with RZA's superb musical talent. This project has been his dream for years, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. And fans should know that yes, there will be blood... This ain't no PG-13.
Of course, while this may prove a decent effort, my favorite rapper-directed martial arts film will forever be Philthy Phil Philips' 1995 masterpiece, City Dragon. If you have yet to behold this cinematic fusion of rap, kung fu, abortion issues, and workplace sexual harassment, you should pick it up at your local dollar store DVD rack, where it is widely available. Or at least watch the scene below the cut, in which MC Kung Fu is forced to unleash his nunchaku wrath on some dudes after they ruin his ice cream.
As someone in the YouTube comments pointed out, why no one has yet uploaded Philthy Phil's "Night Swim" number is beyond me.