Additionally, MTV Hive recently chatted with GZA about his recent lecture at Harvard, his upcoming music and other plans. Read the entire interview here.  Segments of GZA’sHarvard lecture are currently available on GZA’s Facebook page, which you can visit here.

GZA is currently working on his followup to 2008′s Pro Tools, due this year on Babygrande Records.

Just this week, GZA set out on a four week run of European dates that will see him perform in Spain, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Holland, Austria, and Slovakia.  The full details of the tour are available below.

TOUR DATES:

1/27 Sheffield, UK @ O2 Academy

1/28 Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy

1/29 Liverpool, UK @ O2 Academy

1/30 Bournemouth, UK @ Old Fire Station

1/31 London, UK @ O2 Academy

2/1 Gent, BEL @ Vooruit

2/2 Poitiers, FR @ Confort Moderne

2/3 Montpelier, FR @ Rockstore

2/4 Cologne, GER @ Essigfabrik

2/5 Stuttgart, GER @ Die Röhre

2/6 Munich, GER @ Backstage

2/7 Berlin, GER @ Cassiopeia

2/8 Hamburg, GER @ Klubsen

2/9 Zurich, SWI @ Escherwyss

2/10 Neufchatel, SWI @ La Case a Chocs

2/11 Geneva, SWI @ Usine PTR

2/12 Paris, FR @ Le Bataclan

2/13 Glasgow, SCO @ The Arches

2/14 Tilburg, NET @ 5-Elementz

2/15 Amsterdam, NET @ 013

2/16 Birmingham, UK @ The Other Room

2/17 Laax, SWI @ Riders Palace

2/18 Bristol, UK @ O2

2/19 Bratislawa, SLO @ Majestik Music Club

2/20 Vienna, AUS @ Fluc Wanne

For more GZA info, follow him on Twitter @TheRealGZA

Like GZA on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/theGZA

Chasee: How you been, man?

CW: I’m doing very well.  More than anything, just enjoying being a husband and a father to my two sons.

Chasee: That’s great to hear man.  Last time we talked, everyone was focused on releasing the Group Home album and you guys were preparing for the Guru tribute party in NYC.

CW: Yeah, that’s right.  We had just released the Group Home album, which was a very special project.  I linked up with Lil Dap and Melachi just after Guru passed and we decided that we would release a tribute album to Guru and dedicate some of the proceeds from the album to his son, K.C.  We released the album in September of 2010 and in April of 2011, we made a formal and donation to Guru’s son of $5,000.  It was a great experience and we really don’t feel that Guru’s contributions to music – not just hip-hop, but music – were properly recognized when he died.

Chasee: That’s great that you were able to support Guru’s son from the sale of the album.  Did you know Guru?

CW: Yes. I didn’t know him well, but our paths crossed in the hip-hop and film business many times over the years, and to this day I stay in contact with DJ Premier and Phat Gary from the Gang Starr Foundation.  I would say that the most formal interaction I had with both Guru and DJ Premier was when I A&R’d the Training Day Soundtrack in 2000/2001.  They turned in a great record called “Tha Squeeze,” which I pushed to get on the soundtrack, and ultimately it was really, really well received.

Chasee: Yeah, that was great record.  I was listening to the Statik Selektah mixtape, The History Of M.O.P., and he said that the song “W.O.L.V.E.S.” featuring Krumbsnatcha and M.O.P. was the first record you A&R’d for Priority Records.  Can you tell me what that was like?

CW: Ah man.  For me it was crazy.  I got to New York in approximately 1993.  I lived in downtown Brooklyn, and somehow I ended up with a cassette tape that had a knife on the front, and all it said was, “M.O.P. – How About Some Hardcore.”  I fell in love with this group instantly   Their music transcends typical gangsta rap.  Their music is more cinematic, more Francis Ford Coppola in that it really takes you there; it’s so good and so real that it’s dangerous.  It glorifies street life with no intention of doing so at all because the way they make music about street life is so damn real.  So fast forward from 1993 when I was dead broke to 2000 when I was Director of A&R at Priority Records in a cab on my way to Chung King Studios to A&R my first record ever…I remember it like it was yesterday.  For one, I had no idea what these guys were going to be like, who was going to be there with them, or what the environment was going to be like–back then anything could happen in the studio.  Two, I was not secure in my abilities like I am now, meaning at that time I was not totally secure about how good my ear for hip-hop really was, so I was really just acting on intuition and instinct about the music and about the idea I had for the track which would become “W.O.L.V.E.S.”  To sum all that up, I was nervous as hell.

Babygrande Presents: The History Of M.O.P. Mixed by Statik Selektah (Sparta In Stores Nov. 22nd) by Babygrande Records

When I got to the studio, I met Billy, Fame, and Rock Logic, who to this day is their engineer, and we clicked instantly.  I loaded the Nottz-produced track into the boards, Krumbsnatcha’s verse was already on the track, and having seen the Training Day movie, I explained to them the direction we were going with the track.  All I really remember from there is the first day, Billy and Fame listened to the track for hours and came to me and said, “we’re going to sleep on this, we’ll be back tomorrow.”  They came in the next day and laid down their verses effortlessly.  After that, they left it to Rock Logic and I to mix and arrange the track, and that was one of the best experiences in music that I’d ever had.  Fame and Billy had their laid their verses, but they also laid their adlibs, which for M.O.P. is the cornerstone of what makes them unique, and their engineer Rock Logic is the man who takes the chaotic layers and layers of verses, hooks and adlibs, and  assists them in creating their signature sound.  If you really listen to M.O.P.’s music, there’s nothing like their sound in all of hip-hop; it’s 100% unique.  And that’s so important to understand about M.O.P.; their sound is original and unique.  I’m saying all that before even getting to how unique their voices are. I’m talking about their delivery and the way they arrange and structure their songs. Then when you factor in their voices — forget it…M.O.P. is, in my opinion, undoubtedly one of the most important hip-hop artists of all time.  So I’m in Chung King Studios in my 20s, A&Ring my first song ever for a major label…and you know the budgets were big back then…Rock Logic and I worked on that song for a full week.  And when we were done, we had a great song that really captured the essence of the movie, Training Day, without being dead-on and corny.  And through that process I also formed some kind of bond with the M.O.P. family that, later on, would pave the way for Sparta.

Chasee: I didn’t know it was like that.  So how did you go from the Training Day Soundtrack to today where M.O.P. is putting out Sparta, produced by the Snowgoons, on Babygrande?

CW: The short answer is I really think it was destiny for this album to come out at this moment.  The first reason is everything I told you earlier about meeting M.O.P. and how important that experience was for me.  The second reason is my relationship with the Snowgoons, another group that’s really important to me.  In 2007, the Snowgoons reached out to me and introduced themselves.  I was immediately impressed by their work ethic, their production, and their ability to network internationally.  I’ve always taken a lot of pride in Babygrande’s international approach to hip-hop.  We’ve done records with artists form all over the world, and I personally have traveled to almost every continent of the world and experienced hip-hop culture first-hand.  So when they contacted me and presented me with what would eventually become the German Lugers album, I signed them immediately.  I think the other thing that was special about the Snowgoons to me was that I always had a connection with Germany because my aunt, Dr. Vivian Greene-Gantzberg, was a professor of German and Danish literature at Harvard and other colleges, so I grew up hearing about Europe and Germany in particular from a very early age. We released the Snowgoons debut album later that year in 2007 and it was very well received; and then it got even better with the release of their next album, Black Snow.  One thing I appreciate the most about the Snowgoons, aside from their production, is that they’ve always been loyal to Babygrande through the thick and the thin; the good times and the bad times.  In addition to just being a label that simply put out the records that they’ve made, we always tried to move their career forward with fresh ideas and unique relationships that Babygrande could bring to the table.

In 2009, we were working on Stoupe of Jedi Mind Tricks’ first solo album, and I reached out to M.O.P. to appear on that album which they did on the track Transition of Power. Through that experience, I reconnected with M.O.P. and made it a point to try and find a way to work with them on a full album ever since.  I wanted to release what would become the Foundation album, but things didn’t work out and eOne, formerly Koch Records, beat me to it; but the most important thing is that I made my point and in late 2010, Billy Danze and I started talking seriously about finding a way to work together but we were both kinda stumped about what would be the best angle.

The perfect concept was right in front of me.  To this day, M.O.P. travels all over Europe performing shows where they found an audience that in many ways has become more receptive to their sound than in United States.  So when the idea came into my head to pitch them on the Snowgoons doing an entire album with M.O.P., I knew the fact that they were European would not be an obstacle – it would only be a matter of whether they liked the production or not.  Ultimately, the Snowgoons sent Billy and Fame nearly 100 beats and they loved the production.  Closing this deal was a very special moment for me and the company, particularly as we are just starting what will be a year long celebration of our ten year anniversary. We decided to make the album 10 songs with no features, almost as a challenge to make the music stand on its own and make an album with no filler.  In the end, I truly believe all of these things that brought us all together brought forth a classic album, now called Sparta.

Chasee: The response I’ve heard to the singles that have been released has been amazing.  Why do you think fans have been so receptive to the music?

CW: Aside from Billy and Fame just being master craftsmen at this point in their career, and the Snowgoons providing a perfect sonic landscape for them to lay their vocals over, I think the reason fans have been so receptive is quite frankly because this type of music is becoming an endangered species.  We are truly in an era of pop hip-hop, so when you hear something as pure and street as M.O.P.,  you have to recognize it. Coppola’s masterpiece, The Godfather will stand the test of time because it is so pure, so real and so well crafted. Thats how I feel about what M.O.P. and the Snowgoons did this album.

M.O.P. & Snowgoons “Sparta”

Hailing from Brownsville, Brooklyn, Billy Danze and Lil Fame have solidified their reputation as iconic lyricists through their years of hard-hitting rhymes and unparalleled tenacity. Never compromising their style and having shared the mic with industry greats such as Jay-Z, Jadakiss, Styles P, Guru, ODB, Busta Rhymes, and Redman, just to name a few, the duo has rightfully earned its status as one of the most revered acts in hip-hop today.

n Late July 2011, Billy Danze took to Conspiracy Worldwide Radio to break the news that M.O.P.’s upcoming LP would be a collaborative effort with German & Danish production team, the Snowgoons. Speaking on the album, Danze said, “[Snowgoons] just sent us some fire…those dudes are incredible…when you hear this project, you’re going to be satisfied as an M.O.P. fan and a Snowgoons fan.” Ensuring fans around the world that this will be one of their most diverse sounding albums, the Mash Out Posse member went on to praise the Snowgoons, proclaiming, “they’ve got everything…they’re blazing through and coming from different angles. These guys providing us with that dramatic sound, with those theatrical sounds, with that hard hip-hop…they supplied us with everything. I’m really psyched about this project.” Further, listeners can prepare for what Danze and Lil’ Fame consider “their best project in 10 years.”

Consisting of founders Det and DJ Illegal plus longtime affiliate and now 3rd member, Sicknature, the Snowgoons made their full-length producer album debut with 2007’s “German Lugers,” released on Babygrande Records. The Snowgoons continued their onslaught of orchestral and epic instrumentals the following year with their sophomore producer album “Black Snow.” Since 2007, the Snowgoons have developed a massive following, starting in Europe and spanning the entire world, becoming a staple in the underground hip-hop scene by working with approximately 100 lyricists. They have gone on to release four additional producer projects and worked with some of the most remarkable MCs in the underground. Danze says of The Snowgoons “We may get some features, but I think M.O.P. on a Snowgoons project and Snowgoons producing a whole project for M.O.P. is enough featuring.

“Those dudes are incredible,” he continued. “When you hear this project, you’re going to be satisfied as an M.O.P. fan and a Snowgoons fan. I think you’re going to flip your wig,” he continued. “They’ve got everything… It’s amazing to me because most of the time, producers have a signature sound. These guys already sent me like 50 tracks. They sent me 50 tracks and they’re blazing through and coming from different angles.”

M.O.P. and Snowgoons collaborative album is scheduled for release November 22, 2011 on Babygrande Records.

1.  Sparta

2.  Back At It

3.  Get Yours

4.  Blasphemy (Blast 4 Me)

5.  Opium

6.  Hard Niggaz

7.  Rollin’

8.  No Mercy

9.  Break ‘Em

10.  Body On The Iron

Wu-Tang Clan co-founder GZA (p/k/a The Genius) has re-signed to his label, Babygrande Records.  Babygrande’s founder and CEO Chuck Wilson released the following statement, “We have a fantastic relationship with GZA, and we are honored to have the opportunity to continue to work with him.”

GZA, a Brooklyn, New York native, released his most recent solo album, 2008′s Pro Tools, on Babygrande/Think Differently. Throughout his 20-year recording career, GZA’s been signed to Cold Chillin’ Records, MCA Records, Geffen Records and Angeles Records.

GZA’s seventh album is expected next year.  For more information on GZA, please visit www.Twitter.com/TheRealGZA and www.Facebook.com/theGZA

Update: We are proud to announce that the legendary DJ Premier will be performing a special set at this monumental event.  If you have never seen DJ Premier spin live, you are missing out; and if you have seen Primo on the wheels of steel, you know that one time isn’t enough.

This event is 21+.  The doors open at 9pm.  Tickets are on sale now for $15 @ www.TicketWeb.com.  For more details, please visit http://santospartyhouse.com.

1.  Get Yours

2.  Get Yours (Clean)

Babygrande presents The lead single off Sparta “Get Yours” from M.O.P. & Snowgoons. This banger is sure to resonate around the world…The Raw is back!

MOP & The Snowgoons “Get Yours” (Sparta In Stores 11.22.11) by Babygrande Records

Hailing from Brownsville, Brooklyn, Billy Danze and Lil Fame have solidified their reputation as iconic lyricists through their years of hard-hitting rhymes and unparalleled tenacity. Never compromising their style and having shared the mic with industry greats such as Jay-Z, Jadakiss, Styles P, Guru, ODB, Busta Rhymes, and Redman, just to name a few, the duo has rightfully earned its status as one of the most revered acts in hip-hop today.

In Late July 2011, Billy Danze took to Conspiracy Worldwide Radio to break the news that M.O.P.’s upcoming LP would be a collaborative effort with German & Danish production team, the Snowgoons. Speaking on the album, Danze said, “[Snowgoons] just sent us some fire…those dudes are incredible…when you hear this project, you’re going to be satisfied as an M.O.P. fan and a Snowgoons fan.” Ensuring fans around the world that this will be one of their most diverse sounding albums, the Mash Out Posse member went on to praise the Snowgoons, proclaiming, “they’ve got everything…they’re blazing through and coming from different angles. These guys providing us with that dramatic sound, with those theatrical sounds, with that hard hip-hop…they supplied us with everything. I’m really psyched about this project.” Further, listeners can prepare for what Danze and Lil’ Fame consider “their best project in 10 years.”

VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENT

Consisting of founders Det and DJ Illegal plus longtime affiliate and now 3rd member, Sicknature, the Snowgoons made their full-length producer album debut with 2007’s “German Lugers,” released on Babygrande Records. The Snowgoons continued their onslaught of orchestral and epic instrumentals the following year with their sophomore producer album “Black Snow.” Since 2007, the Snowgoons have developed a massive following, starting in Europe and spanning the entire world, becoming a staple in the underground hip-hop scene by working with approximately 100 lyricists. They have gone on to release four additional producer projects and worked with some of the most remarkable MCs in the underground. Danze says of The Snowgoons “We may get some features, but I think M.O.P. on a Snowgoons project and Snowgoons producing a whole project for M.O.P. is enough featuring.

“Those dudes are incredible,” he continued. “When you hear this project, you’re going to be satisfied as an M.O.P. fan and a Snowgoons fan. I think you’re going to flip your wig,” he continued. “They’ve got everything… It’s amazing to me because most of the time, producers have a signature sound. These guys already sent me like 50 tracks. They sent me 50 tracks and they’re blazing through and coming from different angles.”

M.O.P. and Snowgoons collaborative album is scheduled for release November 22, 2011 on Babygrande Records. Celebrating its ten-year anniversary, Babygrande has established itself as a pivotal New York label responsible for over 100 titles since 2001. After ten-years and counting, Babygrande continues to consistently work with groundbreaking and world-renowned artists.

For More Information on M.O.P & The Snowgoons please visit:

www.babygrande.com
www.twitter.com/babygrande
www.facebook.com/pages/Babygrande/163393881152
www.twitter.com/MOP_Official

www.twitter.com/BillDanzeMOP
www.snowgoons.de
www.twitter.com/snowgoons
www.facebook.com/snowgoonsmusic

M.O.P. have set a November 22nd release date for their new album Sparta (Babygrande Records) produced entirely by The Snowgoons.

Hailing from Brownsville, Brooklyn, Billy Danze and Lil Fame have solidified their reputation as iconic lyricists through their years of hard-hitting rhymes and unparalleled tenacity. Never compromising their style and having shared the mic with industry greats such as Jay-Z, Jadakiss, Styles P, Guru, ODB, Busta Rhymes, and Redman, just to name a few, the duo has rightfully earned its status as one of the most revered acts in hip-hop today.

In late July 2011, Billy Danze took to Conspiracy Worldwide Radio to break the news that M.O.P.’s upcoming album will be a collaborative effort with German & Danish production team, the Snowgoons. Speaking on the album, Danze said, “[Snowgoons] just sent us some fire…those dudes are incredible…when you hear this project, you’re going to be satisfied as an M.O.P. fan and a Snowgoons fan.” Ensuring fans around the world that this will be one of their most diverse sounding albums, the Mash Out Posse member went on to praise the Snowgoons, proclaiming, “they’ve got everything…they’re blazing through and coming from different angles. These guys providing us with that dramatic sound, with those theatrical sounds, with that hard hip-hop…they supplied us with everything. I’m really psyched about this project.”

Listeners can prepare for what Danze & Lil Fame considers “their best project in 10 years.”

Danze says of the Snowgoons:  “We may get some features, but I think M.O.P. on a Snowgoons project and Snowgoons producing a whole project for M.O.P. is enough featuring.“

“Those dudes are incredible,” he continued. “When you hear this project, you’re going to be satisfied as an M.O.P. fan and a Snowgoons fan. I think you’re going to flip your wig,” he continued. “They’ve got everything… It’s amazing to me because most of the time, producers have a signature sound. These guys already sent me like 50 tracks. They sent me 50 tracks and they’re blazing through and coming from different angles.“

Consisting of founders Det and DJ Illegal plus longtime affiliate and now 3rd member, Sicknature, the Snowgoons made their full-length producer album debut with 2007’s “German Lugers,” released on Babygrande Records. The Snowgoons continued their onslaught of orchestral and epic instrumentals the following year with their sophomore producer album “Black Snow.” Since 2007, the Snowgoons have developed a massive following, starting in Europe and spanning the entire world, becoming a staple in the underground hip-hop scene by working with approximately 100 lyricists. They have gone on to release four additional producer projects and worked with some of the most remarkable MCs in the underground.

The first collaboration between M.O.P. & Snowgoons “Anybody Can Get It” was recently released off the A3C Volume 1 Compilation. A3C attendees can catch the duo performing at the festival in Atlanta.

M.O.P. and Snowgoons collaborative album is scheduled for release November 22, 2011 on Babygrande Records. Celebrating its ten-year anniversary, Babygrande has established itself as a pivotal New York label responsible for over 100 titles since 2001. After ten-years and counting, Babygrande continues to consistently work with groundbreaking and world-renowned artists.

A year ago, the world lost a true musical pioneer when Keith Edward Elam, better known to fans as Guru, abruptly passed away.  To honor his legacy, Revive Da Live Big Band played a tribute show last night at Le Poisson Rouge in memory of Guru and his Jazzmatazz series.   At last night’s event, Babygrande Records showed respect to one of rap’s most influential lyricists.  Babygrande Records’ founder Chuck Wilson made a $5,000 donation to Guru’s son, K.C. Elam, on behalf of Babygrande and longtime Guru affiliates, Group Home.

Wilson told HipHopDX, “We lost an international treasure with Guru’s passing. The music he made with DJ Premier as Gang Starr and as a solo artist had a profound impact on my life. It was an honor to share the evening with his friends and family and to make a direct donation to his son KC on behalf of Group Home and Babygrande Records.”

The Revive Da Live Big Band Tribute to G.U.R.U. paid homage to Guru’s groundbreaking Jazzmatazz series in which he masterfully fused jazz and hip-hop.  Under the direction of pianist Mac Cary and trumpeter Igmar Thomas, the Revive Da Live Big Band along with several guests celebrated the creativity of Keith Elam.  Guest performers included longtime collaborator and one-half of Gang Starr, DJ Premier. Also in attendance was Guru’s nephew Justin Elam-Ruff, who unveiled The X Label: G.U.R.U.’S Clothing Line.