Entertainment

Wu-Tang's Unlikely New Collaborator

by Lia Beck

So ya know how Wu-Tang is releasing only one copy of their new album which will be sold to the highest bidder after likely touring museums inside of its one-of-a-kind engraved box? Does that crazy, yet true, mess of a sentence ring a bell? Well, now another piece has been added to the unbelievable puzzle: Cher is featured on Wu-Tang's new album. Yeah. That Cher. This just might be the most random music collaboration to ever happen. Okay, "Accidental Racist" takes that title, but along with all of the other things this album has going on, adding Cher into the mix definitely makes this one of the strangest collaborations ever.

Forbes reporter Zack O'Malley Greenburg sat down with the producer of The Wu — Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, Tarik “Cilvaringz” Azzougarh, who gave the Greenburg a taste of one of their new songs and allowed him to film the encounter. The fact that we get to hear even a little bit of the album is shocking. Isn't that going to make the price go down? This thing might only sell for $4 million now instead of $5 million!

The clip features Ghostface Killah rapping and Azzougarh explains that the vintage sound comes from not just Ghostface's rapping, but the way the album was mixed as well. He says, "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin — That title is because this is the final time your going to be able to hear the guys as they were then. It's like a nostalgic trip back." And apparently Cher, of all people, went along for the ride.

Azzougarh asks, "Does that voice sound familiar?" and Greenburg immediately knows it's Cher. Once you hear the clip you'll understand how obvious it is. She sounds very much like herself. According to Rolling Stone, Cher is featured on two tracks on the album and her rep confirmed saying, "She recorded her parts separately, so I don't believe there was direct interaction."

Here you are, your first — and probably last depending on what museums this thing visits or your access to $5 million — listen to Wu-Tang and Cher on Once Upon a Time in Shaolin: