Digi Snacks

2008 studio album by RZA as Bobby Digital
Digi Snacks
Studio album by
RZA as Bobby Digital
ReleasedJune 24, 2008
Recorded2007-2008
GenreHip hop
Length60:04
LabelWu Music Group, Koch
ProducerRZA, David Banner, King Tech, Panauh Kalayeh,[1] George Drakoulias
RZA chronology
RZA-Instrumental Experience
(2007) 		Digi Snacks
(2008) 		The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai Resurrection OST
(2009)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Boston Globe(mixed)[3]
Robert Christgau(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)[4]
The Guardian[5]
The Observer[6]
Pitchfork Media(4.0/10)[7]
PopMatters(7/10)[8]
Seattle Weekly(mixed)[9]
The Village Voice(favorable)[10]
XXL (L)[11]

Digi Snacks is the fourth solo studio album by American rapper and producer RZA; the third album under his Bobby Digital alias. Continuing the story from Digital Bullet, the album was released[12][13] on June 24, 2008, on Koch Records.[14] The album was originally titled Digi Snax, but it was changed before release.[15]

The album's first single, "You Can't Stop Me Now," features fellow Wu-Tang Clan rapper Inspectah Deck;[12] a track by this name featured in reports of early track listings of the group's 8 Diagrams album. RZA has since released another track, "Drama," featuring Monk of Black Knights and singer Thea van Seijen.[16]

The album also features production from David Banner (on "Straight Up the Block", suggested to be the album's second single), from California producer Panauh Kalayeh and from King Tech,[1] as well as live instrumentation from Wu-Tang Clan-affiliated funk/soul group Stone Mecca. The latter also backed RZA on a June–July tour of the US, which also featured surprise appearances by Wu-Tang members and affiliates,[1] to accompany the album's release.[13][17]

RZA described the album to Billboard.com as "simply fun hip-hop... a perfect blend of reality, fiction, sci-fi, and martial arts."[1] The album cover's design was done by Gary Alford, and includes a brief comic within the sleeves.[18]

Background

This world wasn’t in a digital format in 1998. Now digital is the most compelling form of commerce and entertainment so this is like a relaunch of the character.[19] The album is Digi Snacks because it’s a snack pack of Bobby Digital’s world. Not only music and sounds, but also the comic background, the sci-fi background, the black-exploitation background. Look at the artwork—a girl with an afro, an Asian girl, Bobby sitting in the big king’s chair and then the villains—Raven, Hawk, Eagle and Crane, the four birds of prey that I use as my enemies. Bobby Digital’s life-long nemesis. That adds a comic element to it—as well as martial arts. I’m planning a comic book, a video game—I’m already talking to people. I want fans to be aware of these things.[20]

Production

The album's first single, "You Can't Stop Me Now," features fellow Wu-Tang Clan rapper Inspectah Deck;[12] a track by this name featured in reports of early track listings of the group's 8 Diagrams album. The track samples a version of the Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield composition "Message from a Black Man," also previously sampled by Mos Def on Undeniable in True Magic, MF DOOM on the King Geedorah album Take Me to Your Leader,[21] and in the same year, sampled by Nas and producer Salaam Remi for "You Can't Stop Us Now," from the rapper's Untitled album.

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Digi Snacks Intro" (featuring Understanding)RZA2:07
2."Long Time Coming" (featuring Danny Keyz)Panauh Kalayeh, James Desmond, Danny Keyz4:11
3."You Can't Stop Me Now" (featuring Inspectah Deck)RZA, George Drakoulias4:08
4."Straight Up the Block"David Banner3:01
5."Booby Trap" (featuring Dexter Wiggles)RZA3:40
6."Try Ya Ya Ya" (featuring Monk & Thea Van Seijen)Che Vicious, RZA3:32
7."Good Night" (featuring Rev William Burk, Crisis & Thea Van Seijen)RZA5:04
8."No Regrets"RZA3:01
9."Money Don't Own Me" (featuring Monk & Stone Mecca)RZA4:52
10."Creep" (featuring Black Knights, Northstar, Thea Van Seijen & Dexter Wiggles)King Tech4:44
11."Drama" (featuring Monk & Thea Van Seijen)RZA5:00
12."Up Again" (featuring John Frusciante, Beretta 9, Rev William Burk, George Clinton & El DeBarge)RZA, John Frusciante6:19
13."Put Your Guns Down" (featuring Star)The Bad Parts3:34
14."Love Is Digi/Part II" (featuring Beretta 9, Crisis & Thea Van Seijen)RZA2:47
15."O Day"RZA4:00
16."Don’t Be Afraid" (Hidden Bonus Track) CD)RZA4:05
iTunes deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
16."Don't Be Afraid"RZA4:05
17."The Wolf"RZA1:47
International edition bonus tracks
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
17."Glorious Days"RZA3:33
18."Insomnia"J-Love3:48
Notes
  • International edition contains an extended version of track #3 "You Can’t Stop Me Now" 8:09. Contains additional vocals from U-God, Zu Keeper & Inspectah Deck.

Charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[22] 111
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[23] 29

References

  1. ^ a b c d "RZA Returns To Bobby Digital For 'Digi Snax'". Billboard.com. 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
  2. ^ David Jeffries (2008-06-24). "Digi Snacks - RZA | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  3. ^ "Take about an identity crisis". Boston.com. 2008-07-15. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  4. ^ "CG: Artist 5956". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  5. ^ Dorian Lynskey. "Urban CD: RZA As Bobby Digital, Digi Snacks". Music.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  6. ^ "Review: Rza As Bobby Digital, Digi Snacks". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  7. ^ "RZA: Digi Snacks". Pitchfork. 2008-07-01. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  8. ^ "RZA as Bobby Digital: Digi Snacks". PopMatters. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  9. ^ Capp, Kevin (2008-06-20). "Seattle News and Events | CD Review: Bobby Digital's Digi Snacks". Blogs.seattleweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  10. ^ Baron, Zach (2008-07-02). "Bobby Digital's Digi-Snacks". Village Voice. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  11. ^ "RZA as Bobby Digital Digi Snacks - XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2008-07-15. Archived from the original on 2009-04-10. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  12. ^ a b c "RZA Readies Another Bobby Digital Record". Artistdirect. 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  13. ^ a b Thompson, Paul (2008-04-04). "RZA Reveals New Bobby Digital Album, Tour". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  14. ^ Thompson, Paul. (29 May 2008) "RZA Finalizes Snacks Tracks, Adds Date With GZA Archived 2008-06-01 at the Wayback Machine". Pitchfork Media. Accessed 2 June 2008.
  15. ^ "Bobby Digital returns with DIGI SNACKS on June 24th :: news articles at Wu-Tang Corp. - The Official Site of the Wu-Tang Clan". Wutang-corp.com. 2008-05-24. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  16. ^ "Bangers >> RZA ft. Monk & Thea "Drama"". XXL. Harris Publications. 2008-03-17. Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  17. ^ Weiner, Nat (2008-04-08). "New Bobby Digital in July". Prefix. Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  18. ^ "Hip Hop poster and artwork by Gary Alford". WuPoster.com. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
  19. ^ "'Digi Snacks' info from RZA | Prefix". Prefixmag.com. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
  20. ^ "Rza: Kung Fu Cures Perversion!". L.A. Record. 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  21. ^ Hogan, Marc (2008-03-18). "New Music: RZA as Bobby Digital [ft. Inspectah Deck]: "You Can't Stop Me Now" [Stream]". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 2008-04-05. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  22. ^ "RZA Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  23. ^ "RZA Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.

External links

  • The RZA talks Digi Snacks on YouTube
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