Win a guest spot on GZA's new album

GZA has done a great deal more than play in the Wu Tang Clan. From starring in Jim Jarmusch’s cult film Coffee and Cigarettes to giving lectures on “genomic origami” and ‘’DNA proteins” at MIT, he’s had a fair few tricks up his sleeve.

Yesterday, he announced a contest called Duel of the Iron Mic, with first prize the a verse GZA’s future album. To win, you need to test MCing skills by rapping the first verse of the classic track “Liquid Swords” and posting the Vimeo on GZA’s website, which is due to launch next week.

GZA’s statement reads as follows: “This contest was inspired by my countless tours all over the world where I would see my fans, many of them non-English speakers, reciting every lyric of the song back to me. It’s become clear to me that my music is appealing to a whole new generation: I’ve had a bunch of people tell me that they first heard my album because their parents listened to it. That might make some artists feel old but I’m happy that my music is still relevant today. I am honored that Liquid Swords the song and album have been so widely embraced for so long. This contest is one way of giving back to my fans, of letting them share their take on the record.”