With the release of his auteur project, The Man With the Iron Fists, and the film’s soundtrack, RZA has been in the news a lot recently. This time the Wu-Tang general isn’t promoting anything, but simply giving a message to people to vote. It is important to him, especially since he is unable to vote himself. RZA says how he is “flagged” because his name is on a list, and he discusses how this affects his life, but still stresses that those who can, should vote.
Speaking with MTV’s Quddus on “The Q Side”, RZA, whose legal name is Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, talks about the hassles he endures because his name is on a list which prohibits him from voting, and also interferes with him travelling outside the country. Bobby Digital went onto to say, via HHDX, “I don’t actually vote personally,” and explains, “I’m on a certain list. Ya dig it? Check it out, I love this country right. When I leave and I travel around I represent America. When I come back, even after 150 days in China, and they always take me to the back room.”
RZA adds that despite his best efforts, he can’t get removed from list, “Over 100 times I’ve been taken to the back room, checked, and they said I’m flagged. And I went through everything to get my name off the flag. They said, ‘No, you’re flagged.’”
This experience hasn’t soured him on voting, as the RZArector still urges people to vote, and has his wife represent by proxy in the voting booths, “Yeah, if I could I would. I advise people to vote regardless. If you got a voice let your voice be heard. My wife does vote. So she’s the voice of our family when it comes to our political ideas. She’s that voice,”
Check out the interview below which also features Big Sean chiming in on the Presidential Election.