The RZA has announced the launch of a new online community geared towards chess players within the Hip-Hop culture worldwide.
The website, WuChess.com, a partnership between RZA and ChessPark.com, will allow members to challenge others around the world, including the Wu-Tang producer himself.
In addition to live play, members of the online chess community will have the opportunity to interact via instant messaging and live chat.
While no official date has been announced for the launch of WuChess.com, those interested in joining the community can preregister now, with the first 500 members receiving the special ranking of “Founder” and periodic updates on the progress of the site.
RZA, who’s proven his acting chops with roles in films like American Gangster and Derailed, said that a portion of the money generated by the site will be used to fund scholarships during his appearance at the Hip-Hop Chess Federation’s latest Life Strategies panel, “Martial Arts As A Path to Nonviolence” held on Saturday (April 12).
RZA, born Robert Diggs, is also hard at work on new projects in all three realms of his career.
He is currently completing his third album Digi Snax as MC alter ego Bobby Digital, and gearing up for the return of Spike TV’s anime series Afro Samurai, for which RZA has created a new score and soundtrack.
He will next appear on screen in Life Is Hot in Cracktown, the theatrical adaptation of director Buddy Giovinazzo’s collection of short stories about the lives of people in a neighborhood affected by crack cocaine starring Kerry Washington, Michael Rapaport and Evan Ross.
RZA is also set to star alongside Jude Law, Forest Whitaker and Liev Schreiber in Repossession Mambo, a sci-fi tale about a man who faces the repossession of a transplanted, artificial heart after struggling to make his payments.
RZA will tour to support tue upcoming Digi Snax album.
Dates are listed below:
Tue-Jun 10, 08 Houston TX Warehouse Live
Wed-Jun 11, 08 Austin TX Emos
Thu-Jun 12, 08 Dallas TX Palladium Ballroom
Sat-Jun 14, 08 Denver CO Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
Sun-Jun 15, 08 Salt Lake City UT Urban Lounge
Tue-Jun 17, 08 Tucson AZ Rialto Theater
Wed-Jun 18, 08 Phoenix AZ The Brickhouse Theater
Fri-Jun 20, 08 Los Angeles CA Henry Fonda Theater
Sat-Jun 21, 08 San Francisco CA 1015
Mon-Jun 23, 08 Portland OR Hawthorne Theater
Tue-Jun 24, 08 Seattle WA Showbox at the Market
Wed-Jun 25, 08 Vancouver BC Richards On Richards
Fri-Jun 27, 08 Calgary AB Sled Island Music Festival
Mon-Jun 30, 08 Minneapolis MN First Avenue
Tue-Jul 1, 08 Chicago IL House Of Blues
Wed-Jul 2, 08 Pontiac MI Crofoot Ballroom
Fri-Jul 4, 08 Ottawa ON New Capital Music Hall
Sat-Jul 5, 08 New York NY Webster Hall
Mon-Jul 7 08 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Tue-Jul 8 08 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
