The new album will be produced by the RZArector himself — a psuedonym that becomes even more compelling given that Atari filed for bankruptcy in 2013, and has since put most of its energy into licensing classic video game titles and, as of recently, creating smart home products.
An avid gamer and fan of classic Atari titles, RZA will use his experience with classic 8-bit sounds to deliver an interesting artistic result, one that will likely feature collaborations with many classic hip-hop artists, probably including several Wu-Tang members.
“I’m so excited to work on these iconic games to deliver what I believe will be one of my best albums,” said RZA in a statement about the Atari project. “I am going to invite some of my friends to join me and it will be game on with the first beat.”
What exactly Atari’s part in all this will be remains to be seen, but may include an associated video game title. CEO Fred Chesnais and senior executive Stephen Belafonte have been named by the gaming company as supervisors of the musical project.
“RZA is a multitalented artist and soundtrack virtuoso and we cannot wait to hear the new tracks he creates based on Atari’s iconic video game sounds and music,” said Chesnais of the collaboration.
An official launch date for the new work has yet to be announced, but with the project in progress, it could hit store shelves and streaming services as soon as early next year. That said, it’s an ambitious effort from the classic producer, and he may want to take his time to get it right.
