Downtown Music Publishing announced the signing of global publishing administration agreements with Wu-Tang Productions, and owners Robert “RZA” Diggs and Mitchell “Divine” Diggs, to represent the iconic hip-hop group’s interest in songs from its back catalog of classic albums, as well as select works co-written or produced by individual Wu-Tang Clan members for solo releases, affiliates and other artists. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The writers represented under the deals include co-founders Ghostface Killah, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, RZA and U-God.
“We are excited to be partnering with Downtown and entrusting them to handle our historic back catalog,” said RZA of the deal. “Downtown’s system is ideal for us — they have the global reach and capacity of a ‘major’ while maintaining strong, highly personal relationships with their clients. Their customized approach to clientele accompanied with their focus in areas like rights management and distribution make Downtown an ideal partner for Wu-Tang Productions.”
In addition to the group’s catalog, the agreement includes select solo works by members Cappadonna, Ghostface Killah, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon and RZA, as well as other works contributed to by the covered writers — which includes songs recorded by Alicia Keys, Cardi B, Danny Brown, Drake, Justin Bieber, Lauryn Hill, Logic, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Mobb Deep, Pete Rock, Rick Ross, Swizz Beatz, The Game, The Pharcyde and Wyclef Jean, among others.
“Wu-Tang Clan isn’t just one of hip-hop’s most influential groups, it’s an iconic institution in every sense of the word — with a legacy that extends well beyond the realm of music,” said Justin Kalifowitz, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings, parent company of Downtown Music Publishing. “As a New Yorker, representing some of East Coast hip-hop’s most revered legends — whose stories are so ingrained in the culture of our city — is a tremendous honor.”
“In addition to being inspirational artists, RZA and Divine are extremely talented entrepreneurs,” added Bruce Lampcov, Downtown’s Senior Vice President of Global Business Development. “From what they accomplished with Wu Wear to RZA’s work in film and television, and numerous other endeavors, the group has showcased their shrewd business acumen time and time again.”
One of the most renowned and popular hip-hop acts of all time, Wu-Tang Clan has been a dominant force since the 1993 release of their classic debut album, “Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers”; its members have released multiple solo albums over the years as well as Wu-Tang group albums. The group has also branched out into different businesses, including art, film, fashion and technology. In the past year, two documentaries on the group have been released: the Hulu biopic “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” which announced its second season in January, as well as the Showtime documentary miniseries “Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men.”
Wu-Tang Productions were represented in the deal by longtime attorney Tim Mandelbaum of Fox Rothschild, LLP. The group joins such Downtown clients as the Miles Davis estate, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Booker T. Jones, George Gershwin, Mötley Crüe, The 1975, Tori Amos, Erroll Garner, Hans Zimmer, John Prine, Ryan Tedder, Benny Blanco and many more.