Exclusive: King Khan Talks GZA Collaboration, Says the Whole Thing Started at NXNE
11/2/2009 By Josiah Hughes

There have been some rumours floating around that Wu-Tang rapper GZA has recently discovered the joys of independent rock. Not only did he lay a verse down for a remix of the Black Lips' “The Drop I Hold,” but he's also apparently been working on tracks with the likes of Devendra Banhart, Fucked Up and, as we most recently heard, with garage rocker King Khan. In a recent interview with Exclaim!, Khan confirmed he has indeed begun a musical partnership with GZA, saying he’s been writing several new tunes for the rapper.

The whole thing has Canadian roots, Khan explains. “We hung out a whole bunch in Toronto for a couple days at NXNE actually,” he says. “I was in a hotel room with him, just jamming. He was free-styling and we were hitting it off. Ever since then, we've kept in touch.”

Their budding friendship also resulted in a long-distance method of collaboration, with Khan saying, “Basically they want me to be involved in the next record somehow. He's a big fan of the Shrines too, and he's been asking me to write some songs... I'm on tour so much, but I was able to write a few tracks at home and send them in.”

Those of you lucky enough to be attending Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin on November 7 and 8 will also get to witness some sort of live collaboration between GZA and the garage punk god, Khan says. That would explain by the Fest's artists page lists GZA as featuring “special guests.”

To read the rest of our King Khan interview, check out this month's Questionnaire.
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