The Hulu series “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” which chronicles the birth of the Wu-Tang Clan — one of the most prominent hip-hop groups of the 1990s — has been renewed for a second season, and this time the series will incorporate more music.
The first season concentrated mainly on the characters’ upbringing in New York’s projects before they became the pop-culture superstars that fans know today. The long-awaited formation of the Wu-Tang Clan will now be realized when it returns to the streaming service on September 8.
Season two, according to Ashton Sanders, who plays Bobby Diggs, aka RZA, will focus heavily on music and performances, showcasing “36 Chambers,” the Wu-Tang Clan’s first classic album.
“I think fans will be incredibly excited about the music,” Sanders said of season two. “Fans will be excited to see how these youngsters, these young men, transition. Bobby is transformed into RZA. We see Dennis transform into Ghostface Killah, and so on. It, I believe, has been particularly anticipated.”
Sanders, 25, has already achieved national fame on the big screen at a young age, with roles in “Judas and the Black Messiah” and, most notably, the Oscar Award-winning film “Moonlight.” Yet, in his first significant television role, he claimed the most difficult component has been capturing RZA’s voice cadence.
“I’m not a rapper, so it was always the most nerve-racking but also liberating thing for me,” Sanders concluded. It can be intimidating, according to Sanders, to bring such a legendary figure to life, especially with RZA working as executive producer and co-creator of the series.
“It was really daunting at first,” Sanders admitted. “However, I believe that the more time you spend with RZA, the more you talk to him, the more you begin to understand him as a human being, as a person, [and] all of that [intimidation] vanishes.
And you’re just grateful to be there and depict someone as essential to hip hop culture as him, as well as to be a part of such a historic production.” Sanders claimed that he intended to channel RZA’s passion into his portrayal of the iconic rapper.
“The way he thinks, his leadership, all of it is something that I’m really able to tap into and transfer across,” Sanders added. “Having him there was unquestionably beneficial. He is a biopic figure, and he is still alive.
So I may chat to him and refer to him if I have any questions. In that aspect, I believe it was absolutely beneficial and made things a little more comfortable on set.” Bobby realizes in the new season that success in the music industry could be the boys’ ticket to a better life.
Yet convincing Clan members to drop everything for music is difficult. The hostility amongst Dennis, Sha, Power, and Divine remains strong, as the other Clan members struggle to cope with city life.
Bobby is determined to authenticity this time around, and while he feels he can lead his crew through the obstacles of the music business, the Clan’s cracks may prove too much to overcome.
“I’m just overjoyed all over. This season, I believe there is a lot that people will be drawn to “Sanders explained. “It’s been everything: collectively, spiritually, aesthetically, mentally satisfying to be on this show.”
When asked if he would consider launching his own rap career, Sanders replied, “Be tuned.”