RZA

LOS ANGELES – FEB 10: RZA, Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, at the premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Robocop’ at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 10, 2014 in Los Angeles, California, Joe Seer/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Robert Fitzgerald Diggs

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: July 5, 1969

Ethnicity: African-American

RZA is an American rapper, music producer, actor, filmmaker, and composer. He is a member, and de facto leader, of hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. Other members of Wu-Tang Clan are/have been his cousins Ol’ Dirty Bastard and GZA, as well as Masta Killa, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon. He was also a member of hip hop/horrorcore group Gravediggaz, supergroup Achozen, and musical collaboration Banks & Steelz. He has appeared in the films Derailed, American Gangster, Repo Men, The Man with the Iron Fists, which he directed and co-wrote; Brick Mansions, The Man with the Iron Fists 2, which he co-wrote; and Nobody (2021), and on the series Californication and Gang Related. He is also known as Prince Rakeem, The Scientist, Bobby Steels, Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah, Prince Delight, (The) Abbott, Bobby Digital, Bobby Dynamite, RZArector, and Bobby Boulders.

RZA is the son of Linda and Richard Diggs, who were born in North Carolina. He was named after brothers U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and U.S. Senator Robert Francis Kennedy. His younger brother is rapper 9th Prince (born Terrance Hamlin), of hip hop group Killarmy, and his older brother, Mitchell ‘Divine’ Diggs, is a record executive and manager. His sister Shurrie has two children with his groupmate Ghostface Killah. A photo of RZA with his mother can be seen here. As a child, RZA lived in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York City, as well as Murfreesboro, North Carolina.

RZA is married to model and actress Talani Rabb. He has seven children, including singer Prana Supreme, who with her mother Tekitha formed country music group O.N.E. the Duo; and one with Talani. RZA is a member of Five-Percent Nation, an Afro-American Nationalist movement influenced by Islam.

RZA’s paternal grandparents likely were Henry Diggs (the son of Stephen Diggs and Clara Hailey) and Sarah Ingram. Henry and Sarah were born in North Carolina. Stephen was the son of Daniel Diggs and Fanny. Clara was the daughter of London Hailey and Tessie.

RZA’s maternal grandfather likely was Thaddeus Porter (the son of William Henry Porter and Mamie Love Eley). Thaddeus was born in Winton, North Carolina, and had deep roots in the state. William was the son of Moses Porter and Eliza Dilday. Mamie was the daughter of Barteamous Eley and Sarah Riddick.

RZA’s maternal grandmother was Ethel Mae Hamlin (the daughter of Willie Hamlin and Mary Virginia Evans). Ethel was born in Nansemond, Virginia, and had deep roots in the state. Mary and George Jones, were the paternal grandparents of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, making RZA and Ol’ Dirty Bastard first cousins, once removed. RZA’s great-grandfather Willie was the son of Jacob Hamlin and Laura Estelle Banks. Mary was the daughter of Horace Evans and Maggie Victoria Warren.

Sources: https://www.mikehughes.tv

Genealogies of RZA’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org