Sanctuary Records announced an exclusive, worldwide recording agreement with The RZA. Wu Records/Sanctuary Records will release RZA’s debut album on October 7. The disc, Birth of a Prince, will include guest spots from members of the Wu-Tang Clan including Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Ghostface Killah. The first single and video, “We Pop,” will feature ODB.

The RZA founded the Wu-Tang Clan and has produced many of the group’s multi-platinum discs, including The W, Wu-Tang Forever, Iron Flag, 36 Chambers, and Enter the Wu-Tang. He has also produced platinum solo records for Clan-mates GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, ODB, and Ghostface Killah, as well as Bjork and U2.

“I believe this to be some of the best work I have ever done and I am especially proud,” said The RZA, “Our plan is to launch a whole new wave of Wu-Tang fever and this record is the wick. For Sanctuary and Wu Records, this is a great opportunity to get into some meaningful Hip Hop in a big way. By signing with Sanctuary, I have joined forces with a really artist friendly label that also has the ability to deliver.”

Sanctuary Group CEO Merck Mercuriadis continued, “We want to work with the most important artists in every genre and The RZA and the Wu-Tang family’s unwillingness to conform to the rules of this industry is perfectly in keeping with our ethos. The RZA does not know the meaning of the word compromise.”

The RZA has released two albums as Bobby Digital and earlier this year, he released The World According to RZA, an international record that yielded a No. 1 single in Germany.