Joanna Natasegara explains why Nas, Lauryn Hill, ODB and Cher belong on her playlist for “The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable.”
Nas and Lauryn Hill’s 1996 “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” captures Cilvaringz’s dream in “The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable,” its director says.
Joanna Natasegara explained her picks in a Tudum interview published October 22. The film follows Cilvaringz, born Tarik Azzougarh, and his one-copy album “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.”
“This song represents our protagonist Tarik’s aspiration to be a part of the amazing New York music scene led by the Clan,” she said.
Mariah Carey and Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Fantasy” remix serves a different purpose. Natasegara said their upbeat team-up plays at one of the film’s high points.
That pairing dates to 1995. The record also drew on a Tom Tom Club sample, bringing another group’s music into Carey’s pop hit, as the Recording Academy noted.
Natasegara also picked “C.R.E.A.M.,” a favorite from Wu-Tang‘s 1993 debut. She credited the Clan’s use of music and film samples for her wide-ranging choices.
The sample in “C.R.E.A.M.” came from the Charmels’ “As Long As I’ve Got You.” Isaac Hayes and David Porter wrote that song, according to Tracklib.
The record did not start in its familiar form. In a 2022 Recording Academy interview, RZA said it went through several versions. One paired him with Ghostface Killah; another ran 12 minutes with Raekwon and Inspectah Deck. That long version was called “Lifestyles Of The Mega Rich.”
When Wu-Tang secured its debut album deal, he wanted the beat on the record. He felt Raekwon and Deck sounded best together, but the song still needed something.
“We needed a hook. And so at the time, the best person to do hooks was Method Man,” RZA said. He described Method Man as the crew’s melodic member, known for sharp hooks.
RZA’s own film work gave him a different set of limits. In that same interview, he said a score has to serve the story. He recalled matching a cue to the moment a character opened her eyes.
Cher’s 1995 cover of Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis” was Natasegara’s surprise pick. Cohn released his version in 1991. She said its place makes sense within the film, but left the connection unexplained.