Dear Readers,

When we launched Flavorpill 10 years ago, email was the magical new thing, and our big idea was to pick a shortlist of great events in NYC and send it to your inbox. Since then, we’ve expanded to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Miami, and Las Vegas; launched branded mailers focused on art, books, and music; created a daily email of reviews; and launched a blog of cultural news and critique. Meanwhile, email has gotten a bit out of control. And, today, we’re putting out a fix: a reinvention of the email newsletter.

We’re still huge fans of email, but we must admit, it’s broken. For most of us, it has become an endless river of content: important information, useless information, love letters, work tasks, friends’ reminders, site notifications, fun newsletters, and the kitchen sink, all mixed up together, with the latest one right up there at the top of the list. And even though some of us practice lifehacker tools to keep it under control, we’re all just fighting back a river, which is getting bigger, stronger, and more frothy. That’s why it’s time for publishers who are focusing on the email to consolidate, personalize, and give their readers the opportunity to have full transparency and control over what they get.

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Wu-Tang fans might be surprised to hear that the RZA’s latest work of art isn’t a piece of music. Victory or Death is a limited-edition set of canvas prints that samples and remixes Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware. In his version, the RZA replaces George Washington, and he’s proudly flying he flag of Wu.

“It didn’t begin 20 years ago… more like 200 years ago. And when you see the piece we’re making right here, you’re going to know what I’m talking about,” RZA has explained. “We’re about to rewrite and change history.”

After the jump we talk to the RZA (and his buddy King Tech) about the meaning behind the project.

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The RZA’s The Tao of Wu is part brilliant autobiography, part collection of insights and lessons learned along the way, always tying back to seminal works and natural laws. Last week he kicked off a book tour at Barnes and Noble in Union Square, where he read a few bits from the memoir and answered questions. Virtually everyone in the packed room was a fan, waiting patiently while the catchy, beginning beat of “Shame on a Nigga” played in endless loop. There was one hater in the front row who tried to throw a multi-part question attack. The RZA gracefully deflected those punches with a big smile and positive ideas.

The next day I spent an hour across the table from the RZA, who had on the same sunglasses from the event, but pulled them off for a few seconds to show me his eyes. He’s a tall man, and the height can be imposing, but his smile comes easily and often. And once he starts talking about ideas, his presence is disarming. After the jump, some of the highlights from our conversation.

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