Wu Tang Clan’s RZA Partners With Violife to Support Black-Owned Businesses

Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA is partnering with the vegan cheese company Violife to support Black-owned restaurants nationwide. The partnership will launch a grant program called Plant Grants that was developed to provide financial assistance to businesses and restaurants that faced hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Plant Grants initiatives hope to support the Black-owned businesses that suffered disproportionately during the COVID-19 crisis.

“The influence of hip-hop and the culinary history of plant-based eating in Black communities contribute to a movement of embracing meatless options,” RZA told Plant Based News. “I’m proud to support Plant Grants to continue this movement and make plant-based eating more readily available at Black-owned restaurants that are at the heart of communities.”

The legendary rapper hopes that this grant program will help those who felt irreversibly hurt by the financial disaster that followed the pandemic. The Plant Grants program aims to also make plant-based food more accessible and sustainable by helping these businesses during this time.

The funding package brought from the partnership will also include an education and mentorship program to guide those affected back to stable ground. The menu coaching will be led by two plant-based chefs, Lemel Durrah and Laricia Chandler. The two vegan pioneers have led the plant-based movement for years and now hope to help restaurant improve their plant-based offerings. Currently, Chandler owns and operates Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat, and Durrah runs the catering company Compton Vegan.

Violife and RZA released a statement claiming that the initial program will be dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses hurting financially. Specifically, the joint leadership will focus on restaurants as the most affected business during the restrictions and quarantine period. The funding will be available at $20,000 in the program. The program is currently open for application until July 31st, and the selected businesses will be notified in September of this year.

“At Upfield, we’re excited to be working with community-based chefs and restauranteurs, and plant-based visionaries who are scaling-up the plant-based revolution across the United State to bring great tasting plant-based foods to more people,” Brian Orlando, the Chief Marketing Officer for North America of Violife’s parent company Upfield US, said in a statement. “Now with the new Plant Grants program, we can expand and promote their incredible efforts in an impactful way.”

Orlando’s statement shows Violife’s dedication to inspire plant-based eating, hoping to educate people on the sustainable and nutritional benefits of vegan food. He emphasized that the Plant Grants program will highlight the importance of plant-based foods saying that “they are delicious and better for you and better for the planet.”

RZA frequently vocalizes his position on plant-based eating and animal cruelty. Prior to this partnership, the rapper launched a vegan puffer jacket sourced from recycled plastic bottles and a vegan leather wallet made from banana trees. He has remained a vocal activist against fur in the fashion industry and continues his plant-based campaign with his involvement in Plant Grants.

“I’m partnering with Violife because we share a similar philosophy about eating plant-based and we want to make plant-based eating more accessible, affordable, and sustainable to all,” RZA said.

The founding Wu-Tang member adopted his plant-based diet in the mid-1990s after realizing the ethical dilemmas in the animal food industry. Joined by Wu-Tang members GZA and Ghostface Killah, the rapper promoted White Castle’s Impossible Slider in 2018, marking one of the first times a fast-food establishment featured plant-based meat. Wu-Tang member Inspectah Deck also revealed in 2019 that approximately 80 percent of the Wu-Tang Clan eat a plant-based diet, including Method Man and Raekwon.

You may think iron is synonymous with meat, and while animal protein certainly has it, that doesn’t mean you can’t get enough iron if you eat a mainly plant-based diet. In fact, you can, if you know the right foods to choose and how to pair them. The daily recommendation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for iron intake is 18 milligrams (mg), but not all iron sources are created equal. Here’s what plant-based eaters need to know about iron and which iron-rich foods are best to help reap the benefits.

1 cup cooked = 3 mg iron (17% daily value (DV))\There are many reasons to eat mushrooms on the regular, but their meaty texture (try a Portobello cap as a meat replacement for a burger!) and ample protein are two of the highlights. Add them to your stir-fry, tacos, or even instead of meat in a faux Bolognese sauce.

1/2 cup = 3 mg iron (17% DV)You don’t need to eat a huge serving of lentils to get a hearty dose of iron. Just a half-cup provides close to 20% of the iron you need in a day. Just like mushrooms, lentils have a meaty texture that works well in burgers, tacos, or grain bowls.

1 medium potato = 2 mg iron (11% DV)The poor potato has gotten such a bad rap. Fear of this carb-rich spud is unwarranted because it’s actually an affordable and delicious source of iron and potassium. So go ahead and have that hash, baked potato, or potato soup and leave the skin on for some added fiber.

1 ounce = 2 mg iron (11% DV)Most nuts contain iron, but cashews are a standout because they have less fat than some of the other nuts. One ounce of cashews (about 16 to 18 nuts) has 160 calories, 5 grams of protein, and 13 grams of fat. Add a handful of cashews to smoothies, soups, or sauces for some extra creaminess.

½ cup = 3 mg (15% DV)Not only does tofu have plenty of protein and calcium, but it’s also a good source of iron. It’s very versatile and takes on the flavor of any sauce or marinade, making it a great meat substitute.Keep in mind that you can easily get the iron you need from a plant-based diet.