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The Wu-Tang Clan is one of the most celebrated hip-hop acts of all time. The nine-man crew, as should be expected, has never lacked talent or personality, but no member was more celebrated in the streets than Raekwon.
Whilst bandmates Method Man and RZA rubbed elbows with the Hollywood A-list, and his partner-in-rhyme Ghostface Killah, basked in his own idiosyncrasies, Rae kept his ear to the streets. His latest album, Only Built For Cuban Linx … Part II, has returned ‘The Chef” to critical acclaim in hip-hop circles and is the most celebrated Wu release in years. Rae changed his approach for this album, and shares why he thinks he had to be the one to resurrect the Wu-Tang brand.
–todd williams
As you were making it, did you realize this album was special?
We were definitely striving for that. I was really working hard to really make it hot. We knew it was hitting the streets hard before [it even hit] the streets because we [were] driving a lot of the marketing plan through the Internet.
How did the online buzz help you recognize what the fans wanted?
We had the Internet on fire. The Internet became a second home to me. At the end of the day, people in the streets started to get wind of it by watching what was [happening] on the Net.
After the lackluster response to Wu-Tang’s 8 Diagrams album, what does the success of your album mean for Wu-Tang?
It means that we [are still] able to raise our flag with dignity. Everybody in the crew knew this album was going to be one of the albums that [would] give us leverage in the game. Everybody was like, ‘Rae’s gonna bring it home for us.’ … The brothers allowed me to set the mark for all of us — I guess I became the Kobe of the team.
Does your success mean the fans want a return to classic hip-hop?
I think everybody is just ready for stronger hip-hop. Everybody is getting really tired of the commercial, mainstream music. … Lil Wayne has become an icon and he’s been very consistent and he’s very much handling his business — and the kid Drake, the young cat from Canada — I would give those two the crown right now. They’re doing their thing right now.
Whilst bandmates Method Man and RZA rubbed elbows with the Hollywood A-list, and his partner-in-rhyme Ghostface Killah, basked in his own idiosyncrasies, Rae kept his ear to the streets. His latest album, Only Built For Cuban Linx … Part II, has returned ‘The Chef” to critical acclaim in hip-hop circles and is the most celebrated Wu release in years. Rae changed his approach for this album, and shares why he thinks he had to be the one to resurrect the Wu-Tang brand.
–todd williams
As you were making it, did you realize this album was special?
We were definitely striving for that. I was really working hard to really make it hot. We knew it was hitting the streets hard before [it even hit] the streets because we [were] driving a lot of the marketing plan through the Internet.
How did the online buzz help you recognize what the fans wanted?
We had the Internet on fire. The Internet became a second home to me. At the end of the day, people in the streets started to get wind of it by watching what was [happening] on the Net.
After the lackluster response to Wu-Tang’s 8 Diagrams album, what does the success of your album mean for Wu-Tang?
It means that we [are still] able to raise our flag with dignity. Everybody in the crew knew this album was going to be one of the albums that [would] give us leverage in the game. Everybody was like, ‘Rae’s gonna bring it home for us.’ … The brothers allowed me to set the mark for all of us — I guess I became the Kobe of the team.
Does your success mean the fans want a return to classic hip-hop?
I think everybody is just ready for stronger hip-hop. Everybody is getting really tired of the commercial, mainstream music. … Lil Wayne has become an icon and he’s been very consistent and he’s very much handling his business — and the kid Drake, the young cat from Canada — I would give those two the crown right now. They’re doing their thing right now.
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