Raekwon — Founding member of the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and an acclaimed solo artist, best known for his classic 1995 album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. He's also an author and a New Jersey cannabis-business owner.
The gist
Raekwon and Joe Rogan dig into how Wu-Tang Clan formed from nine 'alphas' on Staten Island and why no group has ever replicated it. They trace the explosion of late-80s and 90s hip-hop, the influence of NWA, Geto Boys, Kool G Rap, Nas and others, and how the music doubled as news and education for poor communities. Raekwon explains the predatory record industry, why young artists should stay independent, and how Wu-Tang refused to be boxed in. The conversation closes on his bow-hunting interest with Joe, his bid for a real Wu-Tang feature film, and his current projects: a Purple Tape documentary and a new album, The Emperor's New Clothes.
Big reveals
- Raekwon recounts Wu-Tang performing inside Rikers Island and going into the crowd when Ol' Dirty Bastard was incarcerated.
- Reveals the C.R.E.A.M. acronym ('cash rules everything around me') came from a neighborhood friend, inspired by Tom and Jerry cartoons.
- Admits a friend made him rewrite his C.R.E.A.M. verse to be harder and more relatable.
- Says Q-Tip set up a meeting with him and Leonardo DiCaprio about making a real Wu-Tang movie.
- Pitched RZA on a gritty feature film instead of the Hulu series, but RZA was already committed to Hulu.
- Announces a documentary, The Purple Tape Files, marking 30 years of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, in the works for 10 years.
- First-time reveal of his new album title, The Emperor's New Clothes.
Things worth remembering
- The Parental Advisory warning labels came from Tipper Gore's push to censor rap, which only boosted album sales.
- RZA, GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard were cousins who first ran together as the 'All in Together Now' crew.
- Wu-Tang is named after a real Shaolin breakaway martial-arts school, mirrored in the film Shaolin vs. Wu Tang.
- GZA is a world-champion-caliber chess player; the pair note GZA's reputation for deep intelligence and science.
- Wu-Tang made the first million-dollar hip-hop music video, 'Triumph,' directed by Brett Ratner.
- Raekwon argues Wu-Tang amplified each member, with everyone going gold or platinum, a feat no other group matched.
- Raekwon owns a cannabis business in Newark called Hash Story.
- The crew lacked outside coaching/guidance because the entire genre was only six or seven years old and no experts existed.
- Joe explains he took up hunting in 2012 after PETA factory-farming films, choosing hunting over going vegan.