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RZA has responded to some of the allegations lobbied by Raekwon in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, clarifying certain statements and reiterating that Wu-Tang Clan "need him" on the upcoming album A Better Tomorrow.
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"We can call it arguing or we can call it building," RZA told New York radio station Hot 97. "What we're not doing as brothers and as business brothers is putting time together. So I gotta read about how he feel. He gotta read about how I feel. I try to make myself as available as I can. I won't deny; I'm a busy man."
RZA first spoke to Raekwon's claim that he was a "bold-faced liar" when the producer said, "I haven’t had a chance to really talk to him about why [he's not involved with the album]." The original interview, he said, was shot before he spoke to Raekwon, but aired after the two had discussed the Wu's future plans.
"We did speak six, seven days ago and he gave me his demands, which we presented to the company," said RZA. "If they can be reached, they can be reached. If they can't, they can't. And if they can't, then we have to reevaluate what we're going to do. But there was no lying there."
Asked by host Peter Rosenberg if Raekwon was still an important piece of Wu-Tang Clan, RZA immediately agreed. "When you form Voltron, you need every piece," said the Wu producer. "We need him there. I want him there. I ask him over and over to be there. Let's just come together. Put some time together and make some music and see what comes out of it."
Raekwon told Rolling Stone last week that Wu-Tang's latest song, "Keep Watch" was "mediocre shit" and that RZA was too removed from the music world. "As far as the RZA, I respect him, I love him – the love ain’t gonna go anywhere – but you’re not in the music world no more," the rapper said. "So to me, you need to take a backseat and respect the n---as that is playing the game. I’m always out in the field and finding out what’s going on with the new. Period.
RZA’s the type of dude where, in the Nineties, he ruled. Now it’s a new day. You’re not attached no more. It’s like being a coach and you won rings back in the day, but now your team is in ninth place. It’s time for a new fucking game plan."
The full interview can be seen below, with RZA's comments about Raekwon beginning 15 minutes in.
RZA Says Raekwon Dispute Has 30 Days Before Final Decision On Wu-Tang Clan Album
by JAY BALFOUR
"If we don't come to terms I think within the next 30 days, then this will either be an album without Raekwon or an album that never see the light of day," RZA said.
Continuing an ongoing group conflict that has played out largely in public interviews, Wu-Tang Clan member RZA sat down with SI Now and updated fans on the possibility that either Raekwon will not feature on their upcoming album, A Better Tomorrow, or that it may not be released at all.
“Let me say this to you,” the Brick Mansions actor said. “I haven’t said this publicly but I’m gonna say this. The album is slated to come out in July. If we don’t come to terms I think within the next 30 days, then this will either be an album without Raekwon or an album that never sees the light of day. That’s a very strong potential. I would not want to put out a Wu-Tang album without every live member available. We can’t put Ol’ Dirty on it ‘cause he’s not here physical. At the same time, I don’t want the fans not to have this incredible music that we’ve been working on for the last year. So that’s gonna be a tough decision but we got about thirty days I think to make that decision and to come to that conclusion. Either way it goes. The sad part would be if it goes the way that it doesn’t come out. I would be very disappointed. But I know that the Wu-Tang legacy has already made a great mark on the world.”
When asked by SI Now host Maggie Gray asked about his instincts on the album’s fate, Rza said his “gut feelings says yes.”
“My gut has been good,” he added. “I’ve been pretty good. I got a 90% batting average.”
In an interview with Hot 97 that aired yesterday, RZA explained frustrations with the Raekwon dispute continually manifesting itself through the media.
“I wanna clear one thing up on the Raekwon thing because the newest article in Rolling Stone, Raekwon says that I’m a bold-face liar, right? Which I’m far from,” RZA said. “I don’t need to lie. Okay, I’m a grown man…But what happened was I did an interview a few weeks ago that just came out later. And I guess when it came out he read it then, but I spoke to Raekwon about eight days ago. But the interview was probably 14 or 16 days ago. So, he says in his interview ‘RZA’s a liar. He spoke to me.’ No, when I did the interview brother I didn’t speak [to you]. I hadn’t spoken to him in six months before that. Until recently. Last time I saw that brother was on tour in the summer. So, we didn’t get a chance to chop up the ideas of what I’m trying to do.”
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