We know today, dealing with movies and docuseries, some things are being fictionalized for television purposes, and that’s just what it is. That’s not what you’re getting in my lens.
Number one, what you guys are getting through RZA’s tunnel vision is his side of it, his story, the way he looked at it. Was there some part of you that wanted to offer your own perspective on what happened during those years? You allude to the fact that RZA has presented himself as central to the continuing documentation of Wu-Tang, whether it’s through the recent docuseries or the exclusive album. I’m also curious about the dynamics of your relationship with RZA throughout. It’s called the “elephant in the room” action. I’ve always been the vocal one to address situations because I know that’s the only way you can communicate, through conversation. Before I’m to say anything, I’ve got to make sure that’s how everybody feel. Sometimes, dealing with the crew, we could be in a situation where we’re not feeling a certain vibe of the music, and nobody’s saying nothing. For me, I never looked for anything other than what it was when it was time to be spoken about. When we made Cuban Linx, Ironman, and 36 Chambers, we were all huddled up in a great way where opinions weren’t mutual, but they were respected. If I felt like you forgot that I had a lot to do with the energy in the room, that’s when I’m going to say something, because there’s no I in team. If I brought something to the table, I didn’t ask for credit right away from it. We had to learn to love each other, respect each other’s craft, be honest with opinions, be opinionated, be vocal when it’s time to be vocal. I believed in my organization that I was working with. I was being a team player because I believed in my family. To that I say, ‘You know damn well I’m not lying.’ ”
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Near the very end of From Staircase to Stage, Raekwon writes: “When RZA and his brother read these words, they are going to say I’m frontin’ on how they handled … the TV show.
Most significantly, he has a lot of words about and for his old friend and mentor RZA, both praising his early creativity and leadership and condemning his financial exploitation and desire for absolute control, which seems to have divided the group up to this very day, especially when it comes to documents of their legacy like the Hulu series. Rae takes credit for popularizing brands like Cristal and even launching some film directors’ careers through his ideas for popular Wu-Tang music videos-and he makes a pretty convincing case all around. The anecdotes within the book, some of which have never before been told, are eye-popping: Rae’s early dancing days, his original verse for “C.R.E.A.M.,” how Rae and Ghost squashed their beef with the Notorious B.I.G. Most of the history of the Wu-Tang has been told through the eyes and with the oversight of its old ringleader, RZA, whom Slate interviewed just last year-but the Chef is ready to tell it how he saw it.
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You can see evidence of this over just the past few years: an autobiography by member U-God, a Showtime docuseries directed by famed hip-hop journalist Sacha Jenkins, a Hulu series dramatizing the crew’s formation, multiple Verzuz faceoffs encompassing both the production and lyrical prowess of the group-and, of course, perhaps most infamously, the saga of the little-heard, multimillion-dollar album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. In a genre notorious for neglecting the memories, stories, and archives of its many elder statesmen, the Wu-Tang Clan and its music have continued to resonate in the popular imagination, and to influence even the kids of the fans who listened to the Staten Island crew throughout the ’90s. It’s been more than two decades since the late, great Ol’ Dirty Bastard, of the iconic New York rap posse Wu-Tang Clan, crashed the stage at the 1998 Grammys to bellow that “ Wu-Tang is for the children.” The culture has since proved ODB correct. Slate has relationships with various online retailers.īut note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.Īll prices were up to date at the time of publication.