RZA, who was named a Colorado Symphony Imagination Artist in 2022, pitched the idea to Raekwon on their New York State of Mind Tour last year, and Raekwon seized the opportunity to commemorate his debut solo project. The collaborative result will be showcased at Boettcher Concert Hall on Friday, February 16, and Saturday, February 17.
We caught up with "the Chef" ahead of this weekend's premiere to talk past beefs, Wu-Tang's enduring legacy, and the long-fabled Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Part III.
Westword: Were you hesitant to collaborate with RZA again given your previous creative differences, or is all of that in the past?
Raekwon: It’s always in the past. It’s in the past the next day. You gotta expect that out of brothers sometimes. We can agree to disagree, and I think that’s how we became great. We always challenged each other. That’s my brother right there. We come from the same struggle. We would never allow certain things to get [so] out of hand that it can’t be mended. All our situations were able to be talked about and brought to a better understanding.
Dynamic duo RZA (left) and Raekwon unveil their new collaboration with the Colorado Symphony this weekend.
RZA
What was the process of translating Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... into a symphony piece?
The people who know that album know that it consists of a lot of strings and sounds and rhythms that make the album sound cinematic. When you start breaking out keys and certain little things, RZA is smart enough to know that the orchestra can touch these keys. Him being more the guy that deals with the production, he really knows what their potential is; he knows what they’re able to do and actually takes it to another level where it sounds like the album, but with a grown twist to it. I’m calling it a “grown-man twist.” That’s what makes it interesting to me. I get to see this album transform not only into a child, but into an adult now. I’m sure the fans will be excited to see how we put this together, and it’s gonna be beautiful.
Why do you think Cuban Linx has remained a classic, even with new generations of hip-hop fans?
I think it remains a classic to a lot of people because it came at a time where music was starting to change, and [for] artists that come from the inner cities. Being “hustlers” and coming from that lifestyle, that album became a bible to them to try to figure out a way of getting out of the places that was holding us back, and shooting straight to rap royalty. We were able to turn our mindset from being hustlers to becoming businessmen. That album really resonates with who we are as people coming from where we come from. It was authentic; the production, the things that we were talking about, the storytelling, the infatuation with material things, the slick talking. That’s what we were doing on that album, and the production was so different from anybody’s else’s production.
Do you have any special plans for the album's thirtieth anniversary next year? Perhaps releasing Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Part III?
People definitely tell me “You should do Cuban Linx III,” and sometimes I may run away from it, and sometimes I may entertain it. I think the Cuban Linx legacy is like The Godfather’s legacy. When we watched The Godfather, we always wanted to see the sequel and the whole trilogy. That’s how people view that album: as cinematic. That’s what makes me want to do it. For me, it’s an album that had a lot to do with me growing as a person, making music and wanting to be heard. There’s just something special about that album. When I see people in the street, that’s the thing they run with: "That album did this or that for me." I’ve been hearing that throughout my entire career. It baffles me, but it’s also a sign of respect. It makes me feel like I’m Michael Jackson and I made my Thriller album. Certain artists, you just never forget the albums they made that resonated with you, and I think that’s what that album did. That album has been a part of my world forever, and I’m super grateful to my fans for even remembering it. It’s part of who I am now.
Wu-Tang is about to start a historic residency in Las Vegas. How does it feel being the first hip-hop act with a theater residency in Vegas?
It’s amazing. It’s a blessing. We did a lot of work in the music business. We influenced a lot of people in the music business. It was only a matter of time before something like this was going to happen. I think it’s a beautiful thing for people to be able to say that they could see us go from doing little clubs and little hole-in-the-walls to doing stadiums and TV shows, to now doing residencies in one of the most famous places in the world.
Wu-Tang Clan is the first hip-hop act to have a Vegas residency in a traditional theater setting.
Sasso
Andre 3000 recently said that he stopped rapping because it didn't feel authentic to him anymore now that he’s older. After more than thirty years of Wu-Tang, is your love for hip-hop still the same?
My love for hip-hop will be like this forever. I may wake up tomorrow and feel like I want to quit, but then two days later I’m bugging out because I love it so much. He’s one of the greats in the game and I respect his opinions, but you can’t be upset with somebody who feels like their time may have ended. I used to think that back in the day after five years in the game, your career would be done. That used to be a folk tale, but that’s not the case. It’s what you put into it. If you continue to love it, it’ll be there as long as you want. This is something that will be around for a long time for me. Not only just from the music side, but knowing how it raised me. Hip-hop raised us. It might not have raised everyone; it might have just been something they were able to do and were good at, and once they got in it didn’t excite them anymore. But this has raised us.
RZA Presents Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…With Raekwon and the Colorado Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 16, and Saturday, February 17, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex. Tickets start at $55.
