Raekwon ‘On Strike’ From Wu-Tang, Blasts RZA for ‘Mediocre’ Music

It seems Raekwon’s frustrations with RZA have reached a boiling point. After directing some sharp words toward RZA in December, Rae recently sat down with Rolling Stone and had some scathing criticism of his Wu brother. See below for some quotes and head to Rolling Stone for the full article.

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Here are some of Rae’s more pointed quotes:

RZA told Vlad TV, “I haven’t had a chance to really talk to him about why [you’re not involved with the album]. But I would say that maybe creatively we on different paths.” What’s your response to that?

“[W]e are at creative differences because at the end of the day, I want to win. I’m used to being a winner. Being that I feel the team is being compromised by his so-called “logic” of making music, I have a problem with that because I love my fans. I would never want to give my fans anything other than the best. So when we’re sitting there discussing the creative process of making a great album for the fans, I’m not going to never settle for less. I’m not the only one [in the group] that feels this way too.”

What do you mean specifically when you say the team is compromised?

“This shit is not right. It’s not making us give the fans the best that we can give them. So of course we have a problem with that. It’s like coming out with some music that you’re not feeling. Therefore, it’s being compromised by RZA and his brother Devine, Mitchell Diggs. My thing is, yeah, he’s right, we’re on different pages when it comes to being creative because RZA, you’re not in the field no more. I’m still paying attention to what’s going on and an amazing group that’s got so much potential to be bigger than what they are if they just focus and come out with great music. On “Keep Watch,” you put this new young kid [Nathaniel] on there who nobody knows who he is – and I’m not taking shots at the kid – but I don’t even know who he is. That song is something that the crew didn’t have knowledge of, from what I’m being told. Dudes ain’t feeling good about it.”

What do you think of “Keep Watch”?

“I hate it. I hate it. I don’t hate shit, but I hate that fuckin’ record. It ain’t the gunpowder that my brothers are spitting; it’s the production. And I ain’t shitting on the producer because he’s one of our soldiers. But if it ain’t where it need to be… It’s 20 years later. We talkin ’bout a whole new generation is sitting here representin’ and making fiery shit and you telling me that we comin out with some mediocre shit? That ain’t part of our plan.”

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Related: Raekwon Discusses Why Wu-Tang Clan Has Broken Up, the Loss of ODB and More with DJ Whoo Kid (Video)