VIBE.COM By: kmurphy | 7-19-2010 12:09 pm
Coming
off 2009’s critically acclaimed Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, the
long-in-the-making sequel to his 1995 landmark classic, Raekwon is not wasting
anytime for a follow-up.
The super lyrical Wu-Tang Clan spitter is set to drop his new release Shaolin
vs. Wu-Tang, which will hit stores in September. And according to Rae, the quick
turnaround is all by design.
“Right now, being that everyone respected what I did on the last album,
I don’t want to have people feeling that I’m going to be away again
for a long period of time,” he told VIBE. “For me, I try to stay
hands-on with my hardcore base of fans and let them know, ‘Yo, I’m
not going to be doing those disappearing acts like that anymore.’”
Longtime fans can expect the prerequisite Staten Island contingent on Shaolin
vs. Wu-Tang as well as a few surprises.
“Method Man, Ghostface, Inspectah Deck, and GZA all appear on the album,”
Raekwon says of his Wu-tang brethren. “At the same time I got some other
guys involved like [The Roots’] Black Thought—I love his talent.
I think that when it comes to him delivering what level I wanted to go he was
the perfect man. I also have Raheem DeVaughn who sounds like Curtis Mayfield
over a Shaolin track.”
When it comes to the album’s sound, Rae describes Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang
as dark yet energetic. But one notable name who will not be on the project is
longtime Wu musical mastermind RZA. “RZA doesn’t have to be on every
album,” Rae says. “I wanted to give some other producers a chance.
It’s not about beef. We can stand on our own.” —Keith Murphy
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