As Raekwon’s seminal solo album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx turns 25 on Saturday (August 1), The Chef is celebrating the milestone with a big announcement. While speaking to TIDAL’s Elliott Wilson, the Wu-Tang Clan veteran revealed a third installment of the celebrated series is on its way.
“Twenty-five years later, right?” he said. “Listen, I feel like Al Green right now, nigga. It’s time we close that trilogy out.”
Elliott replied, “Wooo! Cuban Linx 3?” to which Rae said, “Yeah, it’s time to close that trilogy. I was holding all night. I was holding all night back to tell you that. Cuban Linx 3, baby. The trilogy. It’s over after that. It’s over.
During a recent interview with HipHopDX, Raekwon equated the 1995 rap masterpiece to the iconic mobster film The Godfather.
“All of the members in the Wu could relate to it,” Rae said. “So that was important though. That was important just to sit down and make a cinematic album, not so much of an album that would give off a happy-go-lucky vibe or you might feel like you want to dance and shit. And some people may be able to dance to it, but this album was pretty much The Godfather vibe of Hip Hop to me and it felt good.
“It felt good to have my boy next to me, Ghostface, who basically comes from the same lifestyle as I come from. And we were able to sit down and concoct an idea that we both were able to respect and basically get everybody in the crew involved.”
Raekwon Aligns ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' With Film Royalty: 'It's The Godfather Vibe Of Hip Hop'
The original Cuban Linx was intended to play like a film with Rae as the “star,” Ghostface Killah as the “guest star” and producer RZA as the “director.” Other guests included Wu-Tang brethren Inspectah Deck, Method Man and Masta Killa.
Cuban Linx debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while selling roughly 130,000 copies in its first week. The album was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in October 1995, two months after it dropped.
The album’s sequel, the aptly titled Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II, arrived in September 2009 and debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. It boasted features from Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Slick Rick, RZA, Meth, the late Popa Wu and Cappadonna, among others.
No release date for the next installment has been announced.
Part II is slept on a little, one of the better sequels to a classic I’ve heard…
Underrated comment to news that’s the best
I’ve heard all week.
I’m very fuckin’ excited about this shit!!!!!!! Please drop in 2020!!!!! Thank U Rae….real shit!!!!
Finally…been waiting on the new Raekwon, and it’s gonna be Linx 3. just made my day, that’s a beautiful thing!
Part 1 is classic. Part 2 is maybe the best sequel of all time in that it actually lived up to hype.
Yes, can’t wait… Part 2 is very underrated IMO!
this is exactly what the boring lame game needs. raekwon like a breath of fresh air. when you hear or see a legend like this wu tang brother chef rae droppin some dope your ears perk up. i am definitely interested and let’s hope for the very best he ends the trilogy on a high note. cuban linx 3…… 10 out 10 masterpiece.
If this album is on par with the second one I’ll be a happy camper.
Nothing compares to the first but the second CL held its weight nicely
Need Raekwon and Ghostface VZ Nas and AZ for real hiphop heads!
20 songs
Solo, features, groups
When dafuq this site was going to run this news, I’ve read about it almost a day ago.
This should be damn near the news of the week for hiphop
Grown up mafioso rap. Cant fuqin wait, letsgo Chef
OBFCL and OBFCL2 are two of my favourite albums of all time.
I’ll check out part III for sure but I am keeping my expectations low. I mean part II was ehhh ok (fuck those Dre soundalike beats on a wu-tang album) but I never go back and listen to it. I’d rather play OB4CL again and again. Raekwon needs to stick strictly with the Wu-affiliates on this one with the exception of Nas on the Verbal Intercourse pII. What we gonna get instead is Redman, Snoop or 2Chainz features which is a big NO
I think for Cuban Linx he will stick with Wu features but what I worry about is the production. As much praise as pt. II got I think it was pretty inconsistent and at times boring beats wise, couldn’t really compare with first one. Hope that the production choices will be well thought out and we’ll get another classic tho.
to me part 2 was inconsistent….love house of flying daggers though, j dilla had me reminiscing on old wu beats with that joint…get 4th and tru to do the beats, and keep the features mostly wu….definitely would love to see nas get down on verbal intercourse sequel….
Rich and Black from Wu vs Shaolin was Verbal Intercourse Pt2
Didn’t Nas recycle his verse on that one from something he already used? We gotta get a new verse.
Rae and Ghostface to end the series. Hell yes! It is necessary for sure. Go back to the lab and come with crazy rhymes. Keep it only Wu with a nas feature if possible. Production wise…Hopefully Rae only use one or two producers to maximize consistency. Rae needs a producer that can bring out his very best lyrics for this one. The producer also needs Rae to bring out his very best beats such as a nice mix of uptempo, mid temp tracks just like the first one. Just have fun and drop some dope shit.
Man now here’s to a wonderful morning
Yall get ready. This one got J. Dilla production on it as well…. unreleased production.
The cover art should be All Gold/Yellowish themed. Cant wait but please no trap crap or mainstream features. Keep it just RZA on the beats
I’ve always been a fan.
If it’s not rza produced, I don’t want to hear it. Cuban lynx 2,immobilarity sucked tbh. Only gave it one listen. Needs that 90s grimey sound to capture original fans attention.
Immobilarity was wack except for “casablanca” but you’re bugging about OB4CL2. That was a proper sequel, and Rza contributed a few tracks but he was able to keep the Wu feel without Rza (who has definitely fallen off at least a little)
If you’re still checking for RZA production you aren’t paying attention. He doesn’t produce grimey Wu-Tang style beats anymore and hasn’t in a long time.
I agree, there’s are other producers that could give him that NY grimmy ish ya want to hear. Let RZA be Hollywood, he’s directing and producing movies and TV shows.
If you saying Cuban link 2 was wack…MAAAN we don’t want to hear you! The F outta here yo that was a dope sequel….
Rza ain’t on that 1994/95 gravediggaz/36 Chambers demon time no more so nagas need to stop daydreaming that he gonna come back and give chef a plate of that grimey shit to flow over… Hopefully Cuban linx 3 will be fire like the last 2
Raekwon is never gonna top the first Cuban linx. I go even further no hip hop album today by any artist will be as good or will surpass his debut. Cuban linx 2 was decent but no way as good as the first. Immobilarity was half decent and some ways underrated had some bangers on it. Cuban linx 3 might have potential but he 50 now so not sure how good it be.
Would love to hear The Chef and his Wu counterparts on some that grimey Daringer shit!
Honestly, the nostalgia of it all is going to hopefully make this an unforgettable project. I got faith the Chef gone put his foot in it lol