During a recently released interview for Peter Bailey’s NiteCap show, Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon spoke on the topical subject of Iggy Azalea and the continuing debate regarding cultural appropriation in Hip Hop.
During the conversation, Rae offered some words of support for Iggy Azalea, subsequently complimenting the Australian-born emcee for her talents.
“All I can say in that situation is that she’s doing what she wants to do,” Raekwon says. “She was able to take it from somewhere so far away where she was at, to here and nobody’s gonna ever wanna give it up because of course she’s a white girl, pretty and she’s got talent. Then you’re gonna have people ridicule that because she’s from Australia. Music is for whoever knows how to it make it, man. We have to say to ourselves, ‘If you’re talented, you’re talented.’ I think she’s talented in her form and we just have to accept that and don’t look at it as, ‘Oh you ain’t from that life,’ because a lot of people aren’t from that life. I might sit here and look at a couple of rappers and say, ‘Yeah, he sound like a perfect one, but you really not from that.’
“Look at French [Montana]. French is African. He’s Moroccan,” Raekown adds. “These guys that come from so much of a different background, they recognize the music and they’re able to relate to it because it’s like, ‘Oh, whoa, that’s what he said?’ And we develop our own forte of how we live and how we move. It goes the same way through the music. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s somebody from Mongolia that come out and sell 100 million records. I wouldn’t be surprised because it’s so much influence now that’s being given, it’s only right to sponge it up. Sponge it and be able to define the true talent in yourself to make it happen for you. That’s what it is.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Raekwon offered some insight into his upcoming documentary on the making of his debut album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Rae says the documentary — which will heavily involve fellow Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ghostface Killah — is a more “hands-on” situation for him.
“It’s just telling the story for the people that appreciated my story,” Raekwon says. “That appreciated when I came into the game and they seen my evolution happening. It told a story… We just gonna go in and give a powerful piece. Like I said, it’s going to be more hands-on situation for me. So just get ready for it. [With] me celebrating the 20 year anniversary this year of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and coming with a new album called Fly International Luxurious Art, I’m just telling my story in the greatest way but also celebrating where me and my team came from. We came from some stuff.”
Raekwon’s full interview with Peter Bailey can be seen below:
For additional Raekwon coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
In before Azalia Banks’s crazy ass disses Rae.
Shallah Raekwon, she better respect the god b
I think Azealia knows to pick her battles… Rae and tha Wu aint been nuthin ta fcuk with since they started rapping lol
Fly International Luxurious Art ?? is Rae really about that life?? Yes, he is, and he’ll tell you all about it. And its boring as fuck, even with a mink coat on.
true shit. I might not like her music, but the old “you’re not into this life, don’t sing/rap about it” is getting old. Most of the rappers these days don’t talk about shit they know. Local rappers talking about driving a Benz in a video when you know they rented that shit. Kids from the burbs talking about growing up in the hood. Lil Wayne’s had a record contract since 14, so dude has been rich for over half of his life, yet still tries to talk tough.
Rap has been full of fakes for a long time, so I don’t get why people are shitting their pants over some Australian broad.
and fuck a Grammy, if that’s what this ‘fear’ is all about. Grammy’s fucking suck anyway. The Roots should have 4 Grammy’s for rap album of the year and they lost out each time to someone who didn’t deserve it as much. It is what it is. Make good music and move on.
king, his opinion matters WAY more than all these newbies tryna come at iggys neck when theyre also making shit music and werent there in the beginning of hip hop
niggas bout to get real mad LOL
the french montana point is a good one. how come no one whines about this french speaking moroccan claiming to be a “nigga” who sold coke when he was really just an audio/video club geek who made movies stalking rappers.
i think someone thats actually from africa has more rights to be claiming to be a nigga then these so called niggas raised in a white mans country.
morocanns are barely african, thats why they speak french
How are Moroccans “barely” African? Morocco is IN Africa.
Dude above, that was the dumbest shit ever said. You do know that many countries in Africa have French as their L1 or L2. Pick up a fucking book or something.
Actually, I have a library of books & a degree in Africana Studies. Many countries in African have English or Spanish or Portuguese as their L1 or L2, due to European colonialism. Your language does not dictate whether or not you are African.
k lol this nigga went to college? talking about his degree? you dont have the right to say shit about morecoco unless youve been a killer in the streets there… so BACC DA FUCC UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rae reppin’ C00N Tang Clan
Actually, I have a library of books & a degree in Africana Studies. Many countries in African have English or Spanish or Portuguese as their L1 or L2, due to European colonialism. Your language does not dictate whether or not you are African.
Disregard the aforementioned comment. It was placed there my mistake. My apologies.
Everyone has their opinion and we all know white privilege has definitely helped iggy but how many black artists are claiming to represent Hip-Hop and don’t give a damn about the culture. There are a lot of people making Sh*t music, that is straight up ignorant and just plain wack.
Shit, I was offended when puffy came out with the “Big Homie” record… “you a little ni99a, Gary Coleman” C’mon how can you not be appalled!!
This is such a boring played out conversation… How many times over the years do u hear ohh hip hop ain’t what it was blah blah blah.. And also, why don’t these interviews just come flat out n say what they wanna say in terms of dancing around the subject of white hip hop artists.. Straight racist towards it some of these people
you can’t even type a definitive thought
pay attention…..he said IN HER FORM. that translation is: for who she is & where she came from, what did you expect her to do, but EMULATE…..BUT, the DEBATE and what rae said plays a BIG part in it…..that mongolian, ethiopian, taiwanese AIN’T gonna get that big in music because we do NOT embrace THEIR music…..and that’s where hiphop LOST in “evolution”. RAH DIGGA said it best……..if this was so GENUINE……..you scrubs would wanna hear what the OTHER aussie white girl’s rap music sounds like instead of just giving this chick a pass
I don’t care what Rah Digga has to say. Even when Hip Hop was in its hey day she was a nobody. Now she wants to protect it like it’s some ancient tome. Bitch has autism.
lol at this doodoo face’s reply……..hey culture vulture……rah digga worked with the fugees, busta, qtip, foxy brown, wu, missy, common, roots, gang starr, was a part of pac’s group the outsidaz, lady of rage, mary j blige, banks, dmx, THAT’S off the top of the head AND I ain’t even counting the RESPECT she has from the FEMALE hiphop community……stfu you punk ass child
She will continue to make hip hop whether or not people like it. And despite the thoughts of Azaela Banks or anybody else – It is hip hop music. Just because it is Hip Hop doesn’t necessarily mean it is good. But it is some form of Hip Hop the girl is squirting from her asshole. I think the debate needs to end. She is here, She is not particularly great, but she is here. She is a mockery of Australian Hip Hop – which is in the Australian accent and has a different sound all together – and she is a mockery of the US brand. But she is going to have her time, and before long she will fade away. just quit giving her so much attention!
Raekwon is missing the point entirely. It’s not about her being white or from Australia. It’s that she’s taking a style that clearly isn’t her own and mimicking. She’s not offering anything from her experience as an Australian. She’s a copycat. Slick Rick brought something from England. Eminem from 8 Mile. Iggy tryna be Da Brat.
lots of rappers are faking it. asap rocky thinks he from houston. rick ross thinks he a gangsta.
MUSIC is a ‘melting pot’, just like our country, ART is there to be interpreted & expressed in any form, as long as it’s legal. There should be NO stereotypes, prejudice or biases in ANY way. Caucasians invented basketball & football, do you see them ‘up in arms’ & protesting that blacks want to ‘play their game they started’?!@! We only have ONE planet & one people, human beings. Integrate NOT segregate!
There goes Rae using common sense again.That wont fly these days. Must bash the irrelevant white girl that noones listens to cuz shes gonna win an award that isn’t for rappers we fuck wit anyway,its only right. I wonder if Rae realizes that this opens him up to attacks from E-list female rappers that even less people listen to (Azealia Banks) while scrambling for their own relevance.
Chef always speaking the truth. Too many haters out here. Live and let live. Thats why I will always be a WU head because they have never been haters. All love from the WU.
CHEF is always the realest! Dont make em like this anymore. Cant wait for FILA to drop!