Months after Wu-Tang Clan released its sixth studio album, A Better Tomorrow, Raekwon offered a stern critique of the project. While speaking with NME.com, the Wu-Tang spitter revealed that the album felt “too soft” and “too humble.”
Rae then elaborated on his comments on the album being “too soft” by stating that he wanted to offer fans “some real shit” on A Better Tomorrow. He explained that in the end, the project was more so tailored to RZA’s liking.
“That album felt kinda bored,” Raekwon said. “And that’s not just my opinion. The music was just too soft. Too humble. I felt like the album could have been better. I voiced my opinion, like, ‘Yo, let’s give them some real shit.’ The album was driven more to RZA’s expectations. He was coming from one way. We was wanting to try something new.”
Additionally, Raekwon revealed that he will not be touring with the group this year, and shot down any ideas that beef among those in Wu was behind his decision.
According to the rapper, management and his other obligations contributed to him being unable to tour with Wu-Tang Clan in the UK.
“I ain’t going on the road with Wu-Tang this year,” he said. “Fans will think it’s beef in the group, but it’s all management. I didn’t know shit about the tour. They just assume I’m good to be there and put it all together, but by then I got obligations, a fucking schedule. It’s frustrating, ‘cos I’d love to be there.”
Raekwon is currently preparing for the release of his new album, F.I.L.A. (Fly International Luxurious Art). The album, which serves as Rae’s sixth solo album, is slated for release April 28.
For additional Raekwon coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
Agreed thought the album could have been better but I still bump it!
thats how i feel theres some bangers and then theres a couple joints that are like ehhhhhh but its solid overall. Pioneer the fronitier is the shit they need to do more shit like that and on the level of chamber music and legendary weapons
Word.
it was a boring peice of shit to be honest. These guys are not the same let the wutang thing go stick to solo shit
gotta love how these niggaz stay shittin on their own records
anyone who actually liked the record feels like an idiot, it’s impossible to be a wu tang fan these days, they don’t even like wu tang
First Meth now RAE if you a True wutang fan then u know it was half ass. He basically saying RZA not keeping him in the loop so fuck that album too. Kinda crazy if u ask me but I guess fila gone be worth the wait we just gone have To wait and see. The reason they killing the brand is because RZA own wutang. Makes u wonder why none of them besides Ghost face put any artist out and even then that was his kid so do that really count. Negus ain’t young no more so fk the metaphors what u bringing to the table cause we watching.
Being a lifelong Wu fan, I wanted to like the album, even though my expectations were pretty low. But it’s is just what Rae said, boring and soft. It just has no repeatability. I listen to it in it’s entirety 3 times, and just didn’t want to listen to it any more. There was no feeling of, “I can’t wait to go home later and listen to this shit again”. The bad thing about it is that everyone saw this coming from a mile away and they still couldn’t stop it. Rza is too powerful, as a manager, as a personality, and as a leader for them to overpower his direction. But Rza’s ego won’t allow him to ever fall back and just be an instrument in the group instead of the conductor. The most difficult people to deal with are the ones with big egos that think they’re humble. They just think they’re too smart to listen to anyone, and they’ll justify everything they do by saying “look at my track resume”. With that said, I’m not looking forward to that F.I.L.A. album. I love Rae, but all those typical ass guest appearances from rappers that are on everyone’s album. It just feels like a money-grab. Rae and Ghost are on this shit now where they know the new school fans don’t really understand their shit, so they’re just gonna try to tread water with the new heads and make a living off of generic ass music. One.
co-sign
and yeah about that last part. it’s similar to nas doing songs with lil wayne and rick ross while also giving various co-signs out the ass of shitty rappers simply to stay relevant with the new crowd like you said. only difference with nas and some of those wu tang members is that nas still actually makes good music (life is good)
I co-sign everything you and the ppl that replied said. However…….. The line about Ghost Face was questionable. He’s been THE most consistent hands down.
Co-sign most you say, however, I agree with Mally pointing out that Ghost is the most consistent and aside of Wu-Block (and to a lesser extent “Sour Soul”) still releases good to outstanding albums.
But The Wu as collective hasn’t been on the same page for years now, RZA is obviously on another plane than the rest is, but within the clan itself, there hasn’t been no cohesion at all in the past few years, cameos on members’ albums notwithstanding.
According to interviews, U-God & Cap don’t feel that much love from most of the clan, Deck is looking for other opportunities outside the group whereas in music (Czarface) as well as other disciplines such as video editing, GZA is hiding most of the time and Ghost couldn’t even get Rae (and to a lesser extent, Meth) to commit to make Wu-Massacre worthy of its brilliant album covers. The only one that always stays positive in the media about the clan is Masta Killa.
I still think members can churn out good albums by themselves (though I think that “FILA” won’t be one of them), but as a collective, they should hang it up.
I agree that Ghost has been consistent, and has never put out a weak album, but if you haven’t noticed, he’s being real lazy with the lyrics lately. The beats, melodies, and concepts carried his last couple albums, because the rhymes were weak. He hasn’t given much of an effort to write dope rhymes since The Big Doe Rehab. He’s writing this shit now in 5 minutes, I can tell. He’s not refining his darts like he used to, because he tends to have fans that kind of just eat up everything he does. Peace.
Rza Became To Hollywood! He Wanted The Album A Certain Way And Didn’t Care What The Rest Of The Clan And Millions Of Real Fans Wanted! The Production On Better Tomorrow Sucks! And You Can Tell No One Wanted To Rhyme On Those Wack Beats! Just A Damn Shame To Hear Deck Sounding Weak For The First Time Ever! #SMDH
Fuck this nigga…… Fila is going triple wood, mark my words. WU TANG FOREVER.
Never thought I’d agree that a Wu album is boring, but this one has very little reply value. Seems like most of the group mailed it in.
….this coming from someone who really liked 8 Diagrams.
Raekwon still thinks he’s relevant and popular in 2015. What a joke of an artist he is. The $40 a show WU Tang offering him is more than he’ll make anywhere else. This clowns career is over.
Cmon. That’s not fair. While he’s done some average shit over the years, both OBFCL were epic and he is an instrumental part of the Wu legacy…reconise kidd!
easy to sit behind a computer and calling him clown better look in the mirror Fool!
He accomplished more than anyone on this site alone
Yall Can hate on Lex all you want, this nigga is the shiiiitttt!!! FILA gon blow your socks off. wheather you like him or not as Wu fans we know RZA is fucking us all in the ass with ABT and that art shit he is putting out for auction. ABT was the weakest album from Wu (definatelly mailed in verses) – shit sooo wack that I think he shouldn’t have even bothered actually. I used to think Rae is being stuck up by not wanting to appear in shit no more but now since the smoke cleared on RZA intetions the shit now makes sense….Meth and Rae are keeping it real with the fans and that is what we appreciate.
Wu-Tang been slipping since they dropped the mediocre “Wu-Forever” double disc in 1997. “Wu-Forever” would have been much better as a single disc album. All they group albums after that sucked, imo. Oh well, just enjoy the classics and forget about it.
Wu-Tang Forever is mediocre? Are you out of your f*cking mind?
Accolades[edit]
Wu-Tang Forever was ranked as one of the best albums of the year by several notable publications, such as Spin, The Village Voice, NME and Melody Maker.[19] Popular Belgium magazine HUMO, and popular German magazine Spex both ranked it number six on their albums of the year lists.[19] In 1999, Ego Trip ranked Wu-Tang Forever number three on their Hip Hop’s 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980-98 list.[19] In their March 2005 issue, Hip Hop Connection ranked the album number 57 on their 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995–2005 list.[19] Also in 2005, Blow Up magazine from Italy included Wu-Tang Forever in their 600 Essential Albums list.
That’s just from Wikipedia. Any true hiphop fan knows that Wu-Tang Forever, even if it wasnt your type of rap album, is legendary, and 1 of, if not the best, double disc rap record ever. Im not saying it is number 1, it is for me at least, but I know it is in most peoples top 5 double disk rap albums. Mediocre? Get the f*ck outta here with that noise
Shut da fuck up nigga. Wu-forever!
“Wutang Forever” trumps both “Life After Death” & “All Eyez On Me”, as well as Bone’s “The Art of War” in the double disc department from that era.
Wu-Tang’s sound was built on being grimey, hungry, wild, criminal and deep thinkers. They got fed, full and fell off. This is coming from a fan who bought so many of their classics, from OB4CL, Return to the 36 Chambers to Liquid Swords and Supreme Clientelle. The group didn’t evolve their sound and honestly, once you get to a certain age, NO ONE is that fucking tough or grimey anymore ESPECIALLY when you got money and have seen the world. So with no evolution (see Outkast, The Roots, Heiro) they ran out of niggas to shoot, drugs to slang and corners to hang on. It’s a wrap.
Man, I knew they would pan this LP before I even heard it. 20 years in, at this point they can’t win. Even ol school fans be waiting for they heroes to drop new music so they can shoot it down and feel better about they mid life crisis. I’m not saying it’s everybody, I ain’t even sayin it’s just hip hop- it’s a phenomenon in art. It used to bother me. Now I just power on through and try to ignore it. The world be hard enough without tryna be my own worst enemy lol.
I liked ABT! All the rhymes well crafted. The whole team brought the goods. Rae backed into it a little bit, agreed, but the rest of em be solid. I’m still bangin da LP today and it’s been 15 months. One of the most consistent albums. Ruckus, Felt, 40 St, Hold the Heater, Crushed Egos, Pioneer the Frontier, Necklace, Ron O, Never Let Go, ABT… I think ppl will eventually realize it for its full worth. You might disagree w the approach, the “philosophy” or “rzasophy” whatever u wanna call it, but for modern hip hop you get major value. Recording quality on point to say the least…. they didnt just roll it out of the pantry! Lol The Rae beef didn’t do this LP any favors. I’m proud they made it. I’m proud they still writing rhymes and taking pride in the work. I challenge any ol skool head: what verses are off? What bars don’t leave a mark? Meth w some nasty hooks, Ghost fiyah, Gza 100, Cappa/Masta worthy contributions, Baby U w a spotlight, Odb there but not there (in a good way), INS 6th man of the year lol, and Rza keeping everyone calm. This album ain’t tryna compete with anything they done. It’s a new chapter for 9 talented brothers who got a long history, but living in the moment too. It’s a work of art. I don’t know if I wanna hear the Shkreli album, it sounds like a gimmick lol, but ABT is rock solid.