[📚 Book 📚] Raw: My Journey into the Wu-Tang by Lamont "U-God" Hawkins (Discussion Thread)

[beenz]

It's coming soon he said.

I looked it up on iTunes and I saw it on there btw. There's was even a sample read in his voice.

 

[ZEB WALTON]

Buddah,

First before i answer your point by piint break downs..Are you not ready to acknowledge rzas failures in business has hurt the wutabg and its brand? A business ugod has to stay connected to make a living? Im not even pointing fingers at rza but the wu biz been in turnoil for a long time. Little to no stability. Too much too soon. Rza didnt have to put on 50 other mcs sides the 9 he originally started with.

I love rza more than anyone but this wutang shyt has been a MESS since day one. And he is the one responsible for it so whos fault is it that rza said hey guys here 13 beats you have 2 months to make it work.

I can accept ugods point of view without shytting on rza. Ill always respect rza but ugod literally WORKS for rza.. and look how rza do him. Tried to get him off a tour. Left off the new wu album. Acting like he dont know in interviews that ugod aint on the album. He names everyone but him. Ugod has a right to his views idk why yiu going out ya way like this but ok.

Here ya go

It's everyone's fault which was my point in asking if U detailed his part in the label's demise in his book. If not, you know the lens you're looking through is tinted, so just warning to take any finger-pointing as his view and not the whole truth of the situation.
there is no whole truth... theres mad sides to this story with rza and the wutang. I state in my post that this is a hard pill to swallow but its been talk for a long time. Rza has had business problems with near everyone in wu... odb, ghost, rae, ugod... at what poiny do i excuse everything in the sake if business.

I agree with rza on mad diff piints. Hes the worker. Hes the one making the beats. They each come in 3 days. Hes there 30. So while ugod cinplains i cant judge him. I dont think rzas a crook i just think the business could be run a hell of a lot better


Like I said, it's all part of them adopting the system as is an applying it to their people. Recoup-able advances have always sucked overall but it's an industry standard they applied to their own label and they made the family over business choice and let the label suffer with the larger overall loss by not recouping. It is bad business, as you said, but it's a show of loyalty to U-God which is unacknowledged.
I understand. I stated in my post that theres good and bad that rza has done with ugod. So its a hard line to tow. Thats why i cant be mad ugod feels the way he do. Hes the one it affects. We talk about it. This is their life. The lower members need the brand more than say ghost or rae and meth. Rza is using that against ugod and we can all see that in how the recent rollout of the saga continues shows.



Many of those later things came after RZA had stepped away from the label/imprint following the suit by Gee Street regarding RZA's involvement on the Ghost Dog soundtrack (Razor Sharp Records) & RZA's distancing himself from Ghost/Cappa when they went all in with Mike Caruso. Razor Sharp was done as an imprint after Ying & Yang. Bulletproof Wallets was under Stark Enterprise/Epic/Sony. Cap's Hits was Epic/Sony.
again. Failed label one. Pretty sure caps album did ok. Rza got the money and bounced and went label to label to get bread never recouping but walking away with mibey. Thats what ugod is referring to. Rza made supreme clientele and bulletproof with ghost so how we blamingbthat distance as an excuse for a failed label? Did puff, dame, need 10 diff deals with their successful brands? No. Rza coulda been waaaaaaay more successful if wu did better business.


Pretty wrong there. Wu-Tang Records was the independent label the Wu established to start with and released the Protect Ya Neck single on before they got signed to Loud.

They retained the label & put out the early Sunz of Man singles & then signed a distribution deal under Priority to drop Killarmy's debut, dropped their sophomore & Swarm in 98 which is when Mook started taking over (also why RTW producers are on Dirty Weaponry) and then they go full in with Wu-Syndicate, U-God, Wu-Chronicles and Shyheim in 99. They don't release another album until their final one in 2001. (Shyheim's album gets pulled after already being pressed for legal reasons, Royal Fam's half-recorded album for Wu-Tang Records leaks overseas in 2000, somehow released singles for the Ghost Dog sdtk during that mess & Mook leaves to focus on his own Protect ya Neck records)

Your solitting hairs because you disagree with me. There was NO major album release on wutang records except for some of the shyt i listed. Killarmy. Ugod. Wu chrinicals. The swarm. Wu syndicate. .. i know what wutant records is thanks for the history lesson i didnt need to list every project. The point stands. Wutang records post 97 has little to NO WUTANG on it. Wu syndicate? Lmao. Thanks for proving my point Lmao...




I mean, Loud itself folded the next year...
And then came wumusicgroup. Whats that do.


It's not the advance, it's the choice not to recoup, which, to repeat is a bad business decision but good for U-God's pocket yet that's never brought up when he has these RZA eruptions. Just saying... Also, yeah, RZA wasn't behind these albums like the earlier ones, but who's the one guy deejaying on U's national live set for his debut album? RZA.
thanks i dont care about the rest. Rza SHOULD be djing his set. Hes the one MAKING MONEY off it. You act like he did this outta kindness lmao Cmon man i fukk wit you buddah but rza is not infalible.


That was Deck's baby, including him producing the majority of the tracks himself. Not sure what "dude" you're blaming there...
Its decks baby but whos it executive produced by? Im talking about rza who didnt have time to mix decks album but im sure wanted a piece of it and made money off it.he blamed its lack of success on that. He had plenty of time to work on it.


The decision to walk away from RZA's sound and production at the time was largely the individual Clan members and not RZA's
Exactly. He wanted even MORE control and couldnt hold it together as it was Idk what you are getting at. .
.

 

[REAL6]

Who or what kind of creature is that? Is that the legendary "Russian Walrus"?

 

[Robbie3000]

This book is riveting. I didn't know U-God was in the streets like that.

 

[BuddahMAC]

First before i answer your point by piint break downs..Are you not ready to acknowledge rzas failures in business has hurt the wutabg and its brand? A business ugod has to stay connected to make a living? Im not even pointing fingers at rza but the wu biz been in turnoil for a long time. Little to no stability. Too much too soon. Rza didnt have to put on 50 other mcs sides the 9 he originally started with.

I already said as much, but you're blaming RZA for the same thing all the members did. Rae pushed ACT as a sub-Wu group, U-God pushed Hillside the same, Ghost's Theodore Unit, Dirt's Brooklyn Zu...those are all on RZA too? Those didn't dilute the brand? So why are you only putting the blame at RZA's feet?

I love rza more than anyone but this wutang shyt has been a MESS since day one. And he is the one responsible for it so whos fault is it that rza said hey guys here 13 beats you have 2 months to make it work.

What specifically are you referencing there so I can properly respond to the question?

I can accept ugods point of view without shytting on rza. Ill always respect rza but ugod literally WORKS for rza.. and look how rza do him. Tried to get him off a tour. Left off the new wu album. Acting like he dont know in interviews that ugod aint on the album. He names everyone but him. Ugod has a right to his views idk why yiu going out ya way like this but ok.

Hard to be on a Wu-Tang Clan album when you're suing Wu-Tang Clan.

Failed label one. Pretty sure caps album did ok. Rza got the money and bounced and went label to label to get bread never recouping but walking away with mibey. Thats what ugod is referring to. Rza made supreme clientele and bulletproof with ghost so how we blamingbthat distance as an excuse for a failed label? Did puff, dame, need 10 diff deals with their successful brands? No. Rza coulda been waaaaaaay more successful if wu did better business.

RZA's design was to spread out w/ everyone on different labels though. Puff & Dame made labels. RZA made a group and they spread to all the majors.

Your solitting hairs because you disagree with me. There was NO major album release on wutang records except for some of the shyt i listed. Killarmy. Ugod. Wu chrinicals. The swarm. Wu syndicate. .. i know what wutant records is thanks for the history lesson i didnt need to list every project. The point stands. Wutang records post 97 has little to NO WUTANG on it.

Everyone outside U and Masta were already signed at the point they established the distro deal so I don't know what you're asking for?

thanks i dont care about the rest. Rza SHOULD be djing his set. Hes the one MAKING MONEY off it. You act like he did this outta kindness lmao Cmon man i fukk wit you buddah but rza is not infalible.

Its decks baby but whos it executive produced by? Im talking about rza who didnt have time to mix decks album but im sure wanted a piece of it and made money off it.he blamed its lack of success on that. He had plenty of time to work on it.

Why are you under the impression the "executive producer" somehow gets a back end check on an album? It's a largely ceremonial credit.

 

[Morose Polymath]

Pleasure & Pain's my joint of that first album tho...

Pleasure & Pain is a GOAT level Wu track..

 

[Tommy Gibbs]

It's everyone's fault which was my point in asking if U detailed his part in the label's demise in his book. If not, you know the lens you're looking through is tinted, so just warning to take any finger-pointing as his view and not the whole truth of the situation.



Like I said, it's all part of them adopting the system as is an applying it to their people. Recoup-able advances have always sucked overall but it's an industry standard they applied to their own label and they made the family over business choice and let the label suffer with the larger overall loss by not recouping. It is bad business, as you said, but it's a show of loyalty to U-God which is unacknowledged.




Many of those later things came after RZA had stepped away from the label/imprint following the suit by Gee Street regarding RZA's involvement on the Ghost Dog soundtrack (Razor Sharp Records) & RZA's distancing himself from Ghost/Cappa when they went all in with Mike Caruso. Razor Sharp was done as an imprint after Ying & Yang. Bulletproof Wallets was under Stark Enterprise/Epic/Sony. Cap's Hits was Epic/Sony.



Pretty wrong there. Wu-Tang Records was the independent label the Wu established to start with and released the Protect Ya Neck single on before they got signed to Loud.

They retained the label & put out the early Sunz of Man singles & then signed a distribution deal under Priority to drop Killarmy's debut, dropped their sophomore & Swarm in 98 which is when Mook started taking over (also why RTW producers are on Dirty Weaponry) and then they go full in with Wu-Syndicate, U-God, Wu-Chronicles and Shyheim in 99. They don't release another album until their final one in 2001. (Shyheim's album gets pulled after already being pressed for legal reasons, Royal Fam's half-recorded album for Wu-Tang Records leaks overseas in 2000, somehow released singles for the Ghost Dog sdtk during that mess & Mook leaves to focus on his own Protect ya Neck records)



I mean, Loud itself folded the next year...



It's not the advance, it's the choice not to recoup, which, to repeat is a bad business decision but good for U-God's pocket yet that's never brought up when he has these RZA eruptions. Just saying... Also, yeah, RZA wasn't behind these albums like the earlier ones, but who's the one guy deejaying on U's national live set for his debut album? RZA.



That was Deck's baby, including him producing the majority of the tracks himself. Not sure what "dude" you're blaming there...



The decision to walk away from RZA's sound and production at the time was largely the individual Clan members and not RZA's.

i got an original copy of that Shyheim album on cd. Don't know why it got pulled but I got one

 

[SonnyDecay]

great book. his descriptions are so vivid that you transfer to that reality he talks about he was also very honest about his albums and evolution as an artist

 

[Robbie3000]

He went in on RZA that last couple of chapters.



I don't know who is right or wrong, but I think bRZA probably got too much credit at the beginning and now gets too much blame because he is the QB/Coach.

Can't be an easy gig to get 9 wild street Middle Aged dudes on the same page.


I look forward to RZA rebutting U-God's claims though. Should make for some interesting interviews.

 

[nieman]

I think he hit shyt dead on when talking boyt wus business.

I didnt know each member put in 70gz a piece for wuwear and got nothing from it. Thats wavk.

I didnt know the members themselves had to pay rza to put the w on their albums. Thats wack.


While rza did release all of them from their contracts for nothing (ask suge and diddy if they ever did that) he def setup some shotty b.i. Practices by having divine be in control but really how much could rza actually do... someone has to handle the business and who better than your actual brother versus some random wholl def rob you.

For every negative thing rzas done there are positives.

Im still mad at the OUATIS album which ugod stated it exactly like how i seen it, cilvaringz lied to each member to get them to do an album for him.

Ringz van say he paid wvery member but meth already stated he complained about meths asking price which is what he gets paid to be on wu albums.

Album was never gon drop and rza got t shelved and made a million while doing so. But the clan def deserves bread from the sale... its their names that makeup wutang.

Its a slippery slope when it comes to business when you got a 12/13 man team (9/10 members of wu, dj mathamatics, power and divine). Its very hard to place blame.

All i can say is while rza DOES do pretty kuch everything when it comes to their albums, HE WANTED that position... so when he comes up short he should be held accountable because hes the one who wants to juggle 9 careers at once.

Deck is the biggest casualty of wus business. Dude shoulda been as big as rae, nas, etc but instead hes doing shyt with 7l and esoteric...this the dude with the most famous wu verses and yet hes treated like a nobody.

Wu Wear was all Power though

According to RZA, Meth and Rae, they can all use the W. They problem comes when they use it for other people.

And honestly, I never saw a problem with Once Upon a Time. According to the only tracklisting released, that ish is The Swarm Pt 4. That was done solely by Cilvaringz, RZA didn't even know about it, until 11th hour. RZA wasn't behind that at all. All of his promotion was for A Better Tomorrow. He only mentioned A Better Tomorrow in interviews, until it flopped. If you want to release it as a W project, you need RZA's blessing. Why would the rest of the Clan be broken off when they're not W unless it's a W project? They aren't eating off of each other's projects anymore for them to get a cut.

 

[Jimmy the gent]

Wu Wear was all Power though

According to RZA, Meth and Rae, they can all use the W. They problem comes when they use it for other people.

And honestly, I never saw a problem with Once Upon a Time. According to the only tracklisting released, that ish is The Swarm Pt 4. That was done solely by Cilvaringz, RZA didn't even know about it, until 11th hour. RZA wasn't behind that at all. All of his promotion was for A Better Tomorrow. He only mentioned A Better Tomorrow in interviews, until it flopped. If you want to release it as a W project, you need RZA's blessing. Why would the rest of the Clan be broken off when they're not W unless it's a W project? They aren't eating off of each other's projects anymore for them to get a cut.

Yeah, he even throws it out there casually while talking to DMX on the phone in Belly

 

[mson]

UGod is on Fallon right now!

 

[Cheech&Chong]

i was hyped for the book but all these excerpts killed it kinda. Is it all like Prodigys book of im the king off all and am never wrong. I hope its not all unbelievable duck tales. Like prodigy trying to take credit for cams pink phase.

 

[SonnyDecay]

i was hyped for the book but all these excerpts killed it kinda. Is it all like Prodigys book of im the king off all and am never wrong. I hope its not all unbelievable duck tales. Like prodigy trying to take credit for cams pink phase.

nah he's actually talking about his l's quite a lot

 

[mortuus est]

i was hyped for the book but all these excerpts killed it kinda. Is it all like Prodigys book of im the king off all and am never wrong. I hope its not all unbelievable duck tales. Like prodigy trying to take credit for cams pink phase.

i never finished the prodigy book

but

ugod's book is very good, very descriptive , i thought this wasn't going to be good based on it being Ugod and his life (sorry gawd)
i put this neck and neck with rza's book tao of the wu , ugods's book is very humble imo you get to see the other side of wu members from a different perspective , his relationship with meth, ghost and rza

also the gems he drops in this book are relatable