u mad son?
All Star
have the snippets been taken down?>
Raekwon - Fly International Luxurious Art (F.I.L.A.) (Discussion Thread)
- Thread starter Billy Ocean
- Start date
Still working for me, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're removed from the Amazon UK site soon.
Big Mel
@bigboss
Cover and features look horrible.
Off these snippets, I'm really diggin the Scram Jones joints. He's really stepped up his beatmaking over the past few years.
Did you listen to the snippets?
Prolific_1011
All Star
Snippets sound dope!
Big Mel
@bigboss
Listen to them. I looked at the tracklisting and production credits and thought the album would sound "ehhh" but it actually sounds kinda promising.
CIVIL INTERVIEW: RAEKWON TALKS AUTHENTICITY, ‘FLY INTERNATIONAL LUXURIOUS ART’ AND MORE
Raekwon is a loving father, self-proclaimed foodie and legendary rapper. A member of the famed Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon has been blessed with a career as both a member of a prolific rap group and celebrated solo artist.
“I still love what I do. The day I lose that, the love for it, that’s when it’s gonna be over,” Rae said in the comforts of his studio.
With his seventh album looming on an upcoming April 28th release, the Chef promises fans that it will be an authentically crafted work of art to be proud of. Check out the interview below and find out what a Raekwon entree on a menu would be in the following pages.
You have witnessed hip-hop undergo a cycle of changes, what is one thing you miss most about hip-hop from when you first started?
Raekwon: I miss the true artistic talent that brothers was coming to the table with – like it was always about everybody coming with a solid body of work. To demand a respect that they deserve as an artist. I’m not just talking about hip-hop, I’m talking about hip-hop and R&B. Everything didn’t sound the same, nobody capitalized off of one producer, it wasn’t about how much money you had. If you had a bag, you still was that nikka if you didn’t have a bag. It was just about your talents. I just miss the authenticity of what it used to be. I still respect what’s going on today as far as young cats coming up, building their own following, fan club. I respect that. From an artist aspect it’s so important to have that authenticity. I just think that we blurry with that.
Was there ever a moment where you took a step back and questioned your place as a hip-hop artist?
Raekwon: I think I got the best job in the world. Going through all the cycles that you go through, it’s kinda like as an artist it’s built for you to have to go through these changes. I’ve been in worse positions where I look at life like when you think stuff is fukked up for you, take a look at the next person that got it worse. I have my moments when I don’t understand how the politics of things work. But I think it’s just all about having to understand the business more and know how it’s climbing in many other ways.
What are your thoughts on “bringing New York back” as far as hip-hop is concerned?
Raekwon:I just try to make sure that I give them something, and give the world something that I would think that they would want. I try not to sit here and be like ‘yo I’m bringing New York back’ or whatever. New York is what it is, we always been here, the pioneer level of it. I just try to make hip-hop.
“Wall To Wall” is so New York, how did you connect with French Montana for that record?
Raekwon: I known French [Montana] a long time. He out here working and I appreciate seeing cats come in and earning they stripes, not just thinking they gonna get ‘em because of who they are. It’s only a certain amount of cats that’s out there that have the relationship with the young generation and I happen to be one of them guys. Between me, Snoop, Bun B – everybody love us. It feels good to know that people respect what we’ve done, they respect my crew, they respect the road that we paved for everybody and I think it’s just my job to show love back.
Fly International Luxurious Art will be your seventh album, what will this project say about you artistically?
Raekwon: Fly International Luxurious Art – it just tell you I’m a rich glass of wine man that anybody loves the taste. I’m fly, internationally known and luxurious. People are going to hear it and see my growth, they are going to say to themselves “for a 20-year veteran, he still got it.” It’s about giving people a lifestyle album that’s dope. My music is intelligently made and crafted.
With so many years under your belt, what has been your biggest lesson?
Raekwon:Being able to learn the business more, get better with my craft, my art, build better relationships with brands and just as an artist sometimes we don’t realize our power until we have to go the stretch of a long distance, until we are like “oh shyt I’m somebody in this shyt.” It might have took me 10 years to go from rapper to CEO because I was caught up in so much in the culture of doing my job. Now it’s a different job because I still gotta do that, but now I’m on the CEO position. I run my on label, Ice H20 Records, we got artist that I’m working with. I’m getting things done now more independently than when I was with a label. I have a lot of people that love to work with me now.
How do you scope out the artists you take on to your label?
Raekwon: I study them and I study how much history they know about what they’re into. You can just tell sometimes when you meet them, body language tells everything. When you look in the person’s eyes, you can just tell what you see if he about that life when it come to being an artist, entertainer, highly respected in the game.
What about these younger artists – what’s it like when you meet them?
Raekwon: The other day I met Joey Bada$$ for the first time. We had an event together at the All Star weekend, and he came and dapped me and I dapped him. We talked about working together. I think that once we can relate to each other more, as guys in the game that done so much work, it conditions us to be humble to know how important it is to get to that level. I look at myself when I was in his shoes, that’s how I felt when [Big Daddy] Kane at Shay 45 said “yo you a legend, don’t ever let anybody tell you aint in the books” and that’s all he said and that gave me peace. At the end of the day just be humble, respect the craft, appreciate your fans, just do your job it’s still a job.
Being able to use sources like GoFundMe or Fanbacked to create projects, what inspired your decision to go that route?
Raekwon: It’s not so much about the funding, we can get that from anywhere. It’s about being charitable to the movement, us watching each others back, giving me the opportunity to bring in my fans instead of sitting in a room with an executive. I’d prefer to sit with my fans and hear where they coming from. If this is something you care about and you want to be attached to it, you might have $5 but you’ll have a million dollar thought. I wanted to have the fans attached – y’all know what it takes, y’all know what we looking for, you know the way I think, what I like. A lot of artists don’t take their fans to be so important to their lives and for me, 20 years B…what the fukk? They still checking for you? It’s hard not to be attached to them. I’m doing this for the fans.
We all know you love food, if you were an entree what would you be?
Raekwon: I would be a mean salmon – big piece of fish, sautéed right, asparagus, big branches with butter on it, nice baked potato. A good meal, something you would want to appreciate.
What is your go-to on the road meal?
Raekwon: I like a lot of turkey and cheese sandwiches. I never was the type to like a big sandwich – two slices of turkey, two slices of cheese, make it nice and lean. We try to eat a lot of fruit, put some greens in your body, which is important. Every now and then we knocking down salads and eat healthy but still – if pizza walk through the door, let me get two of them shyts! I like Jamaican food, I like spicy food, love fish, try to get a lot of things grilled, shyt like that. We gotta still try and make sure we doing the right things with our body, you don’t want to feel crazy. We getting older. Drinking a lot of water, we love drinking that shyt.
What type of plate is Fly International Luxurious Art?
Raekwon: For me the plate is $1,500, quality and taste. The album is well rounded and I’m just excited for everyone to get it and base their opinions. As an artist, we tend to listen to our heart first. It’s so important we do that. Sometimes you want to please the fans, but you can’t. One minute they want this, then they want you to do that. Then when you do that, they don’t want that no more. People want to see you grow, then go “nah we want that vintage,” so it’s like got damn, I can’t get to y’all but I’m hearing y’all. So I’m going with my heart, doing what people expect me to do, take every verse and every song like it’s my last song in the game.
http://karencivil.com/2015/03/19/ci...ity-fly-international-luxurious-art-and-more/
Raekwon is a loving father, self-proclaimed foodie and legendary rapper. A member of the famed Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon has been blessed with a career as both a member of a prolific rap group and celebrated solo artist.
“I still love what I do. The day I lose that, the love for it, that’s when it’s gonna be over,” Rae said in the comforts of his studio.
With his seventh album looming on an upcoming April 28th release, the Chef promises fans that it will be an authentically crafted work of art to be proud of. Check out the interview below and find out what a Raekwon entree on a menu would be in the following pages.
You have witnessed hip-hop undergo a cycle of changes, what is one thing you miss most about hip-hop from when you first started?
Raekwon: I miss the true artistic talent that brothers was coming to the table with – like it was always about everybody coming with a solid body of work. To demand a respect that they deserve as an artist. I’m not just talking about hip-hop, I’m talking about hip-hop and R&B. Everything didn’t sound the same, nobody capitalized off of one producer, it wasn’t about how much money you had. If you had a bag, you still was that nikka if you didn’t have a bag. It was just about your talents. I just miss the authenticity of what it used to be. I still respect what’s going on today as far as young cats coming up, building their own following, fan club. I respect that. From an artist aspect it’s so important to have that authenticity. I just think that we blurry with that.
Was there ever a moment where you took a step back and questioned your place as a hip-hop artist?
Raekwon: I think I got the best job in the world. Going through all the cycles that you go through, it’s kinda like as an artist it’s built for you to have to go through these changes. I’ve been in worse positions where I look at life like when you think stuff is fukked up for you, take a look at the next person that got it worse. I have my moments when I don’t understand how the politics of things work. But I think it’s just all about having to understand the business more and know how it’s climbing in many other ways.
What are your thoughts on “bringing New York back” as far as hip-hop is concerned?
Raekwon:I just try to make sure that I give them something, and give the world something that I would think that they would want. I try not to sit here and be like ‘yo I’m bringing New York back’ or whatever. New York is what it is, we always been here, the pioneer level of it. I just try to make hip-hop.
“Wall To Wall” is so New York, how did you connect with French Montana for that record?
Raekwon: I known French [Montana] a long time. He out here working and I appreciate seeing cats come in and earning they stripes, not just thinking they gonna get ‘em because of who they are. It’s only a certain amount of cats that’s out there that have the relationship with the young generation and I happen to be one of them guys. Between me, Snoop, Bun B – everybody love us. It feels good to know that people respect what we’ve done, they respect my crew, they respect the road that we paved for everybody and I think it’s just my job to show love back.
Fly International Luxurious Art will be your seventh album, what will this project say about you artistically?
Raekwon: Fly International Luxurious Art – it just tell you I’m a rich glass of wine man that anybody loves the taste. I’m fly, internationally known and luxurious. People are going to hear it and see my growth, they are going to say to themselves “for a 20-year veteran, he still got it.” It’s about giving people a lifestyle album that’s dope. My music is intelligently made and crafted.
With so many years under your belt, what has been your biggest lesson?
Raekwon:Being able to learn the business more, get better with my craft, my art, build better relationships with brands and just as an artist sometimes we don’t realize our power until we have to go the stretch of a long distance, until we are like “oh shyt I’m somebody in this shyt.” It might have took me 10 years to go from rapper to CEO because I was caught up in so much in the culture of doing my job. Now it’s a different job because I still gotta do that, but now I’m on the CEO position. I run my on label, Ice H20 Records, we got artist that I’m working with. I’m getting things done now more independently than when I was with a label. I have a lot of people that love to work with me now.
How do you scope out the artists you take on to your label?
Raekwon: I study them and I study how much history they know about what they’re into. You can just tell sometimes when you meet them, body language tells everything. When you look in the person’s eyes, you can just tell what you see if he about that life when it come to being an artist, entertainer, highly respected in the game.
What about these younger artists – what’s it like when you meet them?
Raekwon: The other day I met Joey Bada$$ for the first time. We had an event together at the All Star weekend, and he came and dapped me and I dapped him. We talked about working together. I think that once we can relate to each other more, as guys in the game that done so much work, it conditions us to be humble to know how important it is to get to that level. I look at myself when I was in his shoes, that’s how I felt when [Big Daddy] Kane at Shay 45 said “yo you a legend, don’t ever let anybody tell you aint in the books” and that’s all he said and that gave me peace. At the end of the day just be humble, respect the craft, appreciate your fans, just do your job it’s still a job.
Being able to use sources like GoFundMe or Fanbacked to create projects, what inspired your decision to go that route?
Raekwon: It’s not so much about the funding, we can get that from anywhere. It’s about being charitable to the movement, us watching each others back, giving me the opportunity to bring in my fans instead of sitting in a room with an executive. I’d prefer to sit with my fans and hear where they coming from. If this is something you care about and you want to be attached to it, you might have $5 but you’ll have a million dollar thought. I wanted to have the fans attached – y’all know what it takes, y’all know what we looking for, you know the way I think, what I like. A lot of artists don’t take their fans to be so important to their lives and for me, 20 years B…what the fukk? They still checking for you? It’s hard not to be attached to them. I’m doing this for the fans.
We all know you love food, if you were an entree what would you be?
Raekwon: I would be a mean salmon – big piece of fish, sautéed right, asparagus, big branches with butter on it, nice baked potato. A good meal, something you would want to appreciate.
What is your go-to on the road meal?
Raekwon: I like a lot of turkey and cheese sandwiches. I never was the type to like a big sandwich – two slices of turkey, two slices of cheese, make it nice and lean. We try to eat a lot of fruit, put some greens in your body, which is important. Every now and then we knocking down salads and eat healthy but still – if pizza walk through the door, let me get two of them shyts! I like Jamaican food, I like spicy food, love fish, try to get a lot of things grilled, shyt like that. We gotta still try and make sure we doing the right things with our body, you don’t want to feel crazy. We getting older. Drinking a lot of water, we love drinking that shyt.
What type of plate is Fly International Luxurious Art?
Raekwon: For me the plate is $1,500, quality and taste. The album is well rounded and I’m just excited for everyone to get it and base their opinions. As an artist, we tend to listen to our heart first. It’s so important we do that. Sometimes you want to please the fans, but you can’t. One minute they want this, then they want you to do that. Then when you do that, they don’t want that no more. People want to see you grow, then go “nah we want that vintage,” so it’s like got damn, I can’t get to y’all but I’m hearing y’all. So I’m going with my heart, doing what people expect me to do, take every verse and every song like it’s my last song in the game.
http://karencivil.com/2015/03/19/ci...ity-fly-international-luxurious-art-and-more/
Raekwon Talks ‘Fly International Luxurious Art’ Album, Ghostface Killah’s Guidance, Collaborating With Kendrick Lamar & More [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]:
Raekwon’s groundbreaking hip-hop bible of sorts, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, celebrates its 20-year anniversary in August, but before he begins reflecting on the past with The Purple Tape Files, the Chef is preparing to drop his highly anticipated sixth studio album, Fly International Luxurious Art (F.I.L.A.).
The album is a long time coming as Raekwon began promoting the project as early as 2013. While he spent two years working on the LP, the “Wall to Wall” rhymer blessed fans with a Lost Jewlry EP, the first effort released under his own Ice H2O Records. Then he continued to please his supporters with hardcore bars on ”Son of Sam,” ”Whatever Baby” and the gangster-loving tribute to his female fans “All About You” featuring Estelle.
But just as fans were getting amped for Rae season, he took a break from his own project to devote his energy to his brothers, the Wu-Tang Clan, to craft their A Better Tomorrow effort last year. Thankfully, the Chef didn’t leave the kitchen for long. This time around, he paints vivid pictures wrapped in his gritty New York flow and focused more on the production end. He handpicked all of the beats to once again create the ultimate cinematic rap soundtrack.
With F.I.L.A., his first full-length solo album in four years, ready for an April 28 release, The Boombox chats with the MC to get down to the basics. During our talk, he addresses his musical relationship with RZA, drops knowledge on longevity in the game and even reveals which newer rapper he is looking to collaborate with next. Check out the discussion below.
The Boombox: We know about songs like “Wall to Wall” with French Montana that will be on the album. Describe another song you’re excited for fans to hear that you haven’t mentioned before.
Raekwon: To be honest with you, I can’t even choose just one because there are so many dope records on the album. One might hit me today and that might just be the one. But that’s how I have always tried to make my music. I always make every song as best as the last record, so that when I hear it collectively, I like all of them because I put my foot in this one.
Well, what’s your mood like today? Which song are you gravitating towards?
You know me, I like storytelling rhymes. It doesn’t really have to be about bragging or nothing, it’s just the way it sounds and feels in the car. I think it would have to be one of the songs I have by myself its called “Live and Die.” It’s me telling a story over a hard beat — I call that my signature flow. Everyone knows Rae tells stories so I would really go with that one.
You worked with Estelle in the past on “Chop Chop Ninja” off Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang and again in 2013 on “All About You,” for this album. What is about her voice that you think adds to your music?
Yeah, I mean it really depends. I am a big fan of R&B music. You know we [Wu-Tang Clan] was always down with SWV and all that back in the day and you know we did some Jodeci records. As for Estelle, she’s a dope artist out of Britain and it goes with the whole Fly International Luxurious Art movement. Having someone out there with that voice and I am a big fan of hers, so it was the perfect mesh. I had a super producer come in and produce “All About You” and it just felt good so we went for it. I don’t mind working with artists I have worked with before because if we made great music, then let it be. But that record is more for the women and me thinking of y’all.
Talk about a studio session for this project that is really memorable to you.
Well, you know I have that kind of story for the whole album. I been in the game — a 20-year veteran — so I just wanted to give people what they expected from me. But with a little bit more growth to it, a little more intellect. I wanted to really plan and map it out. I just tried to go in the studio and have fun. The greatest thing to an MC is to have the right production to get them motivated. For this album, I sat around with a lot of great people who listened to my music and got to understand the artist that I am and they also helped uplift it. That’s why when people listen to the album, they will hear that it’s full of color and adventure. I think I not only did my thing as just me being on records alone, but it’s the teamwork. Having other artists jump on it just started to develop it’s own type of sound. I wanted it to be a bigger sound.
For your Wu-Tang albums, there’s a lot more team work going on. Who do you work closely with or turn to for advice on songs when it comes to finalizing a solo album like Fly International Luxurious Art?
I would definitely say Ghostface. Ghost is one of my favorites in the group. I love all of my brothers, but he was there more or less to give me some guidance on what he liked on the album or the features that I picked. He was always like the big brother I could call and ask for advice.
Last year, in a Rolling Stone interview, you mentioned that the Wu-Tang “is being compromised by RZA’s so-called ‘logic’ of making music.” Do you still feel that way?
We always have musical differences and directions of where we want our music to go. I guess that’s what always brings the best out of us. It’s that we are so critical of each other. Sometimes he might be on and sometimes he may be off. Sometimes I may be on and other times I’m not. But we have that relationship where we have to be like that sometimes with one another. That’s the yin and the yang. It’s like you don’t ever want your brothers to feel like you are setting them up for failure. But one thing I can say is if you allow someone to make you fail, then that’s on you. As a group, we are always going to remain one of the illest groups of all time, regardless of the climate of the record.
As far as the Wu-Tang album [A Better Tomorrow], we let him drive the bus. He had a concept, he had a vision and we all came together to fulfill the vision. We wanted more because we are still here doing it. All of this happened when I started working on my solo album so I had to put my work on the back burner. I said, “Let me see what’s going on and pay homage to the team.”
You are known for your cinematic approach to albums and storytelling. What kind of film would you compare Fly International Luxurious Art to?
That’s a good question. I think the album would be more like Casino, starring Robert De Niro. He’s one of my favorite actors. That’s how I do look at my music. Fly International Luxurious Art is not only a really good adventure, but it’s an album where you don’t have to worry about being bored with it. I call it a classic because it’s hard to make an album that you don’t have to touch. Anything that you can just put on and be like, “Yo this s— is going to take me on a natural high.” Then it becomes timeless and that’s how I always make music. I never come in and say, “Let me just get my two hot singles.”
You have been in this game for more than two decades and have seen artists come and go. With your sixth solo album on the way, what are some of your tips for remaining one of the G.O.A.T.s in the business?
Stay humble and love what you do and don’t feel like you are over with. I think people start to feel like their time is up and they start to give up hope that they can never do it again. But as long as you attach yourself into knowing what’s going on and stay relevant with your peers in the game, that’s what keeps you at the top of your game. I think that a lot of the times our greats — like the legends Big Daddy Kane and Rakim — probably just had enough. Of course to me, they still do their thing, they are on another level of greatness. Their legend is more powerful because they were able to sit on that throne now and they used to sit from here [Raekwon moves his hands up and down to show levels of rank].
Which new artists are you checking for right now?
There are a couple of artists out there that are dope. I would like to work with Kendrick Lamar. I think he is really lyrical. That would be crazy. He has that aggressive flow. You know what I would want to do, honestly, with some of the dudes I want to work with? I just want to pick the beats because that’s what I did on this album. I made it my business to play an A&R position too, and get records that I felt complemented that artist. It’s the same with the French record — me, French and Busta, I hand-selected them both for “Wall to Wall.”
So it’s architecture?
Yeah, just like that. Rae’s an architect. I like the sound of that.
http://theboombox.com/raekwon-fly-international-luxurious-art-album-interview/
Raekwon’s groundbreaking hip-hop bible of sorts, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, celebrates its 20-year anniversary in August, but before he begins reflecting on the past with The Purple Tape Files, the Chef is preparing to drop his highly anticipated sixth studio album, Fly International Luxurious Art (F.I.L.A.).
The album is a long time coming as Raekwon began promoting the project as early as 2013. While he spent two years working on the LP, the “Wall to Wall” rhymer blessed fans with a Lost Jewlry EP, the first effort released under his own Ice H2O Records. Then he continued to please his supporters with hardcore bars on ”Son of Sam,” ”Whatever Baby” and the gangster-loving tribute to his female fans “All About You” featuring Estelle.
But just as fans were getting amped for Rae season, he took a break from his own project to devote his energy to his brothers, the Wu-Tang Clan, to craft their A Better Tomorrow effort last year. Thankfully, the Chef didn’t leave the kitchen for long. This time around, he paints vivid pictures wrapped in his gritty New York flow and focused more on the production end. He handpicked all of the beats to once again create the ultimate cinematic rap soundtrack.
With F.I.L.A., his first full-length solo album in four years, ready for an April 28 release, The Boombox chats with the MC to get down to the basics. During our talk, he addresses his musical relationship with RZA, drops knowledge on longevity in the game and even reveals which newer rapper he is looking to collaborate with next. Check out the discussion below.
The Boombox: We know about songs like “Wall to Wall” with French Montana that will be on the album. Describe another song you’re excited for fans to hear that you haven’t mentioned before.
Raekwon: To be honest with you, I can’t even choose just one because there are so many dope records on the album. One might hit me today and that might just be the one. But that’s how I have always tried to make my music. I always make every song as best as the last record, so that when I hear it collectively, I like all of them because I put my foot in this one.
Well, what’s your mood like today? Which song are you gravitating towards?
You know me, I like storytelling rhymes. It doesn’t really have to be about bragging or nothing, it’s just the way it sounds and feels in the car. I think it would have to be one of the songs I have by myself its called “Live and Die.” It’s me telling a story over a hard beat — I call that my signature flow. Everyone knows Rae tells stories so I would really go with that one.
You worked with Estelle in the past on “Chop Chop Ninja” off Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang and again in 2013 on “All About You,” for this album. What is about her voice that you think adds to your music?
Yeah, I mean it really depends. I am a big fan of R&B music. You know we [Wu-Tang Clan] was always down with SWV and all that back in the day and you know we did some Jodeci records. As for Estelle, she’s a dope artist out of Britain and it goes with the whole Fly International Luxurious Art movement. Having someone out there with that voice and I am a big fan of hers, so it was the perfect mesh. I had a super producer come in and produce “All About You” and it just felt good so we went for it. I don’t mind working with artists I have worked with before because if we made great music, then let it be. But that record is more for the women and me thinking of y’all.
Talk about a studio session for this project that is really memorable to you.
Well, you know I have that kind of story for the whole album. I been in the game — a 20-year veteran — so I just wanted to give people what they expected from me. But with a little bit more growth to it, a little more intellect. I wanted to really plan and map it out. I just tried to go in the studio and have fun. The greatest thing to an MC is to have the right production to get them motivated. For this album, I sat around with a lot of great people who listened to my music and got to understand the artist that I am and they also helped uplift it. That’s why when people listen to the album, they will hear that it’s full of color and adventure. I think I not only did my thing as just me being on records alone, but it’s the teamwork. Having other artists jump on it just started to develop it’s own type of sound. I wanted it to be a bigger sound.
For your Wu-Tang albums, there’s a lot more team work going on. Who do you work closely with or turn to for advice on songs when it comes to finalizing a solo album like Fly International Luxurious Art?
I would definitely say Ghostface. Ghost is one of my favorites in the group. I love all of my brothers, but he was there more or less to give me some guidance on what he liked on the album or the features that I picked. He was always like the big brother I could call and ask for advice.
Last year, in a Rolling Stone interview, you mentioned that the Wu-Tang “is being compromised by RZA’s so-called ‘logic’ of making music.” Do you still feel that way?
We always have musical differences and directions of where we want our music to go. I guess that’s what always brings the best out of us. It’s that we are so critical of each other. Sometimes he might be on and sometimes he may be off. Sometimes I may be on and other times I’m not. But we have that relationship where we have to be like that sometimes with one another. That’s the yin and the yang. It’s like you don’t ever want your brothers to feel like you are setting them up for failure. But one thing I can say is if you allow someone to make you fail, then that’s on you. As a group, we are always going to remain one of the illest groups of all time, regardless of the climate of the record.
As far as the Wu-Tang album [A Better Tomorrow], we let him drive the bus. He had a concept, he had a vision and we all came together to fulfill the vision. We wanted more because we are still here doing it. All of this happened when I started working on my solo album so I had to put my work on the back burner. I said, “Let me see what’s going on and pay homage to the team.”
You are known for your cinematic approach to albums and storytelling. What kind of film would you compare Fly International Luxurious Art to?
That’s a good question. I think the album would be more like Casino, starring Robert De Niro. He’s one of my favorite actors. That’s how I do look at my music. Fly International Luxurious Art is not only a really good adventure, but it’s an album where you don’t have to worry about being bored with it. I call it a classic because it’s hard to make an album that you don’t have to touch. Anything that you can just put on and be like, “Yo this s— is going to take me on a natural high.” Then it becomes timeless and that’s how I always make music. I never come in and say, “Let me just get my two hot singles.”
You have been in this game for more than two decades and have seen artists come and go. With your sixth solo album on the way, what are some of your tips for remaining one of the G.O.A.T.s in the business?
Stay humble and love what you do and don’t feel like you are over with. I think people start to feel like their time is up and they start to give up hope that they can never do it again. But as long as you attach yourself into knowing what’s going on and stay relevant with your peers in the game, that’s what keeps you at the top of your game. I think that a lot of the times our greats — like the legends Big Daddy Kane and Rakim — probably just had enough. Of course to me, they still do their thing, they are on another level of greatness. Their legend is more powerful because they were able to sit on that throne now and they used to sit from here [Raekwon moves his hands up and down to show levels of rank].
Which new artists are you checking for right now?
There are a couple of artists out there that are dope. I would like to work with Kendrick Lamar. I think he is really lyrical. That would be crazy. He has that aggressive flow. You know what I would want to do, honestly, with some of the dudes I want to work with? I just want to pick the beats because that’s what I did on this album. I made it my business to play an A&R position too, and get records that I felt complemented that artist. It’s the same with the French record — me, French and Busta, I hand-selected them both for “Wall to Wall.”
So it’s architecture?
Yeah, just like that. Rae’s an architect. I like the sound of that.
http://theboombox.com/raekwon-fly-international-luxurious-art-album-interview/
Snippets sound 10x better then that trash weed plate Wu album
CHAIN
All Star
lol @ the snippets
Did this nikka make a good album all by himself?
This actually sounds good.
Did this nikka make a good album all by himself?
This actually sounds good.
Big Mel
@bigboss
How many beats did scram do?
ZEB WALTON
ayo! - BEZ
that rick ross track sounds like a heater
this shyt sounds hot!!!
adn i love that estelle all about you joint, old as hell, lol..but still knocks.