Raekwon Interview: Veteran Artist Speaks on Upcoming Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival Concert, Album

We spoke with veteran solo MC and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon ahead of his upcoming headlining performance at this year’s Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. The Chef, who has remained consistently relevant for more than two decades, talked about his longevity, how Brooklyn has changed, who taught him to be a man and what’s next on the menu.

With more than twenty years in the hip hop game, it is safe to say that Raekwon has figured out a formula to longevity. Hard work. Whether cooking up fire as an artist himself or guiding the direction of younger artists on his own label, Ice H20 Records, Raekwon brings a commitment to excellence nearly unrivaled today in the music industry. His dedication to both the art and business of hip hop became extremely clear when I recently sat down with him at Frank’s Chop Shop in the Lower East Side to discuss his upcoming performance at the 10th annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and the release of his latest full-length studio album Fly International Luxurious Art.

Farbeon: You’ve traveled and performed all over the world, how does it feel to be able to return and perform in New York City, headlining the 10th Anniversary of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival?

Raekwon: It’s a blessing because I don’t really do too many shows in my city, and whenever I do a show in my city it’s just overwhelming to me because this is the city that gave me the green light to go, to be able to have respect in other cities. This is my first time rocking with Brooklyn Bodega, so you know I’m just coming to put in work. I’m just coming to be an artist, to be a rapper and give a great quality of music. We’re gonna make sure of that. I’ve got a couple of tricks up my sleeve. You know we’re gonna have fun.

Farbeon: How different is performing in Brooklyn now as opposed to 20 years ago?

Raekwon: The Brooklyn I grew up with? You couldn’t do that! You couldn’t bring that kinda crowd out to Brooklyn cause it was scary, just the energy. Nowadays it can still get real, but it’s calmer. I’m proud to know that Brooklyn is being fixed up. You have all different nationalities that could live amongst each other. It’s changed a lot for the better. And in the end people respect great music in Brooklyn. And that’s what I love, that we can go out there and do a festival and have mad people come out and enjoy what we all enjoy, which is music. That’s beautiful.

Farbeon: One thing that I’ve always respected about you is your commitment to a high standard when it comes to both your artistic process… 

Raekwon: Thank you.

Farbeon: And also your professionalism in business…

Raekwon: Thank you. We try man. I try my best.

Farbeon: You talk a great deal about respecting cats in the game — even new cats — who put in the work, who “man up.” Who taught you to man up? More than music mentors, who taught you to be a man and handle your business the way you do?

Raekwon: I would say the streets and the team of men that I was around. You know, even when we was young we still walked like grown men. I would say it’s hood heroes who gave me the power to be who I wanted to be. When you don’t get an opportunity to see them — or even if they change — you still respect them for what they taught you. You know a lot of my heroes wound up being thieves and creeps, but dealing with me at that time, they was genuine. I can’t take away what society turns you into later on. All I can do is peep the fruits that was given to me at the time it was given to me.

Farbeon: What about the fruits of music? Hip hop? How ultimately has that changed you? 

Raekwon: You know, I had different transitions in my life that I didn’t think I would be anybody. You know what I mean? I come from the land of, “it’s not gonna happen.” And for you to get out of it and know that you’ve been accepted in something so great like music, it makes you stop and think, “Damn, me?!?  You gave that to me!?” I’m always gonna be appreciative of that. I love the culture more than anything. The money and the fame can come and go, but the culture is just something I can’t get away from. Even if I’m grayed out, I’m still gonna be in tune with who’s rocking. Because this is my life… My life revolves around music now. Before music it was selling drugs, not having shit. People think it’s easy to get a job coming out the hood. It ain’t easy. But hip hop supplies the kind of information that can really motivate us to be the best that we can be. I’m lucky, I found my lane and I just stuck with it.

Farbeon: So you’re about to drop your sixth full-length studio album, Fly International Luxurious Art.  You say it’s you at your lyrical best and that it’s also going to be the most commercially successful project you’ve had to date. How do you find a balance between creating music that is both easily accessible, but still pushes the envelope artistically? Something that many artists have struggled with.

Raekwon: I’m a businessman but I’m still an artist, so I have to make that cake that makes sense to everybody. You know, that everyone wants to eat and enjoy. When you reach certain levels of success, you don’t want to just stop. You want to keep being the best you can be. And from a business perspective I have to grow with time. It ain’t just about hearing Raekwon be the old Raekwon, the ten-years ago Raekwon. What’s up with the 2014 Raekwon? It’s like buying a car and you know that shit was dope back then, but damn it’s 2014 this shit better be super-ill!  That’s how I look at my ability on the mic.

Be ready for some raw hip hop again. Trust me, you’re gonna get something you ain’t gonna feel bad about spending that bread you spend to go get it.

Farbeon: And your fans are going to give F.I.L.A. that level of respect?

Raekwon: This album has definitely reached that level of respect, because it’s given me the opportunity to give you who you still want from me, but see a nigga still elevate. It ain’t over for a nigga until I say it’s over. It ain’t over because you getting older or whatever. You see other cat’s in the business — actually the majority cats who’s actually winning is at least in their late 30s. So it don’t stop until you want it to stop. And that’s what’s going on with me. I’m feeling good! This album is official! And when it drops be ready for some raw hip hop again. Trust me, you’re gonna get something you ain’t gonna feel bad about spending that bread you spend to go get it.

Farbeon: Final question, I’ve heard you mention that making records is just a platform… That there is much more to “The Chef” as a human being. That being said, what’s a typical day off like for you? When not in the studio, touring, running a record label, what do you do to relax, to have fun?

Raekwon: It’s simple… I’m chillin’ on a day off. I’m chillin’. Blowing trees… And planning.

You can catch Raekwon co-headline this year’s Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival alongside Jay Electronica on July 12th at 50 Kent in Williamsburg. Fly International Luxurious Art is set to drop on September 16th and will feature guests such as Akon and Snoop Dogg.

[author image=”https://www.birthplacemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/farbeon.jpg” ]FARBEON is a Brooklyn-based community artist who has graced stages, panels and classrooms throughout the United States and abroad. In addition to rocking shows with The Last Poets, Rob Swift, Fishbone, J-Live, Method Man, Camp-Lo, Aloe Blacc & DJ Exile, he has co-taught classes with Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, Sadat X and Fab Five Freddy. He is the Founding Director for the Hip Hop Re:Education Project (www.reeducate.org) and NYC Project Director for the BronxBerlinConnection, a year-round cross cultural exchange program that uses Hip Hop to explore and express the unique experiences of urban youth around the world, the critical challenges they face and the solutions necessary to enact change in their communities. In March of 2012, he was recognized as NY1 New Yorker of the Week for his work with both organizations. For more information on Farbeon, please check out: www.farbeon.com. Check out more photos from the interview at www.farbeonphoto.com.[/author]