Raekwon Says Wu-Tang Clan Doesn’t Get Enough Credit for Changing Hip-Hop

Wu-Tang Clan’s legacy goes without saying, but even so, Raekwon feels the collective deserves more credit than they’ve received over the years.

While reflecting on his goals during a recent episode of The Almanac of Rap, the Wu-Tang Clan rapper spoke about the group’s impact, specifically the ways he believes Wu-Tang helped reshape hip-hop business, artist independence and the blueprint for collective success.

“We get our flowers,” he said. “But I think we need bouquets.”

The conversation went beyond music itself. Raekwon also touched on Wu-Tang’s ability to branch into successful solo careers while still operating as a group, something Donwill described during the episode as “trendsetting” and “templatizing.”

For Raekwon, the Staten Island, N.Y.-bred crew’s biggest accomplishment was proving artists could build their own ecosystem and make it global.

“We proved that we could do it on our own,” he said. “Put people in the room with you and say, ‘Yo, let’s make this plan happen.’”

He also pointed to the ways newer artists and crews continue to follow a structure Wu-Tang helped establish decades ago. “How many artists is doing that right now?” he asked. “Thousands.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Raekwon reflected on longevity, mentorship and continuing to evolve as an artist while staying connected to the culture that changed his life.

“The money don’t… we all got money,” he said. “But at the end of the day, that don’t put you in the dictionary of real rap n****s when it comes to your heart, or how much you love what saved your life.”

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