Yesterday, HipHopDX spoke with Compton, California emcee Game about his just-released double mixtape Purp & Patron. After revealing that Nas is a fan of “The Kill”
and how iconic deejay Funkmaster Flex got involved with the project, Game also confirmed reports that Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA had sent a cease-and-desist to Game and the media over the song “Heartbreaker.”
On Wednesday, January 26, 2011 Universal Music Publishing Group sent an “unauthorized use” letter on behalf of Robert Diggs (a/k/a RZA) to several media companies, including HipHopDX.com, asking for the removal of “Heartbreaker” from Purp & Patron, on behalf of the Wu’s co-founder. The song has since been removed from the double-mixtape on DX. Yesterday, Game weighed in with what happened behind the scenes.
“I think RZA [is] tryin’ to sue about [‘Heartbreaker’] or somethin’,” confirmed Game to HipHopDX yesterday. “That’s fuckin’ crazy. Like, I don’t even know how RZA sues The Game.” From Game’s understanding, the song was an agreement. “He came to the studio and brought the [‘Heartbreaker’] track to me. He’s like, ‘Yo Game, this is for you. You can have that.’ Those are his words.” Game also maintains that RZA’s company on that day, Rev. Burke, was invited to rhyme on the record. “His boy spit crazy. I [rapped after] him.”
Originally unsure what to do with the final product, the team learned that there were problems with the song’s composition. “We found out that the sample was un-clearable,” said Game about the Grand Funk Railroad song of the same name. “For anybody.” In the rapper’s eyes, that made the song unusable for his upcoming R.E.D. album. “So I threw it out [on a mixtape]. The next thing I know RZA is suing The Game. That shit’s crazy. I didn’t even know Wu-Tang sued niggas.” Although the Aftermath Entertainment star was taken aback by the news, he says it’s nothing personal. “I still got nothin’ but respect for RZA [and] the whole Wu, and all of that. I’m good. I’m good friends with Ghostface [Killah] and [Raekwon] and Method [Man]. Those are my dudes. I would never speak down on RZA or any of those dudes for that matter – not that any of those dudes [have anything] to do with this conversation. But with the Wu, you gotta speak to a pack. It’s all love.” Last year, Game appeared on Ghostface Killah’s album, Apollo Kids. On Game’s last album, L.A.X., Raekwon appeared.
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Although the song is presently an endangered species with Universal Publishing’s cease-and-desist on behalf of RZA, Game remains complimentary of RZA’s latest lyrical protege. “This dude Rev. Burke, he threw some shots out. He had a crazy lil’ pimp swag. He had two girls with him; they were lookin’ at this lil’ nigga like he was Jesus and shit, while he was spittin’ in the booth. I felt like when he was in the booth, that I was in the movie The Mack. This nigga was standin’ there rockin’ back and forth at the mic, and these chicks was dancin’ slow and seductively. Shit was crazy.”
