NBC’s Nitecap recently caught up with Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan to discuss his expanding business empire and upcoming projects. The Wu Gambino discussed his Ice H20 imprint and how he’s taking his company outside the States with recent signee JD Era. He said that he wants to help cultivate Canada’s ever-growing Hip Hop scene and afford up-and-coming artists like JD the chance to establish a platform in the USA.
“For me, dreaming is at the top of my list,” he said. “Right now, I’m building my brand up, my own personal company Ice H20 – which is not just myself, but a team of members which I have a lot of respect…[and] trust for, and they’re just helping me succeed and I’m helping them succeed in a great way to get where we want to go. Of course the label is important to me. You’re gonna see more artists come from under the Raekwon brand…I’ve got a new artist from Canada…JD Era, and this is me also expanding my brand with what I’m doing and taking it to other places…I want to be one of them guys to be used in a great way to help others to get on.”
Raekwon also spoke on his upcoming biographical film C.R.E.A.M., which is slated to star the Cool Kids’ Chuck Inglish as a young Raekwon and Cee-Lo Green as his father. Chef explained how the film first came together while recording 2009’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, and says that he hopes his own turbulent street-story wil help inspire the youth to keep hope even in their darkest hours.
“When I was working on my album [Only Built 4] Cuban Linx II, I actually sat down with a couple of my guys from my company and we wrote a story basically about my life,” he said. “It’s called C.R.E.A.M....[and] we finally got it together where it’s a great biopic film about a kid such as myself growing up in an urban neighborhood and having to deal with the day-to-day [problems], having to grow up in a single where you moms, she’s your mother and your father. All you know is the streets, you pay attention to things that go on [there] and then there become choices that you make. There’s been things that I’ve been involved with in my life, some good, some bad, but I consider myself having a full life. I just wanted to put it in a great storyline and basically give the young kid that’s coming from where I’m came an opportunity to see the things that I’ve been through because he may be able to relate [to it].”
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The full interview can be seen below.
