INTERVIEW: RZA Talks Wu-Tang Final Chamber Tour, Cultural Leaders In Hip-Hop, Time Capsule, Aaliyah + More

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club Episode Featuring RZA and 50 Cent

Title: INTERVIEW: RZA Talks Wu-Tang Final Chamber Tour, Cultural Leaders In Hip-Hop, Time Capsule, Aaliyah + More
Host: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Release Date: March 3, 2025
Guests: RZA and 50 Cent

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Introduction and Tour Announcement

[02:09] DJ Envy kicks off the main segment by welcoming the special guests: RZA and 50 Cent. The hosts express excitement about having these legends back on tour.

[02:20] RZA responds enthusiastically, "The legend, RZA."

[02:22] 50 Cent adds, "Welcome back in the building."

The Final Chamber Tour

[02:25] DJ Envy inquires about the "Final Chamber" tour, asking 50 Cent about the challenges in organizing it.

[02:31] 50 Cent explains, “It's our last chance to run around the globe together... We named it Final Chamber to signify the culmination of our global journey as Wu-Tang.”

[03:03] RZA probes further, questioning the significance of the name "Final Chamber" beyond just the tour.

[03:09] 50 Cent elaborates, “Wu-Tang's forever... This tour is about bringing all nine members together on one stage, something rare for Wu-Tang shows.”

Production and Financial Aspects

[05:09] DJ Envy raises questions about the financial logistics, highlighting the costs of accommodating all members and their entourages.

[05:52] 50 Cent responds, “The finances are beautiful... The Wu-Tang legacy supports thousands of families, from union workers to truck drivers. This tour is not just about us; it's a village effort.”

He emphasizes the communal benefit, stating, “It's a moment of joy versus a moment of work.”

Community Impact and Legacy

[07:24] DJ Envy asks about accommodating each member’s needs for the tour.

[07:37] 50 Cent assures that all members' preferences are met to ensure satisfaction, “We accommodate their comforts to make this tour a joyful experience.”

[08:43] RZA questions the reliability of all members showing up.

[08:46] 50 Cent remains confident, saying, “The intention is strong. Everyone intends to be here, and we'll handle any glitches as they come.”

Wu-Tang Clan’s Musical Influence

[10:03] DJ Envy expresses excitement about upcoming albums.

[11:00] RZA praises Raekwon’s album, “Black Samsum,” highlighting its cultural significance and collaboration with Wu-Tang members.

[14:48] RZA recalls arranging tracks on the "Liquid Swords" album.

[14:55] 50 Cent shares his process, “I strive to evoke emotions, making listeners feel their spines tingle... It’s about creating a powerful narrative through music.”

Time Capsule Project

[25:33] DJ Envy inquires about lost records and the possibility of recreating them.

[25:43] 50 Cent reveals a new initiative: “We’re building a time capsule for the tour, inviting fans to contribute Wu-Tang memorabilia. The first item will be discs from the inspected Dex album.”

[27:00] RZA notes technological challenges, to which [27:02] 50 Cent responds, “Technologies to retrieve lost records like these don’t exist yet, making this time capsule a unique preservation effort.”

Evolution of Hip-Hop and Future Predictions

[30:48] RZA asks how Wu-Tang would be received if they started today.

[30:53] 50 Cent confidently states, “We’d still break through... The talent of Wu-Tang is undeniable, and the industry has evolved to appreciate authentic artistry.”

[52:21] 50 Cent discusses the need for innovation in hip-hop, “We always need a fresh jolt of energy. New artists are equipped with better tools and fresh perspectives to continue evolving the genre.”

Underrated Wu-Tang Tracks and Performances

[58:57] 50 Cent mentions "Gravel Pit" as an underrated Wu-Tang song, especially popular overseas.

[59:36] 50 Cent shares an anecdote about the song’s creation, originally intended for Aaliyah, highlighting the collaborative and creative processes within the group.

Discipline and Self-Mastery in the Music Industry

[61:26] DJ Envy closes the main interview by asking about the importance of discipline.

[61:26] 50 Cent emphasizes, “Discipline and self-mastery are crucial. Without knowledge of self, you're prone to fall. Health is wealth, and balancing personal life with career is essential in this fast-paced industry.”

He advises young artists to focus on personal growth and family, “Don’t get too caught up in it. Keep yourself and your family first.”

Conclusion and Final Remarks

[62:51] The hosts and guests exchange final thoughts, promoting the Final Chamber tour and expressing mutual appreciation.

[62:44] The segment wraps up with signature greetings from the hosts and guests, signaling the end of the interview.

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Notable Quotes

• 50 Cent on Tour Significance:

  “Wu-Tang's forever... This tour is about bringing all nine members together on one stage, something rare for Wu-Tang shows.” [03:03]

• 50 Cent on Financial Impact:

  “The Wu-Tang legacy supports thousands of families, from union workers to truck drivers. This tour is not just about us; it's a village effort.” [05:52]

• 50 Cent on Musical Emotion:

  “I strive to evoke emotions, making listeners feel their spines tingle... It’s about creating a powerful narrative through music.” [14:55]

• 50 Cent on Discipline:

  “Discipline and self-mastery are crucial. Without knowledge of self, you're prone to fall. Health is wealth, and balancing personal life with career is essential in this fast-paced industry.” [61:26]

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Key Takeaways

1. Final Chamber Tour: Celebrates Wu-Tang Clan’s enduring legacy, bringing all members together for a final global tour that emphasizes community and collective success.
2. Financial and Community Impact: The tour not only benefits the artists but also supports numerous families and workers involved in the production, highlighting Wu-Tang’s role in the broader community.
3. Musical Influence: Discussions around classic albums like "Liquid Swords" underscore Wu-Tang’s profound impact on hip-hop culture and music narratives.
4. Preservation Efforts: The innovative time capsule project aims to preserve Wu-Tang memorabilia, bridging past and future generations of fans.
5. Evolution of Hip-Hop: Both guests reflect on the genre’s evolution, predicting continued innovation driven by new artists equipped with better technology and fresh perspectives.
6. Personal Growth and Discipline: Emphasizing the importance of self-mastery, the guests advocate for balancing personal well-being with professional pursuits to sustain long-term success.

This episode offers a deep dive into Wu-Tang Clan’s legacy, the intricacies of their final tour, and their vision for the future of hip-hop, enriched with personal anecdotes and insightful reflections from RZA and 50 Cent.

Transcript

[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[RZA]

Peace to the planet Charlamagne Tha God here and I want you to know from Curtis 50 Cent Jackson and the executive producers of Power comes the explosive new season of the Starz original series Raising Kanan. In the riveting fourth season, slates have seemingly been wiped clean for Kanan, Rock and the rest of the Thomas family. However, in the eye of the storm, one very dangerous obstacle looms large. Unique is alive. Unique makes a volatile and violent return as he hunts to upend the lives of the Thomas family. Don't miss the season premiere of raising Canaan March 7th only on Starz and.

[Hunter]

The Starz App Hunter I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. Stories like Erica Hunt, a young mother vanished without a trace after a family gathering on 4th of July weekend 2016. No goodbyes, no clues, just gone. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Damien Hirst]

Do you remember what you said the first night I came over here?

[50 Cent]

Ow.

[DJ Envy]

Go slower.

[Damien Hirst]

From Blumhouse TV, iheart podcasts and ember 20 comes an all new fictional comedy podcast series. Join the flighty Damien Hirst as he unravels the mystery of his vanished boyfriend. I've been spending all my time looking for answers about what happened to Santi and what's the way to find a missing person? Sleep with everyone he knew? Obviously. Listen to the hookup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[RZA]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[DJ Envy]

The Breakfast Club Morning everybody. It's DJ Envy Jess. Hilarious Charlamagne the Guy we are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

[RZA]

The legend, rza.

[DJ Envy]

He's here back.

[50 Cent]

Welcome back in the building.

[DJ Envy]

How you feeling, brother?

[50 Cent]

I feel super good.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, everything is lovely. I see you guys are back on tour.

[50 Cent]

Yes, indeed. Clan. The Final Chamber.

[DJ Envy]

How difficult was that to put together?

[50 Cent]

Well, you know, it's not as difficult as it used to be, you know what I mean? But, nah, this is our last chance to run around the globe together. And, yeah, it kind of was. Everybody, you know, agreed that it was the time we started thinking of a name. Everybody's like this one, that. The Final Chamber. Sorry, let's end with that. Here we are.

[RZA]

Why the Final Chamber, though? Like, how do you know you putting the period on this on. Is it just for the tour or just Wu Tang in general?

[50 Cent]

Oh, no, for the. I mean, Wu Tang's forever. That's why. Also, that's why we see, we put that Wu Tang forever in there. Because this, you know, Wu Tang is beyond just our physical presence of it, you know what I mean? But far as us coming together and coming to your city, all nine members on stage, you know, I mean, you know, when you get your ticket, you get in order, you get in that. You know what I mean? Because sometimes you go to a woo show, you might get four, five, you know, I mean, so this is like, not here we all are. Clear your schedule for this, you know, I mean, and let's run around the globe one more time together. So we'll start right here in America, give it to, you know, then shoot across the water, you know, I mean, show some love and just, you know, kind of best way I could say it is take off that kind of a burden to all come together, you know what I mean? Because everybody got a life, a job, something going on in their lives. And so. But we said when that. That sign go up, we all come and the sign went up and everybody.

[RZA]

Said, did the residency make it easier for everybody to say, yo, we can do this?

[50 Cent]

The residency helped, but even at the residency, we had some absentees, you know what I mean? So. But it really helped because it really helped. Just that consistency of coming together, the consistency of our brotherhood, our brotherhood really never, never diminished over the years. And I think for Wu Tang, we represent community unity. You gotta. That's. That's, you know, so many of us was inspired by like, yo, the whoop is like, you know, your whole neighborhood on stage. You know what I mean? And I think that we could use that right now. I think, you know what I mean? Like, even artistically, for the. For the culture, you could come in and look at the example of the woo. Yeah. So the time is now. You know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

Does it financially make sense? And the reason I asked said all eight members, you got DJs, you got everybody comes with at least one person, security or whatever that means. So that's a lot of money to put out. But, you know, Wu Tang is always, you know, for the hood. So I'm sure you guys are not charging astronomical prices. So financially, was it a financial thing? Is it one of those things where it's like, we just need to do this regardless of finances?

[50 Cent]

Oh, the finances. The finance is so beautiful. Because if you take a moment, right, let's be. And think about the Wu Tang legacy and think about how many families is eating off that legacy, you know, I mean, I'm talking about thousands, right? That legacy has went on to. From the music to Spark and other MCs to figure out their careers, to inspire other producers and MCs to. And. And DJs to get up and say, yo, I'm a DJ now. So. And then when you go on a tour, you know, I mean, I tour, you know, I just saw the tour bus count, got about eight buses.

[DJ Envy]

That's crazy.

[50 Cent]

So I'm just trying to tell you. And then all the trucks. You know, the production for this tour is crazy. We took time to really produce something. You know, since the New York state of mind, we've only kept elevating the level of production. So it's going to be so many families, you know, union workers, truck drivers, caterers. I mean, the security. It's a. It's a, It's a. It's a. It's a. It's a. It's a village that's going to eat off of this. And that's. That's the beauty of it. In all reality, what's the difference between.

[RZA]

Touring his grown men versus when y'all was younger?

[50 Cent]

That's a good question. I think, like, as men, you men, right, before you trying to get shorties of line outside your door, right, you're kind of touring for the experience of. Of. Of, you know, sex, drugs and rock and roll, right? But now, you know, you, You're. You're, you're moving with maturity, and I think you really. I can speak for myself since I'm the one talking. I think I really can understand the impact of what the music do and what it means. Right. When somebody hears I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times, and, And they relate that back to Their life having second hand clothes, you know, I mean, even though a lot of us is doing better, a lot of us is doing worse, you know what I mean? So I think that as a man touring around the world and showing our culture, it's, it's more meaning, meaningful than ever.

[DJ Envy]

I seen in an interview that you said, you went to each member and said, what do you want to be on this tour? What do you need? And you was able to give everybody that. How difficult was that? And was there anybody that you couldn't give what they wanted?

[50 Cent]

Nah. At the end of the day, you know, you gotta, you know, be satisfied, right? So we know, we deal with mathematics, right? And we know that when there's dissatisfaction, it breeds confusion, right? They say, you know, even when 70 of the people were satisfied, the other 30 was dissatisfied. And that other 30 went and started their own. And now you got competition, so you got to strive to, to reach satisfaction. And satisfaction is when someone can say, yo, for me, you know, I don't care if it's just like yo, I just want bananas every night in my, in my dressing. That's what he want, you know, I mean, let's accommodate that. Let's accommodate the comfortability. Because I think, I know, I see it different. My brother Devon see it different. Our whole management team, we know that when you are going out on the road, you leaving your family, you know, I mean, you leaving what you, your routine of life. And so we want to make you as comfortable as possible. So this becomes a moment of joy versus a moment of work.

[RZA]

Are you confident that every single member is going to show up for the show?

[50 Cent]

I mean, I'm confident for confidence sake. And I mean, of course I'm confident, you know, I mean, but you know, this, this is life, you know, I mean, you can make a long turn on the 95 and end up in a small town for the night, you know what I mean? But now, I mean, far as the intention, right, it's all about intention and the intention. Everybody is intending to be here. So if there's a glitch in the Matrix, you know, we'll deal with it, right?

[RZA]

And there's a album to come with this too.

[50 Cent]

No, no, no. I mean a Lot of Mathematics has a new album that he's, he's, he put together called Black Samsum. He got a new song called Mandingo. He took all like the black exploitation and kung fu movies and did an album and got the entire wu Tang clan MCs on it. Got Benny the Butcher Coogee Just. Just one of those A lot of mathematics albums. We is. That's dope. And he. So that. That's just ironically is coming out around the same time. But it wasn't like it wasn't. It wasn't like it was a. A strategy plan. It was just like he finished it at the time when the. When the. When the tour is about to happen. So that's a blessing for him. And then I did hear. I could say this on the air. I did hear some of Raekwon's new album too. He's once. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

One of those. Yeah, I'm excited.

[50 Cent]

So hopefully he gets that out before the tour drops. And. And Bong Bong.

[RZA]

Are you involved in raising one?

[50 Cent]

Just, you know, I'm the habit, you know, I mean, they come to the temple and see if the Abbott, you know, want to add some flavor to it or give some wisdom or advice. You know what I mean? But he's the foundation of it. He came to me right before, right during the holidays when he felt like he had a nice. Let's call it a body work. Yeah, body of work. I was gonna call it dough. Like piece of dough. You gotta mold that. You know what I mean? But, yeah, and we vibed out, listened to it twice. And they'll say, ah, yeah, I had some vision and share my vision. But, you know, it's him doing it. Raekwon's always, you know, he's a general. Always, you know, know how to lead himself. But then also as a general, you know, it's wise to check in with the Abbott and be like, yo, yo, Abbott, what's your two cents on this?

[RZA]

The thing with Ray's music, you gotta clean your palette whenever you listen to any new Raekwon album. And when I mean clean your palette, you can't have no purple tape on your mind. Cause the purple tape sets the bar. It's extremely high. It's probably. It might be the greatest hip hop album of all time. It's in that conversation.

[DJ Envy]

One of those.

[50 Cent]

Absolutely. It's in that conversation. Well, one thing about him, it's a few emcees, right, in our business that just when they open their mouth, it sounds like a record. Nas is one, of course. You know, Biggie was one. J. Ray. Ghost. Ghosts. But no matter what, like, when you hit them, you hear a record. You snoop, you hear them, you hear a record. You know what I mean? And so on this new music, it's just like he's choosing unique ways, unique tracks. But as soon as this voice come in, it's like, oh, it's a record. You know what I mean? Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Was it difficult? Who was the most difficult to get to do this? And not because of them being difficult, but maybe because of scheduling.

[50 Cent]

Right.

[DJ Envy]

You got meth. That's acting. You're acting and producing. You got Raekwon that owns a bunch of businesses, and these brothers leaving their families. Who was the most difficult to get? It was like, this is gonna be a little tough.

[50 Cent]

I mean, if anyone. If anyone, I'll say, you know, I won't say difficult, but let's just say, you know, like, you know, who does the most shows out of all of us?

[RZA]

Who's that?

[50 Cent]

No, the juicer. Listen, the jizza is. He's like a jazz musician, yo, right? His skit. It's like, you call him yo, want to do the resume, say, oh, I got 40 shows over. I'm going to Europe or, yo, I'm going to 20 shows in Canada. Wow. He just. I mean, he stays. That Liquid Sword album, arguably one of the best hip hop albums of all time, too.

[RZA]

Absolutely.

[50 Cent]

It just. Go, go. So you got to check his schedule because he definitely was. Is knocking 100, 100, 150 shows out a year. And so we actually had the pace to. And wait for him, and I personally.

[DJ Envy]

Had to wait for. He was on tour.

[50 Cent]

Yeah. I gave him a call. I was like, like, how's your schedule for this year? Like, you know, I mean, he was like, I'm good. I need this much time right here. And Bong Bong. Yeah, Give me his word.

[RZA]

I want to get back to the tour. I want to ask you about Liquid Source since we on it, because we was having a whole debate last night in the group chat just about Wu Tang songs, Wu Tang music. Because, you know, my guy, B Dot, put out a top 10 greatest Wu Tang records. And. And on Liquid Swords, Cold World, it goes. Cold World Labels, Fourth Chamber in the Shadow Boxing. That's probably one of the greatest sequences on an album. Do you remember arranging that?

[50 Cent]

Yeah, definitely.

[RZA]

Okay.

[50 Cent]

Definitely. That was my. That's. That's one of my specialties, I think. Not knowing then. Right. The natural ability of editorial editing or. Or having a through line of storytelling. Right. But it was always been my personality, and at that time, it was only expressed through music. Now it's being expressed, and I direct films and TV shows and all that. But it was. It was a. It was the same type of energy. Like, I could feel the way it go. I could feel like when the listener is listening. It's like, oh, yo, I want your emotion to rise up. Get them up. Because by the time you got the fourth chamber, you, if you driving, you, you. You might get a ticket. You know what I mean? And I, I wanted, you know. You know. You feel that right here? Yeah. I always strive to. To get that feeling. To have your spine for the exercise. Lyrics. I said March of the Wooden Soldier Six cyberpunks try to hold us A thousand men watching I wonder if he hold us Perpendicular to the square we stand Glow like flare Escape from the dragon's lair in particular my beats travel like a vortex up your spine to.

[RZA]

The top of your cerebral cortex.

[50 Cent]

That's. That's my. That's my goal to hit you. Bam. Then I'm good.

[RZA]

When the last time you listen to your verse on Fourth Chamber. Because it's so relevant to the day. That's why.

[50 Cent]

I mean, no, I mean I've been. I'm. I'm back into the study. Of what? Of everything. Of right now, you know. This tour, first of all, we got special guest run the joint. And so it's like this is going to be a lyrical tour, you know. I mean, it's going to be one of those tours that, you know you're going to get your sweat off, guaranteed. You're gonna get your jumps, you want to get your. Your classics. But it's going to be those moments you're going to be like, I needed that, you know, I mean, because. Because no words. In the beginning was the word and the word became flesh. You know what I mean? And so those words are healing, you know, I mean, it's like. And. And you know, we need it. I had something I was going to say to y'all this morning. A law. Segregation and discrimination is a sickness to any nation. When you deny a portion of the population a chance to experience the elevation, it will only lead to the decimation of your system. And the next generation will pay for the mistake that will result in economic inflation. Ghetto living Innocent black Latinos and European immigrants stuffed inside housing tenements. Low income recipients they got to choose between the food or the rent. Neighborhoods are cramped like POW camps and X marked the spot where the insidious policies were stamped. Bad health increasing bad policing and his gentrification. And Michael and Brad is leasing at night they feel fright from the dimly lit street lights. My man G, he could beef and fight but he couldn't eat right Loud sounds echoing gunshots he couldn't sleep right? Wow, what a life when your Life ain't worth a loaf of bread Or a box of white rice yeah, blessed be the meek they said turn the other cheek But Jay Bourne just knocked him out with a sneaky right and put him off his feet. It could come last it could come fast in the blast Knock your senses back to the past it's like old popping sounds, A big brass section you hear from old jazz. Me, I stick to a piano key Speak from a low A minor to a soprano E, B, O, B. It's the Abbott mc.

[RZA]

What's that from?

[50 Cent]

That's something just there. He said he just did it this morning. I said something. I would say I'm gonna share something here in the phone book.

[DJ Envy]

Are you getting back in the booth, then? Cause it sounds like you ready.

[50 Cent]

It ain't, you know, whether it's in the booth or not, this tour, like I said, this is like. This is that moment for the woo to that W. That wisdom that you. That unpredictability. Like, let's. Let's get that back into the system, you know? I honestly feel that woo is like, a part of hip hop culture that's needed, you know, I mean, and whether we could be the ones that continue to physically do it or some young brothers are listening and they pick it up and they come and bring that wave. There's a. There's some young brothers I know, Coach Concha. Y'all been seeing them? Yeah. You know, I mean, good flows, good style, good everything. If they. Once they start injecting a little more wisdom into that, you know, I mean, you know, hip hop needs that, you know, I mean, it ain't all just about, you know, all our money, guns and. And sex and drugs, you know, I mean, that's a portion of it. Not. But it's not the. It's not all of it.

[RZA]

I saw you say something recently where you said, Hot 97. Banning Wu Tang's music contributed to, I guess, not just the decline of the group, but just the decline of New York sound and everything.

[50 Cent]

Guaranteed. I mean, you know, we could date that. You know what I mean? We could look at it and see it happening. Because when you're dealing with business, right, like, all of us, you know, we. We got jobs, right? And so we got to come in and do our job. If the dude said paint it blue and you the painter, you gotta paint it blue, right? Even though, you know, like, man, this blue is gonna really turn everybody away, or it's really the paint, got lead in it or whatever, you still got to stick to the job. And I think like at that time, you know, and even maybe in that people were scared to fight for each other, you know, I mean, that's been one of our issues, I think, as, as our culture, right? Which, you know, there was a point when the culture started because of money. We did started accepting each other. I remember when, when like Master P and M would come to New York and we accepted, you know what I mean? When Dre and Snoop and Ice Cube, we accepted it. You know, first we accept it from the music, right? And that'd be, that's private. But then when the money, when somebody's blowing money, then you accept it because of the money. And so now you admiring them because of his money, but not because of his skill, because of the culture. You know what I mean? So when that starts happening, it's almost like now you're, you're, you're diminishing the culture because of the money. So, yeah, a dude can make a hit. At the end of the day, we talk about hip hop hits. Hammer. Hammer had hits, baby. Okay? He was, he was going diamond. You know, I mean, and, and, and.

[RZA]

And, and people didn't accept that as hip hop for some reason back then.

[50 Cent]

Even worse than that, right? Even worse than that. And I know I was pretty hard on him, on myself, so I'm not like, I wasn't, you know, because I was on some woo, right? But we don't even give him his accolades. So he, he opened the door. At the end of the day, I.

[DJ Envy]

Made fun of him for commercial success.

[50 Cent]

We did all that. But yeah, yeah, you helped people. Like, like, see, that's why I say Allah is merciful. He gives, he takes a flaw. Like, like you could take, like. Let me give you a quick metaphor. I won't go too deep, but let's look at two of our greatest, our greatest artists, right? 50 Cent, right? And, and I'm gonna say yay, right? Both great. Caught a flaw in their jaw, right? One from a car and one from a tragic street incident. But both now develop a tone that attracts the world. So from a floor in the jaw, you know what I mean? Allah blesses them more. It's like, it's like, it's like, nah. Now you come back and, and it's like this whole swag, it's whole everything. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's sharpened without even knowing. So hip hop itself, they say the dj, the dude was like, he said he was in his crib, one of the old DJ's right. He's in the crib and, and his mom's coming and he holds the record, huh. And she's like, you know, turn it down, blah blah blah. He's like holding it now the scratch is invented. That's crazy, you know what I mean? From a floor. I remember Easy Mo B was talking to was doing a seminar. I was there was gambling Huff and he was saying like yo, how do you guys get that one part of the song that, that high hat, I think and for the Love of Money or one of their songs like those high hats. Like when it dropped out right there, I sampled it, I used it in all my beats and I think Mr. Gamble was like oh, that was a mistake. Wow. So even from a mistake, right? We've given a chance to, to, to, to multiply and to make something great.

[RZA]

You ever had one of those?

[50 Cent]

Yeah. What was yours, man? So many to be quite frank. It's just like sometimes you could go to your, to your, to your beat machine and it just glitches out, you know. I mean I feel like Method man, the original drum, the way it happened was almost like a glitch out. But I liked it. I just like I just did not just immolated it. I immolated the mistake. You know what I mean? But I think no, not that the pop but the pat. It's like that's the, that's the bounce of it. So then, so when a guy like him got. Got it on the mic he, he saw riding his, riding his horse. You know what I mean? So. But there's others too that, that, that it just happens like that, you know when it will flaw, you know. I mean even if you think about Shane, right. I mean Dirty came in late to the studio but he did that verse, right? One take and then he's like same with that was like he just, he says. I said nah nah, nah, go do it over. Say nah. God, they gonna love it. Wow. I was like all right.

[DJ Envy]

He was right.

[50 Cent]

He was exactly. I mean I actually, actually I learned.

[RZA]

From that like that was a one take and one take one, hut two, hut three.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, I do that but got through all of that. I mean that's one thing about Dirty. If we could talk about him for a moment. Shout out to ydb. He'll be on the tour with us. He'll be son, right? That's his son, his first born son Bosson. He'll be on the tour doing his father verses for us. He's been doing it for years and he's been doing a great job. But one thing about Dirty, he almost never say the same lyric twice. I mean, say the lyric the same way twice if he did it. Shimmy, shimmy, y'all. Shimmy yam, shimmy yay. Next time you do it, he's not gonna do it like that. He's almost like a. Once again, like a jazz musician. He just goes with the spirit, you know, I mean, and he'll tell. He'll. He'll say a rhyme that we wrote when we was 14 years old. And then he was saying it during the Woo era and eating up because I'll grab the mic and now damage her. Like, you listen to his album. That lyric is on the album twice.

[RZA]

Yeah, yeah, right.

[50 Cent]

Because it's. It was more of a performance, more of a energy that he would bring versus just the lyrical content. But he was very special in. In that. And if. I think he helped bring freedom, the hip hop expression. Yeah.

[RZA]

When they used to talk about. I think they said Jizza used to write for Dirty sometimes. That true?

[50 Cent]

Yeah.

[RZA]

I'm like, how do you write for Dirty?

[50 Cent]

Well, that's what called. Because we cousins. So I said that's always. That's like at that table, we used to go to the Jizza house. You know, this is poverty days. Justin may have just, you know, one box of oatmeal and we'll go get some kaiser buns. Know our New York. That's dinner, baby. And we'll still stay there for three days on oatmeal and kaiser buns. Just making pause tapes and. Right. And writing songs. You know what I mean? Like, so even when it says when the MCs came deliver. We made that when we was like 14, 15. Wow. And when we was doing Liquid Sports, I was like, yo, let's do that old routine we did at the table in that pause tape. And we did it. And bong bong.

[DJ Envy]

Do you. Do you ever remember those records that you lost in the flood? Did you ever get any of that or were able to produce that over or any of that at all?

[50 Cent]

Nothing never came back like it. Like it was actually. I'm glad you mentioned that. Envy. We're gonna. There's a. We're building this time capsule for the tour and we're gonna invite our fans, you know, to come out and somebody will win every night where they. You could take something from your Woo nostalgia, your Woo history and put it in this time capsule. And we don't know where we going to put it at. We. We. I may Bury it somewhere. I may put it in a museum, but I'm going to collect something from every, you know, city from somebody. But the first thing I'm going to put in there, and I sh. I'm not. I'm kind of telling you for the first time because I was going to surpass. I'm gonna take those discs that had inspected Dex album and I'm gonna put it in that time capsule. Wow. And if somebody find it years later and open it up and figure out that, you know, the technology you could get all that or whatever is on it. Bong, bong. I'm shocked.

[RZA]

We don't have that now. There's no technology that can get that now.

[50 Cent]

Hasn't happened. We took, you know, Dex, man, you know, they deck, they. They snuck a few out and tried to do it, you know what I mean? Because on floppy dis, yo. You know what I mean? They took it to, like, to the NASA people and then get it out. You know what I mean? Yeah.

[RZA]

He's the one who suffered the most from that flood, right?

[50 Cent]

I would say artistically, yes. You know what I mean? Economically, everybody suffered. You know, it was two floods, you know, like. Like. I don't know. I was just. I was. I just took it like Noah, you know what I mean? Like, it's kept. Yeah. Wash all your away. I've lost more in life than. Than I've shared. You know, I'm out of the lost phase. Got a good wife, you know what I mean, who know how to keep. Keep life organized for me and keep the balance. But before, yeah, I was definitely known for losing a lot of things.

[DJ Envy]

Now, that one album, I can't remember his name that the gentleman bought.

[RZA]

Martin Shkreli.

[50 Cent]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Mark Shirley. Did you ever get that album back? Because I know there was a fight to get it back. Did you ever get it back?

[50 Cent]

Not personally, but it's owned by a group of people called Please the Dao. And it just. It continues to increase in value and have his own life. I mean, they bought it for like 4 million, and now there's people talking about like a whole nother thing of what it could be. So it's kind of one of those things that. Have a life of his own.

[DJ Envy]

Are we ever going to hear that or. Or that's part of the deal that they can never play it publicly?

[50 Cent]

No, actually, I'm striving now at this phase since. Since we're, you know, at this age and we kind of did figure out something. I mean, the. The thing was. Yeah. It was like not to be. It can't be commercialized, right? For 88 years. Yeah. I mean, so.

[DJ Envy]

So it can't be sold, it can't be on.

[50 Cent]

It can't be commercial. It can't be commercialized.

[DJ Envy]

Streaming services.

[50 Cent]

You could give it away. I told. I told Mr. Screlli that in the beginning. I was like, yo, especially just to give you a little backstory on that. I met him before he became the most evilest man in the world. Remember, they had like the most evilest man in the world. So I met him before he became Lex Luthor. You know what I mean? And, you know, we sat down and he was telling me, you know, he. You know, I'm a Woo fan. I love 50 Cent. I love hip hop, Raekwon. You know, some of. Some of his lyrics has made me do business things. And he had a whole plan. He was gonna buy this Enigma machine. I don't know if you know what the Enigma machines.

[DJ Envy]

I don't.

[50 Cent]

Those are the decoding machines they used to make in World War II when they had to figure out. In fact, it led to the computer. So he wants to. The the. And all the turning papers. Who was the guy who basically invented the computer? He was. He was the Woo album. He was like, I'm gonna get all these things and he gonna do something. I was like, okay, what the you gonna do? But he had a plan, like whatever he was going to do, boom. And then when he. When it went negative on him, like maybe a few months later, I saw it on tv, I saw him on the news. I said, I was telling my wife, yo, that's the guy that we selling the album to say, oh, I wouldn't sell it to him. I said, oh, no, it's already like a deal. Even though it wasn't. The. The money didn't exchange hands. It was already a deal and was in contract form. So I was like, nah. I mean, I sat down with him, I told him yes. And so. So now we. It's at the day that he gets it. And, you know, he got. He's got a lot of security, everything, you know, and they kind of. He has some. Some big dudes with him. And. And I just said, let me talk to him a moment by itself. Come here. He's still a kid to me, right? So I'm like, yo, listen, if I was you, I would just get us away to the world, like, do something good. Because people were saying, like, you bad right now. He was like. Just smiled at me and went, worse. Yeah. So but I think that that would be a beautiful thing if it, if it was a way to give it or, you know. Yeah, I just think it's. It'll be nice to share it, you know.

[RZA]

If Wu Tang was starting today, how do you think the industry would treat a group like Wu Tang?

[50 Cent]

I think we'll still break through. Right. One we wasn't, you know, remember we came through also, like we would rush in the building too. Now. So even though I actually think they built the building security because of Wu Tang, I'm sure. Remember before you could walk into a label like get in the elevator now.

[DJ Envy]

Before there was no front, you could just go right upstairs.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, man. Now boy, you know, forms of security.

[DJ Envy]

Downstairs and then upstairs.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, man, you got all type of. But it's like, you know what I mean? Cell block H. No, but no, no, I think beyond all that, right? I. I think the talent, man. Look at the kind of talent you got in. In the wood. You could see the talent. The proof of it is just like even Method man is going to go ahead and be a star. Ghost is going to go ahead and be a star, you know, I mean, so it's just like you couldn't, couldn't deny and inspect the Deck who's a who don't get the credit as he should. I think as far as star level, I mean, I won't say as far as star level because the fans go crazy when he comes on stage. But I mean far as within our industry, separating all those top names we mentioned, Inspector Deck got some of the best verses in hip hop history. Yo, it's not even close, you know what I mean? And it's just like, okay, so. But that talent is right there.

[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Today available features compatible device service and consumer activation of Nissan Connect services package required. Use only when safe and legal, subject to third party service availability. For more information, see nissanusa.com connect legal Apple CarPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc. Intelligent all wheel drive cannot prevent collisions or provide enhanced traction in all conditions. Always monitor traffic and weather conditions Charlamagne.

[RZA]

Tha God here and I want you to know from Curtis, 50 Cent Jackson and the executive producers of Power the Hit Stars original series Radio Raising Kanan is Coming Back the new season of the family crime drama continues the origin story of fan favorite Kanan Stark, originally played by 50 Cent, and the flagship series Power, as he delves further into his evolution from a devoted son into the ruthless villain that fans have known and loved from the jump. This is a transformative season for Kanan that you won't want to miss. The new season of raising Kanan premieres March 7 only on Starz in the Starz app.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women and girl in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting Black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson as she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One Podcast, One Mission. Save Our Girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Cameron Mitchell]

This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series Cancell island stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently cancelled. In the future we will all be cancelled for 15 minutes, but don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke or your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies like bad touch football, anti racism spin class and mandatory ayahuasca ceremony are designed to force the council to confront their worst impulses. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing. Karen, where have you brought us Cancellation island, where a second chance might just be your last. Listen to Cancellation island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[50 Cent]

His talent is what the first thing you hear when you hear Woo. First thing you hear I smoke on the Mic like smoking Joe Frazer, you're like. And your. Immediately, your ear was, oh, wow, who's this guy? And then you think it's over. Then another guy comes in where he got it going on. You're like, oh, wow, who's this guy? So I think the talent will always break through. Just like. Just like when you see other talents in our industry right now that just have something that you don't know. You know, Tyler and our future. Tyler, the creator and his whole crew, like you couldn't deny. When Frank Ocean album came out, he was like, oh, yo, it was just on me, Pete. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Now on this tour bus, will there be a studio on the bus? I'm sure with your mind, there will be a studio on the bus.

[50 Cent]

Yeah. Well, actually, there's a bus. So John Lennon, right? John Lennon, his foundation has a bus called the John Lennon Bus Bus, which they. They use for a lot of education purposes. And I had to travel with us on the last tour, and I'm gonna have a travel on this tour. So it's not only a studio, but it's like when you use it, it helps kids in. In the cities and all that. And they take it around the world and teach music education and continue John. John Lennon's legacy, you know, imagine all the people living life is one, right? Yeah. John Lennon, right? That was. That was crazy. Yeah.

[RZA]

I want to ask you about the fourth chamber of verse you spit, okay. Because it's so relevant today, because you talk about, you know, government control, economic inequality, media manipulation, all of that.

[50 Cent]

Where.

[RZA]

When you wrote that, was that prophecy or was that what you were seeing at the time?

[50 Cent]

A little bit of both. Right. As an artist, like. Like, it's easy to say, you know, right now, oh, yeah, I have some other prophecy, but nah. But as an artist, you posted Tap in, right? It's like, to be quite frank, everybody is an antenna. And I mean, the chemicals, the biochemical equation of your physical composition is receiving signals. You could receive a thought right now from your man in la, you know, I mean, without this, this. This is kind of a proof for us who grew up without having this much power in our hand, Celia. Right? And that is still cells all in your body. You know what I mean? But as an artist, you get a signal. You feel something. Some people says woke them out their sleep and they wrote songs. And yesterday I heard Paul McCartney said, yesterday he woke up, it was in his dream, and. And that song is forever, right? So I think that I know that myself as an artist, I would always Just get hit with a. With a jolt of electricity. And I was just. Right. And so, of course, I was studying at that time as well, you know, in tune with mathematics. Mathematics don't lie. You know what I mean? And. And it's just like some of the words just, you know, they just come to you and you got to be grateful and you let it out. And sometimes when you hear yourself back, it's not even. You're. You're actually not. It's like that recording is. Sometimes it's not you. If you feel me. I mean, it's almost like third person. That's why.

[RZA]

Out of body experience.

[50 Cent]

Yes. That's why I was like the Russell. Like, I mean, it's like. It's like it was. It's a title. And even. Even that name, it came like that. It was like. Because I was walking around Prince Rocking, Prince Raking. It's like this son was like, I might have had a good smoke that day. I mean, it was like, yo, the Ruzza. What is that? Right? But if you look at my. Look at the letters, right? The. The R, as Rakim said, is the 18th letter. And r is for rule or ruler. So that means you got to start to rule yourself. But a ruler, right? It's not just the action of, oh, he's the ruler of the country. No, a ruler is a measurement of advice that you must use to measure everything before you get into your square, right? So now if I measure everything first before I zig, when it's time for me to zag, which could be going in the wrong direction, I know I could always zig back. And then that A is for a lot, right? And that's that arm, leg, leg, arm, head. And so in my life, I was like. It was just time for me to be like, I be the rza. And then, then my brothers, like, after we started moving, moving our unit, shout out to Power, shout out to Divine, shout out to Tarif, before we start moving our unit, it was like, yo, you the Abid. You know what I mean? All right, that's. So that's my title within who. I'm the Abbot, but the. The universe gave me that title to rza.

[RZA]

So I wonder what you see now. Like, when you see things like. Like ice rage and then you think about the fourth chamber verse, and you was like, a hit was sent from the president to raid your residents. You know when you see stuff like the coronavirus and stuff like that, you say, 6 million devils just die from the bubonic flu auto ebola.

[50 Cent]

Virus.

[RZA]

You're just speaking about this plague that took over. Like, what do you. What do you. When you see was what happened over the years and you think about that verse, what do you.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, no, I'd be like, yo, at one point, it's like, yeah, the. The reality is the reality, right, Tom? Time. Words take time to materialize, right? So. And so we. Now we talking prophecy. Let's just talk about Noah. He. They said he preached for like 300 years, telling people, y'all, look, we're gonna have to build these arks and get in the water and go. And they're like, man, first of all, keep in mind, he's in the desert talking about it's gonna rain. So nobody. They can't believe that. But the time for the word to be materialized is. Is. Is. Is. Is the process of going from a thought to a gas, to a liquid, to a solid manifestation, right? So you may say something today that won't manifest till later. And so some of those lyrics are that, right? Even more, I think if you go into. Into this song, Impossible. Oh, my God. So even there, it's like, you know, my verse starts off with fusion of the five elements, right? Which is mental and physical, right? And this is before, you know, the strong feminist movement. I was saying, you know, women are going to be more celibate. They're not going to be messing with us like that. You know what I'm saying? And some life becomes irrelevant. But the. But the benevolent king will communicate to you through your dream, right? So the most high, he'll hit you through your dream and give you a mental picture will be formed. And then the law is heard and seen everywhere in your surrounding atmosphere. Thermosphere, stratosphere, trappersphere. Can you imagine from one single idea, everything appeared here. Let there be light. That was a single idea. But it took time for all that to grow. Scientists say the Big Bang theory they talk about took billions of years. We know it's been trillions of years for it to grow, right? So a mental picture has been painted. A lot of children seen everywhere. You know, let there be light, and the light is here. So anyway, sometimes you as an artist, right, you know, you go back and look at science fiction, and we watch Gene Roddenberry, who created Star Trek, and we like, yo, wow. He had the flip phone. The next thing you know, the flip phone is. Is in physical existence versus being an artistic existence. Yeah.

[RZA]

You know, that's funny you said impossible, because when B Dot did these. So I'm gonna Read you these top 10 best Wu Tang songs he had. Number 10, Wu Tang ain't nothing to with. Number 9, win awards. Number 8, mystery of chess boxing. Number 7, reunited. Number 6 is yours. Number 5, protect your neck. Number 4, can it be also simple? Number 3, ice cream. Number 2, triumph. Number 1, cream. We started flaming them in the group chat. We just. I'm just not a good list.

[50 Cent]

That's his list. That's his list.

[DJ Envy]

But they're like very commercialized.

[RZA]

Oh, that'd be that right there.

[50 Cent]

What up, yo?

[RZA]

But we said Impossible is one of those songs that should be on there. What do you think of that list, first of all?

[50 Cent]

Well, no, the list is up to the top. To the list maker.

[RZA]

Yeah.

[50 Cent]

You know what I mean? But.

[DJ Envy]

But he gets that list from online. There's people that go on his online and hit him while he's doing the live thing.

[50 Cent]

So not just that. And also that list might be the top 10 streamers. At the end of the day, you go and check the top streamers.

[DJ Envy]

Those are the commercialized lists. Those are the ones that are casual Woo fans. Those are the ones that they are.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, yeah, Those are the ones. You better perform.

[RZA]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[50 Cent]

You know what I mean? We come here, you better hit us. Hit us with and y'all, look. The beautiful thing is Winter Wars Cap came out of nowhere, right?

[RZA]

Oh my God.

[50 Cent]

Remember that? I mean, that's some time ago, but once again, talent. Nobody knew this guy, you know what I mean? We knew him, you know what I mean? I knew that. Yo, he's one of the dopest MCs on. On Staten Island. While we was growing up, me and him always had tapes together. Like we had. Our tapes were circulating before. Who had tapes? You know what I mean? That's why he's like me and R name printed in the tablet under. Under. Under vets. We paid our debts from Mad Years. He was like. We was already having tapes for the other brothers was doing their thing. But he comes out of the. Out of the now and you got. Brings him to the crib and you know, boom. I was just happy to see him, you know, because Capadonna is his name. At first was original, legit. I mean, original, right? So I was like, original, you know what I mean? And he was like, yeah, you know, he. His slang is ridiculous. I mean, he's like, you know, Donna J. Bird. What's that? And Capadonna. I was like, it wasn't no Capadonna street on Staten island yet. Like maybe five years later there's like a Capadonna named after. I didn't. I didn't know what Capadonna was.

[DJ Envy]

What is Capadon?

[50 Cent]

Well, I think it's like the. Like the leader of a. Of. Of. Of the. Of the priesthood or something like that. You know what I mean? Yeah. Because there's a capadana in the catholic. I think in the Catholic religion, there's something that's Capadonna. Yeah.

[RZA]

They had no drums, man. It was like a bass line missing from Win award. Like when you turn it up.

[50 Cent]

No, the drum. The drum. Yeah. The drums was filtered. Was filtered. The drums was filtered out with something. Something caused the filter to phase and I left it. What?

[DJ Envy]

That was one of those mistakes that you were talking about, right?

[50 Cent]

Yeah. Like the filter phased out and I was just like. I just love the verses and I love the energy of. Of the vibe of what was happening. But here's a man that comes out, drops his 32 bars, it wasn't a 16, and goes on to become a gold artist. From one verse. He's just like. I would give respect to Az on Nas, right? He had one verse on Nas. Joint goes on. Goes on to become a Life's a. Yeah, yeah. He comes on and become a historical hip hop artist. I mean, Qu. Mega. He just had a mention.

[RZA]

Another album.

[50 Cent]

Yeah.

[RZA]

One love.

[DJ Envy]

One love.

[50 Cent]

Come come home and got a record deal. That's the. That's the power of hip hop.

[RZA]

Yo, how did you. What made y'all let Capadonna go so long? Did he write it or he already have it? He just went in there and did it and you like, yo, keep it.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, he just aired it out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he aired it out. I mean, he aired it out. You can't. When you. You know, back in the day, when you even. Even now, I guess when you hearing something and you just hearing it and it just. You can't stop listening, right? It's like. It's like when Young Thug. And what's that? Is Young Thug Gucci? And I think it's Travis on that song. Floyd Mayweather. It's a long song. Yeah, I rocked that whole song all the way through there. They're just going in. They just go. I'm like, yo, I play that when I'm headed home. When that. I mean, I still play it. That song is probably, what, five, seven years old now? But they aired it out, and it's just like. That's what it is. When you hear something that airs it out, you can't. You can't you don't. You don't cut it.

[DJ Envy]

Do you remember some of those legendary battles in the studios? Some of that you people might not know of that you're there one day and it might be this artist and this and they just going back and forth and it's disgusting. But great.

[50 Cent]

I mean, yeah. I mean far as woo competition. One thing I love about my brother is that it could go all the way up to you. I'm not sure it could get that tense and then everything's cool.

[DJ Envy]

Who is the worst with that? That always gets personal and it's.

[50 Cent]

I mean you could, you could guess that you got. Yeah. The Grouch. The Grouch. Come on. Because he's unfiltered. You don't give a. You know what I mean? And you know. Yeah, you know. Yeah. You don't feel like dirty would have.

[DJ Envy]

Been like that too.

[50 Cent]

Oh, dirty. But see, but think about. No, no, the thing about dirty though, right? Because Dirty was like that. You know what I mean? I mean, I mean me and dirty. Yeah, but dirty. I think with him it was, it was, it was always like, I guess like he's like, like he'll yell, yell, yell. Get you. Get you hyped up and then kiss you on your nose. You see, I mean that's something magical about that. You know what I mean? And so, so, so for him it's always like you can't help it. Like that's crazy. I love this dude, yo. You know what I mean? With Yui. Nah, it wasn't no kiss. It's like, it's like, it's like this and, and actually somebody else usually gotta slow it down, you know, I mean who's that person?

[DJ Envy]

Who's, who's the.

[50 Cent]

It could be anybody. Like, like I think Master Killer. I mean the ninth member decline. I think he's, he's, he's, he's always been a balancer, right? Yeah. In fact, shout out to Master Killer. He's working on a new album called Balance right now. I think that also I think another mc once again he just had those eight bars on chess boxing, you know what I mean? But yet built the career.

[RZA]

Who's your favorite MC in Wu Tang?

[50 Cent]

I mean the Jizza is the, Is the, is the, is the head. I mean, you know, I argue with people. If you want to argue, you know, and especially at that time, if you go and check the Jizza's lyrics and his catalog of lyrics, I don't think you're going to find no other mc, you know. That. That have given that compared to him lyrically. I mean, I put Jizza as my favorite mc. And, and the way that he approached the mic and. And the things that he. He's done. You think about labels back then, but he's using every label, but he's telling you a cohesive, clear story, you know what I mean? With metaphors and wit and. Yeah. And then he goes on to do it again with fame and then he goes on and do it with Animal Planet. You know when he did it with Animal Planet, which was crazy because he just used all the football teams and was talking about how the Jaguars against the Lions and I was, I was like, yo, that's like just as he's deep, but he takes him. It might take him like a year to write a verse like, like that. He won't write it like, like Raya hit. You hit. Hit the pen and be done in an hour. And it should be fly. Marvelous fly. You know what I mean? The Jizza is like, he's still working on like he got songs he's still been working on for 10 years because he, he won't. He won't say it if he doesn't. If he does something quick, he'll do it just because he has to do it. But that's not his. That's not his best intention as an emcee. His intention as an emcee is to make it almost biblical or something like. Almost like everything is. There's no filler, filler, no words of filling the ideas. You know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

Do we need another Wu Tang type group or person to break the mold? Like you think about when Protect your neck came out. That was so unlike the mold that ever came out. Right. It was no real hook. There was just verses. It didn't even start with a verse. It started like it was just totally left, but it caught. Do you think we need something like that to break the mold? Because everything is starting to sound monotonous.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, you always need a fresh jolt of energy. And I think we're going to get it, man. It's MCs or artists right now that's in their college dorm or in their mom's crib or even in the. In the projects, you know, with better equipment than we had. Right. With his laptop or whatever. And they, and they, they just, they just cooking and they're going to come and show us. I also have a small prediction for hip hop. Like, I think that hip hop will get us. We'll get the. We'll get the it's like before we was, we. There's been a lot of gratifying of gangsterism, right. I think hip hop will now get artists that they don't. They, they was, they weren't drug dealers, they're not criminals. They've studied this art, they've studied, they lived hip hop in their form. And they're going to bring a wave that won't feel so threatening. And we had that. You know, that's not saying that they wasn't from the streets, right? But think of Dayla and Tribe, right? Think of Black Sheep and kmd. Most def think of most definite, right? But I was even going earlier than them because they come after it goes like that and then they kind of. Most definitely Big Daddy Kane. Yeah. You know what I mean?

[RZA]

I feel like we just had that though the last 15 years really if you think about it. Because you think about the Kendricks, the Drake's, the J. Coles, the Wale's, the Big Sean's, the Chance, the rappers, the Rhapsody's like they not on that. And they've been the top guys for the last.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, I guess you're right. But I, but I'm still. But I think it's something else different though because they, they, they, they. I still think it's more like a. How can I put it? That it ain't just that. Not from the streets. It's. It's. It's still another spoonful of that's missing. Like another spoonful of like the multi layer. Okay. The fashion of it, right? So who out of those you name, who has the fashion?

[RZA]

The fashion?

[50 Cent]

I don't know.

[RZA]

Me, I guess. Wale, maybe. I don't know.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, maybe. No, no.

[DJ Envy]

I mean it's big fashion and influential. I don't think any of those guys exactly.

[50 Cent]

As far as influence, I don't think only maybe asap. Asap, definitely.

[DJ Envy]

Asap. Asap, definitely.

[50 Cent]

Okay, but then ASAP gives you the streets and the fashion, right? You see? I mean I'm talking about where it'll be the. They, they could, they could fight because they, they've been training their whole life in some, some, some class. They could play the instruments because they've been playing the instruments. They got a college degree because their, their parents made them go to college. They love hip hop. They know they could quote Slick Rick, you know what I mean? They could quote Kendrick, you know, I mean they could do all of that.

[DJ Envy]

So that artist from the hood. But that's not hood, not in the gang, not gangster, went to college Got the degree, but studied hip hop.

[50 Cent]

And maybe not from the hood. Maybe he's from the suburbs.

[RZA]

But ain't that cold? Cole went to college.

[DJ Envy]

That's definitely cold.

[50 Cent]

No, that's Kohl's, right?

[DJ Envy]

That is cold.

[50 Cent]

Right, right. Kohl's is that. But then not the fashion.

[RZA]

Definitely not the fashion.

[50 Cent]

No, no, no. I was just saying. So. I'm just saying. I think there's a generation of them that's going to come through that, that they could have been as beautiful as an R B artist. Let's just use that, right? As witty as a hip hop artist, as focused as. I don't know, let's just call it a fashion artist. Right. And yet physically powerful as Ghost Face Killer.

[DJ Envy]

There's only one. There's only one like that. Oh, Kanye, he's the only one that's not from the hood. Very fashionable, very influenced. He was not spitting gangster.

[50 Cent]

But he not.

[RZA]

He don't got the physical. Like, he not intimidating. I get what you. I get.

[50 Cent]

But he. But he. But he is a pioneer of that particular.

[DJ Envy]

He is the pioneer of that.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, yeah.

[RZA]

You gotta like Kendrick, though.

[50 Cent]

Who, me? Yeah, of course. Yeah. Listen, one of Kendrick, first samples on his early songs was he sampled me and I cleared it for free. You know, I mean, I was like, I keep that. You know what I mean? I don't. Yeah. And that's. This is. He was this before he was about to go to the top of the world. I just heard it. He's spitting. He's a dope MC. Yeah. I gave Kendrick credit 10 years ago. I mean. And he's only gotten better. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

And Run the Jewels is the perfect fit.

[50 Cent]

But.

[DJ Envy]

But why did y'all choose Run the Jewels? Was it something that y'all had them on the road before? Y'all might be like, yeah, I was running Jewels.

[50 Cent]

We did a show with them. We did two shows with them before. And. And. And this. This may sound like they're like. They're like. To me, running Jewels are like Rage against the Machine. I think about that for a moment, right? They are like. You know their lyrics, and they're. They're having fun, of course, but they're also politically conscious. Their fans are like die Hard. Like, Die Hard WU fans. They're in it. Their energy. We did. We did two shows with them. It was like. We was like, oh, you know, I mean, it's like. It's like. I didn't know how big Rage against the Machine was because, you know, I'm in my bubble. But when I. When we was in Europe, there was like, should go see these guys. And I went and saw them. I was like, oh, that's the energy that I love. Yeah, let's put those energies together. It was the same thing with one of the jewels. They had 20,000 going crazy, you know, I mean, I was like, oh. Even though I know Killer Mike for years, you know, from his first gold album, you know, of course, everybody love Michael, but J took Mike on tour.

[RZA]

Back in the day.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, yeah. No, Mike said that Jizza took a.

[RZA]

Motor and gave him God body game.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, he said. He said. He. He said just a pioneer and just as one of those dudes that really, you know, sparked his brain. But, yeah, they did it. This is a. This is a nice. Like I said, this is a lyrical combination right here. And. Yeah, and we talked about it for almost a year. And then bong here, you know, we live in it.

[RZA]

What's the most underrated Wu Tang song that you think deserves more love? And that when y'all perform on tour, everybody just goes crazy.

[50 Cent]

Well, depending where you at. Right? But I know one Wu Tang song that definitely seemed like. I don't think New York has ever even heard it. Gravel Pit.

[RZA]

Of course, that was with the video. Y'all dressed like the Flintstones and all that.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. All the fur coats and all that. But, man, overseas, you could play it twice in a concert, they love it. Yeah, but in New York, I don't play that. And I mean, somebody get mad that. Come on, like ghost or somebody stop frowning at you like, yo, God, who the do. That's your math meth. I ain't doing my verse.

[RZA]

What was it? The video or just.

[50 Cent]

If you know what. It was a. It was a. I think it was a. I think I was reaching. I was like. I attempted to make a song in a rizzle way that was like, poppy.

[RZA]

Commercial for radio.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I never needed that.

[50 Cent]

I know. But I did, you know, think of the backstory of that song. If I could share real quick. No, that song was. It was. Was meant for Aaliyah. Yeah. We was in the studio, man. We talked about it, and I said, I want. I have this whole Flintstone concept. I'm have you dressed up like. Like Betty. Yeah, like Pebbles.

[DJ Envy]

Pebbles.

[50 Cent]

But, you know, because a Leo's, you know, such in great shape and all that. And I just had this whole plan, and she was like, yeah, we agreed. And it just. Things went. Yeah.

[RZA]

So she was gonna sing over that beat and everything.

[50 Cent]

Wow. Yeah. And imagine her on it.

[RZA]

Yeah, because it was more dancy and I get what you're saying.

[50 Cent]

Okay, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Was there any other artists that you guys work with that just never came to fruition like X or not?

[50 Cent]

I think not Wu Tang Clan itself, but I think, you know, all the members. I'm blessed with everybody. But on the album called the, on the W was the, was the album where it's the only Wu Tang album that was like, yo, let's let, let our brothers and some peers and so Buster's on it, right? Nas is on it, Snoop is on it, Red man is on it. You know, I mean, and those was, you know, woo cousins.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, those are family members.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, yeah.

[RZA]

My last question, man, you, you talked about the importance of discipline and self mastery throughout your entire career. Why is that so important for people to have in the industry now? Because I feel like it's a lack of it.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, definitely. You know, if you don't know the ledge, like knowledge of self, know the ledge, you're going to fall off the edge. And it's really as simple as that. You know, your health is your wealth, all the things. You know, being young is fun. So when they come out, come in dut industry, you know, they're young, it's exciting. I mean the blue pill, red pill, yellow pill, you know what I mean? And you know, and, and, and you got, and live. But you know, since everything is more potent, you know what I mean? And everything is like before. What could take 10 years to take you out could take you out now in one year.

[DJ Envy]

Less than that in terms.

[50 Cent]

Yeah, just, just like, just like the information. Before it took forever to get the information. Now you could just press the button. It's the same thing with negativity. And so I would tell I was just shout out all my young artists out there and, or even mature artists. Definitely take time to build yourself, build your mind. Don't get too caught up in it. You know what I mean? Look at this as, as, as, as your work, as your love. But keep yourself and your family first.

[DJ Envy]

Well, we think you appreciate you for joining us. The tickets are on sale right now.

[50 Cent]

For the Final Chamber tour.

[RZA]

Run the jewels.

[DJ Envy]

Get your tickets and we appreciate you rza.

[50 Cent]

Appreciate you too, brother.

[DJ Envy]

All right, it's the Breakfast Club.

[50 Cent]

It's Rizza Bong Bong.

[RZA]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[50 Cent]

The Breakfast Club.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and Girls in America stories like Erica Hunt, a young mother vanished without a trace after a family gathering on 4th of July weekend 2016. No goodbyes, no clues, just gone. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Damien Hirst]

Do you remember what you said the first night I came over here?

[DJ Envy]

Ow. Go slower.

[Damien Hirst]

From Blumhouse TV, iHeart podcasts and Ember 20 comes an all new fictional comedy podcast series. Join the flighty Damien Hirst as he unravels the mystery of his vanished boyfriend. I've been spending all my time looking for answers about what happened to Santi and what's the way to find a missing person and sleep with everyone he knew, obviously. Listen to the hookup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[DJ Envy]

Welcome to My Legacy. I'm Martin Luther King III and together with my wife, Andrea Waters King, and our dear friends Mark and Craig Kilburger, we explore the personal journeys that shape extraordinary lives.

[Hunter]

Join us for heartfelt conversations with remarkable guests like David Oyelowo, Mel Robbins, Martin Sheen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Billy Porter.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Listen to My legacy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[50 Cent]

This is my Legacy.

[Hunter]

Welcome. My name is Paola Pedrosa, a medium and the host of the Ghost Therapy podcast where it's not just about connecting with deceased loved ones, it's about learning through them and their new perspective. I think God sent me this gift so I can show it to the world. And most of all, I help people every single day. Listen to the Ghost Therapy podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.