Photo: Loud/RCA Records
It's been 30 years since Raekwon officially carved out his own lane as a solo artist.
On August 1, 1995, the Brooklyn-born, Long Island-raised MC released his debut solo album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... The concept of the album was set up like a movie with RZA as the executive producer (a.k.a. "The Director") and his "guest star" Ghostface Killah, who appears on 12 out of 17 tracks on the LP. It also features contributions from his Wu-Tang Clan brethren like Method Man, Cappadonna, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, GZA, and Wu affiliate Blue Raspberry.
A dream!!!! born from the struggle, the hustle, and the vision !" Raekwon wrote while reflecting on the 30th anniversary. "me and my brothers shifted the planet with a classic that remains undeniably iLL. That purple tape album wasn’t just music… it was a street proclamation. A lifestyle. A legacy. A piece of history. To everyone who rode with me from day one — this moment is ours. Thank you for keeping the story alive all these years."
The only artist who was featured on the album and not affiliated with the Wu was a young Nas. He made history as the first artist to appear on a Wu album who was not an official member of the group. The album contains songs like "Heaven & Hell," which is Rae's debut solo single that also appeared on the soundtrack to the 1994 film Fresh. It also has hits like "Ice Cream," "Rainy Dayz" and "Spot Rusherz."
Last month, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah dropped the trailer for their upcoming documentary about Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... In the film titled The Purple Tape Files, Rae, Ghost, Method Man, and other Wu-Tang Clan members reflect on making the album while special guests like Kendrick Lamar offer their insights on the album's impact on the music industry. The documentary's release date has not been announced yet.
Relive Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... on iHeartRadio now!