Album Review: The Emperor’s New Clothes by Raekwon
By anchoring the new record, Raekwon accents fraternity with peers while asserting an individual blueprint: selective features, hand-picked beats, long-form storytelling, and veteran self-awareness.
Raekwon’s eight-year recording hush after The Wild has broken with a deliberate snap. Released in 2017, cut over a two-year stretch that saw Raekwon lean on a rotating squad of beatmakers—Dame Grease, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Mark Henry, and RZA among them—for a brisk 43-minute set. Guest verses came sparingly (Lil Wayne, G-Eazy, Andra Day, Cee-Lo), accentuating an authorial mood that framed hustler parables against cautionary fables like “Marvin,” a single-song retelling of Marvin Gaye’s rise and murder. The mix favored crisp soul chops and restrained drums, avoiding the maximal grit of his 1990s work while still incorporating street-level detail—note how “Visiting Day” transforms a county-lockup check-in into a moral inventory rather than bravado. In short, the album proved he could self-curate without Wu-Tang cameos or chart-minded hooks, closing a prolific decade that had also included the jet-set gloss of Fly International Luxurious Art two years prior.
Post-release, Raekwon stayed visible on the road and in collaborative pockets—popping up on Griselda’s WWCD intro and teasing Only Built 4 Cuban Linx III during live Q&As, a promise that continues to hover as a parallel project. Spring 2025 brought an Instagram clip revealing the first cut of Purple Tape Files, an archival film that stitches together unreleased footage, fresh interviews, and era-specific context around his 1995 debut, further cementing his archivist impulse. Throughout this period, he hinted at fresh solo material—captioning sessions with lines like “carefully sculpted” and “time to serve the masses,” language that previewed the confident forming of the album to come. This aligned neatly with Mass Appeal’s April rollout of Legend Has It…, announced via a vinyl-press trailer that confirmed seven full albums from New York rap pillars—Nas & DJ Premier, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, De La Soul, Big L’s estate, a still-veiled guest (which ended up being Slick Rick), and Raekwon himself—all scheduled before year-end 2025.
Taken together, the path from The Wild to The Emperor’s New Clothes reads less like a comeback than a controlled decanting of ideas, patience replacing urgency. “Bear Hill” sets the tone as Rae vividly details Black life, enrobing the everyday hustle and the intricate dynamics of street credibility. As expected, he illustrates the luxurious aspirations, skits (“Veterans Only Billionaire Rehab,” “Officer Full Beard”) pace the narrative, and the deep bonds of friendship (like Ghostface Killah) that endure despite the challenges faced: “Quarter-mountains, light years, heaven/90 carats, Face, that’s my brethren.” Raekwon also articulates a critique of contemporary culture and its pitfalls on the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League-produced “1 Life,” particularly highlighting how obsession with materialism and fame can divert attention from fundamental values. Back by the hook from Stacy Barthe, he mourns the loss of individuals who have shaped his journey, rapping about the importance of loyalty, integrity, and the bonds that define community strength.
One of the standout cuts, “The Guy That Plans It,” portrays narratives filled with street life realism and poignant imagery over a Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell sample, often bringing attention to the raw emotional experiences of its characters. Raekwon’s storytelling reveals the unpredictable and challenging lives individuals lead, where loyalty and street code remain paramount despite the desolate circumstances. He reflects a combination of grim resolve, survival instincts, and a confrontation with the weight of decisions. The follow-up “Da Heavies,” paired up with his linguistic dexterity, allows him to convey a deep appreciation for the finer things in life while staying grounded in his roots. As he asserts, “Cuban cigars on my mattress, trip till the final drop,” Rae paints a cinematic image that invites us to explore the vivid contrasts within his domain along with Marsha Ambrosius-assisted “Debra Night Wine,” where the allure of luxury is consistently balanced with an unwavering connection to the streets.
This LP is no shortage of great features with Nas once again, hopping on “The Omertà,” where Rae opens the track with a narrative that resembles a cinematic portrayal of life in the streets, vividly painting a picture of crime, loyalty, and the underground world, while Nas follows with his dominating presence, delving deeper into themes of power, influence, and wisdom: “Who has true power? The Torah, the synagogue leaders, Quran readers, or palm readers?” He delivers a nuanced perspective on how different cultural and religious constructs guide and influence communities, tying this in seamlessly with his own philosophies. “Wild Corsicans” features a Griselda posse cut, with Conway’s opening verse being particularly striking due to its vivid portrayal of struggles and survival tactics, Benny embodying a blend of braggadocio and introspective wisdom that characterizes his approach to hip-hop, Westside Gunn’s subsequent contributions are marked by a distinctive delivery that prioritizes staying true to his roots while continuously pressing forward, and Rae closes the track, delivering polished and evocative lines that highlight his legendary status and relentless dedication to the craft.
While “600 School” features great chemistry between Rae, Ghost, and Meth, Swizz Beatz provides a dated New York beat that you've heard so many times (just like “Open Doors” with Tommy Nova), but the Chef sets a scene full of tension and ambiance, from “glass and gin for my duelers” to “cyber-chucks flying at the lux,” painting a portrait of a turbulent yet vibrant milieu, Ghostdini follows with his unique ability to blend the supernatural with the grounded, layering his verses with emotional intensity and aggressive lyricism, and unsurprisingly, Method Man steals the show, though off beat in spots, heralding a blend of bravado and introspective reflection and his lyrical agility enables him to explore themes of resilience and assertiveness within the complex narrative framework (“I’m better official, but y’all don’t think it’s beneficial”). Ghostface also appears on the smooth “Get Outta Here” and the luxurious “Mac & Lobster,” proving the chemistry with him and Rae is still intact, as he prepares for his Supreme Clientele 2 drop next month.
Raekwon placed The Emperor’s New Clothes as his “most polished statement to date…a cinematic piece wrapped in rich velour with platinum-threaded precision,” sharpening his lens on classic Chef themes: entrepreneurial hustle, neighborhood hierarchies, and the high cost of loyalty. With “Pomogranite,” it opens with a declaration by Carlton Fisk, an MC who embodies the rugged, street-wise persona rooted in genuine grit. The way Rae narrates the intricacies of street survival, from evading law enforcement to asserting power over adversaries, solidifies the authenticity of his narrative. Inspectah Deck’s contribution brings another layer of acute observation, reflecting his sharpness and depth in understanding the nuances of street life. Stripped of ornament, these interlaced elements of endurance, strategy, and the unyielding spirit that propels them through their often perilous world, creating an evocative and insightful dialogue on the essence of living by the code, provided by beats that breathe Midtown smoke—never goes out of style; it simply waits for a craftsman to tailor it anew.
Great (★★★★☆)
Favorite Track(s): “Wild Corsicans,” “The Guy That Plans It,” “The Omerta”