That Time Wu-Tang Got Checked by the Mob
Hip-hop history is full of wild stories—but few compare to the day the Wu-Tang Clan got a not-so-friendly heads-up from one of America’s most feared crime families. Picture this: It’s the mid-90s, and Wu-Tang’s star is rising like smoke from Shaolin.
Raekwon, one of the Clan’s sharpest swordsmen, is prepping his solo debut. The original working title? Wu-Gambinos.
It made sense—Raekwon and the crew were deep into that cinematic mafia vibe. Think Scarface, Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America. The whole Wu ethos dripped with organized crime aesthetic, and they were about to solidify it in name. The plan? Go full caporegime and stamp the Gambino name on the album. Only one problem: the real Gambino family was still very much active—and very much not interested in having their name sold in record stores.
Steve Rifkind, founder of Loud Records (home to Wu-Tang), got the call. His father, a music industry veteran with connections in high (and low) places, passed along the message loud and clear: “Tell them not to do it.” This wasn’t a lawsuit threat. This was real-deal street-level politics. You don’t play with mob names in New York and think nobody’s watching.
Raekwon wasn’t thrilled. According to interviews, he pushed back hard. But eventually, cooler heads (and wiser self-preservation instincts) prevailed. The album was renamed to the now-iconic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, a certified classic that still carried the mafioso spirit without directly borrowing the family name.
Still, the theme didn’t vanish. The track “Wu-Gambinos” stayed on the album, with members adopting mafioso aliases—Raekwon as Lex Diamonds, Ghostface as Tony Starks, RZA as Bobby Steels. It was homage without overstepping. Smart move.
In Raekwon’s own words:
“Back then, our mentality was to take the risk, fuck it… but we had to second-guess that motion and be like you know what, don’t do it.”
And Steve Rifkind? He made it simple:
“Mafia told Raekwon not to title his album ‘Wu-Gambinos’. That’s a fact.”
In the end, it’s one of those true stories that sounds like rap folklore—but isn’t. Wu-Tang flirted with the underworld’s legacy, and the underworld politely (but firmly) told them to keep it moving.
Lessons? Respect the game. Respect the name. And sometimes, even when you’re building a lyrical empire, it’s best not to poke the real dons.
Peace to Wu. Salute to the street legends who knew when to pivot. And for the record? Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… might’ve turned out even better because of it.
The silver lining to this whole situation was the actual album being named “Only Built For Cuban Linx”…one of the illest, meanest, most classic hip-hop albums that ever hit the streets.
