One of the standout tracks from Raekwon’s recently released seventh solo-masterpiece, The Wild, is undoubtedly his heartfelt tribute to Marvin Gaye, simply entitled “Marvin” which features Cee-Lo.
With “Marvin,” Raekwon authors his own audio autobiography of the fellow iconic artist, detailing his upbringing, his artistic legacy, his turbulent personal life and his tragic death (at the hands of his own father). As the anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s birth (April 2nd) and death (April 1st) both draw near, Raekwon further honors Marvin Gaye’s life and his dedication to him by delving into the creative process of the track and where the inspiration stemmed from.
“Once I heard the beat, his name kept coming to me (“Marvin” exactly like Cee-Lo’s hook). The beat reminded me of him and it transported me back to that time. It was like his life flashed before me and the words just began spilling out organically” Raekwon stated. “Marvin’s music transcended genres and it can speak to anyone, but it especially speaks to those of us who come from the inner-city; poverty, oppression, the good and the bad. Living in the inner-city, his music helps us reflect. He was real and you could hear it in his voice and in his music. That is where we have parallels, he spoke to a generation and so do I and Wu-Tang. We share creativity and we speak on what we want people to hear; and not focus on trends. Marvin saw the climate change and what he saw affected him. He stood up for what he believed in (issues we are still dealing with today) and created conversation and awareness and he had a vision; I resemble those same traits. I wish I could sit down with him and play him this tribute and just smoke a splif and vibe.”
Listen below.
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