After 10 student bands duked it out for Movin' On glory on April 5, the event's headliner, emo-punk rockers Say Anything, was announced along with a handful of national acts and the Battle of the Bands winners.

Little did Penn State students know what hip-hop guru Raekwon the Chef was cooking up.
After Raekwon, known for his work as a solo artist and as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, was added to the lineup for the Movin' On festival last week, we had the chance to catch up with the Chef to see what's been on his platter. Raekwon addresses rumors of a new Wu-Tang album, beef with Wu member RZA and his thoughts on the status of hip-hop today, among other delectable side dishes.

Q: Is there a set release date for your new album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II?
A: Yeah, you know, it's coming out in the summertime. We ain't sure yet though because we goin' through a couple of technicalities, but it's definitely coming out this year, though.

Q: When you say "technicalities," what exactly do you mean?
A: You know, just regular contract stuff like that. Just political business.

Q: How was working with Busta Rhymes and Dr. Dre on this new record?
A: It was cool, you know what I mean? They're both good brothers with a lot of good energy, you know. They got talent that I admire. I'm a fan, man, and I watched these guys through my career do they thing, so it was just an honor to work with them.

Q: How was working with them compared to working on a Wu-Tang record?
A: I mean, you know, at the end of the day I just kind of work and just do what I gotta do, you know. It's totally different when you're dealing with your family because you know this is family, you know what I mean? But when I'm with them other guys, it's like, something that's like part of making history with other dudes. I done already made history with my brothers so when we come in the studio and work, it's like a domino effect. You know when you're messing with other dudes, it's like, you know, you try to come with the best chemistry to make sure everybody feel good about it. And that's what we did.

Q: I wanted to ask about the tension between you guys and RZA [producer/rapper of the Wu-Tang Clan] before [2007 Wu-Tang album] 8 Diagrams was released. What was the problem going on in the studio?
A: The problem was just, you know, the production. We wasn't feeling that, you know, the production wasn't coming off as the way we wanted it to come off. You know, at the end of the day, we always critics when it come to music, but at the same token, it's like, once you start feeling like there's an 'I' in the team, it's a problem, and that's what happened. That's where everything led to problems, you know? We wasn't happy with what we was hearing, you know, we always made our music team-fully and, you know, it wasn't going down like that this time.

Q: I had heard in another interview that you guys were planning on doing a different album if 8 Diagrams was released. Is that still in the works?
A: Oh yeah, it's definitely still in the works, know what I mean? That right there is under my belt, 'cause I was the first one to start talking about it; the Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang album. So, you know what I mean, my brothers looked me in my face and said they wanted to do it, so we got a couple of tracks, or whatever, right now. But it's definitely coming, though.

Q: So is RZA going to have any involvement with that at all?
A: Nah, he's not gonna have any involvement with that project.

Q: So you guys are just going to produce that stuff yourself?
A: I'm not gonna say we gonna produce it ourselves, but, you know, at the end of the day we gonna make the hip-hop that we feel we deserve to be on. It'll be a bunch of producers we would agree to working with and take it from there, you know?

Q: When do you think another Wu-Tang album would come out?
A: I can't even tell you, you know?

Q: Do you think it's doubtful that another album would come out?
A: I mean, I don't know. Today I may feel like I wanna be a part of it, tomorrow I don't. But 9 times out of 10, I wouldn't front on making another Wu album, because I gotta look at the fans, you know what I mean? I know a lot of the fans love us as a whole, so I wouldn't be the one to f*** that up. But at the same time, I don't know how the next man may feel, you know what I mean? It's a bugged-out situation because you never know where you could be tomorrow.

Q: Your first solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., is considered to be one of the most influential hip-hop albums of the '90s, I'm sure you know this. But how do you feel when you hear stuff like that more than 10 years later?
A: It just makes me feel proud to know that people respect my work ethic, you know what I mean? All I can do is just take it as being a medal given to me from the game, you know? I've always tried to make all my music better than what I did back then, you know what I mean, 'cause I feel like I'm more lyrically inclined and more stronger now. I just look at it like, yo, I made a mark in the records. And I'm just gonna keep making the mark, you know? For reasons like that, you know, when you're considered to be one of the best dudes in the game, it's an honor and at the same token, it's like you wanna make people proud of you again and that's what I plan on doing.

Q: With that in mind, how do you feel about hip-hop today as compared to 10 years ago?
A: Hip-hop is political now. It's like, it's just about a beat and a song and a hook. It ain't about creativity and a person that you can say is really showing his talent. It's not about that no more, it's about who got the most spins on the radio right now and who got the most jewelry on, you know what I mean? That ain't the essence of hip-hop, you know?

Q: Do you think it's going to continue like that or do you think there's going to be some sort of "revolution" or something like that?
A: I mean, the revolution starts from us, all of us, even you, know what I mean? If you wanna sit here and not recognize real hip-hop and just deal with it from a status level, then that's what it is. If you wanna really open up your mind to good music and different stuff from different artists, then it starts with us. That's what makes the revolution a revolution. The people gotta open they eyes up and know what's real and know what's fabricated and what's corny, you know what I mean? If you can do that and separate that from that, then the revolution will already start from there.

Q: What hip-hop have you been listening to lately?
A: I listen to everything, man, you know what I mean? I turn on the radio or listen to the satellite thing. I'm always gonna be a fan of music, 'cause I grew up in the music, you know what I mean? But I listen to everybody's shit, man. You might catch me listening to some old-school shit, though. Not crazy old-school, but I'll play the Mobb Deep album, Infamy or the old Illmatic, you know what I mean? I might even shoot out the Big Daddy Kane, Long Live the Kane. You know, shit that just inspired me, so all the stuff that inspired me was the early '80s and '90s music, you know what I mean? You got some tracks nowadays that may kick a hot rhyme, but, at the same token, they say the same thing on every rhyme! So it's like, I like music that influences me, so I'm not too influenced no more. It's no art now, it's different. It's just scribble-scrabble right now, man.

Q: So what have you been up to as of late, besides the record? Are you on tour right now?
A: Yeah, just traveling the world. I mean, you don't see us around, you know, we could probably be somewhere in Poland, Copenhagen, Canada, somewhere, just basically lettin' the other people in the world hear our music. And, you know, just traveling and, you know, being a family man. It's just constantly getting my things together with my music. You know, that's what I do everyday. It's like a routine, man, you know? Like I said, we gotta stay busy and do what we gotta do, but my day is constantly on some hip-hop. Thinking of how I'll make this record the record I feel everybody needs to hear. That's what I've been on the last year, just really going hard with the sound that I want to bring to the table.

Q: How did you get involved with the Movin' On festival?
A: Actually, I think it was a contact through our agency and the agency told us about it and we all got excited. The agency got excited and, you know, they called us and said, 'Yo, we want you guys on here' and we was like, 'Oh, word? Penn State? That's what's up, let's make it happen.' And that was it. I mean, we love to do the colleges, anyway, though, 'cause it's like, we do all these other venues and, you know, sometimes you pass colleges and go, 'Damn, why didn't they call us?' or 'Why we ain't get at them, yet?'

Q: Who are you bringing along with you when you come to the festival?
A: All I can tell you, man, is it's like a basketball game. You know, I'm a player, I just gotta make sure I get there and show my fans that, you know, I'm there. I can't say for everybody else. ... It's a contract that everybody gotta live out to be there, whoever's supposed to be there. But all we can do is make sure we get there, you know what I mean? That's just being honest with you. Anything can happen, you know what I mean? So, I just gotta get my ass over there. I owe that to my peoples, you know.

Q: So I guess you can't say if any other members of the Wu-Tang Clan are going to be there?
A: I mean, it's like whoever was already signed to be there shall be there, you know what I mean? That's all I can say is, like, we couldn't get this far without just hoping and guessing who wants to be there. Now whoever don't show up, I don't know why they won't, why they may show up or why they don't show up. I just know at the end of the day that I gotta do my job. And that's what I'm 'a do. It's gonna be hot, make sure you get there.