Q&A: Meyhem Lauren On Hotel Life, Ralph Lauren, And Why The Wu-TangClan Is The Best Rap Group Of All Time

Room 426 at the Embassy Suites hotel in Texas might not be up there with the great rap recording studios, but for two days earlier this year it was transformed into an impromptu hip-hop spot by Meyhem Lauren. While he was there, the Queens resident and long-time Action Bronson associate cut a new mixtape, which is now released today via Das Racist's Greedhead label. Titled Respect The Fly Shit, the project showcases Lauren's weighty way with words, and has been preceded by a video for "Special Effects" that co-stars Heems wearing a very silly hat.
With Meyhem Lauren's profile looking to receive its biggest boost yet, we checked in with him to talk about going way back with Das Racist, his obsession with Ralph Lauren's Polo clothing line, and why he's convinced the Wu-Tang Clan are the greatest ever rap group in the world.



Did you once mention that the Wu-Tang Clan were the greatest ever rap group of all time in a song?

Absolutely.

Why do you think that?

There's just so much talent. First of all, to even have a group of that size of people with so much equal talent, and then the effect they had on society during that era. That was the Wu-Tang era: people were talking like them, people were dressing like them, and it was deeper than rap. Their whole image was the way to be back then.

Can you remember the first time you heard a Wu-Tang Clan song?

I probably heard "Protect Ya Neck" but the first song that caught me was "C.R.E.A.M." and after that I went back to the other songs. With "C.R.E.A.M." I was like, just wow. I was young at the time—I had to be 12-years-old when "C.R.E.A.M." dropped—and I remember me and my brother would just watch Video Music Box all day. We just wanted to hear that and [Gang Starr's] "Mass Appeal." Those dudes are still idols to me.