Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon recently talked about hooking up with Kanye West on numerous occasions for music and how big of a compliment the G.O.O.D. Music head paid him. According to the "Chef," Yeezy labeled him a standout in the rap game. "He just was like, 'Yo, you like one of the Greek gods in this rap game. It's an honor to be amongst somebody that taught me everything I know,' " Rae recalled. "Kanye is so sincere when it comes to expressing himself, and he was just like, 'I learned everything from y'all.' [But] my thing is, 'No, you learned it from hip-hop.' ... We was just a part of the movement. When you meet somebody that's really hip-hop, that really love it, they have to sit down and let you know how they feel about things. It's like an introduction, because if you never really worked with that guy before, you want to sit down and get to know him as a person, and that's what we was doing, just vibin', kickin' it and playing a couple things."
(MTV) Around mid-December, Rae revealed his interest in contributing to Ye's rumored Cruel Winter compilation album. "Um, you know, Kanye, them is my guys," Rae said when asked if he will appear on Cruel Winter. "If he was to call me in to do some things, it's gonna happen. You know what I mean? I'm a big fan of the movement. They've been doing a lot of great things, so, when they call a fella like me in, they know what I get ready to do. So Cruel Winter, Cruel Spring, [laughs], all that, put me down so I can throw my voice on it, you know what I mean?" (HHNM) He previously hit up SOHH and talked about Yeezy's work ethic having recorded "Gorgeous" alongside him. "The first thing I can tell you about Kanye West is that he's a hard worker. When you look at him, you can tell that he still has that whole hip-hop thing in his bones. When I was around him, I could definitely feel the energy that this guy is really taking things serious and he's not trying to give [you] no watered down album. Listening to what was being made, you could hear and know that you were feeling it. So for the most part, I can say the music is great as far as him being creative and brilliant and he makes sure to keep those things around him. Everybody that says he's bringing this album back to the 1990's, [but] I think it's more about him being creative." (SOHH Guest Star) A couple years ago, the Staten Island native talked about his admiration for Mr. West. Raekwon, based in Atlanta, has also been in talks with Kanye West about collaborating on a project. "You're gonna see something soon with me and that guy. That guy's on fire right now and he respects real hip-hop, he respects me," he said. "And he's like, 'Yo Chef, I wanna be down and I'm like, you down, you down, [laughs] so let's just make it happen!'"