Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, Raekwon & Cappadonna Celebrate Those That ‘Help Build Our Culture’ During Billboard’s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame Award Speech

RZA, Raekwon The Chef and Cappadonna celebrated everything Wu-Tang Clan and everything hip-hop during Thursday night’s (Sept. 4) R&B Hip-Hop Power Players event in Brooklyn.

After being introduced by Billboard CEO Mike Van, RZA, Raekwon and Cappadonna took the stage at Williamsburg’s Unveiled to accept the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame Award. During their speech, RZA noted that rap’s hall of famers are most often the people who work behind the scenes. (Check out the full speech above.)

“When you think about hall of fame, you thinkin’ about it being full of people with fame, famous people,” RZA said. “But there are so many other people who are not famous that helps build our culture. Helps build the career of the artist. Whether it’s a Steve Rifkind, Lyor Cohen or Wendy Goldstein, or a Dante Ross… or a Billboard Magazine. There’s so many elements that go towards a career to make it famous. There’s so many elements that go towards the culture to make that culture famous.”

RZA went on to explain that hip-hop started in the streets of New York before rising up to become a “global, multi-billion dollar movement that’s feeding families all over the world.”

The Chef then stepped in to give his thanks to Billboard before Cappadonna closed it out by thanking the fans and bringing Loud Records founder Steve Rifkind on stage to thank him for believing in the Wu.

The R&B Hip-Hop Power Players event also honored Leon Thomas and GELO, who are the brand’s R&B and Hip-Hop Rookie’s of the Year, respectively. The event then closed out by honoring Cardi B with the Impact of the Year Award.