Montreality caught up with the Wu-Tang Clan in its latest episode, and got the legendary rap group's insight into the young wave of artists coming out of New York City, but not before respect was paid to one of the first brilliant youngsters to come along shortly after their 1993 breakthrough, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The Wu's Montreality episode opens up with words in remembrance of the late Prodigy.

"We love Prodigy, all of us. Prodigy has worked with all of us at different capacities, you know what I mean? And we lost a true legend of hip-hop, you know what I mean? A true emcee, you know what I mean? And we feel that loss," said Rza about P's passing one week ago. Raekwon then followed up by reflecting on their two-decade-long friendship, going back to their recording of the Nas-assisted "Eye for an Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)" in Queensbridge together. And although he never recorded with P, U-God had his own memories to share, of trips to the woods for paintball wars back in the day.

Dave East, A Boogie, Young M.A., Joey BadAzz and Uncle Murda are some of the rappers from the current crop of artists making noise, who various members of the Wu say they've been feeling of late. And as RZA went on about how he doesn't judge those who might be recognized as mumble rappers, Ghostface Killah nodded on in agreement. The Wu have seen scores of new styles and subgenres come along throughout their quarter-century-long run in the music industry. But they can also remember a time when they themselves had contemporaries coming up behind them, as they worked to hold down the game, with Prodigy being one of them.

"I think Havoc and Prodigy both, were like, advanced beyond their years," RZA said, while recalling his first time hearing Mobb Deep. According to the rapper/producer, his own Staten Island clique was already the talk of the town, when one day Ol' Dirty Bastard popped one of the Mobb's early recordings into the cassette deck. "Some emcees don't get good until their 25 or something, you know what I mean?" Rza said. "But at 19 the kid was already nice, you know what I mean?"

Source: youtube.com