Wu-Tang Clan legend Ghostface Killah recently sat down with Bootleg Kev, where he opened up about one of the biggest setbacks of the group’s career. According to Ghost, Sean “Diddy” Combs played a role in having Wu-Tang’s music pulled from Hot 97 during a crucial moment in the late ’90s.
Ghostface explained that Wu-Tang was faced with a difficult decision while on tour — whether to continue pushing into crossover markets or return to their core fan base. When the group chose to pull back, it triggered fallout in New York radio. “When we left, it was a disaster,” Ghost recalled. “They cut our records off that day. They didn’t play no Wu s*** no more.”
The rapper admitted his own actions contributed to tensions, saying he cursed out radio executives, which didn’t help the situation. But what shocked him most was what he learned later: Diddy himself allegedly admitted to RZA that he influenced Hot 97 to stop spinning Wu-Tang records. “Puff admitted to saying that he stopped our records up there,” Ghostface said. “I don’t know what he paid them, but he had the power.”
For Wu-Tang, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Their single “Triumph” was fresh and primed for heavy rotation, but Ghostface believes the lack of radio support crippled its reach. “That was a big blow because the record was still fresh,” he said. “If 'Triumph' would’ve been promoted the way it was supposed to be, things probably would’ve been a little different.”
Even decades later, Ghostface reflects on that moment as a turning point — one where industry politics and rivalries shaped the trajectory of a hip-hop dynasty.
Source: YouTube
