Funk Flex took to social media on Saturday to apologize to RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan on behalf of Hot 97 after 25 years of beef between the station and the rap legends.
The newly named Creative Program Director of Hot 97 posted a photo of him sitting next to the RZA alongside a caption apologizing to the group.
“I WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO APOLOGIZE TO THE @RZA AND THE ENTIRE @WUTANGCLAN !!!” Flex captioned the post. “ALMOST 25YRS AGO THE GROUP, ME AND HOT97 HAD A DISAGREEMENT THAT TO ME NEVER GOT PUT TO BED AND I APOLOGIZE!”
He added, “LOOKING BACK AT THIS 20 SUMTHIN YEARS LATER.. WE GONNA MAKE UP FOR THE TIME WE MISSED…”
He teased some type of collaboration between the radio station and the Wu-Tang Clan, indicating that it would be “amazing.”
RZA, Raekwon, and Masta Killa all commented on the post. Bobby Digital and Masta Killa threw up the Wu-hand emojis, and The Chef wrote, “Nothing but love Blackman ! And that’s Reciprical !!!!!”
The issue between the iconic rap group and the radio station started back in 1997 over the group’s Hot 97 Summer Jam booking. Inspectah Deck explained in the 2019 docuseries Of Mics And and Men that the Clan was booked to headline the festival for free and were responsible for their own travel to the venue in New Jersey.
He alleged that if they did not comply and perform at Summer Jam, the station would stop playing their records. An upset Ghostface Killah used the performance to call out the station by leading the crowd in a “F*ck Hot 97” chant.
“They didn’t play our records for like the next 10 years,” Deck said. He claims other radio stations took Hot 97’s lead and affected the group’s sales, touring, etc.
Wu-Tang and Hot 97 were able to put the past behind them, and the group eventually returned to Summer Jam in 2013.
