Raekwon, Diadora & Foot Locker Launch Community Initiative Inspired By 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx'

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Raekwon unleashed his debut solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, in 1995 to critical acclaim. So it’s no surprise he’s banking on name recognition to boost his latest endeavor.

According to a press release, Diadora and Foot Locker have teamed up with the Wu-Tang Clan vet for the “Community Linx” initiative, a series of product capsules built with and linking to local communities. With each drop, the trio will provide burgeoning local music talent with the tools, resources and knowledge needed to elevate their profile.

“I concepted Community Linx because I wanted to bring music and sneaker culture together in a meaningful way,” Raekwon said in a statement. “I’m thankful that Diadora and Foot Locker, Inc. believed in my vision. Together, we aim to inspire the next generation of music talent by providing them with tools and resources to hone their craft. I can’t wait to hear their work. Every sneaker capsule represents the hustle of each city and hopefully serves as a reminder to keep chasing your dreams.”

The program starts with the universal Diadora N9002 and an NYC-inspired Diadora N9002, available in men’s sizes exclusively at Foot Locker and Champs Sports beginning January 27. In support of the N9002 NYC release, Raekwon, Diadora and Foot Locker, Inc. selected 16 rising musicians from New York City for an invite-only, four-week beat-making course hosted by producer/DJ, Scram Jones.

As noted in the release, “Each participant will receive invaluable insight into the beat-making process, from using different tools to mixing and mastering a track.”

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In a recent interview with HipHopDX, Raekwon provided an update on the long-awaited Only Built 4 Cuban Link III album and revealed he had another body of work on the way to whet fans’ palettes.

“Right now, I’m going to give you another project before we actually give you the III,” he told DX last November. “Because the III, we’re still curating that to make it strong. But being that time is really moving, I already have something else on deck that’s going to open up the vessel for Cuban Linx III to come out down the line. So, just get ready though.”

He continued, “I have a title. The title is called Scarlet Fever. That’s the name of the title. It’s definitely going to be a dope album, but I would definitely say it’s the prelude to Cuban Linx III down the line. It’s going to definitely be another classic. Trust me. It’s solid when I call it because I ain’t going to lie about it.”