Wu-Tang member and Staten Island legend, Raekwon, sat down with VladTV for an interviewing promoting his new memoir From Staircase to Stage: The Story of Raekwon and the Wu-Tang Clan. 

In a clip from the interview, Raekwon tells the story of how he split his $500,000 advance from Loud Records with Only Built For Cuban Links co-star Ghostface Killah for his contributions to his critically acclaimed debut solo album.

“The deal was a half a million. And at the end of the day, we had to get the record done with that half a million, Raekwon explained. “It was like, ‘Yo, I know me and [Ghostface] is so close right now, and me and him got a crazy vibe. I just wanted him to be involved with it.”

Ghost appeared on 12 of the 17 original tracks on the record, earning him a “guest starring” credit on the front cover of the album’s artwork. 

“I was like, ‘yo, you know you coming with me on this,” Rae continued. “It’s like almost like telling your man, ‘if I eat, you eat. And me and him was close like that. So it was to the point I was like, ‘Imma make sure he right with it too cuz he gonna join me on this…so automatically my deal became our deal.” 

Check out the entire interview with Raekwon the Chef, below.