[Cheo Hodari Coker]
The first time I finally got with Wu, nobody really even knew what they looked like with the exception of, you know, that music video that I think they made for ten dollars for, for Method Man.
But the problem was the business of Wu-Tang. They missed the photoshoot. The only photos they had, I guess, featured them in masks. At the time, you know, this is pre-internet. If you missed the photoshoot, there was no way for a magazine to course correct. The magazine came out but instead of these photos, everybody had a basic, not even like an illustration, but a caricature. Raekwon the Chef, there was an illustration of Raekwon wearing, he's got like a chef hat. Ol' Dirty Bastard is pictured with a blow up doll. I didn't like 'em but the thing was was I completely understood the position that they were put in. Without art we would have to kill the story. I didn't think the illustrations reflected the seriousness of what I had witnessed. 'Cause musically Wu-Tang was just off the charts. I thought it looked corny. Some stories turn out great and some stories don't turn out great. This was the one I felt was only okay and um, you know, you move on. It came out and nothing happened, I didn't hear anything from the group.
First person that I see, Masta Killa walks up. I didn't know him at the time. And he says, "Yo, is you Cheo?" And I said, "Yeah." Bam, I get hit in the face. He's right 'cross my left eye. "That's just to let you know Wu-Tang Clan nothing to fuck with. We come real with our shit. We ain't no fuckin' cartoon characters."