The Emperor's New Clothes is the eighth studio album by American rapper Raekwon. It was released on July 18, 2025 by Ice H20 Records and Mass Appeal Records.[1] It is the first album Raekwon released in 8 years after The Wild in 2017. It is the second album released in Mass Appeal’s “Legend Has It…” series of albums released in 2025.
Background
On April 16, 2025, Mass Appeal Records announced a series titled Legend Has It..., which features seven albums set to be released in 2025, from Nas & DJ Premier, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon himself, Mobb Deep, De La Soul, Big L, and Slick Rick.[2][3]
Critical reception
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, The Emperor's New Clothes received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 63 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.[8]
Track listing
The Emperor's New Clothes track listing| Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) |
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| 1. | "Intro" | Corey Woods | Raekwon | 0:35 |
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| 2. | "Bear Hill" | Woods | Frank G. | 2:24 |
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| 3. | "Pomogranite" (featuring Inspectah Deck and Carlton Fisk) | | | 3:20 |
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| 4. | "Veterans Only Billionaire Rehab (Skit)" | Woods | Raekwon | 1:04 |
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| 5. | "Wild Corsicans" (featuring Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, and Benny the Butcher) | | Snipe Beatz | 3:43 |
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| 6. | "1 Life" (featuring Stacy Barthe) | | J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League | 4:19 |
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| 7. | "Barber Shop Bullies (Skit)" | Woods | | 0:28 |
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| 8. | "Open Doors" (featuring Tommy Nova) | | Roads-Art | 2:53 |
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| 9. | "600 School" (featuring Ghostface Killah and Method Man) | | Swizz Beatz | 3:12 |
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| 10. | "The Guy That Plans It" | Woods | Roads-Art | 1:32 |
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| 11. | "Da Heavies" | Woods | Pav Bundy | 2:26 |
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| 12. | "Officer Full Beard (Skit)" | Woods | Roads-Art | 1:01 |
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| 13. | "The Omerta" (featuring Nas) | | Nottz | 3:18 |
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| 14. | "Get Outta Here" (featuring Ghostface Killah) | | Frank G. | 2:48 |
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| 15. | "The Sober Dose Gift (Skit)" | Woods | Roads-Art | 0:56 |
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| 16. | "Debra Night Wine" (featuring Marsha Ambrosius) | | Wyldfyer the TRUTH | 3:20 |
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| 17. | "Mac & Lobster" (featuring Ghostface Killah) | | | 3:13 |
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| Total length: | 40:32 |
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Charts
References
- ^ Saponara, Michael (July 18, 2025). "Raekwon Returns With 'The Emperor's New Clothes' Featuring Nas, Westside Gunn & Method Man: Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
- ^ Fisher, Carol (April 16, 2025). "Mass Appeal Announces "Legend Has It" Series Featuring New Albums From Nas, De La Soul & More". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Slick Rick Announces First New Album In 26 Years, Produced With Idris Elba". Stereogum. May 15, 2025. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ^ Morgan, Tom (July 23, 2025). "Raekwon - The Emperor's New Clothes | Reviews". Clash Magazine. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Tosiello, Pete. "Raekwon: The Emperor's New Clothes". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Gee, Andre (July 23, 2025). "Raekwon Chefs Up Some Raw Classic New York Rap On 'The Emperor's New Clothes'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Attard, Paul (July 19, 2025). "Raekwon 'The Emperor's New Clothes' Review: Old Duds". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b The Emperor's New Clothes by Raekwon, retrieved August 7, 2025
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
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