Funk Flex Apologizes to Wu-Tang Clan for Old Hot 97 Beef

Funk Flex issued an apology on Instagram to legendary rap collective Wu-Tang Clan for their former beef with Hot 97.

Funk Flex recently went to Instagram to seek redemption for the former beef between Wu-Tang Clan and Hot 97. On Saturday (February 4), the DJ and Hot 97 host posted an image of him seated beside Wu-Tang Clan head RZA with a lengthy caption that touched on their longstanding rift.

"I WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO APOLOGIZE TO THE @RZA AND THE ENTIRE @WUTANGCLAN !!! ALMOST 25YRS AGO THE GROUP, ME AND HOT97 HAD A DISAGREEMENT THAT TO ME NEVER GOT PUT TO BED AND I APOLOGIZE!” Flex wrote.

“LOOKING BACK AT THIS 20 SUMTHIN YEARS LATER.. WE GONNA MAKE UP FOR THE TIME WE MISSED…” he continued. “THE WORLDS GREATEST RAP GROUP AND THE WORLDS GREATEST RADIO STATIONS ARE GOING TO COME TOGETHER BRING U SOMETHING AMAZING!”

Flex also teased a possible collaboration between him and the Killa Beez, tagging each individual member of the group in his caption.

In 2019 docuseries, Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men, Wu-Tang member Inspectah Deck detailed the group's beef with Hot 97, which dates back to 1997 when the group was tapped to headline Hot 97’s Summer Jam in New Jersey. The radio station allegedly told the group that they'd have to travel to New Jersey on their own dime to perform for free.

"The deal was, as far as I remember, you gotta come back and do this Hot 97 Summer Jam or we’re not gonna play any more of your records on your station,” he explained.

Onstage during the 1997 concert, Ghostface Killah screamed "Fuck Hot 97!" getting the crowd to join in.

“They didn’t play our records for like the next 10 years,” said Deck, noting that other radio stations followed Hot 97’s lead. “Us not being involved while they playing the Biggie shit, they playing Nas shit, everybody that was rocking with us at the time. That affected our sales, that affected our touring, that affected everything. That affected our presence.”

One decade before Flex's recent Instagram apology, Wu-Tang and Hot 97 apparently mended their differences, as the group performed at the 2013 Summer Jam.