The sad, and increasingly messy, fallout between Rza and Wu Tang Clan is continuing apace, with the producer and Wu-founder slating claims by Ghostface Killah that he owes the rest of the band royalties. Reports last week that we somehow missed stated that Ghostface Killah had won a legal judgement for over $158,000 against Rza's Wu-Tang Productions in regards to the unpaid royalties.

However, speaking to Allhiphop, Rza stated that the case "is not closed yet", adding: "The judgment has not been entered yet, and we are appealing the case."

Hip hop royalties are traditionally split 50-50 between beat maker and MC...no matter how many MCs appear. Which, in fairness, would be a bit of a bind for a band like the Wu, who at the last count had nearly 45,000 members.

"When it comes to the beats of hip-hop, how it carries on to this day is that the producer gets 50 per cent of the composition, and the lyricist, no matter how many, gets the other 50 per cent," explained Rza.

He added that if he is forced to pay Ghostface Killah unpaid royalties, it could lead to a number of copycat cases from other rap acts.

"For them to say that's wrong, and the producer shouldn't get 50 per cent, that means every producer is this industry can now have a potential claim against them from an artist. Remember, we don't sign contracts in studios."

Rza also launched a passionate defence of his input for the band.

"They've made millions based on my beats," he stated. "Songs like 'Bring Da Ruckus' I made two years before they even rapped on it. Songs like 'Can It Be All So Simple', anybody could have got on that. It had the hook, beat, and the lift from the beginning. They threw their verses on it."

A sad state of affairs for one of the most influential acts in hip hop (and modern music) history. In a recent interview with The Grauniad to promote his rather ace new Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Part II, Raekwon spoke of the well publicised breakdown in relations in the aftermath of the admittedly underwhelming last Wu LP, 8 Diagrams:

"Wu-Tang is the house that Rza built," Raekwon said. "We can't lie about that. He knows that he put everybody in the situation, and he's cocky about that. What happens is, you look up to somebody who you respected for givin' you the opportunity to be here today, and you kinda hide a lot of the stuff that you all been through. We wasn't tryin' to say 'Rza's music is trash,' because he's not trash. I could never say Rza's trash. But he didn't come with the right formula on 8 Diagrams. I think Cuban Linx 2 will have the Clan back where they need to be, but then it's up for the Clan to be back where they need to be, too. 'Cos it ain't just the album, you know what I mean? It's everything."

Bizarrely, RZA produces three (of the best) tracks on Cuban Linx Pt II, emphasising just what a complicated dynamic now exists in the band.