Wu-Tang Clan's forthcoming album could be their last

RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan performs during the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California April 14, 2013. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

The Wu-Tang Clan’s much anticipated new album could be their last, according to RZA.

The hip-hop collective's producer and band leader has been busy working on completing the overdue A Better Tomorrow.

The album, to be released by the end of the year, will mark their first release since 2007's Eight Diagrams.

He said the recording process for the sixth album made him re-asses his priorities.

“When you’re a young man, you’re hustling and you’ve got 12 hours a day to dedicate to music. It might be more than that,” he told the Associated Press.

“The energy that’s important is constantly pouring out. But when you’ve got to go seek for the energy, it becomes a little more difficult. Wu-Tang is forever, I’ll never take back that statement. But we haven’t recorded a lot of studio albums. This is the first album we’ve recorded in seven years, actually. And we can’t wait seven years for another album.”

RZA says the group’s collective spirit will live on in the children of the group members and future generations of hip-hop artists.

Regarding the forthcoming album, RZA is waiting for band-member Raekwon to step up to the mic.

“Everybody did their verses except Raekwon,” he said.

“He hasn’t turned in his verses yet. I don’t know if he’s still trying to find the vibe of the music. We have to talk about it before it becomes too late. But he hasn’t come to the table yet.”