I’ve been interning at MTV News for about three weeks and I already loved it, but when senior producer/hip-hop brain trust member Rahman Dukes asked if I wanted go with him to a sneak peek at the Wu-Tang Clan’s new album, The 8 Diagrams, that was the clincher. I played it cool and told him “sure,” but secretly I was thinking “hell yeah!”

It’s the Wu-Tang Clan! I’ve been a fan since the GZA called out the roll call, introducing “the RZA, the GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon the Chef, U-God, Ghostface Killah and the Method Man!” That was quite possibly the hardest thing an 8-year-old has ever heard, and it stuck. So hell yeah I wanted to go hear the Wu-Tang Clan’s new album!

The fact that a new Wu-Tang album exists was even crazier. There had been rumors of an album for a while, but not much solid — it’d come up in Rae and Ghost interviews here and there, and concertgoers mentioned that they heard new material at the group’s Rock the Bells appearance. But this listening session was the first tangible evidence of an album.

This listening session itself seemed to be shrouded in secrecy as well. Rahman said he’d tried (without success) twice previously to meet with the guy who had the music sampler. This furthered his skepticism — and my anticipation!

However, the man in question met us at the SoHo House, in the heart of New York’s Meatpacking District, invited us in and popped in the sampler. It wasn’t your average album sampler, either — the RZA had personally mixed the CD, and it showed. For the next 20 minutes, we sat in amazement.

The production on the sampler was amazing. The RZA is known for looping various samples, from old songs and kung-fu films, for the gritty feel of the Wu-Tang’s first few albums, but the production here had a different feel. It still featured samples from kung-fu flicks and old-school hits, but is much more refined. The RZA has been scoring feature films such as “Derailed,” “Blade: Trinity” and the “Kill Bill” series, and the music on the sampler often sounded like a movie score.

The other members delivered feature-film-worthy performances as well — their verses are completely up-to-par with the production. In fact, it was hard to choose whether to focus on RZA’s production or the MCs’ delivery (luckily we heard the sampler three times).

It was great to hear them all spitting together, especially when it seemed so unlikely after their last studio LP, 2001’s Iron Flag. Each had various different commitments, whether family or contractual obligations, which made the recording of this album very difficult.

Yet there they were: Method, Ghostface and Masta Killer sounded like they were in peak form. The RZA provided a memorable performance on “Thug World.” Even U-God came through on “Watch Your Mouth.” “All I hear is turf talk/ Back room’s full of goons with bullet-wound birthmarks.”

Raekwon shone the brightest of all. Whether it was his slow, meticulous, almost out-of-breath flow, or his “standing on the block/ Reebok gun cocked” wordplay, the chef served up a verbal feast.

“My People Gently Weep” stands out as the sampler’s best track. Rae and Ghost leave you hanging on every word. The beat incorporates the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gentle Weeps” and the song features songwriter George Harrison’s son, Dani. The album also features George Clinton providing an amazing vocal performance on “Wolves” — the song combines fast-paced, TV on the Radio-esque production with Clinton’s blustering voice.

Of course, as great as the new material sounds, ODB is sorely missed — the sampler includes a song, “Life Changes,” dedicated to him, that features each Wu member chiming in on how his death has affected them. The album will be dedicated to ODB’s memory, and is slated for release on the anniversary of his death: November 13 (see “Rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard Dies”).

Based on the little I’ve heard, it’s a fitting tribute.

See all of Steven Roberts’ uploads at yourhere.mtv.com…