Recently, the Wu-Tang Clan claimed they “cleared the first-ever Beatles sample” for their new LP, 8 Diagrams. Later, the crew stated that because of “the magnitude of the sample and the history being made,” the album would be pushed up to a December 4 release date.

History wasn’t exactly being made, though.

“In this case, the Beatles’ master sample is not being used and has not been approved by Apple Records,”Randall Wixen, founder of Wixen Music Publishing, told MTV. “The composition of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ has been interpolated into the Wu-Tang song. The elements have been replayed by Dhani Harrison,” he further explained.

“There’s nuance to [the Wu-Tang’s] claim. They have not [been] cleared [by] the Beatles, they have cleared a song made popular by the Beatles…All I know is that we were authorized to proceed with the Wu-Tang Clan.”

The Wu will have to pay up, too.

“If the Wu-Tang Clan sells a million copies of their album,” Wixen added. “They would have to pay that mechanical license times 1 million.”

So, who else is on the record?

“EMI freaked out about this whole thing, but it’s less about a major corporation talking to another major corporation, it’s more like two friends — RZA and myself — talking about working together,”Dhani Harrison told MTV.

“[The RZA] asked me to see if he could use the song, which is owned by us [the Harrison Estate], and we said yes. It’s not the original master — they’ve never been cleared — but the song is used compositionally.”

“I play a bit of guitar on it, John Frusciante played some guitar too, and Erykah is on there…I haven’t heard the final version, but whatever capacity the RZA wants to use all of those parts in, I’m sure he will.”

The Wu has actually responded to this with their own statement.

“The statement on Wu-Tang Clan’s myspace site is incorrect and we apologize for any confusion it may have caused. We did not sample the Beatles, rather we did an interpolation of the classic George Harrison composition ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’ In a historic collaboration, Dhani Harrison, son of George, through his friendship with the RZA, played guitar on the song and he himself helped secure the reuse license. Also appearing on the song are John Frusciante, guitar player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Erykah Badu singing the chorus….It will be the first single and video from the forthcoming album 8 Diagrams, in stores December 4,” they told MTV