Raekwon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raekwon
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Raekwon at the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Corey Woods |
| Also known as |
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| Born | January 12, 1970 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Origin | Staten Island, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | East Coast hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1991–present |
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Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), known by his stage name Raekwon (/reɪˈkwɒn/ RAY-kwon), is an American rapper. He became famous as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. This group became very popular after their first album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was released in 1993.
Raekwon later started his own solo music career. His first solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., came out in 1995. Many music critics consider this album one of the best hip-hop albums ever. It is also seen as a very important album from the 1990s rap scene. While his next two albums received mixed reviews, his fourth album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, released in 2009, was highly praised. Raekwon is known for his "street epics" that tell stories in a clear but rich way. He is considered one of the top rappers. He also started his own record label called ICE H20 Records.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Corey Woods, or Raekwon, was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was raised by his mother. He only met his father once when he was six years old. Later, Raekwon and his mother moved to Staten Island, where they lived in the Park Hill area when he was a teenager.
Raekwon says he got his name from a group called the Five-Percent Nation when he was young. He later converted to Islam in 2009.
Raekwon went to junior high school on Staten Island with fellow rapper Ghostface Killah. He also attended New Dorp High School, where he became friends with other rappers like Remedy, Method Man, and Inspectah Deck. After a difficult experience, Raekwon started rapping seriously. He said this experience helped him focus on his music.
Raekwon's Music Career
Joining Wu-Tang Clan
Before joining Wu-Tang Clan, Woods rapped under the name Sha Raider. In 1992, he became a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. This rap group originally had nine members, mostly from Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York City. He became known as Raekwon The Chef and also used names like Lex Diamonds, Shallah Raekwon, and Louis Rich.
The Wu-Tang Clan released their first album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in November 1993. This album later sold over a million copies, earning a certified platinum award. Their song "C.R.E.A.M." reached number 8 on the Billboard rap chart. In 1997, they released a double album called Wu-Tang Forever, which sold over four million copies. The group continued to release albums like The W (2000), Iron Flag (2001), and 8 Diagrams (2007), alongside solo projects from its members.
First Solo Album: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
In 1994, Raekwon signed a solo deal with Loud Records. He released his first solo song, "Heaven & Hell", for the movie Fresh. His first solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., came out on August 1, 1995.
Even though it didn't sell as many copies as some other albums at first, it received amazing reviews. It quickly became known as a classic in hip-hop music. RZA, another Wu-Tang member, produced the entire album. He described it as "like a crime mafia story." Ghostface Killah, another Wu-Tang member, rapped on more than half of the songs. They even wrote some lyrics in places like Barbados and Miami. The album tells a story, similar to mob and kung-fu movies, with many references and samples.
Raekwon explained that the lyrics were about "trying to get out the hood." He said, "We wanted to buy the most expensive cars and jewelry." He felt the album was for people who understood that lifestyle. But it eventually became popular with everyone who saw it as a "movie" and respected its unique style. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart. It also reached number 2 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It sold about 130,000 copies in its first week. Two months later, in October 1995, it was certified gold, meaning it had shipped at least 500,000 copies.
Later Albums and Success
After Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., Raekwon appeared on songs by other artists. He was featured on R&B group Allure's first album in 1997. He also joined rappers Nas, Jadakiss, and Big Pun on Fat Joe's song "John Blaze."
Raekwon's next album, Immobilarity, was released in 1999. It did not feature RZA's production or Ghostface Killah's appearances, and it received mixed reviews. The Lex Diamond Story, released in 2003 under Universal Records, also got mixed reviews. Many critics were not impressed, and Raekwon said it had a small budget for promotion.
Raekwon planned to release Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II through Dr. Dre's label Aftermath Entertainment in 2007. Raekwon gave credit to Busta Rhymes for helping him get back into his "Cuban Linx mindset." Most of the songs were produced by RZA, who said working with Dr. Dre was like combining different styles.
After many delays, the album Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II was finally released on September 8, 2009. It came out through Raekwon's own label, Ice H20, distributed by EMI. The album featured other Wu-Tang members and friends, plus artists like Slick Rick, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, and Beanie Sigel.
In September 2009, MTV ranked Raekwon as one of the top ten "hottest" rappers. In December, HipHopDx's 2009 awards named Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II the album of the year. They called it "the Hip Hop equivalent to The Godfather 2."
New Music and Projects
After the success of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, Raekwon worked with Method Man and Ghostface Killah on Wu-Massacre. This was a short album designed to show the group's unity. After this, Raekwon started talking about Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang, a project first announced in 2007. It was originally planned as a Wu-Tang album without RZA. Raekwon continued to develop his projects through his growing label, Icewater, signing other artists while working on his own music.
Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang was released in March 2011 as Raekwon's fifth solo album. As planned, RZA did not work on this project. However, several other Wu-Tang members appeared, along with Black Thought, Nas, and Rick Ross. Raekwon has also said he plans to release a third album in the Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... series someday.
In 2012, Raekwon officially launched his record label, Ice H20 Records. On November 30, 2012, Raekwon announced he would release an EP called Lost Jewlry. He released a song called "Never Can Say Goodbye" on December 20, though it wasn't on the EP. Lost Jewlry was released on January 15, 2013. It featured guest artists like Maino and Freddie Gibbs.
On January 1, 2013, Raekwon announced his next album would be called F.I.L.A., which stands for Fly International Luxurious Art. He said it would come out in 2013, then later said January 2014. It was finally released on April 28, 2015. In November 2016, Raekwon shared that a new album was finished.
On March 24, 2017, Raekwon released The Wild, a studio album. This was his first album without collaborations from other Wu-Tang Clan members. Critics liked it, saying it was stronger than Fly. They noted that The Wild felt like Raekwon was returning to his classic style, with fewer guest artists and more focus on his own rapping.
Raekwon was featured on the intro to the WWCD album by Griselda. On August 1, 2020, Elliot Wilson announced that Raekwon would soon release Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 3. In his most recent appearance, Raekwon provided guest vocals with Ghostface Killah and Busta Rhymes on "Science Class." This song is from Westside Gunn's 2022 mixtape 10.
Discography
Studio albums
- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (1995)
- Immobilarity (1999)
- The Lex Diamond Story (2003)
- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II (2009)
- Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang (2011)
- Fly International Luxurious Art (2015)
- The Wild (2017)
Collaboration albums
- Wu-Massacre (with Method Man & Ghostface Killah) (2010)
Images for kids
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Raekwon's signature
See also
In Spanish: Raekwon para niños
