Raekwon

Real name Corey Woods, Raekwon is an American rapper born on January 12, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on Staten Island. Known as one of the founding members of the influential Wu-Tang Clan collective, he made a name for himself on their groundbreaking album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), playing a central role with a cinematic flow and rhymes steeped in mafia references and street tales. In 1995, he launched his solo career with Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., produced by RZA, a New York hardcore rap classic considered one of the best rap albums of the 1990s, defining gangsta rap with tracks like "Criminology" and "Ice Cream". Between numerous mixtapes, he followed up with Immobilarity (1999) and The Lex Diamond Story (2003), which met with more moderate success. In 2009, he returned in force with Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, the direct follow-up to his debut album, praised for its ambitious production and collaborations (J Dilla, Dr. Dre, The Alchemist, Ghostface Killah). He followed this up with Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang (2011), a solo project that revisits the Wu-Tang Clan universe with energy. In 2015, Fly International Luxurious Art (F.I.L.A.) was released, with a more accessible, fashion- and luxury-oriented style. In 2017, The Wild features more modern sounds, but is still rooted in his characteristic narrative style. In 2021, he announces work on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. III, the long-awaited final instalment in his iconic trilogy. Meanwhile, the EP The Appetition (2020) and the album The Emperor's New Clothes (2025) were released.