Corey Woods
, (born January 12, 1970) better known by the stage name Raekwon
(sometimes Raekwon the Chef
), is an American East Coast rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan.
In his book, The Wu-Tang Manual
, RZA details Raekwon’s ‘chef’ moniker, writing, "He was known for cooking up some really good fish." [1] 'Fish' is also a slang term, referring to cocaine. [2]
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RAEKWON TICKETS
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Biography
Raekwon was born in
Brooklyn,
New York, but moved to Staten Island's
Park Hill projects at an early age. He joined the Wu-Tang Clan in time to participate on
Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
, the group's massively successful debut. He later signed a solo deal with
Loud Records and, working with
Ghostface Killah, released his first solo LP,
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
(originally to be titled
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Niggaz
), which debuted in 1995 to rave reviews and went on to sell 1.1 million copies per Nielson Soundscan.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
is perhaps the most influential of all Wu-Tang solo projects, thanks to Raekwon's cinematic imagination and his creation of a narrative album format revolving around cocaine trafficking, criminal activity, and a rise through the ranks of the illegal industry. Albums to follow this thematic pattern, and to rely on the ''Cuban Linx
format for song construction, include Jay-Z's
Reasonable Doubt, Nas's
It Was Written, Notorious B.I.G.'s
Life After Death, and even Raekwon's subsequent
The Lex Diamond Story'', which is organized around Mafia-based narrative progression, and first-person reporting on the drug trade. If the
GZA is often described as the Wu's best overall
lyricist then perhaps Raekwon is their best
storyteller, and here he translates the epic themes and narratives of a
Mafia movie into what critics consider a startlingly accomplished hip hop album.
Although Raekwon wasn't the first to make the connection between
gangsta rap and the
Cosa Nostra, his storytelling abilities on tracks such as
Spot Rusherz
led to many a comparison with
Kool G Rap (who pioneered the idea), and the album as a whole is often credited for popularizing the trend of using Mafia and
gangster movie motifs in rap music. Raekwon participated on
Wu-Tang Forever
with the rest of the group, and then released
Immobilarity
in 1999, to somewhat more mixed reviews than
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
. Many fans disliked his decision to use inexperienced, up-and-coming producers rather than the Wu-Tang's in-house producers, though the album went
gold. Raekwon is also featured heavily on Ghostface Killah's albums
Ironman
and
Supreme Clientele
, as well as featuring on high-profile singles from
Fat Joe ("John Blaze") and
Outkast ("Skew It On The Bar-B"). He also appeared on the subsequent Wu-Tang Clan group albums
The W
(2000),
Iron Flag
(2001), and
8 Diagrams
(2007).
His most recent released album,
The Lex Diamond Story
, was released on
December 13, 2003 on
Universal Records, to mixed reviews (generally lukewarm critical reviews and wildly varying public reviews) and moderate success. His music video for the song "The Hood" featuring
Tiffany Villarreal received only few rotations on BET, and nearly none on MTV. Raekwon complained about the lack of promotion and vowed that future releases wouldn't suffer the same fate.
[3] Raekwon's steady success has given him the chance to branch into business, become a Creative Officer of a
major label and begin the creation of his own hip hop team, Ice Water Inc.
In July of 2009 Raekwon was featured alongside Havoc from Mobb Deep in J Dilla's music video for "24k Rap" off of the
Jay Stay Paid
album, the video was directed by Derek Pike.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
Raekwon planned to release the long-delayed sequel to his debut,
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
, in 2007 through
Aftermath Entertainment; it was informally executively produced by
Busta Rhymes (who Raekwon described as getting him into the "Cuban Linx mindset")
[4] and
RZA, with RZA handling most of the production. Dr. Dre, Scram Jones, and J Dilla were other producers that had been mentioned as working with Raekwon on the album. RZA explained the collaboration between he and Dr. Dre as like "yin and yang" when it came to their styles.
[5] "The album is gonna attract all the gangstas, nigga; all the thugs and everybody is going to be listening to this shit," says RZA of the album.
Raekwon and EMI both confirmed at one point that Raekwon's Only Built For Cuban Linx II will be released the summer of 2009 (Raekwon's Myspace specifies August 11 as the date) with EMI serving as the distribution label
[6] for the album, which will be officially released on Raekwon's ICEH2O label.
[7] However, Raekwon and EMI have since announced that the album will be pushed back to September 8, 2009 due to sample clearance issues, and the leak of a song from the album entitled "Surgical Gloves."
[8] EMI has also confirmed additional radio promotion support, as well as licensing and synchronization services. The album will feature the likes of
Ghostface Killah,
GZA,
Inspectah Deck,
Masta Killa,
Slick Rick,
Jadakiss,
Busta Rhymes,
Bun B, and more.
Film and acting career
Raekwon got his start in acting when he played 'Cigar' in the 1999 film
Black and White
, and has played several other smaller roles throughout the years. He has also made cameos in numerous films as himself. In February 2007 he was the focus of a
VH1 RockDoc
, called "Bling", about
blood diamonds, where he along with
Paul Wall,
Tego Calderon and others visited Sierra Leone, West Africa for a hard-hitting look at the illegal diamond trade. During the shooting of the documentary, Raekwon became the first American rapper to perform in
Sierra Leone. In 2004 he appeared in the movie
Coalition
, released on DVD in 2006.
Discography
Albums
Year
| Title
| Chart positions [9] [10]
| RIAA certifications [11]
|
U.S. Hot 100
| U.S. R&B
| U.S. Rap
|
1995
| Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
- Released: August 1 1995
- Label: Loud Records/RCA
| 4
| 2
|
| Platinum
|
1999
| Immobilarity
- Released: November 16 1999
- Label: Loud Records
| 9
| 2
|
| Gold
|
2003
| The Lex Diamond Story
- Released: December 16 2003
- Label: Universal Music Group
| 102
| 18
|
|
|
2009
| Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
- Released: September 8 2009
- Label: EMI/ICEH2O
|
|
|
|
|
Mixtapes
Album Name
| Release Date
|
Only Built 4 the Streets
| 2003
|
Heroin Only
| 2006
|
R.A.G.U. (Rae and Ghost United)
| 2006
|
The Vatican Mixtape Vol. 1
| 2007
|
The Vatican Mixtape Vol. 2: The DaVinci Code
| 2007
|
The Vatican Mixtape Vol. 3: House of Wax
| 2007
|
R.A.G.U. Vol. 2 (Raekwon and Ghostface United Pt. 2)
| 2008
|
Blood On Chefs Apron
| 2009
|
Staten Go Hard
[12]
| 2009
|
Cuban Revolution
| 2009
|
Singles and EPs
- 1994 "Heaven & Hell" (featuring Ghostface Killah)
- 1995 "Ice Cream" (featuring Ghostface Killah, Method Man, & Cappadonna) b/w "Incarcerated Scarfaces"
- 1995 "Criminology" (featuring Ghostface Killah) b/w "Glaciers of Ice" (featuring Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa & Blue Raspberry)
- 1996 "Rainy Dayz" (featuring Ghostface Killah & Blue Raspberry) b/w "Rainy Dayz (Remix)"
- 1999 "Live From New York"
- 1999 "100 Rounds"
- 2003 "The Hood" (feat. Tiffany Villarreal)
- 2003 "Clientelle Kids" (featuring Fat Joe and Ghostface Killah)
- 2004 "Planet of the Apes"
- 2006 "State of Grace"
- 2006 "Cuban Chronicles"
- 2007 "My Corner"
- 2008 "The G Hide" (featuring Ghostface Killah)
- 2008 "Once in a Lifetime" (featuring Mika)
- 2009 "New Wu" (featuring Ghostface Killah and Method Man)
- 2009 "House of Flying Daggers" (featuring Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and GZA)
Appears on
;
Excluding albums by Wu-Tang Clan
- 1994 "Meth vs Chef" (from the Method Man album Tical
)
- 1995 "Raw Hide" (from the Ol' Dirty Bastard album Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
)
- 1995 "Investigative Reports" (from the GZA album Liquid Swords
)
- 1995 "Respect Mine" (from the Fat Joe album Jealous One's Envy
)
- 1995 "Right Back At You" & "Eye For An Eye" (from the Mobb Deep album The Infamous
)
- 1995 "Freek'n You (Mr. Davin's Freek Mix)" (from Jodeci "Freek'n You" 12")
- 1996 Ironman
(album by Ghostface Killah)
- 1996 "Doe Or Die (Remix)" (from AZ "Doe Or Die" 12")
- 1996 "Firewater" (from Fat Joe "Envy" / "Firewater" 12")
- 1996 "Nighttime Vultures" (from the Mobb Deep album Hell on Earth
)
- 1996 "War Face (Ask Fi War) (Remix)" (from the Bounty Killer album My Xperience
)
- 1997 "Execute Them" (from the Wu-Tang Killa Bees album Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm
)
- 1997 "Nasty Immigrants" (from the Nutty Professor soundtrack)
- 1997 "Give You All I Got" (from the Allure album Allure
)
- 1998 "Dart Throwing" (from the Cappadonna album The Pillage
)
- 1998 "Intellectuals" (from the Sunz Of Man album The Last Shall Be First
)
- 1998 "Skew It On The Bar-B" (from the Outkast album Aquemini
)
- 1998 "John Blaze" (from the Fat Joe album Don Cartagena
)
- 1998 "Spring Water" & "As The World Turnz" (from the La the Darkman album Heist Of The Century
)
- 1998 "Black Trump" (from the Cocoa Brovaz album Rude Awakening
)
- 1998 "The Worst" (from the Onyx album Shut 'Em Down
)
- 1998 "Spazzola" (from the Method Man album Tical 2000: Judgement Day
)
- 1998 "Movin' On (Remix)" (from the Mya album Mya
)
- 1999 "Frozen" (from the Slick Rick album The Art of Storytelling
)
- 1999 "The Game" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor (album)
)
- 1999 "Can't Fuck Wit" (from the Mobb Deep album Murda Muzik
)
- 1999 "Ghetto" (from the Madd Rapper album Tell 'Em Why U Madd
)
- 2000 "Money Talks" (from the Sticky Fingaz album Blacktrash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones
)
- 2000 "Apollo Kids" & "Wu Banga 101" (from the Ghostface Killah album Supreme Clientele
)
- 2000 "The Heist" (from the Busta Rhymes album Anarchy
)
- 2001 "The Jump Up" (from the Benzino album The Benzino Project
)
- 2001 "Love Is The Message" (from the Cappadonna album The Yin & The Yang
)
- 2001 "Never Be the Same Again", "Maxine", "Flowers", "The Forest" & "The Hilton" (from the Ghostface Killah album Bulletproof Wallets
)
- 2003 "Respect Mine" (from the Mathematics album Love, Hell Or Right
)
- 2003 "What's Fuckin With Us" (from the CHOPS album Virtuosity
)
- 2004 "The Turn" (from the Method Man album Tical 0: The Prequel
)
- 2004 "A Thousand Words" (from the Phil Da Agony album The Aromatic Album
)
- 2004 "The Bump Bump" (from the Prince Po album The Slickness
)
- 2004 "D.T.D." (from the Masta Killa album No Said Date
)
- 2005 "Guerrilla Rap" (from the Tragedy Khadafi album Thug Matrix
)
- 2005 "Real Nillaz" (from the Mathematics album The Problem
)
- 2005 "Advanced Pawns", "Destruction Of A Guard" (from the DJ Muggs vs GZA album Grandmasters
)
- 2005 "So Long (feat. Mashonda)" (from the Cassidy album I'm A Hustla
)
- 2005 "New York (feat. Ghostface Killah)" (from the AZ album A.W.O.L
)
- 2005 "Black Opera" (from the Supernatural album S.P.I.T.
)
- 2005 "Address Me As Mister (Remix)" (from Papoose (rapper) mixtape A Threat And A Promise
)
- 2005 "Rewind the Time" (from the Tiffany Villarreal album Tiffany Villarreal
)
- 2006 "Kilo", "R.A.G.U.", "9 Milli Bros." "Dogs of War" & "Three Bricks" (from the Ghostface Killah album Fishscale
)
- 2006 "Goldmine" (from the Busta Rhymes album The Big Bang
)
- 2006 "It's What It Is" (from the Masta Killa album Made in Brooklyn
)
- 2006 "The Glide" & "Presidential MC" (from the Method Man album 4:21...The Day After
)
- 2006 "Where It Started At (NY)" (from the Hi-Tek album Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip
)
- 2006 "Heaven Or Hell" (from the Joy Denalane album Born & Raised
)
- 2006 "Just one of Those Days" (from the Git Beats 12" "Just one of Those Days")
- 2006 "Cup Of Tea" (with Q-Unique from his mixtape $treet $upreme)
- 2007 "Brazil", "Enemy (remix)", "Cocaine World", "Thousands To M's (remix)" (from the Ill Bill mix-tape ILL BILL Is The Future Volume 2 : I'm A Goon!
)
- 2007 "The Weeping Tiger", "Caravanserai - Chapter I", "Caravanserai - Chapter II" (from the Cilvaringz album I
)
- 2007 "Make Me Better (remix)" (Remix of hit single from the Fabolous album From Nothin' to Somethin'
)
- 2007 "The PJs" (from the Pete Rock album NY's Finest
)
- 2007 "Icecream 2007" (from the Swann album Walking Papers
)
- 2007 "My Piano" (from Hi-Tek's album Hi-Teknology 3: Underground
)
- 2007 "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) (remix)" Wyclef Jean feat. Akon, Lil' Wayne & Niia (Remix of hit single from the album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant
)
- 2007 "Baggage Handlers" (from Busta Rhymes' mixtape Dillagence
)
- 2007 "Rec-Room Therapy", "Paisley Darts", Shakey Dog Starring Lolita", "Yolanda's House"(from the Ghostface Killah album The Big Doe Rehab
)
- 2007 "Something to Say" (from the Parazitii album Slalom printre cretini
)
- 2008 "Royal Flush" (from the Big Boi album Sir Luscious Left Foot
)
- 2008 "Coka Moshiach" (from the ILL BiLL album The Hour of Reprisal
)
- 2008 "Bulletproof Diaries" (from the The Game album L.A.X.
)
- 2008 "Give Up Your Guns" (from the Royce da 5'9" album Bar Exam 2: The Album
)
- 2008 "Puttin' Work In" (from the EPMD album We Mean Business (album)
)
- 2008 "Renaissance Rap (Remix)" (from the Renaissance Rap single by Q Tip)
- 2009 "Life's A Gamble" (from the Cappadonna album Slang Prostitution
)
- 2009 "Yessir!" (from the DOOM album Born Like This
)
- 2009 "Cartel Gathering" (from the Jadakiss album The Last Kiss
)
- 2009 "Ice Cream 2009" (from the Fat Joe album Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2)
)
- 2009 "Watch How You Talk" (from the Busta Rhymes album Back on My B.S.
)
- 2009 "Four minutes to Lock Down" (from the Method Man and Redman album Blackout! 2
)
- 2009 "Watching Our Dollar" (from the Joe Young album The Great Ape
)
- 2009 "24K Rap" J Dilla feat. Havoc & Raekwon (from the J Dilla album Jay Stay Paid
)
- 2009 "Coke" (from the U-God album Dopium
)
References
- The Wu-Tang Manual
- The Wu-Tang Manual
- Raekwon: Hell's Kitchen | Features > HipHopDX.com
- Music.com || Unexpected error
- World's Best Source For That Ol' Boom Bap
- Raekwon Announces EMI Record Deal - Video. ''WeLiveThis.com''. Accessed March 30 2009
- Raekwon and EMI Confirm Summer 2009 release for Only Built For Cuban Linx II. ''WeLiveThis.com''. Accessed April 15 2009
- Raekwon pushes back Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II album release date to September 8, 2009
- Billboard chartings. Accessed October 29 2007.
- UK Album chartings. Accessed November 10 2007.
- Searchable Database. RIAA. Accessed September 9 2008.
- Raekwon - Staten Go Hard Mixtape. ''WeLiveThis.com''. Accessed March 23 2009