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Quick Facts

Born
1970

From
United States of America

Journey

Born Corey Woods, Raekwon emerged from Staten Island, New York, to become one of the distinctive voices associated with the Wu-Tang Clan. His career developed alongside the collective's rise in the early 1990s, when Wu-Tang introduced a radically different approach to East Coast hip-hop. Within that group, Raekwon developed a lyrical identity built around detailed street narratives, fictional characters, coded expressions, ambition, and references drawn from New York life. His long-running partnership with Ghostface Killah became an important part of both his Wu-Tang work and his solo catalog. Raekwon's first major solo chapter arrived with "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..." in 1995. Produced primarily by RZA, the album placed Raekwon's writing inside an interconnected narrative populated by alter egos and recurring characters, with Ghostface Killah playing a substantial role. The project became an important reference point for Mafioso rap and established a creative formula that Raekwon would revisit throughout his career. He continued with "Immobilarity" (1999), "The Lex Diamond Story" (2003), and "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II" (2009), the latter returning to the conceptual territory of his first album while bringing together producers and collaborators from different generations. Further releases included "Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang" (2011), "Fly International Luxurious Art" (2015), and "The Wild" (2017). His work has also extended through collaborations with artists such as Nas, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher, and others. Raekwon's recent activity demonstrates that his catalog continues to expand. His appearances on songs including “Unpredictable,” “Walk In NY,” and “I Thanks the Lord” connected him with newer collaborative projects, while “The Omerta” reunited him with Nas in 2025. On July 18, 2025, Raekwon released "The Emperor's New Clothes," his eighth studio album, through Mass Appeal as part of the label's Legend Has It… campaign. The project features appearances from Nas, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, and Benny the Butcher, among others. His career has also received recognition from the Recording Academy. Raekwon has two Grammy nominations: Best Rap Album for Wu-Tang Clan's "Wu-Tang Forever" at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Royal Flush” with Big Boi at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. Neither nomination resulted in a win. Raekwon has continued to maintain a substantial place in hip-hop through his Wu-Tang contributions, solo albums, collaborations, and enduring commitment to narrative-driven rap.