Videos: Raekwon

Catalina

Dart School

Ferry Boat Killaz

Heaven & Hell

Ice Cream

Incarcerated Scarfaces

Just A Toast

Shaolin vs WuTang

Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by the stage name Raekwon (sometimes "Raekwon the Chef"), is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in 1995, and has continued recording solo and with the Wu-Tang Clan since then. In 2009, Raekwon released the sequel to his critically acclaimed debut with the similarly praised Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II.

Corey Woods joined the Wu-Tang Clan, a nine-member hip hop group based in the Staten Island borough of New York City, in 1992. He went under the stage name Raekwon and aliases Shallah Raekwon, Raekwon the Chef, and Lex Diamonds.
Wu-Tang Clan debuted one year later with Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers. Singles from the album included "Protect Ya Neck" and "C.R.E.A.M.", the latter of which reaching #8 on the Billboard rap chart. Wu-Tang Forever followed in 1997 and was certified four times platinum by the RIAA, quadruple the certification given Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Alongside other solo albums by its members, Wu-Tang continued recording as a group, releasing The W in 2000, Iron Flag in 2001, and 8 Diagrams in 2007.

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...

In 1994, Raekwon signed a solo deal with Loud Records and released his debut single "Heaven & Hell" for the soundtrack to the movie Fresh. His first solo LP, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., was released in 1995 to rave reviews, though not to as much commercial success as fellow Wu-Tang member Method Man's Tical.[6] According to Steve Huey of allmusic, "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... contained a narrative album format revolving around cocaine trafficking, criminal activity, and a rise through the ranks of the illegal industry." Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah appeared on over half of the album's tracks, with Wu-Tang member RZA producing the album in its entirety.[7]
[edit] Post Cuban Linx

After Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., Raekwon appeared on a track by the R&B group Allure from the group's self-titled debut in 1997.[8] He also appeared on Fat Joe's song "John Blaze" alongside Nas, Jadakiss, and Big Pun; "John Blaze" also had a music video.[9] Raekwon's next effort, Immobilarity, came out in 1999 to mixed reviews, which were mainly attributed to the absence of RZA and Ghostface Killah.[6] The Lex Diamond Story followed in 2003 on Universal Records, to mixed reviews as well (generally lukewarm critical reviews and wildly varying public reviews) and moderate success. Raekwon complained about the lack of promotion and vowed that future releases wouldn't suffer the same fate.[10]
[edit] Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II

Raekwon planned to release the long-delayed sequel to his debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. 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")[11] and RZA, with RZA handling most of the production. Dr. Dre, Scram Jones, and J Dilla were other producers that were announced early on as working with Raekwon on the album. RZA explained the collaboration between him and Dr. Dre as like "yin and yang" when it came to their styles.[12]

Raekwon and EMI both confirmed at one point that Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II would be released the summer of 2009 with EMI serving as the distribution label[13] for the album, which was officially released on Raekwon's ICEH2O label.[14] However, Raekwon and EMI later announced that the album would be pushed back to September 8, 2009 due to sample clearance issues, and the leak of a song from the album entitled "Surgical Gloves."[15] On September 8, 2009, Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II was finally released after many delays. The album features many Wu-Tang members and affiliates, as well as Slick Rick, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, Beanie Sigel and more. On September 28, 2009 Raekwon was named the #10 Hottest MC in the game by MTV. He also converted to Islam in 2009.[16]

In December 2009, major hip hop site HipHopDx released their 2009 HipHopDx Awards. Raekwon's fourth studio album and latest effort Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II was chosen as 'Album of the Year' amd Raekwon was selected as the 'Emcee of the Year', with the album described as '...the Hip Hop equivalent to The Godfather 2, with Rae as revitalized as Marlon was...' and Raekwon himself picked as Best Emcee of 2009 (fellow New Yorker Nas had won in 2008). The DX staff justified this pick with this description of Corey Wood's career in 2009:

Raekwon brought it back to lyrical, dope rap. He released an album that spoke to teens, twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings, and beyond. Without compromising, the Chef made an edgy Hip Hop record that refused to bastardize the catalog he laid down 15 years ago. On top of that, Rae (along with Ghostface) was a go-to for numerous rappers making albums, ranging from the Playaz Circle to Jadakiss to BK One. That's beyond real, as was a year filled with performing in arenas, clubs and even churches. When it came to mastering the ceremony, Rea had 'em all following the leader.[17]
—HipHopDX

[edit] Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang

After the critical and relative commercial success of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, Raekwon linked up with Method Man and Ghostface Killah to put out the Wu-Massacre, a short trio album designed to showcase unity within the group and prove that they (Rae, in particular) will be releasing material more often in the future. Following this announcement, Raekwon resurrected talk of Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang, a project announced in 2007, originally planned as a group album minus RZA due to the group's response to the Wu-Tang Clan album 8 Diagrams. Now planned for a March 2011 release, Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang will be Raekwon's fifth solo album, and is set to feature fellow Clansmen Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck as well as Black Thought from The Roots. The album will still not feature RZA, as a statement that the Clan can stand majority of the producer when necessary.[18] Recently Scoop Deville was a confirmed producer on the project as well as having Nas & Eminem as possible guests.[19] He has also recently confirmed work on another album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. III[20]

On February 11, 2011 Raekwon released the music video for “Shaolin vs Wu-Tang,” the title track from The Chef’s upcoming project. The video, directed by Konee Rok, features a hybrid of cartoon martial artistry with live action of Raekwon laying down his vocals. [21]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
Year Title Chart positions RIAA certifications
U.S.
[22] U.S. R&B
[22] U.S. Rap
[22]
1995 Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…

* Released: August 1, 1995
* Label: Loud/RCA/BMG Records

4 2 — Gold[23]
1999 Immobilarity

* Released: November 16, 1999
* Label: Loud/Columbia/SME Records

9 2 — Gold[23]
2003 The Lex Diamond Story

* Released: December 16, 2003
* Label: Universal Records

102 18 —
2009 Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II

* Released: September 8, 2009
* Label: Ice H20/EMI Records

4 2 2
2011 Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang[24]

* Released: March 8, 2011
* Label: Ice H20/EMI Records

TBA TBA TBA
[edit] Collaboration albums
Year Title Chart positions
U.S. U.S. R&B U.S. Rap
2010 Wu-Massacre (with Method Man & Ghostface Killah)

* Released: 2010
* Label: Def Jam

12 6 2
[edit] Singles
Year Title Chart positions Album
U.S.
[25] U.S. R&B
[25][26] U.S.
Rap
[27][25][28]
1994 "Heaven & Hell" (featuring Ghostface Killah) — 102 32 Fresh Soundtrack and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
1995 "Incarcerated Scarfaces" / "Ice Cream" (featuring Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Cappadonna) 37 37 5 Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
" Glaciers of Ice" (featuring Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, and Blue Raspberry) / "Criminology" (featuring Ghostface Killah) 43 32 5
1999 "Live From New York" — — 30 Immobiliarity
2003 "Smith Bros." — 115 — The Lex Diamond Story
2004 "The Hood" (featuring Tiffany Villarreal) — — —
2009 "New Wu" (featuring Ghostface Killah and Method Man) — — — Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Part II
" House of Flying Daggers" (featuring GZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah) — — —
" Catalina" (featuring Lyfe Jennings) — — —
2010 "Butter Knives" — — — Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang
2011 "Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang" — — —
[edit] As featured performer
Year Title Chart positions Album
U.S. R&B U.S. Rap
1996 "Firewater" (Fat Joe featuring Big Pun, Raekwon, and Armaggedon) 114 — Endangered Species
1998 "Wu-Tang Cream Team Line Up" (Funkmaster Flex featuring Raekwon, The Harlem Hoodz, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, and Killa Sin) 85 32 The Mix Tape, Vol. 3: 60 Minutes of Funk, The Final Chapter
1998 "Skew It on the Bar-B" (OutKast featuring Raekwon) — — Aquemini
1999 "Rap Life" (Tash featuring Raekwon) 86 45 Rap Life
2000 "Apollo Kids" (Ghostface Killah featuring Raekwon) 121 32 Supreme Clientele
2001 "Never Be the Same Again" (Ghostface Killah featuring Carl Thomas and Raekwon) 65 21 Bulletproof Wallets
2004 "What's Fuckin' Wit Us" (Chops featuring Raekwon) — — Virtuosity
2008 "Royal Flush" (Big Boi featuring Andre 3000 and Raekwon) 68 — non-album single
[edit] Other appearances

* 1993 Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (album by the 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 "Right Back At You" & "Eye For An Eye" (from the Mobb Deep album The Infamous)
* 1995 "Investigative Reports" (from the GZA album Liquid Swords)
* 1995 "Respect Mine" (from the Fat Joe album Jealous One's Envy)
* 1996 "Iron Maiden", "The Faster Blade", "260", "Assassination Day", "Winter Warz", "Box in Hand", "Fish", "Camay", "Daytona 500", "Motherless Child", "Black Jesus", & "After the Smoke Is Clear" (from the Ghostface Killah album Ironman)
* 1996 "Nighttime Vultures" (from the Mobb Deep album Hell on Earth)
* 1997 Wu-Tang Forever (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 1997 "Nasty Immigrants" (from the Nutty Professor soundtrack)
* 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 "Spazzola" (from the Method Man album Tical 2000: Judgement Day)
* 1998 "Movin' On (Remix)" (from the Mya album Mya)
* 1998 "The Game" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor)
* 1999 "Frozen" (from the Slick Rick album The Art of Storytelling)
* 1999 "Can't Fuck Wit" (from the Mobb Deep album Murda Muzik)
* 1999 "Shell Shock" (from the U-God album Golden Arms Redemption)
* 2000 "Money Talks" (from the Sticky Fingaz album Black Trash: 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)
* 2000 The W (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 2001 "Love Is The Message" (from the Cappadonna album The Yin & The Yang)
* 2001 "Maxine", "Flowers", "The Forest" & "The Hilton" (from the Ghostface Killah album Bulletproof Wallets)
* 2001 Iron Flag (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 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 "D.T.D." (from the Masta Killa album No Said Date)
* 2005 "Real Nillaz" (from the Mathematics album The Problem)
* 2005 "Advanced Pawns", "Destruction Of A Guard" (from the DJ Muggs and 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 "The Watch" (from the Ghostface Killah and Trife Da God album Put It on the Line)
* 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 "Brazil", "Enemy (Remix)", "Cocaine World", "Thousands To M's" (from the Ill Bill album Ill Bill Is The Future Vol.2: I'm A Goon)
* 2007 "Yolanda's House", "Rec-Room Therapy", "Paisley Darts" and "Shakey Dog Starring Lolita" (from the Ghostface Killah album The Big Doe Rehab)
* 2008 "The PJ's" (from the Pete Rock album NY's Finest)
* 2008 "Bulletproof Diaries" (from the Game album LAX)
* 2008 "Royal Flush" (Big Boi feat. Andre 3000 and Raekwon)
* 2008 "Coka Moshiach" (from the Ill Bill album The Hour Of Reprisal)
* 2009 "Puttin' Work In" (from the EPMD album We Mean Business)
* 2009 "Four Minutes to Lock Down" (from the Method Man & Redman album Blackout! 2)
* 2009 "Ice Cream" (from the Fat Joe album Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2))
* 2009 "100 Miles and Runnin'" (from the Warren G album The G Files)
* 2009 "Cartel Gathering" (from the Jadakiss album The Last Kiss)
* 2009 "Legacy" (Ninja Assassin Soundtrack) feat. Ceazar, Xzibit, and M.U.R.S.
* 2009 "Coke" (from the U-God album Dopium)
* 2009 "Stay Off the Fuckin' Flowers" (from Blakroc, a hip-hop/rap collaboration album with the The Black Keys)
* 2010 "Time Will Tell" (from the Styles P & DJ Green Lantern album The Green Ghost Project)
* 2010 "The Big Game" (from the Inspectah Deck album Manifesto)
* 2010 "One Thing" (from the Freeway & Jake One album The Stimulus Package)
* 2010 "Audio Meth" (bonus track on the Rick Ross album Teflon Don)
* 2010 "Dutch Masters vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo", "The Reserves", & "The Oath" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report 2: Report the War)
* 2010 "Runaway Love Remix" (Justin Bieber feat. Kanye West & Raekwon)
* 2010 "Lord Lord Lord" (Kanye West feat. Mos Def, Raekwon, Swizz Beatz & Charlie Wilson)[29]
* 2010 "Everyday Struggle" (from the Faith Evans album Something About Faith) feat. Raekwon
* 2010 "Chase Manhattan" (from the Ill Bill & DJ Muggs album Kill Devil Hills)
* 2010 "Gorgeous" (from the Kanye West album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
* 2010 "Sooner or Later (Die 1 Day)" (from the Lloyd Banks album The Hunger for More 2)
* 2010 "The Heat" (from the Twista album The Perfect Storm)
* 2010 "Gutter Water" (from the Gangrene album Gutter Water)
* 2010 "Live It" (from Paul Wall album Heart of a Champion)
* 2010 "Superhero Music" (From Diggy Simmons Mixtape Airborne)
* 2010 "Michael Knight (Remix)" (From Currensy album Pilot Talk II)

[edit] Music videos
Year Title Director(s)
1994 "Heaven & Hell" Ralph McDaniels
1995 "Criminology"
" Glaciers Of Ice"
" Ice Cream"
" Incarcerated Scarfaces"
2006 "Rap Killers" (feat Mink) J.G Biggs
" De 91 a Park Hill" (with Ol'Kainry) J.G Biggs
2009 "New Wu" Danny Hastings[30]
" House of Flying Daggers" Erick Sasso and Brian Wendelken
" Walk Wit Me" G. Visuals
" Have Mercy" Littles & Wilc
" Catalina" G. Visuals
" Surgical Gloves"
" Pyrex Vision" G. Visuals
2010 "Canal Street" LaMarck
" Ason Jones" Kris Kinetik
2011 "Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang" Konee Rok