Editing Raekwon (section)

{{For|other people with the name|Raekwon (name)}}{{short description|American rapper (born 1970)}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Raekwon
| background        = solo_singer
| image             = Raekwon at the Pitchfork Music Festival (cropped).jpg
| caption           = Raekwon at the 2010 [[Pitchfork Music Festival]]
| birth_name        = Corey Woods
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1970|1|12}}
| birth_place       = [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City]], U.S.
| origin            = [[Staten Island]], [[New York City]], U.S.
| alias             = {{hlist|Raekwon The Chef|Shallah Raekwon|Lex Diamonds}}
| genre             = [[East Coast hip-hop]]
| discography       = [[Raekwon discography]]
| occupation        = Rapper
| years_active      = 1991–present
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Aftermath Entertainment|Aftermath]]<ref>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Rys|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2015/09/22-aftermath-artists-left-the-label/|title=22 Aftermath Artists Who Have Left The Label|work=[[XXL Magazine]]|date=September 30, 2015|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref>
* Ice H20
* [[Loud Records|Loud]]
* [[RCA Records|RCA]]
}}
| current_member_of = [[Wu-Tang Clan]]
| website           = {{url|raekwondachef.com}}
| module            = {{Infobox person|embed=yes
 | signature       = Raekwon sig.svg
 }}
}}

'''Corey Woods'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.41435/title.raekwons-new-album-coming-in-2017|title=Raekwon Brings "The Wild" To Fans With 7th Studio Album|website=Hiphopdx.com|date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=April 28, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210221137/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.41435/title.raekwons-new-album-coming-in-2017|archive-date=February 10, 2018}}</ref> (born January 12, 1970),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wutang-corp.com/artists/bios.php |title=Official Site of the Wu-Tang Clan |publisher=Wu-Tang Corp. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102011121/http://www.wutang-corp.com/artists/bios.php |archive-date=January 2, 2010 |access-date=October 11, 2017}}</ref><ref>RZA, 2005, ''[[The Wu-Tang Manual]]'', p. 18.</ref> better known by his stage name '''Raekwon''' ({{IPAc-en|ɹ|eɪ|ˈ|k|w|ɒ|n}} {{respell|ray|KWON}}), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group [[Wu-Tang Clan]], which achieved mainstream success following the release of their debut album, ''[[Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)|<nowiki>Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)</nowiki>]]'', in 1993. Raekwon would subsequently pursue a solo career, releasing his first solo album, entitled ''[[Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...]]'', in 1995. The album received critical acclaim, and is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, as well as a staple of 1990s rap.<ref>{{cite web|date=September 10, 2009|title=Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt II (staff review)|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/32329/Raekwon-Only-Built-4-Cuban-Linx...-Pt-II|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219092852/http://sputnikmusic.com/review/32329/Raekwon-Only-Built-4-Cuban-Linx...-Pt-II/|archive-date=December 19, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|website=Sputnikmusic.com}}</ref>

Whereas his next two albums, ''[[Immobilarity]]'' in 1999 and then ''[[The Lex Diamond Story]]'' in 2003, drew mixed reviews, his fourth album, long delayed, ''[[Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II]]'', released in September 2009, was likened to ''[[The Godfather Part II|The Godfather 2]]''.  Recognized for his "street epics" that are "straightforward yet linguistically rich,"<ref>{{cite web|last=Preira|first=Matt|date=September 1, 2011|title=Raekwon da Chef and Ghostface Killah Cook Up Classic Gangsta Rap at Rock the Bells Miami|url=http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2011/09/raekwon_the_chef_and_ghostface_rock_the_bells_miami.php|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110903044447/http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2011/09/raekwon_the_chef_and_ghostface_rock_the_bells_miami.php|archive-date=September 3, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|publisher=Blogs.miaminewtimes.com}}</ref> Raekwon is ranked among leading rappers.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 26, 2012|title=Top 50 MCs of Our Time: 1987–2007 – 50 Greatest Emcees of Our Time|url=http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top50Emcees_4.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510194249/http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top50Emcees_4.htm|archive-date=May 10, 2012|access-date=March 30, 2012|publisher=Rap.about.com}}</ref> Meanwhile, he founded the record label ICE H20 Records.