Urban Culture
Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon: Rhyme & Reason
Arguably one of rap’s best lyricists, Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon salutes the MCs who informed his style.
Few MCs can command respect quite like New York rapper Raekwon. The 54-year-old (real name Corey Woods) rose to prominence in the early ’90s as a founding member of the legendary hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan before his classic solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., solidified him as one of rap’s all-time greats. Rae believes that any true lyricist should pay homage to those who came before him: “If you want to be great, you have to acknowledge the greats,” he says. Here the revered wordsmith highlights four songs by the MCs who inspired his captivating rhyming style.
Watch Raekwon in the latest episode of Red Bull Spiral with Method Man and Redman
Album artwork for the track, "Eric B. Is President " by Eric B. & Rakim
© Album artwork for, "Eric B. Is President" by Eric B. & Rakim
01
ERIC B. & RAKIM “Eric B. Is President” (1986)
“This came at a time I started to pay attention to hip-hop on a bigger scale, and I had an idol in Rakim to look at from a lyricist perspective—he was dropping some serious knowledge. Then when I saw him perform it live, it really was a lights, camera, action moment for me, because it gave me a blueprint to the lifestyle I wanted to live.”
02
SLICK RICK “Children’s Story” (1988)
Album artwork for the track, "Children's Story" by Slick Rick
© Album artwork for "Children's Story" by Slick Rick
“Just like us, Rick had the mindset of a young vandal getting into things. He was a dope storyteller, and that’s what I started to realize was one of my superpowers. I kind of built my career around doing a lot of stories, cinematic rhymes and just trying to paint pictures. But Rick was the godfather of that.”
03
BIG DADDY KANE “Ain’t No Half-Steppin’ ” (1988)
Album artwork for the track, "Ain't No Half-Steppin,'" by Big Daddy Kane
© Album Artwork for "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" by Big Daddy Kane
“Kane was a master at emphasizing the strength behind your wordplay—and the cleverness. That’s what I loved. This was just a dope rhyme all the way through. ‘You’re just a butter knife, I’m a machete’— when I heard that bar, my mind started picturing objects. It was a big part of me loving the culture of music.”
04
MC SHAN “The Bridge” (1986)
Album artwork for the track, "The Bridge" by Mc Shan
© Album artwork for "The Bridge" by Mc Shan
“This record took everything to the next level. I think we played it probably 500 times in the community, walking up the street in 80-degree weather with the radio in our hand. As far as hooks go, this record amplified our energy. When it came to being on the block representing hip-hop, it’s when I knew hip-hop was going to be here forever.”
