Raekwon

Raekwon is an American rapper who began performing as Sha Raider before joining the Wu-Tang Clan in 1992, where he rapped as Raekwon the Chef. The group's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), arrived in 1993 and was later certified platinum. He signed a solo deal with Loud Records in 1994 and put out Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995; it drew rave reviews, was quickly treated as a classic, and was certified gold two months after release. Immobilarity followed in 1999 and The Lex Diamond Story in 2003, both met with mixed reviews. His long-delayed Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II came out in 2009, and HipHopDX named it album of the year while making him its Emcee of the Year. Reviewers have ranked him among leading rappers for narrative-driven records.