Editing Raekwon (section)

== Early life ==
Raekwon was born Corey Woods in [[Brownsville, Brooklyn]], where he was raised by his mother during his early childhood.<ref name="salon" /> His father was an addict.<ref name="eustice" /> Raekwon only met his father once when he was six years old. On that occasion, his father brought him to meet his paternal grandmother (also for the first time) and then snuck out of the apartment.<ref name="salon">{{cite news |last1=Watkins |first1=D. |title=Raekwon opens up about life before and with the Wu-Tang Clan |url=https://www.salon.com/2021/12/11/raekwon-opens-up-about-life-before-and-with-the-wu-tang-clan/ |access-date=15 March 2022 |work=[[Salon (magazine)|Salon]] |date=11 December 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Raekwon moved with his mother to Staten Island after his mother was robbed.<ref name="eurweb">{{cite news |last1=Summers |first1=Jazmyn |title=Wu-Tang's Raekwon Says Mom's Abuse Helped Him Be a Better Man, How Wu Overcame the Beefs {{!}} WATCH |url=https://eurweb.com/2021/12/09/wu-tangs-raekwon-says-moms-abuse-helped-him-be-a-better-man-how-wu-overcame-the-beefs-watch |access-date=15 March 2022 |work=EURweb |date=9 December 2021}}</ref> They were living in [[Park Hill, Staten Island|Park Hill]] by the time Raekwon was adolescent.<ref name="salon" />

Raekwon attributes the name Raekwon to the [[Five-Percent Nation]], an offshoot of the [[Nation of Islam]], when he was a "young kid."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chatting with Raekwon the Chef about music, Islam and the Wu-Tang Clan|url=https://www.michigandaily.com/content/raekwon-interview|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=The Michigan Daily|date=December 6, 2009 |language=en}}</ref> He converted to Islam in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sparks|first=Marvin|date=November 3, 2009|title=Marvin Sparks x Raekwon interview|url=http://marvinsparks.blogspot.com/2009/11/marvin-sparks-x-raekwon-interview.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117192549/http://marvinsparks.blogspot.com/2009/11/marvin-sparks-x-raekwon-interview.html|archive-date=January 17, 2010|access-date=November 22, 2009|work=Marvin Sparks}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=April 13, 2011|title=Raekwon Interview|url=http://www.wheelscene.co.uk/2011/04/raekwon-interview/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923062642/http://www.wheelscene.co.uk/2011/04/raekwon-interview/|archive-date=September 23, 2015|access-date=May 5, 2015|publisher=Wheelscene.co.uk}}</ref>

Growing up, he witnessed his mother being hit and abused by different men, an experience which he said "affected [him] a lot."<ref name="eurweb" /> As a young man, his mother kicked him out of their Park Hill home when Raekwon got into an argument with her boyfriend and his mother sided with the boyfriend. During this time, he spiraled into a pattern of hopelessness and violent behavior.<ref name="salon" /> He became addicted to [[cocaine]] and [[crack cocaine]] until he became aware of how the [[crack epidemic in the United States|crack epidemic]] was affecting those around him, at which point "it was an automatic stop."<ref name="eurweb" />

Raekwon and rap partner [[Ghostface Killah]] attended junior high school together on Staten Island.<ref name="m.youtube.com">{{cite web|url= https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dnC8iGzgRAw| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/dnC8iGzgRAw| archive-date=October 30, 2021|title= Raekwon Talks 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' History, Wu-Tang Truths + More| website=[[YouTube]]| date=July 30, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Raekwon attended [[New Dorp High School]], where he befriended rappers [[Remedy (rapper)|Remedy]], [[Method Man]] and [[Inspectah Deck]].<ref name="newvoices2002">{{cite web|url=https://newvoices.org/2002/02/21/0146/ |title=Rhymes and Remembrance |publisher=New Voices |date=February 21, 2002 |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>

After being caught in a crossfire and accidentally shot four times, Raekwon began rapping in earnest. He later described being shot as an "important eye opener."<ref name="eustice">{{cite news |last1=Eustice |first1=Kyle |title=Raekwon Was Shot 4 Times - But The Incident Led Him To 'Think In Poetry' & Ultimately, Wu-Tang Clan Glory |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.66277/title.raekwon-was-shot-4-times-but-the-incident-led-him-to-think-in-poetry-ultimately-wu-tang-clan-glory |access-date=16 March 2022 |work=[[HipHopDX]] |date=4 December 2021}}</ref>