Sha Rayder, better known by the stage name Raekwon, is a rapper and member of the rap/hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. Rayder, whose real name is Corey Woods, is portrayed in Hulu’s new 10-episode miniseries Wu-Tang: An American Saga by actor Shameik Moore.
Shameik Moore stars in the series, which premiered on Hulu on September 4, 2019, alongside Ashton Sanders as Bobby Diggs (aka RZA), Siddiq Saunderson as Dennis “D-Love” Coles (aka Ghostface Killah), David East as Clifford “Shotgun’ Smith Jr. (aka Method Man), Julian Elijah Martinez as Divine Diggs, Marcus Callender as Power Grant, and TJ Atoms as Ason Unique (aka Ol’ Dirty Bastard).
Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga, created by RZA and Alex Tse, who executive produce with Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and Method Man, gives a dramatized account of the origins and success story of the rap group Wu-Tang Clan.
The group was formed in New York City during the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1990s.
Who is Sha Rayder aka Raekwon?
The real name of Raekwon (aka Sha Rayder) is Corey Woods. He was born in January 12, 1970.
He joined the Wu-Tang Clan as one of the founding members of the hip-hop group formed in Staten Island, NYC, in 1992.
Sha Ryder is best known to fans as Raekwon The Chef, but he has other aliases, such as Shallah Diamond and Lex Diamond. He contributed to most of Wu-Tang’s successful albums, including their debut studio album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), which included hit singles such as CREAM and Protect Ya Neck.
Raekwon also released Wu-Tang Forever with Wu-Tang in 1997.
His debut solo single Heaven & Hell came out in 1994 and his solo debut studio album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, which was his biggest album success, came out in 1995 after signing a solo deal with Loud Records. Heaven & Hell was featured in the soundtrack of the crime movie Fresh (1994).
Raekwon recorded several other solo albums as a member of Wu-Tang Clan. His solo albums include Immobiliarity in 1999 and The Lex Diamond Story in 2003. Rae also released Only Built For Cuban Linx… Pt. II in September 2009. The album, which featured his Wu-Tang colleagues and others, such as Busta Rhymes and Jadakiss, was named Album of the Year by HipHopDX. He was named the number 10 Hottest MC by MTV.
Raekwon is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the rap style known as mafioso. He announced his conversion to Islam in 2009.
Who is Shameik Moore who plays Raekwon?
Shameik Moore was born in on May 4, 1995, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is of Jamaican descent.
Actor Shameik Moore has appeared in many films and TV productions. His first movie lead role was Malcolm in Dope (2015), directed by Rick Famuyiwa. He starred in the movie alongside ASAP Rocky, Kiersey Clemons, and Zoë Kravitz.
Moore also portrayed James Jr. on The Watsons Go to Birmingham (2013) and played the role of a choirmaster alongside Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah in Joyful Noise (2012). He made his TV debut on Tyler Perry’s House of Pain (2007) and played Blake in Reed Between the Lines (2011).
Shameik Moore is known for voicing Miles Morales in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Moore also appeared on the Cartoon Network’s sketch comedy series Incredible Crew (2012), created by Nick Cannon. He played Shaolin Fantastic in The Get Down (2016-2017) on Netflix.
Moore is also a talented singer, actor, and dancer. He recorded the soundtrack for Dope with Pharrell Williams. Before he launched his career he was known for participating in freestyle dance competitions. He also had a YouTube channel where he uploaded videos of himself singing and dancing. He released his first mix-tape I am Da Beat in 2012.
Wu-Tang: An American Saga is streaming on Hulu.