:C-Rayz Walz

Waleed Shabazz was born and raised in the Bronx, New York.{{cite web|url=http://www.westword.com/music/eleven-famous-musicians-who-recently-moved-to-colorado-5693940|title=Eleven Famous Musicians Who Recently Moved to Colorado|work=Westword|first=Tom|last=Murphy|date=September 16, 2014|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307072207/http://www.westword.com/music/eleven-famous-musicians-who-recently-moved-to-colorado-5693940|archive-date=March 7, 2017|url-status=dead}} His father was a drug kingpin.{{cite web|url=http://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/crayz.shtml|title=Revolving Around The Sun Cycle Emcee|work=MVRemix|first=Todd E.|last=Jones|date=2003|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040618203136/http://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/crayz.shtml|archive-date=June 18, 2004|url-status=dead}} When he was 2 years old, his father was murdered.

He grew up listening to DJ Kool Herc, who is credited with originating hip hop music. In this environment, he developed a love of music and began freestyling with his friends for fun. In school, he had rap battles in the lunch room with his childhood friend Prodigy.{{cite web|url=http://www.nuvo.net/ACulturalManifesto/archives/2011/10/05/c-rayz-walz-bronx-emcee-makes-mark-on-indy|title=C-Rayz Walz: Bronx emcee lands in Indy|work=NUVO|first=Kyle|last=Long|date=October 5, 2011|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720183826/http://www.nuvo.net/ACulturalManifesto/archives/2011/10/05/c-rayz-walz-bronx-emcee-makes-mark-on-indy|archive-date=July 20, 2014|url-status=dead}}

In 2003, C-Rayz Walz released a studio album, Ravipops (The Substance), on Definitive Jux.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8788-ravipops-the-substance/|title=C-Rayz Walz: Ravipops (The Substance)|work=Pitchfork|first=Rollie|last=Pemberton|date=October 8, 2003|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417180619/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8788-ravipops-the-substance/|archive-date=April 17, 2011|url-status=dead}} In 2005, he released another studio album, Year of the Beast, on the label.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8787-year-of-the-beast/|title=C-Rayz Walz: Year of the Beast|work=Pitchfork|first=Tom|last=Breihan|date=May 17, 2005|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212180354/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8787-year-of-the-beast/|archive-date=February 12, 2012|url-status=dead}} In 2007, he released a collaborative studio album with Sharkey, titled Monster Maker, on Babygrande Records.{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/c-rayz-walz-sharkey-monster-maker-2496217660.html|title=C-Rayz Walz & Sharkey: Monster Maker|work=PopMatters|first=Evan|last=Sawdey|date=September 6, 2007|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907183232/https://www.popmatters.com/c-rayz-walz-sharkey-monster-maker-2496217660.html|archive-date=September 7, 2018|url-status=dead}}

Waleed Shabazz is currently incarcerated,{{Cite web|url=https://a073-ils-web.nyc.gov/inmatelookup/pages/home/home.jsf|title=P.I.C Lookup|website=a073-ils-web.nyc.gov}} having pleaded guilty to assault and kidnapping on January 30, 2023. The plea entered also covers 28 other charges including but not limited to rape, sodomy, child endangerment, and strangulation. Shabazz will serve a 10 year sentence and is not permitted to contact his victim nor their shared son for a minimum of 15 years.{{Cite web |title=Incarcerated Lookup |url=https://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250215194312/https://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/ |archive-date=2025-02-15 |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov |language=en-us}}

• The Prelude (1999)
• Detonator Records Volume 1 (2001) {{small|(with Akrobatik, Breez Evahflowin, and Chan)}}
• Off the Radar (2003)
• Limelight (The Outroduction) (2003)
• Ravipops (The Substance) (2003)
• Year of the Beast (2005)
• 1975: Return of the Beast (2006)
• The Best of the Beast (2006)
• The Dropping (2006)
• Monster Maker (2007) {{small|(with Sharkey)}}
• Chorus Rhyme (2007) {{small|(with Parallel Thought)}}
• Freestyle vs. Written (2008) {{small|(with Kosha Dillz)}}
• Almighty: Original S.I.N. (2008) {{small|(with Killah Priest, M-Eighty, Son One, Bronze Nazareth, and 5-Star, as Almighty)}}
• Who the F%@k Are You? (2009)
• Naptown: The Broken Comb (2010)
• All Blvck Everything: The Prelude (2011)
• Year of the Beatnikz (2011)
• The Code (2012)
• The Calendar (2012)
• St. Patrick Rayz: The Leper-Con (2013)
• Almighty: The Solar Facts (2013)
• Feel Me (2014) {{small|(with Sallam Said)}}

• Singular Plurals (2002)
• Singular Plurals Vol. 2 (2005)
• Free Rayz Walz (2008)
• Beat the System (2010)
• Where the Walz Things Are (2010)
• I Am Numba Four (2011)

• We Live: The Black Samurai (2004)

• "Pots and Pans" (2001)
• "It's a Wrap" / "Peroxide" (2002)
• "The Essence" (2003)
• "Buck 80" / "Body You" (2003)
• "We Live" / "Protect My Family" (2004)
• "R'Thentic" / "Street Reppin'" (2005)
• "Dead Flowers" (2009)
• "Linsanity" (2012)

• Aesop Rock - "Bent Life" from Labor Days (2001)
• Cannibal Ox - "Battle for Asgard" from The Cold Vein (2001)
• El-P - "Blood" from Fantastic Damage (2002)
• Dutchmassive - "The Hook" from Junk Planet (2004)
• Chase Phoenix - "Say Something" from Cut to the Chase (2004)
• Dub Sonata - "New York" from On the Arm (2007)
• Gumz - "Hip Hop Music" from From Fetus to Genius (2007)
• Socalled - "You Are Never Alone" from Ghettoblaster (2007)
• DJ I-Dee - "Explosion" from Solitude (2008)
• Sadat X - "Gamer" from Brand New Bein' (2009)
• Time - "Paraghnoid" from Naked Dinner (2009)
• MC Paul Barman - "The Moon" from Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud (2009)
• Access Immortal - "I Love New York" from Birth of a Dream (2010)
• DJ Lord Ron - "Concrete Bars (Echo Park Beat Street N2 Da Future)" and "It'z Da R.C.P." from Environmental Shape Sounds of DJ Lord Ron (2010)
• Irealz - "Starz of the Godz" from The Code of Omerta (2011)
• Verse Essential - "Between the Lines" from Ingenious: Deluxe Edition (2011)
• Intention - "Blvck Pioneer" from American Psycho (2012)
• Bedlam Brethren - "Apocalypto" from Black Feather Messengers (2012)
• Falcon Burns & Melph - "The Cypher" from Back in Effect: The Word Effect Chapter II (2012)
• Apaulo Treed & Knightstalker - "Contraband" from The Last Line of Defence (2013)
• Junclassic - "My Style (Remix)" from Blvd Backdrop (2013)
• Cannibal Ox - "Street Reppin" and "That Moment Before Crazy" from Gotham (2013)
• Plot - "I Feel Dirty" from Towny Fresh (2014)
• Scholars Ent. - "When It Was Real" from Maintenance Vol. 1 (2015)
• Obi Khan - "The Circus" from Grhyme... Thee EP (2018)
• Kyo Itachi & Realio Sparkzwell - "Enemy of the State" from Akira (2018)

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170613082926/http://crayzwalz.com/ Official website] (archive)
• {{Discogs artist|C-Rayz Walz|C-Rayz Walz}}

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Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:African-American male rappers

Category:20th-century American male rappers

Category:Underground rappers

Category:Rappers from the Bronx

Category:Definitive Jux artists

Category:21st-century American rappers

Category:21st-century American male musicians

Category:21st-century African-American musicians

Category:20th-century African-American musicians