C-Rayz Walz

Waleed Shabazz (born August 3, 1975), better known by his stage name C-Rayz Walz, is an American hip hop recording artist from the Bronx in New York City. Aside from his solo career he is also a member of the East Coast hip hop syndicate, Stronghold. C-Rayz Walz has been a fixture in the New York hip hop scene for years. He hosts many hip-hop shows and events, has appeared on over 43 singles and launched his own label, SunCycle Entertainment. C-Rayz has worked with several other artists in underground hip hop, including Aesop Rock, Immortal Technique, and Percee P.

Shabazz was born and raised in the Bronx. At the age of two, his father was murdered, likely as a result of his involvement with drug dealing. According to Shabazz, his father was "a Drug Kingpin but a good man & Dedicated Father" and was the inspiration for his song Protect My Family. In an interview, he describes how he was deeply affected by his death, saying, "I was always socially dysfunctional, as far as my fathers Death & Absence were concerned."Shabazz described how he drew wisdom from older community members and ultimately gained inspiration for his music and how he views being a Father himself. In the same interview, he points to his music as compensation for his social dysfunction resulting from not having a Dad growing up.

At the time that Shabazz was growing up, the Bronx was the site of the early hip hop scene. Shabazz recalls listening to DJ Kool Herc, who is credited with originating the genre, in Echo Park where he lived. In this environment, Shabazz developed a love of music and began freestyling with his friends for fun. Both he and his childhood friend and now professional rapper Prodigy describe MC battles in the lunch room in school.He recalls how his ambitions to be an MC were sealed when Busy Bee Starski heard him rhyming: "When I was 5 or 6 years old I freestyled for Busy Bee. He gave me $5, said, 'Boy, you're good. Keep rocking son.' I ran with that because he was one of the greatest of all time. I knew I was a freestyle legend when I was 6."

Shabazz was arrested and has been in a holding facility since early December 2019. According to the New York City Department of Corrections he was arrested for felony rape. Upon review of the formal indictment the man born Waleed Shabazz faces a total of 32 charges—including robbery, assault, grand larceny and stalking.

Per the indictment, on November 26, Shabazz allegedly kidnapped a woman, raping and sodomizing her. For the 18th count, he is accused of strangling the victim until she lost consciousness. He also is accused of sexually assaulting the unidentified woman via forceful sexual penetration of her vagina and anus.

Other charges include C-Rayz Walz, along with an accomplice, stomping a robbery victim out with his Timberlands, which is noted in the indictment, after stealing his chain. Shabazz is due back in court April of 2020.

In 2003, C-Rayz Walz released Ravipops (The Substance) on Definitive Jux. In 2005, he released Year of the Beast.

Studio albums

• The Prelude (1999)
• Detonator Records Volume 1 (2001)
• 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)
• Chorus Rhyme (2007)
• Freestyle vs. Written (2008)
• Almighty: Original S.I.N. (2008)
• 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)

Compilation albums

• 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)

EPs

• We Live: The Black Samurai (2004)

Singles

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

Guest appearances

• 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" featuring Swave Sevah and Double A.B. from On The Arm (2007)
• Gumz - "Hip Hop Music" from From Fetus to Genius (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)
• Intention - "Blvck Pioneer" from American Psycho (2012)
• Irealz - "Starz of the Godz" from The Code of Omerta (2011)
• Verse Essential - "Between the Lines" from Ingenious: Deluxe Edition (2011)
• Bedlam Brethren - "Apocalypto" from Black Feather Messengers (2012)
• Falcon Burns & Melph - "The Cypher" featuring Nine 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" featuring Tona, AG da Coroner and Show Stephens from Maintenance Vol. 1 (2015)
• Obi Khan- "The Circus" featuring C-Rayz Walz from "Grhyme...Thee EP" (2018)