Throwback: Happy 56th Birthday, Raekwon!

It’s 2026 y’all. May it be a kinder, better year for all of us. January is a busy month for music birthdays. 

• Gang of Four co-founder and guitarist Andy Gill was born 70 years ago on January 1
• The pioneering and legendary Grandmaster Flash celebrated his 68th birthday on January 1
• French touch pioneer Thomas Bangalter, best known for his work in Stardust and the multi-Grammy Award-winning duo Daft Punk celebrated his 51st birthday on January 3
• The legendary Stephen Stills, known for his work with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, as well as for being a solo artist, celebrated his 81st birthday on January 3
• Led Zeppelin‘s John Paul Jones celebrated his 80th — yes, 80th — birthday on January 3
• Denise Katrina Matthews, best known as Vanity was born 67 years ago on January 4
• Joy Division and New Order founder Bernard Sumner celebrated his 70th — yes, y’all, 70th! — birthday on January 4
• Portishead frontperson Beth Gibbons celebrated her 60th — yes, ya’ll, 60th! — birthday on January 4
• Cocteau Twins‘ co-founder, multi-instrumentalist and producer Robin Guthrie celebrated his 64th birthday on January 4
• R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe celebrated his 66th birthday on January 4
• Blondie co-founder and guitarist Chris Stein celebrated his 76th birthday on January 5
• Sister Sledge‘s Kathy Sledge celebrated her 67th birthday on January 6
• AC/DC co-founder, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and backing vocalist Malcolm Young was born 73 years ago on January 6
• The Doors‘ Robby Krieger celebrated his 80th — yes, ya’ll 80th — birthday on January 8
• The legendary David Bowie was born 79 years ago on January 8
• David Johansen, best known as a punk rock pioneer with New York Dolls, for a lengthy solo career and for his lounge singing alter ego Buster Poindexter was born 76 years ago on January 9
• Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, one of the greatest guitarists to ever play celebrated his 82nd birthday on January 9
• Steely Dan co-founder, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Donald Fagen celebrated his 78th birthday on January 10 
• The legendary Rod Stewart celebrated his 81st birthday on January 10
• Mary J. Blige, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul celebrated her 55th — yes, y’all 55th! — birthday on January 11

Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon celebrates his 56th birthday today. Rae’s work with the Wu and as a solo artist have helped cement his reputation among the cognoscenti and hip-hop heads as one of the most gifted and unique talents in hip-hop’s history. 

Happy birthday, brother! May there be many, many, many more!

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