The stories about Wu Tang Clan's Rayquan are insane.

As a child in New York City, he saw dead bodies hanging from street poles, their throats

lit open.

His own father was reportedly stabbed to death.

As a teenager, he was addicted to the style sounds and crimes of hip-hop street culture.

He stole gold chains and nightclubs, he sold weed and cocaine and later became a successful

crack dealer.

He was shot four times and nearly killed when he found himself caught in the crossfire.

And this is all before Rayquan made great music, cooking up undeniably great rhymes with

the legendary Wu Tang Clan.

Unlike that clip I played for you at the top of the show, that wasn't great music.

That was a preset loop from my melodron called Atomic Frog MK2.

I played you that clip because I can't afford the rights to never give you up by Rick

Astley.

And why would I play you that specific slice of Rick Roll and Cheese could I afford it?

Because that was the number one song in America on March 14, 1988.

And that was the day that the NYPD launched a street level anti-drug task force, the

targeted low level dealers, dealers like Rayquan.

Who found life as he knew it was suddenly about to change.

On this episode, dead bodies stealing gold chains, dealing crack, a near deadly shooting

and Wu Tang Clan's Rayquan.

I'm Jake Brennan and this is Discreased Land.

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