Who am I, and why am I here?

Cody Nierstedt is a multifaceted musician, known for his work as a guitarist, singer, songwriter,producer, and film scorer. His versatile talents have led him to collaborate with some of the most iconic names in hip-hop and beyond.

Holding a Bachelor of Science degree from Adelphi University, Cody studied music performance with a concentration in both classical and jazz guitar. This comprehensive training, combined with his roots in metal, punk, post-hardcore, and metalcore, has contributed to his adaptability across various musical genres and projects.

Currently, Cody serves as the live guitarist for the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, a role that has seen him perform on groundbreaking tours and residencies. He is part of the ongoing historic Las Vegas Residency, marking Wu-Tang Clan as the first hip-hop group to achieve this milestone.

Additionally, he toured with the group on the NY State of Mind Tour, which was captured for Amazon Prime's Wu-Tang Clan & Nas: NY State of Mind Tour at Climate Pledge Arena, a performance that was initially live-streamed on Amazon Prime and Twitch before being made available as a recorded special.

Cody's contributions to the Wu-Tang universe extend beyond live performances. He scored and appeared on the soundtrack of all three seasons of the Hulu original series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, bringing the group's story to life through his musical expertise. In a unique crossover, he also appeared on-screen as the "Record Store Guitarist" in an episode of the series. (Season 3 episode 6).

His guitar work can be heard on various notable projects, including Bobby Digital's album RZA Presents: Bobby Digital and the Pit of Snakes, where he played guitar, sang, and engineered on tracks like "Trouble Shooting," "Cowards," "Fight to Win," and "Under the Sun." He also lent his guitar skills to Flatbush Zombies' track "Quentin Tarantino" and contributed to the RZA x Tazo Tea collaboration album called Guided Explorations.

Cody is not just a collaborator but also an artist in his own right. He creates his own music,

sings and plays guitar in the band Shot, and plays guitar in the band Hawk, showcasing his diverse musical interests and abilities. Additionally, Cody is an educator, sharing his knowledge and experience with aspiring musicians.

His talents have been recognized in the industry, earning him a feature in Guitar World magazine. Throughout his career, Cody has had the privilege of working with and playing alongside a roster of legendary artists, including

RZA, GZA, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon the Chef, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, Cappadonna, Young Dirty Bastard, Redman, Nas, De La Soul, DJ Mathematics, DJ Scratch, Flava Flav, Ricky Armellino (Ice Nine Kills), Hawk, Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Lil’ Kim, Slick Rick, The Lox, Big Daddy Kane, SWV, and Freeway.

Cody Nierstedt's unique blend of skills as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, film scorer, and educator combined with his high-profile collaborations and performances, have established him as a versatile and respected figure in the music industry.