Rakim
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Biography
Long Island, New York, USA (1986 – present)
Griffin is the nephew of American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown. He grew up in Wyandanch, New York, and became involved in the New York hip hop scene at a young age. Eric B brought him to Marley Marl’s house to record “Eric B. is President.” At the time Griffin was fresh out of high school and on his way to college, but he decided to forgo higher education and instead chose to record with Eric B. Leshaun
When Griffin turned 16, he joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation) and changed his name to Rakim Allah.
In 1986, Rakim started to work with New York-based producer-DJ Eric B. The duo — known as Eric B & Rakim — is widely regarded as among the most influential and groundbreaking of hip-hop groups. The duo’s first single, “Eric B. Is President” (#48, 1986) b/w “My Melody,” was a success and got the duo a contract with the fledgling Island Records sub-label 4th & B’way. The duo’s next single, the smash “I Know You Got Soul,” sparked early debate on the legality of unauthorized, uncredited sampling when James Brown sued to prevent the duo’s use of a fragment of his music.
Top Tracks
Top Albums
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The 18th Letter
187,422 listeners17 tracks
Released:
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The Master
31,476 listeners16 tracks
Released:
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The 18th Letter / The Book Of Life
43,652 listeners32 tracks
Released:
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The Seventh Seal
17,891 listeners14 tracks
Released:
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david-1992
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ISvMptU6Sk Unreleased track off The Seventh Seal called 'What's wrong' produced by Marco Polo
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GyN070X
Rakim is the best for me
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Wolfdogg1
The GREATEST MC to ever live. If you disagree, your wrong. Take some time to listen to his content, style, flow, and rhythm. You will agree.
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DickBigems
His lack of material after The Master is disheartening and one of the reasons he's not at my number one slot, though he'll likely stay in my top five for a good while. The Seventh Seal was decent, subpar for a "God". I'm hopeful that he'll release some better material in the future (with Premo specifically).
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TuNa_DriNk
The 7th seal is underrated. The production isn't even that bad. Dope album [2]
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GRAFFULTRAS
..G.O.D.
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cokeboy2
@FrankyRey Sorry to say, but most hip hop heads avoid his most mainstream stuff..some of it is alright but most it is for kids who think he's the ''best whit3 rappa eva!!''.
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nicejumping
"he musical genre of hip hop"
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IxCLuTcH
The 7th seal is underrated. The production isn't even that bad. Dope album
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Kaydigi
Rakim is the greatest emcee of all timez,,,
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Chingy314
nobody can't fuck with rakim's flow and lyrics! he is s god mc and muthafucking rap legend!
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andrey_guss
батько
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david-1992
IxCLuTcH i'm not disregarding his whole career I used to listen to him all the time up until about 06 but for FrankyRey to say he's better than Rakim is a joke, and he says at the end of 25 to life 'fuck you hiphop', he says he's quitting but it must have been for dramatic effect or somethin, and @FrankyRey crossin over into pop territory doesn't make you a better hiphop artist, there are artists who are more lyrically advanced than rakim but eminem in his prime didn't raise the bar, at best he was on the same level as rakim, eminems influences include masta ace, rakim, big daddy kane and kool g rap but he hasnt raised the bar since either, lyrically or musically, so for eminem to be in the charts a lot and have more listeners online than rakim after the way rakim changed the game goes to show eminem is more overrated than rakim
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FrankyRey
And I'm not dissing by Rakim by any means...I'm just saying that SINCE he's come out there has been better...and that's saying something.
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FrankyRey
Honestly the fact that Eminem has been able to crossover into pop territory should be more credit to him...he's been able to remain relevant in the mainstream and be recognized by hip hop heads....
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Music-Ninja
he is called GOD EMCEE for a reason
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IxCLuTcH
There has been plenty of people to use Hip Hop as a metaphor for a girl since Common. And Eminem i'm not sure is talking about Hip Hop because he mentions quitting but he clearly isn't retired. Yes Eminem has gone down hill the past few years, but he had those first few albums that were true hip hop, with dope lyrics and production. Don't disregard his whole career because of what he is now.
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david-1992
@FrankyRey: Rakim changed the game, you can hear it when you listen to hip-hop artists that made music before Rakim then compare them to artists that came out after him, he revolutionised hip-hop, Eminem put out a few nice albums, but Em gets more credit than Rakim, Em is way more overrated coz he makes pop/rap, Rakim makes hip-hop/art, plus Em steals lyrics and concepts, in Spellbound Eminem says 'love is evil, spell it backwards ill show you', rakim said 'love backwards is evil' on his song Uplift (more than 10 years before Em put Spellbound out) and in 25 to life Em talks about a woman then reveals at the end of the song he was talkin about hip-hop, Common did the exact same thing on his song I used to love H.E.R more than 15 years before Em put out 25 to life, plus Kanye, Kid Cudi and Lupe are in your top 10
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FrankyRey
Honestly, he is a bit overrated. He was awesome for his time...but there are several who have come since that are just lyrically advanced... Mostly Em...
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DropSoap
Not even half a million listeners? Jesus christ, hip-hop.
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