RAKIM

Born: William Griffin Jr.; Wyandanch, New York, 28 January 1968

Genre: Rap

Best-selling album since 1990: The 18th Letter (1997)

Hit songs since 1990: "What's on Your Mind" (with Eric B.), "It's Been a Long Time"

In the mid-1980s Rakim broke the conventional, uneven staccato delivery of rap with a new flow that was smooth and direct. His spiritual and complex rhymes often read like poetry, rewarding the scrutiny of the printed page.

Born in Long Island, New York, Rakim converted to Islam at age sixteen and changed his name to Rakim Allah.

A year later he met Eric B., a disc jockey and producer, and they released their independent debut Paid in Full (1987). The contrast between disc jockey and rapper gives the album its edge. Eric B. sounds as if he created his dance-ready beats in a crowded nightclub, while Rakim seems to have composed his lyrics comfortably seated, listening to soft jazz. Indeed, Rakim often wrote his rhymes while lounging to soothing instrumentals. The debut's title track is the model for all of rap's rags-to-riches stories, one of the genre's popular themes. "Thinking of a master plan / There ain't nothing but sweat inside my hand" is not just Rakim's coming-of-age tale, but the whole history of hip-hop. The album was a cultural watershed and went gold. Eric B. and Rakim signed to MCA Records for a reported sum of $1 million and in doing so helped usher in the commercial era of hip-hop.

In Follow the Leader (1988), their second album, Rakim and Eric B. diverged further, to radiant effects. Here, Eric B.'s soundscapes are more urgent and frenetic while Rakim's words are more calm and introspective. By 1990, the release year of Rakim's third album with Eric B., Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em, the world of hip-hop was enthralled by new exotic sounds, like those of Native Tongue groups De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers. Nevertheless, Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em glitters with originality, particularly the mystical realism of "The Ghetto," and the soulful dignity of "Mahogany."

Don't Sweat the Technique (1992) was Rakim's last album with Eric B., and the only one not to win a gold or platinum plaque. It features the clever word play of "Know the Ledge" and "The Punisher," but fans were beginning to doubt Eric. B's musical ability to showcase Rakim's extraordinary talents, and the duo split. Rakim emerged years later with a solo effort, The 18th Letter (1997), which entered the Billboard pop charts at number four. The 18th Letter did achieve a cohesive sound due to Rakim's retention of producers who catered to hard-core hip-hop fans, DJ Premier of Gang Starr, Pete Rock, and Clark Kent. This album adheres to the fundamentals of hip-hop, using old school cut and scratches, and underscoring Rakim's affinity for 1980s rap, with the rapper assuming the role of elder statesman, particularly on "It's Been a Long Time" and "Remember That."

The Master (1999) attempts to echo the flashy sound of late 1990s hip-hop. Rakim reaches beyond his typical zone of underground producers and straightforward delivery. He slows down his cadence on "Flow Forever" and attempts a pop hook on "Finest Ones." These efforts confused die-hard fans and failed to convert new ones. The Master did not achieve gold status.

Regardless of record sales, Rakim has made steady contributions to hip-hop. While many rappers jump from topic to topic in their rhymes, Rakim adheres to poetic cohesion, weaving single images throughout his songs, like the cinema theme in "The Saga Continues," from The 18th Letter (1997). Poet Sonia Sanchez considers Rakim a gifted artist and she recites his rhyme, "Casualties of War," during her own readings.

Recent years have found Rakim linked to Dr. Dre, the great hip-hop producer. Together, they created the 2002 hit single "Addictive" with artist Truth Hurts. Nearly every contemporary rapper, from Eminem to Nas, expressed an indebtedness to Rakim. Many artists, critics, and long-term fans consider him one of the most influential rappers of all time.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

Paid in Full (4th & Broadway, 1987); Follow the Leader (UNI, 1988); Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (MCA, 1990); Don't Sweat the Technique (MCA, 1992); The 18th Letter (Universal, 1997); The Master (Universal, 1999).

dara cook