Image via Complex Original
William Michael Griffin Jr. was only 18 years old when he met Eric Barrier and the duo recorded “Eric B. Is President,” the first in a string of landmark recordings in which Griffin, a.k.a. Allah, revolutionized rap lyricism. Eric B. & Rakim made four albums together, including the classic debut Paid in Full, before disbanding the group, and Rakim has continued to burnish his legacy with a solo career.
Rakim expanded hip-hop’s vocabulary and its musical possibilities, with esoteric word choices and nods to the MC’s own intellectual interests and Islamic faith, creative flows and heavy use of enjambment (to say nothing of Eric B.’s pioneering use of James Brown samples). Much of Rakim's reputation stemmed from the authority in his voice, the flawless rhythmic punch of his delivery. But the words he rapped, while often tied to boasts of his prowess, often contained gravitas and wisdom.
In the two decades since parting ways with Eric B., Rakim has continued to record and tour the world as one of the most respected MCs in history. His 1996 solo debut, The 18th Letter, hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200, he scored a worldwide radio smash with his guest verse on the 2002 summer jam “Addictive” by Truth Hurts, and his latest album, 2009’s The Seventh Seal, was critically acclaimed. He continues to rip stages, with memorable performances including a 25th anniversary performance of Paid in Full with the Roots in 2011, and a concert this May at SOB’s in New York that included a surprise appearance from Busta Rhymes.
Rakim is your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. He made an immediate impact on peers like Big Daddy Kane, making everybody step up their game and usher in the golden era of New York rap. He created a bridge from early lyrical greats like Melle Mel to later legends like Jay Z. Every rapper who tries to combine big ideas with complex flows, from Nas to Kendrick Lamar, bears his unmistakable influence.
This summer, Sprite is unveiling 16 limited edition collectible cans featuring iconic hip-hop lyrics from Drake, the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and Rakim. While you crack open a cold can of inspiration, here are 16 life lessons that can be found in Rakim’s revered catalog.
On Standing Alone
Song: “Know the Ledge”
"Even if my crew asleep and I’m one deep/I attract attention, people like to peep”
In the hit single from the 1992 crime drama Juice, Rakim emphasizes that even if you’ve got a gang backing you up, it’s important to be able to stand your ground without any backup.
On Dropping the Mic
Song: “I Ain’t No Joke”
“I ain’t no joke, I used to let the mic smoke/Now I slam it when it’s done and make sure it’s broke/When I’m gone, no one gets on ‘cause I won’t let/Nobody press up and mess up the scene I set”
Before it was a cliché to dramatically drop the mic after a speech, Rakim described just such a move in the lines that kicked off his first album with Eric B. Rakim knew he was a tough act to follow, but he wanted to make sure he’d never be anybody’s opening act, shutting down the cipher and (figuratively) destroying the mic before anybody else could spit inferior rhymes into it.
On Jealousy
Song: “Lyrics of Fury”
“For those that envy a MC it can be/Hazardous to your health, so be friendly”
Rakim always made sure in his lyrics to communicate that he’s the best and that everyone knows it. But he also knew that the envy he could inspire in other rappers was unhealthy, and wanted to keep everything in the spirit of friendly competition.
On Remaining Timeless
Song: “Don’t Sweat the Technique”
“They never grow old, techniques become antiques/Better than something brand new ‘cause it’s real/And in a while the style’ll have much more value”
Even fairly early in his career, Rakim treated his music as something that would age like fine wine, while his peers often chased ephemeral trends that gave their records an expiration date.
On Childhood
Song: “Guess Who’s Back”
“Since fat Crayons, I write and display chaos”
It’s possible he’s exaggerating, but it’s not hard to imagine that Rakim was already communicating ambitious ideas back in kindergarten—drawing imaginative scenarios with a box of Crayolas the same way he’d eventually paint pictures with his words.
On Physical Strength
Song: “I Know You Got Soul”
“Rakim gets stronger as I get older/Constant elevation causes expansion”
At 5’6”, Rakim was never one of hip-hop’s more physically imposing stars. But to hear him tell it, his rise in status represented an increase in size and strength, however metaphorical it may have been.
On Fisticuffs
Song: “What’s Going On?”
“Every now and then, they give my knuckle game a test/But I won’t fess, I just get rid of the stress/And then shake hands like a man”
He’s not afraid to mix it up and throw a few punches when the time calls for it, but Rakim sees a fist-fight as a resolution to a conflict that should end with a civil handshake.
On Romance
Song: “Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em”
“Before I get that Fifi I met/Whisper I wanna reach her intellect/Kiss her ‘cause I wanna give her the most respect”
In a line that namechecks his actual wife Fifi, Rakim makes it clear that mutual respect and an intellectual connection are as important to a relationship as physical affection.
On Ambition
Song: “Paid in Full”
“Thinking of a master plan”
The widely remixed title track to Paid in Full was Eric B. & Rakim’s international breakthrough, so the first words that much of the world heard out of the MC’s mouth gave everyone an idea that Rakim was looking at the big picture. As one of the lines chosen for Rakim’s limited edition Sprite lyric cans, the iconic lyric sums up his thoughtful catalog in five simple words.
On Loving Yourself
Song: “Follow the Leader”
“Self-esteem makes me super, superb, and supreme”
Hip-hop’s oft-maligned tradition of boasting has never been more explicitly about self-love and self-improvement than in the lyrics of Rakim, which contain enough alliteration and poetic phrasing to back up his brags.
On Teaching the Youth
Song: “Waiting for the World to End”
“Speak the truth”
On one of his late-’90s solo comeback records, Rakim details his experiences meeting the youths that look up to him. And one of his simplest messages of advice is about speaking honestly.
On Moving the Crowd
Song: “Eric B. Is President”
“No mistakes allowed/‘Cause to me, MC means move the crowd”
As long as there have been Masters of Ceremonies on the mic, there have been creative MCs coming up with their own meanings of that acronym. And Rakim coined perhaps the most memorable variation, emphasizing his ability to control the audience from the stage.
On Remaining Calm
Song: “Microphone Fiend”
“Cool, ‘cause I don’t get upset”
While being cool, as in fashionable and hip, has always been important to rap stars, Rakim always seemed to use the word differently—keeping a cool head, and staying steady and unflappable in any situation.
On Keeping Your Eyes Open
Song: “Waiting for the World to End”
“My mental windows refuse to close”
Rakim grew up in a more dangerous New York than the one we know today, and always advocated looking out at your immediate surroundings, and at broader horizons, to stay out of trouble.
On the Power of Words
Song: “To the Listeners”
“The rhymes is sportable, microphone is portable/For any immortal man, swords is not affordable”
The pen is mightier.
On Getting the Last Laugh
Song: “The R”
“Whoever underestimated, still waited/Pumping the radio, finally they played it/You wondered how come the album was late/I was giving you time to get the last one straight”
When Eric B. & Rakim returned with their sophomore album, Follow the Leader, after the sleeper success of Paid in Full, it was time to say “I told you so” to everyone that was slow to catch up on the duo’s innovations.