Filed under: Black Music Month
There's only one hip-hop group who can claim to have had a presidential-caliber DJ and a rapper known as 'The God MC': Eric B. & Rakim. The trailblazing rap duo elevated rap from mainly being party songs to music that placed a premium on deeply coded lyrics and undeniably soulful, sampled beats.
Queens native Eric B. (Barrier) and Rakim (William Griffin Jr.) from Wyandach, Long Island, emerged as a duo in the mid-80s, ushering in hip-hop's golden era with songs that were both sophisticated and funky.
Eric. B, as DJ and producer, provided the perfect beat backdrop, complementing Rakim's dead-eye flow with samples of vintage soul and funk records, most notably from James Brown. Meanwhile, Rakim is largely regarded as hip-hop's best ever lyricist for his near poetic mastery of complex metaphors, internal rhyme patterns and cool-as-ice delivery.
50 Cent, who considers Rakim one of his favorite rappers, told MTV in 2006: "Rakim was way ahead of his time when he came out. To me, him and KRS-One were the best rappers. He was able to stay street-orientated while being intelligent. He seemed more intelligent than the rest of the other artists out there that were just rapping. Everything about him, his whole swagger, him as a person, is what made that work, and he made other MCs come up behind him and follow in his footsteps so hard."
The pair connected when Rakim met Eric B., a mobile DJ, at New York radio station WBLS. In 1985, they recorded their first 12-inch single, 'Eric B Is President' b/w 'My Melody,' on Harlem indie label, Zakia, which became a huge street hit. They soon signed to 4th & Broadway, and as legend has it, the duo completed its landmark debut 'Paid In Full' in just seven days.
The album contained hits such as 'I Ain't No Joke,' 'I Know You Got Soul' and the incredible title track.
Their sophomore album, 'Follow the Leader,' was released on MCA in 1988 and featured more densely packed rhymes from Rakim, who was steadily becoming the personification of hip-hop cool. He was stoic, stylish and thoughtful with raps that embraced black nationalism and alluded to his spiritual side as a member of the Five Percent Nation, an offshoot of the Nation of Islam.
Subsequent albums - 1991's 'Let the Rhythm Hit Em' (which received a five-mic review in 'The Source') and the following year's 'Don't Sweat the Technique' - and single from the 'Juice' soundtrack, 'Juice (Know the Ledge),' cemented their reputation as one of hip-hop's most skilled practitioners.
The group split in the mid-90s to focus on solo projects. Eric B. released one self-titled album to little notice. On the other hand, Rakim has attempted several times (with solo albums 'The 18th Letter' and 'The Master') to produce the same high-quality music he released with his former partner, but the disc met with mixed results. (A full album from a much-hyped collaboration with Dr. Dre never materialized.)
These days, Eric B. works behind the scenes in the music business and Rakim still tours as a solo artist. He's set to appear with EPMD and Funkmaster Flex at a Central Park Summerstage concert in New York on Aug. 21.
Influenced...Nas, Jay-Z, Eminem, Notorious B.I.G., Gang Starr, Wu-Tang Clan, , Black Thought, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, among others.