Rakim
Excerpt from 'Kool Moe Dee: 50 Greatest Emcees'
RAKIM is the GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME.
"There are other emcees that have certain elements that Rakim doesn't. Biggie's explosive delivery, KRS's live performance, Kane's condescension, Koole Moe Dee's craftsmanship, Melle Mel's bombast, or Slick Rick's storytelling acumen. However, no other rapper emcee or Hip Hop artist has ever been so potent lyrically, that his fans would buy and listen to his records solely for the purpose of hearing the rhymes. In urban Amreica, music is one of the most important cultural influences in our lives. If we don't like the music, we don't listen to the song. Rakim had many records that people didn't like musically, but becuse he was rhyming on them, we would listen to them again and again. I would venture to say that Rakim is the most studied emcee ever. Any emcee that came after 1986 had to study Rakim just to know what to be able to do. Rakim is the author of "flow." Before him there was no such thing as flow. While he didn't invent the word, the importance of how you said your rhyme and it being defined as flow started with Rakim.
Rakim is one of the only emcees that is openly revered by other emcees to a level of conceding his superiority. As Michael Jordan is the basketball player's basketball player, Rakim is the emcee's emcee! He is referenced as the standard of lyrical greatness. Rakim was able to get props from other emcees at a time when it wasn't comonplace. His skill level was so evident that no one ever even questioned whether or not he needed hot music to help or carry him.
More coming later.. [i didn't check for typos]
R Nilla, Superself = Good taste in hip hop.
Paid In Full
Follow the Leader
Let the Rhythm Hit Em
Don't Sweat the Technique
The 18th Letter
The Master
And soon to come.. The Seventh Seal
Excerpt from 'Kool Moe Dee: 50 Greatest Emcees'
RAKIM is the GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME.
"There are other emcees that have certain elements that Rakim doesn't. Biggie's explosive delivery, KRS's live performance, Kane's condescension, Koole Moe Dee's craftsmanship, Melle Mel's bombast, or Slick Rick's storytelling acumen. However, no other rapper emcee or Hip Hop artist has ever been so potent lyrically, that his fans would buy and listen to his records solely for the purpose of hearing the rhymes. In urban Amreica, music is one of the most important cultural influences in our lives. If we don't like the music, we don't listen to the song. Rakim had many records that people didn't like musically, but becuse he was rhyming on them, we would listen to them again and again. I would venture to say that Rakim is the most studied emcee ever. Any emcee that came after 1986 had to study Rakim just to know what to be able to do. Rakim is the author of "flow." Before him there was no such thing as flow. While he didn't invent the word, the importance of how you said your rhyme and it being defined as flow started with Rakim.
Rakim is one of the only emcees that is openly revered by other emcees to a level of conceding his superiority. As Michael Jordan is the basketball player's basketball player, Rakim is the emcee's emcee! He is referenced as the standard of lyrical greatness. Rakim was able to get props from other emcees at a time when it wasn't comonplace. His skill level was so evident that no one ever even questioned whether or not he needed hot music to help or carry him.
More coming later.. [i didn't check for typos]
R Nilla, Superself = Good taste in hip hop.
Paid In Full
Follow the Leader
Let the Rhythm Hit Em
Don't Sweat the Technique
The 18th Letter
The Master
And soon to come.. The Seventh Seal