I don't even acknowledge any Music Ra makes these days. It's equivalent to going out on top. Times have changed. That's like Magic Johnson suiting up and trying to ball today. Even though Magic would still get his and possess court vision like no other, he would only damage his legacy. I understand Ra might just enjoy spitting so I understand why'd he do it.
colypso aint a bboy..dont know shit..hip hop os ours..nyc..if you cant rock nyc with your regional sound..you suck..luda ..soulja boy...andre3000..and others rock nyc hard..if you aint hot in nyc you aint hot..
Rakim Is So ill With His Skills, He Don't Need To Be Hooking Up With These Young Whack Producers These Days, His Formula Is Timeless and Still Works, Next Time God, Stick To Dj Premier, Pete Rock, Talib, The Roots, Clark Kent, 9th Wonder Just To Name a Few, You Don't Have To Reinvent Yourself, Cuz Even Dr. Dre (No Disrespect) Couldn't Fuck With "The Lord MC" Rakim. Holla.
Fire burns in me Eternally Times Eternity Followers turn on me They’ll be in a mental infirmary Determinedly Advance technology Better than Germany Since the first days you know of Til the last days is over I was always the flower I made waves for Noah From a compound To the anatomy To the breakdown Of a atom Some of my rap patterns Still surround Saturn From the ancient hieroglyphics To graffiti painted pictures I study I know the scriptures RAKIM 18th Letter=GOD
Ra, Keep doing your thing God! I wish these fake ass MC's could drop Science like You, Talib, KRS, Chuck D, Common, and a few others...would love to hear you flow over a joint by Timberland or Swiss Beats...No disrespect to Clark Kent, Premier, Pete Rock, Eric B. or anyone else who has collabed with you. Understanding-Equality-Cipher* Keep Building God,
Ridiculously, deliciously off-the-dome DOPE! Rakim is, without a doubt, the ILLEST motherfucker: he is peerless in his flow, a lyrical heavyweight; freetsyle him and you're out cold. Third eye, seventh letter, gets no better.
I respect different viewpoints even when i don't agree totally! I wish that Ra n Dre could've had chemistry, but it didn't happen. I ran into Ra recently and I feel he's in the game for the love. Truthfully, I feel he's not trying to be number 1. It's just about making quality music. With the mishaps of the who on this and who not gives oppurtunity 4 the next project. I enjoyed the 7th Seal-he was always ahead of his time and still is plus he's older now. He's anti-industry standards.
the GOD need to join G-Unit and FIF bless that nigga with like 3 million so he can get it poppin... work on his label.. 50 is the only nigga i know that wud invest in tha GOD like that... give him the proper REVERENCE he deserve
@tonyblair999 Im sorry but G-Unit is the scum of this hip hop world when it comes to quality. Rakim is God son, G-Unit is just a piece of trash super group.
One of Ra's most quoted lines: "It ain't where ya from, it's where ya at", RIGHT? Let's wise up & realize that line isn't just talking about geography... it's also talking about mentality & maturity.
My 2 cents: There's room 4 everybody's opinion. This beef about which region is the baddest & all that... that's small-minded bullshit. It's up to all of us not to feed into that b/c all it does is hold us back, mentally. I'm a NY cat born in '71. I grew up on NY shit, obviously... but i have mad love 4 Hiphop & all the elements and all the people who rep the real, whether they're from NY or Helsinki or S. Africa or L.A. .. it matters not, as long as it's Quality.
@thekerneljames -i totally agree with you brah. i'm originally from houston born & raised, i'm an old schooler who grew up on all this music.i'm 44, and all this beef bullshit started in the mid 90's and blew up from there. like you said who gives a damn where you from, as long as you represent the music. i still rock all of this shit today as i speak. new york produced some of the greatest hip-hop artist of all time. now these youngsters have created a geographical beef that's not called for.
why new york niggas feel that they own hip hop and they has the right to decide whats hot or not with everybody because it started in new york! . hell football started in the midwest but does that give the chicago bears, greenbay packers, detroit lions and minnesota vikings rights to decide what the other teams should be doing HELL NO! so to new york please stop with the "ARROGANCE" because hip hop is not new york and you niggas been at the bottom now from the last 20 years since L.A. TOOK IT
@colypso72 , NY been at the bottom for 20 years? LOL you seem to have forgot east coast made a huge comeback in 94 with wu tang, nas, jeru , gangstarr, biggie, digable planets, mobb deep, black moon, etc! LA made a slight comeback in 96-97 with pac then after that NY took it back & after that the south has been on top & still is where have you been asleep 20 years? LOL!
you dumb motherfuckers please try not to get the most respected of all times confused with the most greatest of all time...because rakim is not the greatest but he are the most respected rapper of all time. and their are no such thing of favorite mc of all times. "it just a opinions"...just like i feel my mother are the greatest mom in the world and you may think your mom are the greatest. but its o.k. because we are entitle to our own opinion. and im not here to bash rakim. I LOVE HIS MUSIC
@colypso72 stop it. be possitive if its somebodys oppinion that hes the greatest than thier allowed to have that everbody do have the same feelings or opinions that u have about music..
He messed up. Garbage production on this album. He couldve brought in Primo, Pete Rock and other great producers and collabed with good Mc's...but he chose to make a half ass album with trash production. nice job Rakim...way to flush ur legacy down the drain....
Rakim in 2010 is like a boxer who made the top 10 long ago but is now making small money being used by prospects as a sparring partner. He will be forgotten 10 years from now. Yeah that's a tragedy but I can already sense that diminishing beginning. Every white rapper born in the 70s copied this guy, that's his legacy.
@eslubin rakim will be forgotten? are you high? do you not know what year he came out? he came out 25 years ago so if he was going to be forgotten he would have been lost in 1999....it just wasnt white rappers copying his style ALL RAPPERS COPIED IT. tupac, big, jay, all of them said he was an influence on them. you either dont know much about rakim or hip hop or you dont know much about hip hop and rakim.
@eslubin hahaha. the R will never be forgotten. you must be young. only someone thats young would say that. the younger generation have no idea how much impact rakim had. i hear rakim in almost every mc out in the last 20 years. he's the reason dudes not singing jingles anymore MCs expressing words from the heart because of rakim.
I love Rakim's talent. But he's better at writing lyrics than answering questions. Or maybe I just didn't get the answer ... what elements was he saying are the pure elements of hip hop? Is he saying hip hop should stick with the four original elements (emcee, dj, graff, breakin) and that he wants to purify it away from the sing-song, cars-and-jewels, simplistic lyricism, nonsense content stuff that some of it has become? Which elements?
@evethezealot well he said in another interview talking about nas "hip hop is dead" Rakim felt hip hop was dead in New York and he would like to see it go back to how it used to be. But your right he's not too specific, he is vague, he's in the middle kinda of a moderate. Not like KrsONE who right out you know what he's saying.
FEEL ' ( NO SHAME N' MY GAME I WAS SOULED OUT TOW TO 2.0 Ohhhhhhhhh, NO PUNK AND I KEEP SHIT ABOUT THE ANCIENT ART OF FOLDING PAPER, WHEN IT IS MATTER THAT CAN MAKE BREAD, WEALTH SPREAD, & SCHOOL HEDZ, what? heads HAve tix (VIP JUDGING) 2010 CANNA CUP. "1st hip hop cup" the slogan trde 4 airfare and i wanna ko the globe w/ root splicing- wht boy b damn good- thnk on it i'd like to chop it up. no thing 2 u - I KNOW- still closed mouth don't eatbutbe readey to take one 2 chops rght?
@tribekid1 maino i never heard his shit before, so he new to me, but i heard h is name, and saw him on some show on mtv where this white dude lived with him for a while to see how his life is, is he wack or what?? does he get love? i dont know much about him i am curious , casue you sad that
this is universe if u like real hiphop then u should listen to this song called off earth if u like it then subscribe to thaunknownuniverse page and support underground music cuz i know where all tired of this mainstream shit
No disrespect at all to DRE, but y'all thinking too hard. DRE - Make hot, dark tracks & step aside & let RA do his thing on 'em. It sounds like DRE wanted creative control over the Rakim project with the lyrics & songs... again, DRE...make tracks & step the F aside.. PLEASE. RA GOT THIS!
No disrespect at all to DRE, but y'all thinking too hard. DRE - Make hot, dark tracks & step aside & let RA do his thing on 'em. It sounds like DRE wanted creative control over the Rakim project with the lyrics & songs... again, DRE... make tracks & step the F aside.. PLEASE. RA GOT THIS!!!!!
@stickem721 But still, he should have stayed with aftermatch and by now he would be selling million copies in the first week not 12 000 like he did with the last album.
i love his music, his lyrical skills, but that wack ass gang sta attitude on that interview is just lame haha. For christ sake, Give us at least a smile lol.
Haha ive seen interviews with him where he looked way more clever and spoke like he was actually intelligent. stop bringing me into this lol, its about Rakim haha.
(Rakim nicee! nd hes already famous so fuck him!! l.)You Want to listening to some real hip hop. Check my page man. and promise you. please leave us a commentss thanks.
The Seventh Seal iz good. It's not "Paid In Full" but still a good album. In "Walk These Streets", who can tell that Ra lost his lyrical ability? Maybe he's slower in speed but still complex in rhymes
Rakim is the best rapper ever, in my opinion. But I haven't dug his solo efforts... I miss Eric B's style, and why if he's the best rapper in the world would he need to put guest MCs on his disc? The four EB&R discs almost exclusively sampled EB&R for rapper samples.
When 4 entire albums contain only 3 get-the-chick tracks and 5 socio-economic tracks with the rest being I'm-the-best-rapper tracks, you need to do everything to project "I'M THE BEST." Having guest MCs does not do that.
@ThatIncredibleJordan Just can't agree with that. I really, really tried to like them. But the guest MCs just put me right off. The R isn't just the r. He's THE FUCKING R dammit.
@almo2001 i loved them both, havent heard much of 7th seal. but the first time i got the 18th letter I listened to it start to finish (like 70mins) twice! then put it on my ipod then listened to it again same with the master. You dont like Premier or something? And they're aren't even that many guest MCs. "Its been a long time" and "Waiting for the world to end"
@ThatIncredibleJordan Premier is fine; I liked his work on Ready To Earn. To be fair about all this, I listened to the album again today (up to track 12). Things that stood out:
The guy can still rhyme with great precision.
Musical style is inconsistent across the album.
Some tracks like the first feature his voice doubled over itself.
Choruses of female singers have got to go.
There are samples of other rappers when there shouldn't be.
@almo2001 Continued: The voice doubling is WAY uncalled for. From No Omega:
"Check your engine and ask your engineers
To equalize it; try to disguise it.
If that don't work yo, then Midasize it."
I've written and preformed rap, and I know what he's talking about. It was very hard to resist the temptation to voice-double or hit the equalizer to fix problems with the delivery. If he's The Master (in my opinion he is), then he doesn't need this.
@almo2001 i like that each track is different , I dont think inconsistent is the word more like diverse. I like the female singers, its not like Rakim is some gangsta rapper whos too tough to have any female singers and wasnt there some kinda voice thing on my melody? (probably isnt just wondering since his voice sounds so different
Yo with all due respect, Rakim needs to put the mic down. He's lost his lyrical ability that he used to have, he's just past his prime now. Don't get me wrong, in my opinion he's the second greatest MC of all-time behind Nas, but he just needs to go out with honor.
To anyone complaining about "The Seventh Seal": Have y'all heard "The Master"? While the Seventh Seal is by no means Paid In Full (or Don't Sweat The Technique for that matter), I think this is a pretty good rebound from his last joint. The Master is hands down his most uninspired joint. The production on Seal could have been better except for the Nick Wiz joints but what do you want? This or Wacka Flocka Flame?
Peace Ra, the main thing that's killing Hip Hop is the disrepsect of women in it. The constant cursing, and non-productive conversations in the flows of emcees. Minds were not made to be idol. Emcees should drop seeds that will grow life not weeds that destroy good crops.
his new album wasnt as good as his ol stuff but you cant be in 2009 spittin the same way you did in 97. Definetely a solid drop with a few standout songs.
I got the seventh seal album and it's a classic but there is a problem rakim did a bonus track with Styles p,Jadakiss,Busta Rhymes and more but it's not on the album,I want to know did anybody download it?
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Yeah its gonna take more than him being a legend to just say his shit is nice. To top it off he showed what kinda Nigga he is with the Nas situation. Nas tried to school the youngan's on who you were since he kept getting the comparisons and you talking about he put your bussiness out there.
100 % real. This album is far below what it could have been. No Large Professor. Can you imagine if Lord Finesse would have worked with him. Why not take it back 2 your first joint & have Marley do something. I am gonna give my CD away, I don't want anybody wastin their money on this weak produced effort. I can't believe he thought this was good enuff 2 release.
You crazy that CD is Hot. You must be some crazy white boy who thinks lil wayne is hot. Sorry to infome you but rappers like lil wayne are cookie cutter rappers. They say what sells, not whats real.
I like his reasoning of giving young cats, and other producers a chance to shine. Premo, Pete Rock etc don't need it - time for a new generation to get a shot. Imma cop it based on that.
When M.C.s become 50 years old they need to stop wearing kids clothes and stop rapping give somebody some shine.These dudes are supposed to be business men helping the young dudeds what the fuck happened.Didn't take care of his money still on stage?..WTF?!
These "Young niggas" aint doing it right. God MC needs to keep it goin till he can't, cause aside from lames like you, real heads still feel that shit. Check the 7th Label.
Naw homie, these cats aren't business men There Hip Hop Men. Meaning that they are ''supposed'' to be here to enlighten use and KEEP inspiring us. The Business don't give two shits bout what we do and the money yo you need to fall back on that and think bout the education of the situation. ''The Shine'' are wanted by those who have their own selfish ambitions. Peace and Love homie
No,we need more Russell Simmons, more LaFace records, more Diddy type guys in corporate america so old white men will not control the images we as black people see everyday on the streets and TV something to look up to . The Business is making money of what we do what are you talking aout. They are the ones getting paid. Blacks gotta be on stage always entertaining but cant run a business? What are you saying.He's old still doing "I Ain't No Joke," come on man..get out of the illusion.
Aight, I see were you goin wit this homie. Well in a reality we need more cats like you, me, and the people who really LOVE THIS CULTURE and its People. Those cats are str8 sale outs ['maybe' not in the beginning] but no the less we need to stop entertaining and education in the way the masses can catch on w/out wanting to stray away from the knowledge. And I dont know Ra's real ambitions but i 'think' big homie does it for the love first and money last, [I think].
Yeah..you probably have already but check out Jay Electronica, Skyzoo, Wale, Kid CuDi,ODDISEE..there thousand's of real mcs doing there thing just stay away from the radio and MTV.peace
still wu, nas, talib,duck down crew don't forget dem cats! act most cats from ny in around 92 ta 98 those mcs still cook, still much love for repn real mcs! Get away from robotic rappn unless its kool kieth doing some weird shit with lyrics! peace
@begs100 actually yeah the "New Wu" track from Reakwon, oldschool Wu-Tang soundin' like shit came straight from one of the the 36 chambers!
Hiphop' still alive fools -> i know hiphop/rap was an alternative to the gang-violence in the old days, but i still think we should gang up and kill all theese fakeass rap-cats killing OUR shit - peace and respect to the ra' for doin his thing!
- FUCK ALL YALL MAKING HIPHOP FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY!
@nastynas373 Well sure - long time prison sentences would work, but i would say that for selling out like this - we should see 2 or 3 consecutive life sentences!
That a bit too simplistic. Russ, Babyface & Diddy work for old white men. Old white men have control all forms of communication, they give people of color certain concessions but never any real control. I do get your point though.
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makenpayeps 3 weeks ago
DJ PREMIER + RAKIM = HIP HOP BEING RESURRECTED!!
TEACHYOUTEEWHY 4 weeks ago
I don't even acknowledge any Music Ra makes these days. It's equivalent to going out on top. Times have changed. That's like Magic Johnson suiting up and trying to ball today. Even though Magic would still get his and possess court vision like no other, he would only damage his legacy. I understand Ra might just enjoy spitting so I understand why'd he do it.
CanvassBlack 1 month ago
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t2SiiCk 5 months ago
I like the Album...is Rakim gonna drop some new stuff?
manlife4 5 months ago
colypso aint a bboy..dont know shit..hip hop os ours..nyc..if you cant rock nyc with your regional sound..you suck..luda ..soulja boy...andre3000..and others rock nyc hard..if you aint hot in nyc you aint hot..
pikaparka1 5 months ago
Rakim Is So ill With His Skills, He Don't Need To Be Hooking Up With These Young Whack Producers These Days, His Formula Is Timeless and Still Works, Next Time God, Stick To Dj Premier, Pete Rock, Talib, The Roots, Clark Kent, 9th Wonder Just To Name a Few, You Don't Have To Reinvent Yourself, Cuz Even Dr. Dre (No Disrespect) Couldn't Fuck With "The Lord MC" Rakim. Holla.
urdynamix1 6 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Fire burns in me Eternally Times Eternity Followers turn on me They’ll be in a mental infirmary Determinedly Advance technology Better than Germany Since the first days you know of Til the last days is over I was always the flower I made waves for Noah From a compound To the anatomy To the breakdown Of a atom Some of my rap patterns Still surround Saturn From the ancient hieroglyphics To graffiti painted pictures I study I know the scriptures RAKIM 18th Letter=GOD
Sirgreaseflick 8 months ago 2
Ra, Keep doing your thing God! I wish these fake ass MC's could drop Science like You, Talib, KRS, Chuck D, Common, and a few others...would love to hear you flow over a joint by Timberland or Swiss Beats...No disrespect to Clark Kent, Premier, Pete Rock, Eric B. or anyone else who has collabed with you. Understanding-Equality-Cipher* Keep Building God,
Peace
Universell777 8 months ago 3
"This's microphone fien" Like he will never forget!
TripleJawBreaker 9 months ago
@sfknns the south is on top with what?!?!? the NASTY lyricist in the south is ANDRE 3000 and Scarface!!! and maybe rick ross..
tonyblair999 9 months ago
I wish Rakim and Rza would do a project together. That's a godly combo right there.
MariosLasagna 9 months ago 2
@MariosLasagna Hell Yeah, that would be amazing.
mrpower328 9 months ago
Ridiculously, deliciously off-the-dome DOPE! Rakim is, without a doubt, the ILLEST motherfucker: he is peerless in his flow, a lyrical heavyweight; freetsyle him and you're out cold. Third eye, seventh letter, gets no better.
Sirgreaseflick 9 months ago
what's the Rakim song playing at 0:14
yesitsvetz 1 year ago
@yesitsvetz walk these streets
Detrak47 11 months ago
@Detrak47 safe famm
yesitsvetz 11 months ago
Comment removed
yesitsvetz 1 year ago
fuck me Rakim struggling to get Primo, clark kent....wtf?????
69ways2sunday 1 year ago
I respect different viewpoints even when i don't agree totally! I wish that Ra n Dre could've had chemistry, but it didn't happen. I ran into Ra recently and I feel he's in the game for the love. Truthfully, I feel he's not trying to be number 1. It's just about making quality music. With the mishaps of the who on this and who not gives oppurtunity 4 the next project. I enjoyed the 7th Seal-he was always ahead of his time and still is plus he's older now. He's anti-industry standards.
reggiemunch 1 year ago 4
Won't be Long was probably one of the best tracks off that album
YogiRAWR 1 year ago
the GOD need to join G-Unit and FIF bless that nigga with like 3 million so he can get it poppin... work on his label.. 50 is the only nigga i know that wud invest in tha GOD like that... give him the proper REVERENCE he deserve
tonyblair999 1 year ago
@tonyblair999 Im sorry but G-Unit is the scum of this hip hop world when it comes to quality. Rakim is God son, G-Unit is just a piece of trash super group.
MariosLasagna 9 months ago
didnt enjoy production on his last album BUT the LYRICS where amazing and i like it alot
pick8lock 1 year ago
What is the name of the first song we hear?
gologabob 1 year ago
(continued from below):
One of Ra's most quoted lines: "It ain't where ya from, it's where ya at", RIGHT? Let's wise up & realize that line isn't just talking about geography... it's also talking about mentality & maturity.
thekerneljames 1 year ago
My 2 cents: There's room 4 everybody's opinion. This beef about which region is the baddest & all that... that's small-minded bullshit. It's up to all of us not to feed into that b/c all it does is hold us back, mentally. I'm a NY cat born in '71. I grew up on NY shit, obviously... but i have mad love 4 Hiphop & all the elements and all the people who rep the real, whether they're from NY or Helsinki or S. Africa or L.A. .. it matters not, as long as it's Quality.
thekerneljames 1 year ago 2
@thekerneljames I'm glad we have a few people with comon sense here.
gologabob 1 year ago
@thekerneljames -i totally agree with you brah. i'm originally from houston born & raised, i'm an old schooler who grew up on all this music.i'm 44, and all this beef bullshit started in the mid 90's and blew up from there. like you said who gives a damn where you from, as long as you represent the music. i still rock all of this shit today as i speak. new york produced some of the greatest hip-hop artist of all time. now these youngsters have created a geographical beef that's not called for.
str8outtatexas1 1 year ago
damn man rakim legendary lyrics wit a dre beats for a whole album woulda been some crazy ass shit!!!
andyeminem23 1 year ago
WELL NEXT TIME WAIT FOR PREMO...LABELS STOP MESSING UP HIP HOP ALBUMS... STOP LETTING UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE CONTROL ART DIRECTION...
ITS JUST A WASTE OF TIME & MONEY...SELL GOOD MUSIC, STOP PIMPING
IMAGES ON US...
kellcamz 1 year ago
yeah! but only to new york niggas
colypso72 1 year ago
why new york niggas feel that they own hip hop and they has the right to decide whats hot or not with everybody because it started in new york! . hell football started in the midwest but does that give the chicago bears, greenbay packers, detroit lions and minnesota vikings rights to decide what the other teams should be doing HELL NO! so to new york please stop with the "ARROGANCE" because hip hop is not new york and you niggas been at the bottom now from the last 20 years since L.A. TOOK IT
colypso72 1 year ago
@colypso72 NEW YORK HAS THE MOST CLASSIC RAP RECORDS! FACT.
LaLaGrunge 1 year ago 2
@colypso72 , NY been at the bottom for 20 years? LOL you seem to have forgot east coast made a huge comeback in 94 with wu tang, nas, jeru , gangstarr, biggie, digable planets, mobb deep, black moon, etc! LA made a slight comeback in 96-97 with pac then after that NY took it back & after that the south has been on top & still is where have you been asleep 20 years? LOL!
sfknns 9 months ago 2
i'm only trynna break bread with the God
PhilliesBlaze1 1 year ago
you dumb motherfuckers please try not to get the most respected of all times confused with the most greatest of all time...because rakim is not the greatest but he are the most respected rapper of all time. and their are no such thing of favorite mc of all times. "it just a opinions"...just like i feel my mother are the greatest mom in the world and you may think your mom are the greatest. but its o.k. because we are entitle to our own opinion. and im not here to bash rakim. I LOVE HIS MUSIC
colypso72 1 year ago
@colypso72 stop it. be possitive if its somebodys oppinion that hes the greatest than thier allowed to have that everbody do have the same feelings or opinions that u have about music..
PhilliesBlaze1 1 year ago
@PhilliesBlaze1 and if you read my comment you will see that i said the same damn thing....you sucker ass nigga...
colypso72 1 year ago
He messed up. Garbage production on this album. He couldve brought in Primo, Pete Rock and other great producers and collabed with good Mc's...but he chose to make a half ass album with trash production. nice job Rakim...way to flush ur legacy down the drain....
yackal 1 year ago
Rakim in 2010 is like a boxer who made the top 10 long ago but is now making small money being used by prospects as a sparring partner. He will be forgotten 10 years from now. Yeah that's a tragedy but I can already sense that diminishing beginning. Every white rapper born in the 70s copied this guy, that's his legacy.
eslubin 1 year ago
@eslubin rakim will be forgotten? are you high? do you not know what year he came out? he came out 25 years ago so if he was going to be forgotten he would have been lost in 1999....it just wasnt white rappers copying his style ALL RAPPERS COPIED IT. tupac, big, jay, all of them said he was an influence on them. you either dont know much about rakim or hip hop or you dont know much about hip hop and rakim.
getyoasshome 1 year ago
@eslubin hahaha. the R will never be forgotten. you must be young. only someone thats young would say that. the younger generation have no idea how much impact rakim had. i hear rakim in almost every mc out in the last 20 years. he's the reason dudes not singing jingles anymore MCs expressing words from the heart because of rakim.
MrPhillyrick1 1 year ago
CHECKOUT THE NEW VIDEOS COSTUME PARTY AND MY VAMPIRE SUBSCRIBE NOW
str8biness 1 year ago
a real legend
ThaGoldenStandard 1 year ago
I love Rakim's talent. But he's better at writing lyrics than answering questions. Or maybe I just didn't get the answer ... what elements was he saying are the pure elements of hip hop? Is he saying hip hop should stick with the four original elements (emcee, dj, graff, breakin) and that he wants to purify it away from the sing-song, cars-and-jewels, simplistic lyricism, nonsense content stuff that some of it has become? Which elements?
Thanks :)
evethezealot 1 year ago
@evethezealot well he said in another interview talking about nas "hip hop is dead" Rakim felt hip hop was dead in New York and he would like to see it go back to how it used to be. But your right he's not too specific, he is vague, he's in the middle kinda of a moderate. Not like KrsONE who right out you know what he's saying.
champ3660 1 year ago
This is real music. Ra is the best ever. Check out more dopeness at cleverelementsdotnet if you love hip hop.
2000hiphophead 1 year ago
RAK-
FEEL ' ( NO SHAME N' MY GAME I WAS SOULED OUT TOW TO 2.0 Ohhhhhhhhh, NO PUNK AND I KEEP SHIT ABOUT THE ANCIENT ART OF FOLDING PAPER, WHEN IT IS MATTER THAT CAN MAKE BREAD, WEALTH SPREAD, & SCHOOL HEDZ, what? heads HAve tix (VIP JUDGING) 2010 CANNA CUP. "1st hip hop cup" the slogan trde 4 airfare and i wanna ko the globe w/ root splicing- wht boy b damn good- thnk on it i'd like to chop it up. no thing 2 u - I KNOW- still closed mouth don't eatbutbe readey to take one 2 chops rght?
norcal4propapal 1 year ago
@msnikish to make a long story short, Maino is whack haha
tribekid1 1 year ago
RAKIM word master.
AisTRecords 1 year ago
Maino? WTF Rakim..
tribekid1 1 year ago
@tribekid1 maino i never heard his shit before, so he new to me, but i heard h is name, and saw him on some show on mtv where this white dude lived with him for a while to see how his life is, is he wack or what?? does he get love? i dont know much about him i am curious , casue you sad that
msnikish 1 year ago
@msnikish maino from junior mafia...biggies small's click..he was locked up for a while.
getyoasshome 1 year ago
this is universe if u like real hiphop then u should listen to this song called off earth if u like it then subscribe to thaunknownuniverse page and support underground music cuz i know where all tired of this mainstream shit
ThaUnknownUniverse 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
No disrespect at all to DRE, but y'all thinking too hard. DRE - Make hot, dark tracks & step aside & let RA do his thing on 'em. It sounds like DRE wanted creative control over the Rakim project with the lyrics & songs... again, DRE...make tracks & step the F aside.. PLEASE. RA GOT THIS!
stickem721 1 year ago
No disrespect at all to DRE, but y'all thinking too hard. DRE - Make hot, dark tracks & step aside & let RA do his thing on 'em. It sounds like DRE wanted creative control over the Rakim project with the lyrics & songs... again, DRE... make tracks & step the F aside.. PLEASE. RA GOT THIS!!!!!
stickem721 1 year ago 21
@stickem721 But still, he should have stayed with aftermatch and by now he would be selling million copies in the first week not 12 000 like he did with the last album.
UnforgivableMen 1 year ago
0563131007
soomemrx 1 year ago
production on new album was bullshit, but the god was still in true form! link back up with premo, homie!!!
bosman1988 1 year ago 25
@bosman1988 Nah, it was fucking ill just Rakim wasn't in top form
TheEazyDuzIt95 1 year ago
i love his music, his lyrical skills, but that wack ass gang sta attitude on that interview is just lame haha. For christ sake, Give us at least a smile lol.
shaolin89 1 year ago
@shaolin89 your comment is lame
STATUSthesleepers 1 year ago
@STATUSthesleepers
Why would that be lame? Give me a good reason.
shaolin89 1 year ago
@shaolin89 u say his attittude is "lame" like hes acting or something, thats just how he is, he doesnt have to smile for anyone if he doesnt want to
STATUSthesleepers 1 year ago
@shaolin89 He's a serious type of cat. Gangsta? You're a square....
zxzrp0 1 year ago
@zxzrp0
Haha ive seen interviews with him where he looked way more clever and spoke like he was actually intelligent. stop bringing me into this lol, its about Rakim haha.
shaolin89 1 year ago
he should of had premier on it
MrDJKaaz 1 year ago
Man... If All Rakim and Primo did was make music together... WHOA!
That would be ILL!
MTXSHO9732vV8SHO 1 year ago 2
(Rakim nicee! nd hes already famous so fuck him!! l.)You Want to listening to some real hip hop. Check my page man. and promise you. please leave us a commentss thanks.
FlyboyzFlymusics 1 year ago
Rakim the best rapper alive. check out my Dr. Dre and Dj Premier Collabaration beat.
Kinghenry009 1 year ago
The Seventh Seal iz good. It's not "Paid In Full" but still a good album. In "Walk These Streets", who can tell that Ra lost his lyrical ability? Maybe he's slower in speed but still complex in rhymes
hungtienboi 1 year ago
Rakim should hook up with Traxxter from Chicago for some tracks.
CrowdPleeza 1 year ago
Rakim is on my personal, Best rappers ever list. I cannot find one song that would be considered not good through out his entire catalog.
The real T La Rock - "Its Yours "
tlarock 1 year ago
@tlarock His lyrics are still great but these "Young Beasts" he worked with need more practice on the beats
DagoRamirez88 1 year ago
the last beat sounds like immortal technique's "crossing the boundary"
boooyashakaaa 1 year ago
that sounds like a Dr. Dre beat on that song..
317dynamite 1 year ago
NO COMPETITION !!!!
CadillacToothdeville 1 year ago
all of you are dumb motherfuckers if you even think nas is on Rakim's level
nas made illmatic which was a classic. and it was written which was a another gem. thats it
but Rakim had 4 classic albums with Eric B plus two very underrated solo album's, The Master and The 18th letter
Shah1m 1 year ago
@Shah1m get off rakim's dick.
420fmx 1 year ago
@420fmx how am i on rakim's dick because i said that R is a better MC than nas?
Shah1m 1 year ago
@Shah1m i just felt like stirring u up lol,
i admire both mc's for what they've accomplished.
420fmx 1 year ago
whats the name of the song at the beginning?
infamousuno949 1 year ago
Rakim is the best rapper ever, in my opinion. But I haven't dug his solo efforts... I miss Eric B's style, and why if he's the best rapper in the world would he need to put guest MCs on his disc? The four EB&R discs almost exclusively sampled EB&R for rapper samples.
When 4 entire albums contain only 3 get-the-chick tracks and 5 socio-economic tracks with the rest being I'm-the-best-rapper tracks, you need to do everything to project "I'M THE BEST." Having guest MCs does not do that.
almo2001 1 year ago 2
@almo2001 hell yeah we need eric b
thesouthrapsucks 1 year ago
@almo2001 the 18th letter and the master are fucking incredible 2 of the best hip hop albums ever
ThatIncredibleJordan 1 year ago
@ThatIncredibleJordan Just can't agree with that. I really, really tried to like them. But the guest MCs just put me right off. The R isn't just the r. He's THE FUCKING R dammit.
almo2001 1 year ago
@almo2001 i loved them both, havent heard much of 7th seal. but the first time i got the 18th letter I listened to it start to finish (like 70mins) twice! then put it on my ipod then listened to it again same with the master. You dont like Premier or something? And they're aren't even that many guest MCs. "Its been a long time" and "Waiting for the world to end"
ThatIncredibleJordan 1 year ago
@ThatIncredibleJordan Premier is fine; I liked his work on Ready To Earn. To be fair about all this, I listened to the album again today (up to track 12). Things that stood out:
The guy can still rhyme with great precision.
Musical style is inconsistent across the album.
Some tracks like the first feature his voice doubled over itself.
Choruses of female singers have got to go.
There are samples of other rappers when there shouldn't be.
Guest MCs still bug me, even if there are few.
almo2001 1 year ago
@almo2001 Continued: The voice doubling is WAY uncalled for. From No Omega:
"Check your engine and ask your engineers
To equalize it; try to disguise it.
If that don't work yo, then Midasize it."
I've written and preformed rap, and I know what he's talking about. It was very hard to resist the temptation to voice-double or hit the equalizer to fix problems with the delivery. If he's The Master (in my opinion he is), then he doesn't need this.
almo2001 1 year ago
@almo2001 i like that each track is different , I dont think inconsistent is the word more like diverse. I like the female singers, its not like Rakim is some gangsta rapper whos too tough to have any female singers and wasnt there some kinda voice thing on my melody? (probably isnt just wondering since his voice sounds so different
ThatIncredibleJordan 1 year ago
Yo with all due respect, Rakim needs to put the mic down. He's lost his lyrical ability that he used to have, he's just past his prime now. Don't get me wrong, in my opinion he's the second greatest MC of all-time behind Nas, but he just needs to go out with honor.
TheEcstatic23 1 year ago
@TheEcstatic23 Rakim still has it!
dogshit71 1 year ago
To anyone complaining about "The Seventh Seal": Have y'all heard "The Master"? While the Seventh Seal is by no means Paid In Full (or Don't Sweat The Technique for that matter), I think this is a pretty good rebound from his last joint. The Master is hands down his most uninspired joint. The production on Seal could have been better except for the Nick Wiz joints but what do you want? This or Wacka Flocka Flame?
oskamadison 1 year ago
I want to hear Rakim and Jay Electronica on a track sooooo baaaaaaad that would soo ILL
Angrous 1 year ago
@Angrous
That Rakim from '95 and Jay Electronica would be classic. Rakim now isn't as good.
TheEcstatic23 1 year ago
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Peace Ra, the main thing that's killing Hip Hop is the disrepsect of women in it. The constant cursing, and non-productive conversations in the flows of emcees. Minds were not made to be idol. Emcees should drop seeds that will grow life not weeds that destroy good crops.
MosqueNo7 1 year ago
5*****!!!From Da Playground!!!
011MONK 1 year ago
5 percenta, RAKIM ALLAH
iiNDiTC 1 year ago
his new album wasnt as good as his ol stuff but you cant be in 2009 spittin the same way you did in 97. Definetely a solid drop with a few standout songs.
JayBiggz 1 year ago
A true LEGEND!much respect Rakim.
sbb1sun 1 year ago
相変わらずのカッコよさ凄くいいで すね^^歳を感じさせない程の魅力が彼にはある!うん。絶対ある 。ホントRAKIM素敵だわぁ(≧▽≦)
aihimeka02 1 year ago
Comment removed
aihimeka02 1 year ago
he set such a high mark which cant be reached not even by him.
makpak 1 year ago
BIG UPS to the Seventh Seal, there's only one Rakim fam, respect!
niggadistinct 1 year ago
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Rakim fell off.
ForstaSvenskenIRymdn 1 year ago
His flow just seemed off and not Rakim calbre on his newest. Dont get me wrong, some of the tracks are pretty hot but overall, aint his best.
bzush21freestyle 2 years ago
i am big rakim fan but i didnt like his last album
SandSlashX 2 years ago
he didnt meet the rakim expectaitons.
noskoollikeoldskool 2 years ago
@noskoollikeoldskool Ur crazy! His new album is banging!
Miggy617 2 years ago
dont get me wrong Rakim is raw , i just think he could've made this last album better, i like all his previous ones alot better.
noskoollikeoldskool 2 years ago
RAKIM was/is always THE BEST! NO ONE can burn through lyrics and imagery like him!
FOLLOW THE LEADER!
AudiophileTubes 2 years ago 2
RAKIM BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO UP
seedz11 2 years ago
Always my favorite MC...human artifact too
I don't love his new joints tho
politics suck
Jahrass7 2 years ago
Why in Hell does the God MC have to respond to this question?
MrKs47 2 years ago
this album is fat i like the sounds and think the new cats produced a fat album
dolo10452 2 years ago
i agree dolo, i agree.
jose4891 2 years ago
walk these streets - rakim
DarionTv 2 years ago
Nvm I got it forgot it was the one with Maino that song sucks.
SlugOnYourHead 2 years ago
What's the song playing? In the beginning I mean.
SlugOnYourHead 2 years ago
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walk these streets - rakim
DarionTv 2 years ago
What the fuck no Premier? I'll be bootlegging this shit.
malice1325 2 years ago
I got the seventh seal album and it's a classic but there is a problem rakim did a bonus track with Styles p,Jadakiss,Busta Rhymes and more but it's not on the album,I want to know did anybody download it?
weaponx20000 2 years ago
Whole shit sounds kinda weak compare to his older stuff....... I love the R but he knows it.
SDSOverfiend 2 years ago 2
100 % true i kno he could make a better album than what he did
2upack33 2 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Yeah its gonna take more than him being a legend to just say his shit is nice. To top it off he showed what kinda Nigga he is with the Nas situation. Nas tried to school the youngan's on who you were since he kept getting the comparisons and you talking about he put your bussiness out there.
SDSOverfiend 2 years ago
100 % real. This album is far below what it could have been. No Large Professor. Can you imagine if Lord Finesse would have worked with him. Why not take it back 2 your first joint & have Marley do something. I am gonna give my CD away, I don't want anybody wastin their money on this weak produced effort. I can't believe he thought this was good enuff 2 release.
closedfiles 2 years ago
yeah but rap is never gunna go back to how it used to be if dr dres album ever comes out it wont be nearly as good as the chronic
SL4VE0WNER1904619 2 years ago
it had some dece tracks I woulda included... i.e. Holy are you ... that track just wilded me out.
OneRyt 2 years ago
You crazy that CD is Hot. You must be some crazy white boy who thinks lil wayne is hot. Sorry to infome you but rappers like lil wayne are cookie cutter rappers. They say what sells, not whats real.
athenanic 2 years ago 2
first four album with eric b were classic , first two solo albums were
solid , the new is poor , the production is trash
braemarsucks 2 years ago 2
I like his reasoning of giving young cats, and other producers a chance to shine. Premo, Pete Rock etc don't need it - time for a new generation to get a shot. Imma cop it based on that.
mike23984 2 years ago
man i was SO disappointed when i saw there was no premo on the album
siwooot 2 years ago
thats real
i feel ya on that
WordGeniuzTube 2 years ago
So finally the album's coming out!
Okty 2 years ago
Lol Diddy ma man u on cheap drugs
prowleefik911 2 years ago
p diddy? u gotta be jokin!!!
SIXFOURINATL 2 years ago
god mc! no worries ra a boss!
begs100 2 years ago
when that album come out?
WordGeniuzTube 2 years ago
the albums comin out on nov. 17
the albums on itunes already
invalidts2 2 years ago
cool.
thanks fam
WordGeniuzTube 2 years ago
yeah alot of people dont know about the release date cuz of the lack of promotion
with good hip hop albums these days
invalidts2 2 years ago
awsome! cool! good!
PriestBoy11 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
dude just trying to get a commercial look by collaberating with Maino even though he still sucks.
S4N3x 2 years ago
When M.C.s become 50 years old they need to stop wearing kids clothes and stop rapping give somebody some shine.These dudes are supposed to be business men helping the young dudeds what the fuck happened.Didn't take care of his money still on stage?..WTF?!
paintandillustrate 2 years ago
jay-z like 40 years old rich as hell still rapping on stage, and the young dudes out now are wack as hell.
Ruckislx 2 years ago
These "Young niggas" aint doing it right. God MC needs to keep it goin till he can't, cause aside from lames like you, real heads still feel that shit. Check the 7th Label.
CanWeGoBackRIPhiphop 2 years ago 4
Naw homie, these cats aren't business men There Hip Hop Men. Meaning that they are ''supposed'' to be here to enlighten use and KEEP inspiring us. The Business don't give two shits bout what we do and the money yo you need to fall back on that and think bout the education of the situation. ''The Shine'' are wanted by those who have their own selfish ambitions. Peace and Love homie
animejonesakaao 2 years ago
No,we need more Russell Simmons, more LaFace records, more Diddy type guys in corporate america so old white men will not control the images we as black people see everyday on the streets and TV something to look up to . The Business is making money of what we do what are you talking aout. They are the ones getting paid. Blacks gotta be on stage always entertaining but cant run a business? What are you saying.He's old still doing "I Ain't No Joke," come on man..get out of the illusion.
paintandillustrate 2 years ago
Aight, I see were you goin wit this homie. Well in a reality we need more cats like you, me, and the people who really LOVE THIS CULTURE and its People. Those cats are str8 sale outs ['maybe' not in the beginning] but no the less we need to stop entertaining and education in the way the masses can catch on w/out wanting to stray away from the knowledge. And I dont know Ra's real ambitions but i 'think' big homie does it for the love first and money last, [I think].
animejonesakaao 2 years ago 2
Yeah..you probably have already but check out Jay Electronica, Skyzoo, Wale, Kid CuDi,ODDISEE..there thousand's of real mcs doing there thing just stay away from the radio and MTV.peace
paintandillustrate 2 years ago
still wu, nas, talib,duck down crew don't forget dem cats! act most cats from ny in around 92 ta 98 those mcs still cook, still much love for repn real mcs! Get away from robotic rappn unless its kool kieth doing some weird shit with lyrics! peace
begs100 2 years ago 9
agreed except nas cuz fo me nigga is overrated and homez like scarface are underrated
biggiesmellsgood 2 years ago
@begs100 actually yeah the "New Wu" track from Reakwon, oldschool Wu-Tang soundin' like shit came straight from one of the the 36 chambers!
Hiphop' still alive fools -> i know hiphop/rap was an alternative to the gang-violence in the old days, but i still think we should gang up and kill all theese fakeass rap-cats killing OUR shit - peace and respect to the ra' for doin his thing!
- FUCK ALL YALL MAKING HIPHOP FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY!
sthazeb 1 year ago
@sthazeb lol nah i say stop the violence. just try to get em all in jail. wayne was in jail and gucci is going back to jail hooray
nastynas373 1 year ago
@nastynas373 Well sure - long time prison sentences would work, but i would say that for selling out like this - we should see 2 or 3 consecutive life sentences!
sthazeb 1 year ago
@paintandillustrate
That a bit too simplistic. Russ, Babyface & Diddy work for old white men. Old white men have control all forms of communication, they give people of color certain concessions but never any real control. I do get your point though.
nyiskillinme 1 year ago 2
i love rakim, but he looks like a middle aged crack head
CuchiMane 2 years ago 3
Nice Video
WaiTing 4 His Next AlbuM, It's Gonna Be Awesome I thiNk
971sirkri 2 years ago
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Soulja boy would battle rap & win those noobs
RgZspotA 2 years ago
wat the hell u talkin bout?
gotsteeze92 2 years ago
u foolin..
810GRAFF 2 years ago
-6 Nigga!!
hastious 2 years ago
dude go jump off the highest building u can find
Ruckislx 2 years ago
r u for real son
prowleefik911 2 years ago
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ya man MCs like P diddy or rav Run would crush him in a battle rap dawg
RgZspotA 2 years ago
really? serious? diddy? honest really?
begs100 2 years ago
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA +1
immorrill 2 years ago
first review
nedimp567 2 years ago