To me, all music today feels grey. If you feel the same way, then play. Pure hiphop poetry. Substance. He took a fuckin time machine from the early 90s....
----> /watch?v=iFSC9aXtx3M
----> /watch?v=k6oa37QDl2U
----> /watch?v=xqZTjb-1VAM
----> /watch?v=96ZP1GOWmbY
----> /watch?v=07jIxPatag4 (Music Video.. Showing shots of some of his influences)
----> /watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=h3aXmguENSc (Music Video.. Focusing more on his unique image & style)
@MrJazzHOP To me, all music today feels grey. If you feel the same way, then play. Pure hiphop poetry. Substance. He took a fuckin time machine from the early 90s....
----> /watch?v=iFSC9aXtx3M
----> /watch?v=k6oa37QDl2U
----> /watch?v=xqZTjb-1VAM
----> /watch?v=96ZP1GOWmbY
----> /watch?v=07jIxPatag4 (Music Video.. Showing shots of some of his influences)
----> /watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=h3aXmguENSc (Music Video.. Focusing more on his unique image & style)
@RAthaPunisher and 2pac made it famous 2pac was just too genius in every single song he used a difffrent kind of style wat any knid of rappers cant do not even rakim
@AkramPropheci we can't be sure Ra has just never tried it but no one can deny Ra is greater on then Tupac just pure raw rhyming skill with ill flow he is more deserving of being #1 for his skill, Tupac had emotion though
I don't they ever play this on the radio. All the people that comment on songs like this know what they are talking about when it comes to rap but people only listen to the crap thats out today mainly because of what they play.
@wolverine668 though for me Pun is better then Rakim, Ra is the God MC they are number 1 and 2 on my list they are both real emcees and they are super lyrical but Rakim is hip-hop manifested in a man, Puns style is to ill though lyrics, flow, MULTIES and is also a god on the mic they are both masters of the art however the enhancers will always live in the shadow of the inventor Rakim Allah!!! Peace
@TheAk4all Pac is overrated as an mc when it comes to pure skill what is Pac against Rakim,Pun,Big,L,Kane,G Rap,Andre 3000,Jay,Nas,Eminem,Krs they are all masters of the art of emceeing though Pac was skilled like Jay said what he didn't have technically he made up for heart and passion which is what made him so great top 10 yes G.O.A.T no but if he is to you I wouldn't have a problem with that cause he's great. Peace
@iceill3425 I like Rakim...I like this song especially..his rapping skills is good...his metaphors beast and wat he raps is nice..but he is NOT better than 2pac..Idk bout Biggie but Biggie seems ok,2pac is the best there is...and Rakim is not even better than KRS-One...Im not sayn Rakim is not good...he is real good but not as much as 2pac and even KRS-One
@TheAk4all naahhhhh Bruh, 2pac damn sure aint the best. he only touched one type of subject matter. and that wuz its. he never technically used to "rip" shit. he jus told how shit wuz in the hood. he actually wasnt the least bit lyrical. and he was highly overrated. only ppl outside of NY n NJ think he was all that. we kno wut real "MCs" are.
@iceill3425 u obviously havent listened to pac..he spits the truth,he talks about racism in america and he dont alwayz talk about how it was in the hood,he is not overrated,he is just well liked by pple who actually knows hip hop
@TheAk4all I LISTENED TO PAC BRO, HEAVY... BUT IF U PAID ATTENTION, HE NEVA TALKED ABOUT SHIT ELSE. HE NEVA USED TO "RIP" MICS HE JUS USED TO RAP. IM FROM NY BRO. THE MECCA OF THIS RAP SHIT. RIPPIN, RAPPIN, N MCing IS ALL DIFFERENT. DAT NIGGA JUS RAPPED
@iceill3425 Biggie, 2Pac, Big Pun...all those dudes were innovators and masters of the mic. I don't mind when they get their due.
What burns me is the fools and the media who have crowned Jay Z as the "king" of hip hop. The fuck out of here. He wasn't even on the map when the master MCs lived. He was a fourth-rate emcee who lived to get a 40-second guest verse on someone else's record. And nowadays he rhymes about how expensive his interior decorators are. Fuck Jay Z.
@GozerTheGozerian I can see why you hate Jay-Z but believe it or not he's a real mc Reasonable Doubt is a classic and undoubtedly his greatest work and most lyrical shit jay has dumb it down for mainstream and sells and has still release a few classics he is still however better then these pop rappers sure he sold out but he's different he's still real to himself and on his grown ass man he's still sharper then most mc's out there he's on a league of his own and he's a legend
Yeah, this album is evidence that brother Rakim is incomparable, unmatched - lyrically and flow-wise. Nas can't step, not a chance, and the fact that most cats have Illmatic and not The 18th Letter album is so sad, for real. This man is as deep as it gets and check the flow!!!!!! Sick...just drops my jaw every time!!!
@ToN92X To me, all music today feels grey. If you feel the same way, then play. Pure hiphop poetry. Substance. He took a fuckin time machine from the early 90s....
----> /watch?v=iFSC9aXtx3M
----> /watch?v=k6oa37QDl2U
----> /watch?v=xqZTjb-1VAM
----> /watch?v=96ZP1GOWmbY
----> /watch?v=07jIxPatag4 (Music Video.. Showing shots of some of his influences)
----> /watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=h3aXmguENSc (Music Video.. Focusing more on his unique image & style)
@footballtechnique20 Rakim is a 5%, not a Muslim. They use Allah for metaphorical meanings (Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm Head) and there Islamic references have a lot to do w/ their founder being a former member of the Nation of Islam.
its hard to compare nas and rakim both amazing but they have different styles Rakim is smooth laid back and gives a sort of positiveness in his tracks while nas has a poetic conversational vibe but both with intense lyricism
That's not it all though it has nothing to do with Hindu mythology are you fucking kidding me? It's about ISLAM he said ALLAH and talks about the QURAN and you're talking about Hindu mythology.
......
4 thumbs up even though you're all 5 completely wrong.
@IslamIstheWayforMe It's about Islam he said Allah,the Supreme and talks about the Holy Quran . I Agree with that :) Just Quoted Something similar i felt about Rakim's way of Constructing Concepts...That's All my Bro :)
I'm sorry I just re-read what I said to you and that came off pretty arrogant and just straight up rude and disrespectful. How could I hate on you? You're actually thinking, listening to good music and showing a voice, based off of knowledge for history and the world's cultures. I'm really sorry, I admit defeat, simply because I was so rude to my brother.
@rjvernesto thats why i dont listen to him cause he dont even known his own religion and rap aint about these staff, i know his rymes are good but in terms of reall hiphop rakim aint in my list. rap should more about reality then braging about your self whaat the fk u do in ur daily life.
96 was the year where Hip came to its climax. Rakim, Nas, Pac and Biggie had ablums out and Jay dropped. Rakim the godfather came with the 18th letter.
My only problems are with what this user has put in the lyrics tab. First of all, the line is actually "stacks of mathematics to feed your Asiatics." Asiatic is a term referring to a person of Asian decent, hence Asian's are stereotypically good at math. Also the line "since the worlds metamorphis, and the planets kept in orbit." It is NOT "plan is kept in orbit" OR "mathematics took your ego-a-seatic" or whatever the fuck they put in. Anyway, nobody probably cares, so get real fool. Fool.
rakim is nice, but honestly immortal is better to me. his shit just 'feels' more real to me. dance with devil is one of the best songs ever put out, that shit changed me
I think Rakim is perhaps the greatest ever (the others I'd consider for that title are: KRS-ONE, Big Daddy Kane, Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie and Kool G Rap). Obviously some of you disagree, but I just thought I'd weigh in with my own thoughts on this subject lol. Feel free to drop me a comment back :)
I think Immortal Tech is good, he has engaging lyrical content in most of his songs, and he speaks about reality, so I like him. But in terms of pure skill and flow and delivery and lyrical complexity and being an all-round MC - there is no comparison. Ra' wins by a mile in my humble opinion. He is effortlessly smooth with his seamless flow, no matter how fast or slow he goes, lyrically he is raw but very intelligent, and his metaphors are so clever too. His whole aura and style is captivating.
@XsexychristinaX I agree. But there are many more technically skilled rappers than Immortal Tech. He tells a great story but as you said yourself, delivery and flow wise he is not even close to Rakim, let alone a bunch of other guys. I consider him rather weak in that area. I never listen to Tech if I want fresh rap music I can bob along to or anything. It's purely to hear the, granted, very insightful and deep content he spits.
@lemmedasker Thanks for sharing your opinion with me :) I agree with you too, Immortal Tech's music is very intelligent and deep... but not exactly fun, not really the type of music you would just cruise to in the car, you know? Rakim is pretty serious too, but he does have fresh songs that'll make you bob your head though, like "Move the Crowd" and "Guess Who's Back?". Immortal Tech is by no means a technical master like Rakim, or Kane, but as we both agree, that's not what his music is about.
@XsexychristinaX Funny those that dont sell out , and yet dont fear to speak , stay with us , Martin , Gandhi , JFK , Lennon , Ali , Sitting Bull , and many greater and lesser and though the same . The sell outs reap the momentary acclaim and following of the hypnotized , yet it lasts not so long .. Much love to the awake ..
@XsexychristinaX immortal techinique can destroy rakim in terms of bars and rymes. rakim is delusional and his lyrics are full of contradiction, i used to like him cause i wasnt bothered about what he says long as rymes are good but now i believe we need more wise rappers people who can inspire our generation like 2pac. so rakim aint a thang.
You say Hannah Montana-i fucking punch you in the face
92% of teenagers have turned to New school and Pop.If you are part of the 8% that still listen to real music,copy and paste this message to another 5 videos. Don't let the real hip hop die
@NeteruSC300 - Anyone who uses the word "Nigga" is brainless. People died to get rid of that word, yet our youth use it like it's the greatest word ever invented! It disgusts me! I'm black and I never use that word and never will, it's too disrespectful to MLK jr.
3 minutes of pure lyrical genius! This is what the difference is between a rapper and an MC. Rakim doesn't just rap; he truly FLOWS! Pay attention, rookies!
@BigManUtdJuveFan Although it sounds cruel as shit, yeah. That's my opinion about religion. Not like a Muslim can't be a good person (My whole family is Muslim and I love them all) but I feel it's the religion (Like all of them) that preaches violence and hatred and all the good Muslims seem to ignore it, to avoid it because they're scared of the extremists (and life in general, I guess we're all full of angst) and it's sad because I feel they don't deserve the shit they get for an old idea.
@MotherNikita im a muslim, but i wont go on a discussion with you. first of all im tired to always tell people the same about the riligion. and second, my engish isnt that great. i just have to accept your opinion for now. I hope at some day tou will now what the real riligion is all about and not just what you heard or what you see. Greatings from Amsterdam ;P
@BigManUtdJuveFan It's cool, man, since you respect my opinion, I'll respect yours. However, I will never respect the idea of any religion, mainly because I just see it as wrong, and if it is an overall good concept, and I'm the one wrong about it, then the wrong people are in charge of it. But thanks anyway for not being hostile, so many religious people on Youtube are just complete assholes, it's nice seeing a kind one once in a while.
just this one song knocks all that lil wayne and them other so call rappers out da box. You got real rapping with poetically flow and knowledge shit that makes you think. which its suppose to uplift you. This is light codes from the eloheim. wake up
There's references to the quran here that i didn't even catch when i was a kid. There's probably references here i'm not getting now, maybe if i come back to it in a few more years.
IMHO, the greatest hip hop artist to ever grace a mic. I understand the criticisms of karmaofgood. But to paraphrase DMC, "Hip hop in those days was about bragging over the best beats." How do you know he's the best if that's all he's saying? You're missing the point! Listen to (or read) how he's saying it. The rhyme schemes are mind blowing! That's the point!
Why in the world is Rakim so underrated he should be in every best rapper of all time conversation. Along with some others of course. Rakim changed everything without ever even being extremley mainstream not that being mainstream back then was bad anyways. Without Ra u dont have most of the legendary rappers of the 90's.
@razzerRam nah man i wasnt talking bout this song, i listened to some other rakim n some of the flows reminded me of like golden age rap, hahaha prince of bel air has that old as sound man i just used an
example (probly the worst one possible lol) but yeah i listened to all the lyrics properly n this song BURNS this is hot man... but yeah bro hopefully you know what i mean.......
warning there is no single line in here that is not pperfect..even how rakim uses the bible scene of spread sea for moses then later he says make waves for noah..INSANE LYRICISIM
My cousin gave me this album for christmas because she knew that I was unfamiliar with eric b or rakim... later on that day i told her that rakim sounds like a mix of gza and common. She responded with "no gza and common sound rakim".
I want some veteran mc's to form a think tank that puts out books, events and classes so the lyricism get's passed on. If politicians can do it for the sake of money and power, we can do it for the art we love with all our hearts. Imagine getting a bunch of young cats in a room with Ra and KRS, maybe someone like Moe Dee and Kool G rap and then just learn and talk about the written word. They'd come out with the tools to put out their thoughts on a serious level.
Damn...the majority of the people dickriding this dont really even understand what the fuck hes saying lmfao...knowledge...wisdom...ancient manuscripts
There was a reason why Rakim was called the "God MC", and this is one of the reasons why. All there is out now are "rappers", just that. What this game is missing is MC's (there are VERY FEW left in the game now, and none of them came out after 2000). These cats out now wish they could spit as half as good as Rakim.
@1Mic89 Immortal Tech is good, but his mic presence, cadence, flow and rhyme schemes are nowhere near Rakim's level. Also, as much as I appreciate Tech for his political activism, by getting too into it he dates his own music.
Tech's older albums name-drop John Ashcroft and Donald Rumsfeld...relevant in 2002, sure, but would you bump that now? Whereas Rakim's rhymes are heady, spiritual and ultimately timeless. 20 years from now we will still bump this and it will still have meaning
@GozerTheGozerian LOL that has to be the most laughable statement I've heard in a while. You clearly haven't heard Immortal Techniques music if you think he doesn't come close to Rakim.
@wolverine668 Tech is nowhere near Rakim's level when it comes to flow, mic presence and esoteric content. Tech does his own shit, and it's good, but it's insulting to pretend he's on this level.
I mean, you got a 50 Cent video in your favorites, man. How are you gonna come in here and comment on a Rakim track while big-upping emcees who are mere acolytes and compare them to a true master of hip hop?
@GozerTheGozerian 50 Cent does suck but how can I take you seriously when you say stuff like Immortal Technique is nowhere near Rakim's level and have a battalica video as a fave. If you were talking about Lil Wayne then sure thats fits right but Immortal Technique is one of the greatest much like Rakim. One has to be better than the other but there is a difference between and exaggeration and just being dumb (and guess which one you are)
@wolverine668 You're fucking retarded. No genuine hip hop head, music critic or emcee would ever put Immortal Technique in the same sphere as Rakim. You probably think Jedi Mind Tricks is the greatest hip hop group ever.
Run along now and go listen to idiots rhyme about guns they don't own. Even if we weren't commenting on a Rakim video, it would still be insulting for you to compare Immortal Tech to Rakim, and even Immortal Tech would admit that.
No, you're fucking retarded and an example of a true butt hurt fan who assumes I like Jedi Mind Tricks because of the comparison I made. You probably hide in your closet and listen to Wayne. Never once did I say Tech is better than Rakim because Rakim does win, hands down but all I was saying is that Tech does hold his own in the areas the other guy said he doesn't.
i didn't delete it, look in the comments. rakim kills immortal technique, comparing them is an insult. immortal technique says wack shit like "i'll resurrect every aborted baby and start an army".
@1Mic89 Cormega dropped an ALBUM in '01 but he came out before 200, as he was a part of the original Firm supergroup (Nas, AZ and Foxy Brown. Nature replaced Cormega when the Firm Album dropped in 96)
@therealphlatlyne There are some good MC's that came out after 2000. They're not as good as Rakim or Killah Priest or something, but still pretty dope. Like for example Greydon Square.
@therealphlatlyne What Ra said is true though. real Hip Hop lives underground. That's why acts like Lupe Fiasco mostly go unnoticed due to that same lyrical complexity and positivism that came from Rakim's influence. J. Cole is another guy who cites his greatest influences from Rakim yet he too goes unnoticed. It's always like you get rewarded if you dumb it down but if you keep it real nobody wants to hear you. Society's fucked up.
can people please shut the fuck up about lil wayne...its getting really annoying now every video i click on its all about how much he sucks and how hes destryoying hiphop blah blah blah.....look anyone who knows real hiphop knows hes garbage but just leave it at that and enjoy the music that the masses will never understand...if your gonna leave a comment talk about how dope the song is instead of sumthing that is getting soo fucking repetetive now...fuck man....real hiphop...peace peace
can people please shut the fuck up about lil wayne...its getting really annoying now every video i click on its all about how much he sucks and how hes destryoying hiphop blah blah blah.....look anyone who knows real hiphop knows hes garbage but just leave it at that and enjoy the music that the masses will never understand...if your gonna leave a comment talk about how dope the song is instead of sumthing that is getting soo fucking repetetive now...fuck man....real hiphop...peace peace
DAMN!
HealthXpoint 1 week ago
CRAZY!!!!! BRILLIANT!!!!HIP HOP at it's Finest!!!!
BormikTV 1 week ago
Rakim doesn't flow like water, water flows like Rakim
Majid7383 1 week ago 8
@Majid7383 +9million
Vinnyninetythree 1 week ago
dope
biebsje30 2 weeks ago
fucking amazing, pure excellence
bubbathenaslover 3 weeks ago
one of the best rap verses ever made has only 100,000 views...
MrRolaCosta 3 weeks ago 3
Just when things seemed the same,
And the whole scene is lame
I come and reign with the unexplained
For the brains 'til things change
They strain to slang sling, I'm trained to bring game
History that I arranged been regained by King James
juk
TheAleksr 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
You can't spell RAP without RA....God MC, always and forever!
MrJazzHOP 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
To me, all music today feels grey. If you feel the same way, then play. Pure hiphop poetry. Substance. He took a fuckin time machine from the early 90s....
----> /watch?v=iFSC9aXtx3M
----> /watch?v=k6oa37QDl2U
----> /watch?v=xqZTjb-1VAM
----> /watch?v=96ZP1GOWmbY
----> /watch?v=07jIxPatag4 (Music Video.. Showing shots of some of his influences)
----> /watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=h3aXmguENSc (Music Video.. Focusing more on his unique image & style)
ChangeOfPaceHiphop 1 month ago
No time to sip mo’s with hostess, never mind what the total gross is
I rip shows, stay focused, and split cheese, with soldiers
While you hit trees and coast I spit flows that be ferocious
And with these explosives, I split seas for moses
Shine permanently only my mind’s concernin me
Fire burns in me eternally time’s eternity
Followers turn on me they’ll be in a mental infirmary
Determinely advance technology better than germany
MrJazzHOP 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@MrJazzHOP To me, all music today feels grey. If you feel the same way, then play. Pure hiphop poetry. Substance. He took a fuckin time machine from the early 90s....
----> /watch?v=iFSC9aXtx3M
----> /watch?v=k6oa37QDl2U
----> /watch?v=xqZTjb-1VAM
----> /watch?v=96ZP1GOWmbY
----> /watch?v=07jIxPatag4 (Music Video.. Showing shots of some of his influences)
----> /watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=h3aXmguENSc (Music Video.. Focusing more on his unique image & style)
ChangeOfPaceHiphop 1 month ago
sosososososo sick, tears that shit up
ruggerts 1 month ago
Rakim is still to this day untouched by any other emcee, Flawless flow!
militantmindedartist 1 month ago
and they said that raps were all bad disgusting and full of swears
MsThemuh 1 month ago
This is my favorite rap.
MsThemuh 1 month ago
i think lowkey looks like him lol
readboklop1 2 months ago
@readboklop1 wtfk u mad this guy look like a swine coming out from an alien butt. lowkey is far greater then this delusional rapper
AkramPropheci 1 month ago
@AkramPropheci i'm talking about the face man chill out
readboklop1 1 month ago
yeah, nice song
TheGifli64 2 months ago
@RAthaPunisher yea fam
hiphop4life24678 2 months ago
@XsexychristinaX Rakim is no 1 forever for one main reason h thought all the niggas how to flow...
hiphop4life24678 2 months ago 2
@hiphop4life24678 he really did teach how flowing should be done he reinvented flow and invented complex lyricism at the same time the R baby
RAthaPunisher 2 months ago 9
@RAthaPunisher and 2pac made it famous 2pac was just too genius in every single song he used a difffrent kind of style wat any knid of rappers cant do not even rakim
AkramPropheci 1 month ago
@AkramPropheci we can't be sure Ra has just never tried it but no one can deny Ra is greater on then Tupac just pure raw rhyming skill with ill flow he is more deserving of being #1 for his skill, Tupac had emotion though
RAthaPunisher 3 weeks ago
I don't they ever play this on the radio. All the people that comment on songs like this know what they are talking about when it comes to rap but people only listen to the crap thats out today mainly because of what they play.
SapphireSalamder2 2 months ago
Rakim no one better but Pun in my opinion
RAthaPunisher 3 months ago
@RAthaPunisher Pun better the Ra' please tell me you're joking
wolverine668 3 months ago 4
@wolverine668 though for me Pun is better then Rakim, Ra is the God MC they are number 1 and 2 on my list they are both real emcees and they are super lyrical but Rakim is hip-hop manifested in a man, Puns style is to ill though lyrics, flow, MULTIES and is also a god on the mic they are both masters of the art however the enhancers will always live in the shadow of the inventor Rakim Allah!!! Peace
RAthaPunisher 3 months ago
@RAthaPunisher Oh I see. Thats an educated way to look at it man. Peace to you as well!
wolverine668 2 months ago
@wolverine668 respect fam
RAthaPunisher 2 months ago
@TheAk4all Pac is overrated as an mc when it comes to pure skill what is Pac against Rakim,Pun,Big,L,Kane,G Rap,Andre 3000,Jay,Nas,Eminem,Krs they are all masters of the art of emceeing though Pac was skilled like Jay said what he didn't have technically he made up for heart and passion which is what made him so great top 10 yes G.O.A.T no but if he is to you I wouldn't have a problem with that cause he's great. Peace
RAthaPunisher 3 months ago
the r baby!
beeva275 3 months ago
one of the best songs ever written
lordslayer22 3 months ago
rakim still a beast... the real G.O.A.T. no disrespect to Pac and Big but they r NOT the greatest "MC" of all time... its da 18TH Letter baby
iceill3425 3 months ago in playlist RAKIM
@iceill3425 I like Rakim...I like this song especially..his rapping skills is good...his metaphors beast and wat he raps is nice..but he is NOT better than 2pac..Idk bout Biggie but Biggie seems ok,2pac is the best there is...and Rakim is not even better than KRS-One...Im not sayn Rakim is not good...he is real good but not as much as 2pac and even KRS-One
TheAk4all 3 months ago
@TheAk4all naahhhhh Bruh, 2pac damn sure aint the best. he only touched one type of subject matter. and that wuz its. he never technically used to "rip" shit. he jus told how shit wuz in the hood. he actually wasnt the least bit lyrical. and he was highly overrated. only ppl outside of NY n NJ think he was all that. we kno wut real "MCs" are.
iceill3425 3 months ago
@iceill3425 u obviously havent listened to pac..he spits the truth,he talks about racism in america and he dont alwayz talk about how it was in the hood,he is not overrated,he is just well liked by pple who actually knows hip hop
TheAk4all 3 months ago
@TheAk4all I LISTENED TO PAC BRO, HEAVY... BUT IF U PAID ATTENTION, HE NEVA TALKED ABOUT SHIT ELSE. HE NEVA USED TO "RIP" MICS HE JUS USED TO RAP. IM FROM NY BRO. THE MECCA OF THIS RAP SHIT. RIPPIN, RAPPIN, N MCing IS ALL DIFFERENT. DAT NIGGA JUS RAPPED
iceill3425 3 months ago
Comment removed
RAthaPunisher 3 months ago
@iceill3425 Biggie, 2Pac, Big Pun...all those dudes were innovators and masters of the mic. I don't mind when they get their due.
What burns me is the fools and the media who have crowned Jay Z as the "king" of hip hop. The fuck out of here. He wasn't even on the map when the master MCs lived. He was a fourth-rate emcee who lived to get a 40-second guest verse on someone else's record. And nowadays he rhymes about how expensive his interior decorators are. Fuck Jay Z.
GozerTheGozerian 3 months ago
@GozerTheGozerian the sad thing is that back in those days Jay-Z was at his best because he was hungry. now he just lazy
shutyamouf2 3 months ago
@GozerTheGozerian I can see why you hate Jay-Z but believe it or not he's a real mc Reasonable Doubt is a classic and undoubtedly his greatest work and most lyrical shit jay has dumb it down for mainstream and sells and has still release a few classics he is still however better then these pop rappers sure he sold out but he's different he's still real to himself and on his grown ass man he's still sharper then most mc's out there he's on a league of his own and he's a legend
RAthaPunisher 3 months ago
R.A.K.I.M.!!!!
Lynex321 3 months ago
"Since the first days you know of, till the last days is over
I was always the flowa, 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"
I just came in my pants
vivalache1 4 months ago
@vivalache1 dammmm
omeedtheking 3 months ago
Yeah, this album is evidence that brother Rakim is incomparable, unmatched - lyrically and flow-wise. Nas can't step, not a chance, and the fact that most cats have Illmatic and not The 18th Letter album is so sad, for real. This man is as deep as it gets and check the flow!!!!!! Sick...just drops my jaw every time!!!
MrJazzHOP 4 months ago
Dammmmmmmn his lyrics are fucking ridiculous
ToN92X 4 months ago 15
This has been flagged as spam show
@ToN92X To me, all music today feels grey. If you feel the same way, then play. Pure hiphop poetry. Substance. He took a fuckin time machine from the early 90s....
----> /watch?v=iFSC9aXtx3M
----> /watch?v=k6oa37QDl2U
----> /watch?v=xqZTjb-1VAM
----> /watch?v=96ZP1GOWmbY
----> /watch?v=07jIxPatag4 (Music Video.. Showing shots of some of his influences)
----> /watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=h3aXmguENSc (Music Video.. Focusing more on his unique image & style)
ChangeOfPaceHiphop 1 month ago
Probably the Best Lyrical Track ever,for real,if you jus tfollow hes:wordplay,syllables,flow,intellegence,story,,it just goes perfect together,
This track is the reason why Rakim is the best who ever did it
NellStalgya 4 months ago 2
the album where rakim started to change with tha time, and does he ever do it well. personally i like him n eric b together.
ThaSubzstance 5 months ago
This is where its at. 18th letter best album ever created.
theo714 5 months ago
Best rapper to ever do it!!!!
Spinnazn1 5 months ago in playlist spinnazplaylist
This is what we called 'MC'
thuggish30000 6 months ago
''asiatic'' actually refers to africa and asia the black man
AHWSR72 6 months ago
rakim cant be touched simple as that he spittin straight knowledge
AHWSR72 6 months ago
Isnt Rakim a Muslim? Why is he refferencing Moses and Noah?
footballtechnique20 6 months ago
@footballtechnique20 hes a 5 percenter.
rakimkoolgrapwutang 6 months ago
@footballtechnique20 you do know muslims beleive in moses and noah too right?
VideoDude311 6 months ago
@VideoDude311 Well not being a Muslim myself, no I did not know that!
footballtechnique20 6 months ago
@footballtechnique20 LOL. i was just acknoweledging that fact to you, not to be aggressive.
"D
VideoDude311 6 months ago
@VideoDude311 haha i didnt take it as agressive at all!
footballtechnique20 6 months ago
@footballtechnique20 Rakim is a 5%, not a Muslim. They use Allah for metaphorical meanings (Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm Head) and there Islamic references have a lot to do w/ their founder being a former member of the Nation of Islam.
HybridD91 5 months ago
@HybridD91 Makes sense!
footballtechnique20 5 months ago
its hard to compare nas and rakim both amazing but they have different styles Rakim is smooth laid back and gives a sort of positiveness in his tracks while nas has a poetic conversational vibe but both with intense lyricism
TheHawaiianwarriors 6 months ago
speechless
pauprinceaz09 7 months ago
@xTSuPERNOvATx: . . . Nas.
itstrainingday 7 months ago 2
only man who is close to this now days is lupe fiasco.
xTSuPERNOvATx 7 months ago
@xTSuPERNOvATx What the fuck you smoking??? Might ass well share it with everybody since you hallucinating.
RickDiggityTick 7 months ago
In Hindu Mythology there's a Phrase called "Thathwamasi ( I am You ) " which is said by God .
When i started Listening to Rakim ,i Thought "why is Rakim doing Self Praise in mostly all of his Tracks?"
Now i Understand ; When Rakim Praises Himself , He is Exactly Praising the God Himself ...
rjvernesto 7 months ago 27
@rjvernesto
That's not it all though it has nothing to do with Hindu mythology are you fucking kidding me? It's about ISLAM he said ALLAH and talks about the QURAN and you're talking about Hindu mythology.
......
4 thumbs up even though you're all 5 completely wrong.
IslamIstheWayforMe 6 months ago
@IslamIstheWayforMe It's about Islam he said Allah,the Supreme and talks about the Holy Quran . I Agree with that :) Just Quoted Something similar i felt about Rakim's way of Constructing Concepts...That's All my Bro :)
rjvernesto 6 months ago
@rjvernesto
I'm sorry I just re-read what I said to you and that came off pretty arrogant and just straight up rude and disrespectful. How could I hate on you? You're actually thinking, listening to good music and showing a voice, based off of knowledge for history and the world's cultures. I'm really sorry, I admit defeat, simply because I was so rude to my brother.
IslamIstheWayforMe 6 months ago
@rjvernesto you should check out this site RapGenius(dot)com
ill site
funkyshiz00 1 month ago
@rjvernesto thats why i dont listen to him cause he dont even known his own religion and rap aint about these staff, i know his rymes are good but in terms of reall hiphop rakim aint in my list. rap should more about reality then braging about your self whaat the fk u do in ur daily life.
AkramPropheci 1 month ago
@rjvernesto Well duh.....
ChangeOfPaceHiphop 1 month ago
96 was the year where Hip came to its climax. Rakim, Nas, Pac and Biggie had ablums out and Jay dropped. Rakim the godfather came with the 18th letter.
1JusticeB 7 months ago
u can see how nas was influenced ,
z0t1 8 months ago
My only problems are with what this user has put in the lyrics tab. First of all, the line is actually "stacks of mathematics to feed your Asiatics." Asiatic is a term referring to a person of Asian decent, hence Asian's are stereotypically good at math. Also the line "since the worlds metamorphis, and the planets kept in orbit." It is NOT "plan is kept in orbit" OR "mathematics took your ego-a-seatic" or whatever the fuck they put in. Anyway, nobody probably cares, so get real fool. Fool.
repdale 8 months ago
get your lyrics straight
majmunko23 8 months ago
i would be surprised if today's rappers could spit like ra did... or just half..
tkwk1433 8 months ago
rakim is nice, but honestly immortal is better to me. his shit just 'feels' more real to me. dance with devil is one of the best songs ever put out, that shit changed me
mr76dukestah 8 months ago
@mr76dukestah Immortal technique is REAL. You really see that in Dance with the devil.
roddy308 8 months ago
I think Rakim is perhaps the greatest ever (the others I'd consider for that title are: KRS-ONE, Big Daddy Kane, Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie and Kool G Rap). Obviously some of you disagree, but I just thought I'd weigh in with my own thoughts on this subject lol. Feel free to drop me a comment back :)
XsexychristinaX 9 months ago
I think Immortal Tech is good, he has engaging lyrical content in most of his songs, and he speaks about reality, so I like him. But in terms of pure skill and flow and delivery and lyrical complexity and being an all-round MC - there is no comparison. Ra' wins by a mile in my humble opinion. He is effortlessly smooth with his seamless flow, no matter how fast or slow he goes, lyrically he is raw but very intelligent, and his metaphors are so clever too. His whole aura and style is captivating.
XsexychristinaX 9 months ago 48
@XsexychristinaX lol dont even compare the two rakim is a legend
omeedtheking 3 months ago in playlist Rakim - 18th Letter
@XsexychristinaX I agree. But there are many more technically skilled rappers than Immortal Tech. He tells a great story but as you said yourself, delivery and flow wise he is not even close to Rakim, let alone a bunch of other guys. I consider him rather weak in that area. I never listen to Tech if I want fresh rap music I can bob along to or anything. It's purely to hear the, granted, very insightful and deep content he spits.
lemmedasker 2 months ago
@lemmedasker Thanks for sharing your opinion with me :) I agree with you too, Immortal Tech's music is very intelligent and deep... but not exactly fun, not really the type of music you would just cruise to in the car, you know? Rakim is pretty serious too, but he does have fresh songs that'll make you bob your head though, like "Move the Crowd" and "Guess Who's Back?". Immortal Tech is by no means a technical master like Rakim, or Kane, but as we both agree, that's not what his music is about.
XsexychristinaX 2 months ago 3
@XsexychristinaX Funny those that dont sell out , and yet dont fear to speak , stay with us , Martin , Gandhi , JFK , Lennon , Ali , Sitting Bull , and many greater and lesser and though the same . The sell outs reap the momentary acclaim and following of the hypnotized , yet it lasts not so long .. Much love to the awake ..
enlighten09 1 month ago
@XsexychristinaX immortal techinique can destroy rakim in terms of bars and rymes. rakim is delusional and his lyrics are full of contradiction, i used to like him cause i wasnt bothered about what he says long as rymes are good but now i believe we need more wise rappers people who can inspire our generation like 2pac. so rakim aint a thang.
AkramPropheci 1 month ago
"And with these explosives, I split seas for Moses ..." - Rakim
No Doubt at All !!! B'coz You are God !
rjvernesto 9 months ago
The God..
turban45 9 months ago
some of r's dopest rhymes right here
raider101416 10 months ago
@CarsRapTrack its more like saying Michael Jackson isn't Michael Jackson.
MrCommenterguy 10 months ago
@MrCommenterguy lol
CarsRapTrack 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
You say Justin Bieber-I say Tupac
You say Lil Wayne-I say Biggie Smalls
You say Drake-I say Ice Cube
You say Soulja Boy-I say Rakim
You say New school-i say shut the fuck up
You say Pop-I scream Hip Hop!
You say Hannah Montana-i fucking punch you in the face
92% of teenagers have turned to New school and Pop.If you are part of the 8% that still listen to real music,copy and paste this message to another 5 videos. Don't let the real hip hop die
BWOGG 10 months ago
lol rakim can't rap? haha that's like saying Michael Jackson can't dance
CarsRapTrack 10 months ago
To be certain with anything read the other religions' scriptures.
feebreezer 10 months ago
Comment removed
feebreezer 10 months ago
Who cares what religion or what ethnicity you are, just enjoy this beautiful music.
ac1dchr15t 10 months ago
3 brain dead niggas didn't like this.
NeteruSC300 10 months ago 2
@NeteruSC300 - Anyone who uses the word "Nigga" is brainless. People died to get rid of that word, yet our youth use it like it's the greatest word ever invented! It disgusts me! I'm black and I never use that word and never will, it's too disrespectful to MLK jr.
Darrellblue2 10 months ago
@Darrellblue2 stfu cornball.
NeteruSC300 9 months ago
Eat this Immortal technique!
AsianAdam2 10 months ago 2
@AsianAdam2 fuck off immortal technique is sick
pimpassault 10 months ago
3 minutes of pure lyrical genius! This is what the difference is between a rapper and an MC. Rakim doesn't just rap; he truly FLOWS! Pay attention, rookies!
Darkpoetik 11 months ago
this isthe best rap song ever
Mesquissto 11 months ago
fxxxxckin iill!
LT2AD 11 months ago
Who knew the greatest and most influential rapper would have become some type of peaceful and conscious muslim...but whatever, he's still great.
MotherNikita 11 months ago
@MotherNikita like its bad to be a muslim??
BigManUtdJuveFan 11 months ago
@BigManUtdJuveFan Although it sounds cruel as shit, yeah. That's my opinion about religion. Not like a Muslim can't be a good person (My whole family is Muslim and I love them all) but I feel it's the religion (Like all of them) that preaches violence and hatred and all the good Muslims seem to ignore it, to avoid it because they're scared of the extremists (and life in general, I guess we're all full of angst) and it's sad because I feel they don't deserve the shit they get for an old idea.
MotherNikita 11 months ago
@MotherNikita im a muslim, but i wont go on a discussion with you. first of all im tired to always tell people the same about the riligion. and second, my engish isnt that great. i just have to accept your opinion for now. I hope at some day tou will now what the real riligion is all about and not just what you heard or what you see. Greatings from Amsterdam ;P
BigManUtdJuveFan 10 months ago
@BigManUtdJuveFan It's cool, man, since you respect my opinion, I'll respect yours. However, I will never respect the idea of any religion, mainly because I just see it as wrong, and if it is an overall good concept, and I'm the one wrong about it, then the wrong people are in charge of it. But thanks anyway for not being hostile, so many religious people on Youtube are just complete assholes, it's nice seeing a kind one once in a while.
MotherNikita 10 months ago
I'm probably very slow, but I just released the 18th letter from the album is R. the R. I first thought he meant a written letter. lol
YoungWolve1 1 year ago
just this one song knocks all that lil wayne and them other so call rappers out da box. You got real rapping with poetically flow and knowledge shit that makes you think. which its suppose to uplift you. This is light codes from the eloheim. wake up
da13thsun 1 year ago
TOP 5 DEAD OR ALIVE!!!!!!!
HYRAOH123 1 year ago
There's references to the quran here that i didn't even catch when i was a kid. There's probably references here i'm not getting now, maybe if i come back to it in a few more years.
AbuOmar 1 year ago
i wish this could sell records.
camjetset 1 year ago
supreme being rakim allah!!!!!!
77latoyat 1 year ago
real rap
ReaIMusic 1 year ago
IMHO, the greatest hip hop artist to ever grace a mic. I understand the criticisms of karmaofgood. But to paraphrase DMC, "Hip hop in those days was about bragging over the best beats." How do you know he's the best if that's all he's saying? You're missing the point! Listen to (or read) how he's saying it. The rhyme schemes are mind blowing! That's the point!
JohnnyBakery 1 year ago
Im actually losing sleep over this track...
Zachrydaman 1 year ago
I think my head just internally blew up...
Zachrydaman 1 year ago
Why in the world is Rakim so underrated he should be in every best rapper of all time conversation. Along with some others of course. Rakim changed everything without ever even being extremley mainstream not that being mainstream back then was bad anyways. Without Ra u dont have most of the legendary rappers of the 90's.
Zachrydaman 1 year ago
what?!!! that man was spittin!! this is crazy. did u hear that flow? love it. Rakim=Bruce Lee of rap.
vidaa22 1 year ago
can someone tell me the sample of this song pleaze?the song klick asses any way!!!
mariosrv2 1 year ago
R?
krinkdink 1 year ago
this is coool... but i just cant take his 80s music seriously... it all reminds me of prince of bel air
Kbairdy92 1 year ago
@Kbairdy92 wow your seriously mentality challenged. You're comparing this to prince of bel air. Get real you idiot.
razzerRam 1 year ago
@razzerRam nah man i wasnt talking bout this song, i listened to some other rakim n some of the flows reminded me of like golden age rap, hahaha prince of bel air has that old as sound man i just used an
example (probly the worst one possible lol) but yeah i listened to all the lyrics properly n this song BURNS this is hot man... but yeah bro hopefully you know what i mean.......
Kbairdy92 1 year ago
back in the 80ths he was better... or its just because i love old school more than this
123maDin321 1 year ago
GOOSE BUMPS
warning there is no single line in here that is not pperfect..even how rakim uses the bible scene of spread sea for moses then later he says make waves for noah..INSANE LYRICISIM
pick8lock 1 year ago
A+
jaytolbert9 1 year ago
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IF YOU GUYS WANA HEAR SOME MORE CONSCIOUS HIP HOP ; -
GO ON MY CHANNEL :)
FACEBOOK ME AT ' Golden Love Music '
THANKX ! :)
G0LDENL0VEMUSIC 1 year ago
IF YOU GUYS WANA HEAR MORE CONSCIOUS HIP HOP ; -
GO ON MY CHANNEL :)
FACEBOOK ME ' Golden Love Music '
THANKX !
G0LDENL0VEMUSIC 1 year ago
My cousin gave me this album for christmas because she knew that I was unfamiliar with eric b or rakim... later on that day i told her that rakim sounds like a mix of gza and common. She responded with "no gza and common sound rakim".
Bigstl123 1 year ago
blessings in this track from the God Rakim Allah !
h3rbaholic 1 year ago
I want some veteran mc's to form a think tank that puts out books, events and classes so the lyricism get's passed on. If politicians can do it for the sake of money and power, we can do it for the art we love with all our hearts. Imagine getting a bunch of young cats in a room with Ra and KRS, maybe someone like Moe Dee and Kool G rap and then just learn and talk about the written word. They'd come out with the tools to put out their thoughts on a serious level.
AbuOmar 1 year ago
this track gotta be the reason why rakim is my number 1 emcee,just every he spit is amazin and got a meaning
QuoteNotes16 1 year ago
Damn...the majority of the people dickriding this dont really even understand what the fuck hes saying lmfao...knowledge...wisdom...ancient manuscripts
but yeah just sayin
RKG5A5 1 year ago
@RKG5A5 Trust me son, I understand what he is saying.......he is spitting some real ass shyt with a hint of 5% lessons
therealphlatlyne 1 year ago
There was a reason why Rakim was called the "God MC", and this is one of the reasons why. All there is out now are "rappers", just that. What this game is missing is MC's (there are VERY FEW left in the game now, and none of them came out after 2000). These cats out now wish they could spit as half as good as Rakim.
therealphlatlyne 1 year ago 31
@therealphlatlyne couldnt have said it better, the game needs mc's
CarsRapTrack 1 year ago
@therealphlatlyne i agree for the most part. except cormega came out after 2001. as did immortal technique. those 2 are mc's most definitely
1Mic89 10 months ago
@1Mic89 Immortal Tech is good, but his mic presence, cadence, flow and rhyme schemes are nowhere near Rakim's level. Also, as much as I appreciate Tech for his political activism, by getting too into it he dates his own music.
Tech's older albums name-drop John Ashcroft and Donald Rumsfeld...relevant in 2002, sure, but would you bump that now? Whereas Rakim's rhymes are heady, spiritual and ultimately timeless. 20 years from now we will still bump this and it will still have meaning
GozerTheGozerian 10 months ago
@GozerTheGozerian LOL that has to be the most laughable statement I've heard in a while. You clearly haven't heard Immortal Techniques music if you think he doesn't come close to Rakim.
wolverine668 9 months ago
@wolverine668 Tech is nowhere near Rakim's level when it comes to flow, mic presence and esoteric content. Tech does his own shit, and it's good, but it's insulting to pretend he's on this level.
I mean, you got a 50 Cent video in your favorites, man. How are you gonna come in here and comment on a Rakim track while big-upping emcees who are mere acolytes and compare them to a true master of hip hop?
GozerTheGozerian 9 months ago
@GozerTheGozerian 50 Cent does suck but how can I take you seriously when you say stuff like Immortal Technique is nowhere near Rakim's level and have a battalica video as a fave. If you were talking about Lil Wayne then sure thats fits right but Immortal Technique is one of the greatest much like Rakim. One has to be better than the other but there is a difference between and exaggeration and just being dumb (and guess which one you are)
wolverine668 9 months ago
@wolverine668 You're fucking retarded. No genuine hip hop head, music critic or emcee would ever put Immortal Technique in the same sphere as Rakim. You probably think Jedi Mind Tricks is the greatest hip hop group ever.
Run along now and go listen to idiots rhyme about guns they don't own. Even if we weren't commenting on a Rakim video, it would still be insulting for you to compare Immortal Tech to Rakim, and even Immortal Tech would admit that.
GozerTheGozerian 8 months ago
No, you're fucking retarded and an example of a true butt hurt fan who assumes I like Jedi Mind Tricks because of the comparison I made. You probably hide in your closet and listen to Wayne. Never once did I say Tech is better than Rakim because Rakim does win, hands down but all I was saying is that Tech does hold his own in the areas the other guy said he doesn't.
wolverine668 8 months ago
Comment removed
RelaxednCaIm 9 months ago
Comment removed
RelaxednCaIm 9 months ago
@RelaxednCaIm Clearly he doesnt and I think you'd agree with me since you deleted your comment.
wolverine668 9 months ago
@wolverine668
i didn't delete it, look in the comments. rakim kills immortal technique, comparing them is an insult. immortal technique says wack shit like "i'll resurrect every aborted baby and start an army".
RelaxednCaIm 9 months ago
@RelaxednCaIm Again, I agree Rakim is better. Never once did I say Tech is better. All I'm saying is that Tech can be compared as a lyricist.
wolverine668 8 months ago
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@wolverine668
rakim shits on immortal technique
RelaxednCaIm 9 months ago
@1Mic89 Cormega dropped an ALBUM in '01 but he came out before 200, as he was a part of the original Firm supergroup (Nas, AZ and Foxy Brown. Nature replaced Cormega when the Firm Album dropped in 96)
therealphlatlyne 10 months ago
@therealphlatlyne i stand corrected lol
1Mic89 9 months ago
@therealphlatlyne Look up Freddie Gibbs. Hip hop is alive and well, you ain't got the mind to tell.
jorsmith07 10 months ago
@therealphlatlyne Word ! Exactly !
rjvernesto 9 months ago
@therealphlatlyne There are some good MC's that came out after 2000. They're not as good as Rakim or Killah Priest or something, but still pretty dope. Like for example Greydon Square.
brameekhout 9 months ago
@therealphlatlyne What Ra said is true though. real Hip Hop lives underground. That's why acts like Lupe Fiasco mostly go unnoticed due to that same lyrical complexity and positivism that came from Rakim's influence. J. Cole is another guy who cites his greatest influences from Rakim yet he too goes unnoticed. It's always like you get rewarded if you dumb it down but if you keep it real nobody wants to hear you. Society's fucked up.
DJRedMEDIA 8 months ago 3
for me rakim is the best, only thing close to him is immortal technique, but both whole different style
MCnejjj23 1 year ago
Just incredible, the man can't be beat.
Lottzapoppin 1 year ago
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can people please shut the fuck up about lil wayne...its getting really annoying now every video i click on its all about how much he sucks and how hes destryoying hiphop blah blah blah.....look anyone who knows real hiphop knows hes garbage but just leave it at that and enjoy the music that the masses will never understand...if your gonna leave a comment talk about how dope the song is instead of sumthing that is getting soo fucking repetetive now...fuck man....real hiphop...peace peace
theo714 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
can people please shut the fuck up about lil wayne...its getting really annoying now every video i click on its all about how much he sucks and how hes destryoying hiphop blah blah blah.....look anyone who knows real hiphop knows hes garbage but just leave it at that and enjoy the music that the masses will never understand...if your gonna leave a comment talk about how dope the song is instead of sumthing that is getting soo fucking repetetive now...fuck man....real hiphop...peace peace
theo714 1 year ago
The "R"
johnson3302 1 year ago
dont mention wayne on this track. its an insult to the God MC, Rakim
nastynas373 1 year ago