Rakim Interview

[TEACHYOUTEEWHY]

I'm watching this video in 2012.

[hiphop4life24678]

Rakim is God nuff said

[BlazedOutTurtle]

Preach.

[MrHavok29]

he described the essence of creativity itself ! long live Rakim.

[8uLleTpRooF]

How many times did Rakim say "know what I'm saying"? LOL.

[ppppandpppp]

what cap is that? anyone know what the "I" stands for?

[RyanIllness]

@ppppandpppp It's the hat for Indiana University I think

[royallighting7]

I hate when people say rap has gone dead, or the soul has been taken out. Music is music. If one doesn't like the rap of today, they should make their own rhymes up. But, opinions are opinions.

[PinkTaffi]

He is ssssssoooooo LYRICALLY INCLINED....... A mad hatter in RAP!!!

[pyromiggz]

no one can fuck wit RAKIM

[TEACHYOUTEEWHY]

The most important message from an Aquarius himself. "It ain't where you from, it's where you're at". RAKIM WILL BE THE MAN FOR LIFE!!

[Sirgreaseflick]

Rakim was, still is, the Heavyweight Ali of Hip-Hop. He's agelessly dope, fluidly incomparable. If we're talking off-the-dome freestyle devastation, Rakim admittedly has the sharper edge: empirical words drop from his brain to his tongue like a gumball machine. His flow is honey-butter smooth.The "R" is like the George Wahington of Mount Rushmore in the Hip-Hop game - but beside him resides the visage of KRS and Justin Bieber. Kidding. Peace out.

[sanjuz]

he say he don't wanna be known as a gangsta but fo sho he was one of the hardest mofos to ever lay hands on a mi-cra-phone - that he's tha best to ever do it ain even up for discussion - nameen ?

[Sirgreaseflick]

Many may follow, but only the Leader leads: Rakim is unfettered, undiluted DOPE! He's so potent in flow and ability, you can freebase his shit off the speakers. Opium to the ears! God said: "let there be Hip-Hop", and then there was the "R". Flow forever, my brother!!!!

[BushyHairedFellow]

"nah, there's nothin glamorous about being a gangster"

Rakim = Knowledge

[hankseptember]

25 years-dope azz rhymes...peace to the Godz

[Redpougers]

YET. on the seventh seal. documentary of a gangsta. talkin all hard, guns n shit. badly written.

[pick8lock]

been pumping rakim from when i was 15 im 17 now and still have gotten none of my friends to like rakim....

I walk out of rooms with radio hop on and relocate away from frinds when they be blasting 50 cent.

[Redpougers]

@pick8lock every fuckin day. same story. they wanna bump gucci mane n shit. naaah, gotta go with tha god mc. nobody listens.

[repdale]

@pick8lock People just don't know sometimes. Rakim is on a different level. He's too intelligent for todays youth who has been fed garbage from the radio and mainstream crap. Keep bumpin' this shit. It's REAL.

[34CelticsPierce]

God rakim is so smart and inspiring words if only rap today had people Like him rakim is defintally the face of rap!

[qjsolis]

Being a longtime Rakim fan he's rockin' Iowa gear here! Being from Iowa, this hip hop god is paying some respect to the midwest, that's meaningful. This man has serious knowledge for the game all the young cats need to hear.

[Dschaylizy]

rakim, koo g & big daddy

[Rap0nlyCompton]

Man this is... this is.. can't find words Rakim is so deep by talking simple. He is real fo sho!

[DIVCLARK]

DDAAAAAAM steal that chain yo gettin a new crib!!!

[Mohameddelt]

WOW 1:18 Rakim actually smiled for once!?!?!111!!

seriously look up pictures of this guy, he never smiles

[bassRX87]

is that a mercedes benz ring at 2:16 ? Thats sick.

[mightyjunglist]

Great interview

[Easterknight2461]

The greatest rapper / emcee of all time greatest lyricist, greatest flow, greatest songwriter. Nobody beats God

[CarsRapTrack]

yo b4 i die i gotta meet him man ppl don't understand wat he said about "killing people". thats what i thought he said and i was right this man is a monster

[Justice777Allah]

Cont'd @ killu: Here is an example of what KRS means when he talks about Hip Hop. If you listen to the radio all day and blast nothing but contemporary rap, there is a great possibility that you won't hear one scratch cut. I'm not 100% percent sure but I don't think Lil Wayne's entire album catalog has any scratches, if there are any, there are probably few & far in between. Now think about that for a second that's an essential element in rap music and it seems to be gone in contemporary rap.

[JackassMike007]

Rakim is the G.O.A.T. 'nuff said!

[tophandkdog]

Rakim is one of the most enlightened Hiphoppas in the world.

[Blackjesus3]

rakim is a genius

[prysion]

I listen to this clip like once a day when i get home from work and all bs in my life to uplift my thoughts...rakim is my influence

[rehakauba]

Ra is not sun god, kamau never worshipped objects. ra is life force, with the emanations of the sun as an representative of the energetic presence in man. Aten is the kamitic word for sun. egypt not kem is the word for burnt face people. the pale hyksos had burnt faces, not the indigenous people of kamit. he meant well, but his info is a bit off.

[spooner1957]

i always knew real hip hop wasn't made by stupid people and this man proves exactly what i thought all along. dude's a genius

[killuandyomamma]

according to KRS's (the teacha) definition of MC and rappers........Rakim is and never was a "rapper" lil wyanes ass is a rapper...RAKIM ALLAH is an MC always was and alway will be

[NicKingPapiChulo]

@killuandyomamma lol i like KRS but that nigga needs to stop acting like hip hop was his property or somethin i'm tired of hearing people talkin about hip hop should be like & this not like that... it belongs to nobody i agree theres a lotta shitty mainstream rappers these days but I think its just a cycle & lyricist will be back in mainstream hip hop

[Justice777Allah]

@NicKingPapiChulo. I think what Kris means is that you can't just do anything you want and call it Hip Hop. Like if you make it funk, then its funk not Hip Hop. For example you could probably survey Lil Wayne's entire album catalog and not find any scratches. And if you do they maybe few and far in between. Think about that for a sec, that's an essential part of rap.

[NicKingPapiChulo]

@Justice777Allah well scratches in hip hop songs used to be the style in the 80's & til the mid 90's its just played out now, u still got the dmc contest. tho. but the thing is hip hop has evolved thats it & i understand a lotta people doesnt like what it has become but if i got u right it means hip hop is dead cause gold era been over since the late 80's u know when u really had that pure hip hop spirit with the b boys & stuff so yeah i think that word belong to another era

[NicKingPapiChulo]

nobody wanna hear a rapper do it like they was doin it 20 years ago if i wanna hear that i just play me some ol school geto boys or big daddy kane or LL or whatever today u got dudes like J Cole who made me fall in love with rap again & i hope there gon be more rappers like that doin it big in the future & the buffoonery & the shitty lyricism will calm down a lil bit not disappear cause i think its good for a music genre to be diverse

[JiMMyJaM08061991]

@killuandyomamma yeah according to him. but according to everyone lese there aint a difference. cos there aint a difference. tht was the most idiotic statement ever.

[TEACHYOUTEEWHY]

@killuandyomamma I'm not trying to argue with you but is that a Compliment to Rakim or is that a fact?

[RampageMusic]

1 of da realest dudes in hip-hop. His style is like nobody else in hip hop and his lyrics r so heartfelt. Rakim is a big influence on me.

[JayChyllin09]

Word, Rakim is one of my heroes.

[kerrykop]

Can you imagine a mainstream Rapper today being this real ?

What the fuck happend ?

Is the game today designed to keep intelligance out ?

Are young people on a hole less intellagent ?

[ATL404fila]

@kerrykop could not have said it better knowledge is power ignorance is bliss

[mightyjunglist]

@kerrykop Yes I think they are cause you know today kids are too much out of real life compputers ...

Easier life ... no real shit in life

[tyrone199]

@kerrykop

Why can't you spell intelligence or intelligent?

[suaved]

@kerrykop

It's corporate controlled interest that has dumbed down hip hop and completely taken away its soul. They devise the formula, and the money-motivated artists are willing to do/say whatever it takes to get a piece of the pie.

[hmd985]

@kerrykop lol-^^

[oceanlunaa]

@kerrykop

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

[MOSDEFINATEONE]

wow!

words

of

wisdom

its just common sense

know the knowledge

[EmbraceYourGreatness]

this is why YouTube is important. inspiration. thnx 4 this...

[Puhthetik]

Kiss904 is an idiot

[rakkfatha]

His mind is on a high level and he is very calculating personally I wouldnt want to get on his bad side but I betcha he is even too smart to have a side you can tamper with

[kiss904]

this kid is way smarter than 2pac and also more legendary

[blendigoindigo]

pointless & dumb comment.Dont down another brotha in order to praise another.Both are smart intelligent black men & are both legendary.END OF DISCUSSION.If u want some1 2 talk about,how about u talk about the ppl of 2day who do not strive to know ANYTHING.

[frankwhite432]

i agree, alot of pac fans stick to his music only and dont wanna check out anything else. thats y they diss biggie and call him #1

[kiss904]

yeah i personally beleive 95% of pac fans are white kids, pac had his moments however the king of new york deserves just as much cred

[frankwhite432]

lol, i doubt that but pac fansare generally closed minded individuals and have alot of hate in em for all of pacs enemies (even tho pacs dead and beefs over) and pac wudnt support none of that bullshit

[buddhistichindu]

bullshit.. compare his ideas and ways of speaking to pac's ways of speaking and ideas, there's really no comparison. pac was obviously the better communicator and revolutionary, rakim the better "metaphorical" lyricist. and if he wasn't legendary why are you still talking about him jealously after 14 yrs. of being dead..

[korahaplayas]

@buddhistichindu quit with your unneccessary hate of Rakim, your pitting two of the greatest most respect agaisnt each other. get real

[buddhistichindu]

idiot, it's not hate it's truth. rakim is a legend and he's an amazing emcee, but I'm talking about communication skills on a conversational basis, nd I said that because somebody said he was smarter then pac which is crazy. they're both smart, pac was a better speaker, rakim a better rhymer.

[tpbisdivine]

true indeed,

[TheAbyssinianKing]

@buddhistichindu because everyone gets famous once they die, look at big pun, big l, biggie & pac, they all sold more records and had more fame to they name once they died, its not just pac its everybody. And a more recent example, once micheal jackson died, people went out buying his cds like he just released them.

But Rakim is the greatest that every orchestrated the verse, and is the God Emcee, no doubt about it

[buddhistichindu]

@TheAbyssinianKing not true at all, just because someone dies doesn't make people go out buy their records or even proclaim them to be legendary like with those four. lots of rappers died, like pimp c and dolla for example, but did they become some incredible icon and sold millions more records as a result? nope. with these four, once they died people started to realize how great they were as artists, and if you like ra better, that's fine, but saying he's the best is just an opinion nt fact

[youngbeaner444]

And this was a Hip Hop reality check by Professor Rakim. Everything he just said people should think about before making a fake record that you don't really mean. Can't wait till The Seventh Seal to come out.

[AhmoseRakimReborn]

Word up

[presto]

gotta love tha GOD

[jspears19]

I didn't even know that Rakim name

was

RA=Sun god

Kem-Egypt

I didn't even think that people from the nation of gods and earths dealt with that

[Agha1Kachaloo]

The religion on Rakim = Islam

Even the master of rap follows it believe it @ 1:25, the best rapper.

[rottenpoop23]

its a very different division of Islam. its the Cosmic part which was started in the 1960s and still going on, I myself follow this way of life, its not a religion.

[Agha1Kachaloo]

What you are trying to say is called 5 percenter... Rakim follows true Islam.. not the modified version you have created on your own.

[jspears19]

you mean Nation of Gods and Earths. right?

[Agha1Kachaloo]

Yea thats what I meant

[Agha1Kachaloo]

Islam is a way of life as well as a religion... you're wack.

[rottenpoop23]

You misunderstand what i'm saying. You disrepect Rakim's word as well as mine. I talked to Rakim 9 times and he clearly explained what he praises. Im not saying anything about a five percenter. Rakim is Cosmic and Conscious, which controdicts mostly everything within the Islamic religion. Do you see how old these videos are? Im talking about present Rakim/Ahmose.

[Agha1Kachaloo]

Umm alright... He clearly states he found "Islam" throughout his journey... I don't know why he'd call it Islam if what he or you follow contradicts the religion.

[rottenpoop23]

What year did he say that?

[periechontology]

The official name of the 5 Percenters is "The Five Percent Nation of Islam", that is why he says it but he is definitely not a traditional Muslim.

It's pretty obvious by his music and his song "Mystery Who Is God" dispels any doubt.

Also if you look him up on Wikipedia there is a link there to a transcript of an interview on VH1 where he says it outright. Just click the link for the footnote where they tell you that he converted at age 16, it will take you right down to the Vh1 link.

[TupacDaDon]

Rakim is a lyrical beast, one of the greatest mc's to ever touch the mic... I prefer Big L and KGR over Rakim, but thats just personal

[rottenpoop23]

he is the greatest. he got nicknamed the god. then proven to be the god through signs.

[TheAnswer915]

got the nickname god from 5%ers thats what hey call each other

[rottenpoop23]

sorry buddy your mistaken for the human race itself as god as they stated. but he got named God Of HipHop

[TheAnswer915]

Sorry fam you are wrong check out this interview in his own words that proves what I said is true Blackademics September Interview: Rakim (The god MC The R The Eighteenth Letter Rakim Allah)

[rottenpoop23]

ur talkin about how they called each other god, yea i know that. im talkin about his status on hiphop as music.

[gsuperior777]

the god

[MuzeTV]

JOIN ISLAM PEOPLE! MAKES LIFE BETTER 4 YOU, and will take you to the next level, plus don't let life punk you! you got to do something after this?

[soundsfromnothing]

Not that it matters, but I just noticed..He has one of those odd caps on his front tooth. I haven't seen one of those in years. Was that common back then. I was too young in the late 80's to really pay attention to it.

[ericb20]

The Greatest MC of All Time!!

[wutangmaster]

The Greatest MC of All Time.

[kg0320]

Rakim is in the top 3 of all time for MCS, maybe even one.

[JonneyeTV]

it aint where ya from its where ya at

[triplehhammer]

dis ma nigga. the GOD

[Irockgswift]

When Rakim speaks we should all listen. Even today his ideas and theory hasn't changed and he's true to himself. Young and up coming rappers need to take heed to this.

[1200killer]

1991 outtake of pump it up.

I'm only guessing thouh.

[Jehovaaaah]

listen to his chains clashin....xD Ra is the shit...with these big chains n that....he still wears em today....keepin those ropes in fashion

[Windu2]

Man, this video has really good quality, I like listening to Rakim explain things. He's in the Top 10 Best lyric writers and recording Hip Hop aritist. Eric B and Rakim made their music in with their own orginal style and changed the course of Hip Hop!!!!

[Jehovaaaah]

top 10 is underratin the guy....Ra is top 5...nah scratch that....he is number 1...aint nobody beatin this guy

[NickyBarnes1976]

the mercedes benz leather ra has on is crazy...the chains are crazy...this nigga set off crazy trends in fashion...these motherfuckers who rap nowadays don't have a clue great interview btw

[Jrobinson2009]

MC List YOu Gotta See This!!!

[MrZekic]

i´ve got this VHS its from 1991!

[JCR1992]

it's from 1992

[b0b0knz]

rakim is the truth ..

im tired of hearing "big and pac are the greatest ever" .. shut up fool ..

rakim!

[EmceePawn]

Thank you!

[b0b0knz]

My plesure ;)

[sverigesriksdag]

listening to hiphop without hearing rakim, is like listening to reggae without hearing bob marley, at least similar...

[Punkrockrulez]

Yeah.

[leanintotheside]

that is god dressed up as mc

[artfemus]

no one on the planet can rap better than rakim the only one that comes close is krs1

[razvanxxxx]

legend

[OGLOCDOG]

still livin hope he dont die

[TheBlackSunn]

he only in his 40s lol

[iriemike420]

I LOVE IT this guy is great reppin the Iowa Hawkeyes hell yea love the hat and the shirt GO IOWA!

[SkarFaith]

Rakim revolutionized MCing, period. Without him, the next generations wouldn't even know how to rhyme. Learn your history. Regardless of how nice youger MC's are, Rakim extended the boundaries of Mcing to a point that no one would have dreamed of. And everyone should pay respects to the God for what he brought to HipHop culture as a whole.

[ImmynimmyX]

lets no talk about jay...rakim allah hip hops prophet is talking...jay sol his sold for riches populaaarity, and ignorant teenagers

[NMiLLZ]

Nah....Regardless of comparing different emcees from different eras, you best recognize that nobody can top off Rakim's lyricism for NOTHING. He the one who originated what it means to be iLL on all levels....That's why he will always be relevant to what it means to be in the top 5 on everybody's list...Nigga ill as fuck, that's why I be sayin him and NaS both be on every hip hop head's first two of the top 5 emcees. He the real king of NY

[cementprint]

I dont want to get in the discussion....but Rakim basically dominated hip hop in the GOLDEN ERA... The word GOLDEN ERA SPEAKS FOR IT SELF. but in all honesty just like sports..why compare all these dudes from different era's... it gets us know where.

[bklynbboy45cal]

What!! Whoeva said Jay Z is better than Rakim should go take up a new hobby and leave discussing HIP-HOP alone. Just shut up and go hiking or something, maybe you'll find forgivness from the HIP HOP Godz. Asshole

[juvenal660]

hahahahahahaha tell him

[rarenature]

To address the comment by "anahubby" I would like to ask..... are you smoking crack? You really conceive Jay-Z is dominant over Rakim? Even Jay-Z would say thats bullshit. Hopefully you based that on money and not lyrical skill. I can pull a random track from any of Rakim's albums from any year and it would murder Jay's best. Come'on men, get it together.

[Loadfaster]

People (specially New Cats)

GOT TO SEE THIS!

D@mn I straight feel enegry of the R's interview.

"PEACE to the Nation Of Islam!

and Im outta here!

OUT! OUT Out out! out...."

[zeeman11]

RAKIM is G.O.A.T without a doubt. Other greats BDK (for yo who dont know BIg Daddy Kane), Kool G Rap, Krs-1 all = REAL HIPHOP. Not the diddy, 50 and Jay-Z shit i.e. manufactured HIP HOP which u get today.

[anahubby]

jay-z is the g.o.a.t rakim can still rap better then about %85 of rappers but he jus aint the same jay on the other hand has been dominant in hip-hop for 11 years no 1 has done that ever rakim had a 6 year dominance nas had 2 years krs had 3 bdk had 3 but jay had 11 YEARS of dominance so he is definetly the g.o.a.t

[zeeman11]

To me dominance ain't about being commercial or record sales, Jay-Z is a lyrical theif, i.e. he stole lyrics from every one and still steal lyrics. His flows sound like a homosexual 2 me. I ain't disrespecting u, but I just can stand that faggot Nigga cause he got where he got by snitching, stabbing others in the back. But on another not, I did think his album blue print was a good album.

[troyterry2445]

but those arent his best lyrics he says others people lyrics out of respect not biting and jay didnt just have commecial success have u heard reasonable doubt blueprint black album jay has substance also listen to ignorant shit u will have a differetn perspective on jay hopefully

[theinfamouscamXXII]

"I'm not a biter I'm a writer for myself and others

I say a BIG verse, I'm only biggin' up my brother."

[Hansen88a]

jay-z cant even touch or get close to Rakim. And not even his ex partner Big L.

Sure jay-z probably dominated for 11 years, but thats 11 year of mainstream faggot hip hop.

Rakim is real and dominated hip hop from 86-99 and still today at 2008 no one is close to his level of skill and realness

[zeeman11]

Ur a 19yr old kid, u were in Dippers when Rakim started Rapping, intact u weren't even born when he made Paid in full. Get the fuck out of this discussion, yah don't know shit about HIP HOP. Go smoke some crack, thats what u little boys do these days.

[rudycharles]

ZeeMan...continue to School theses young assholes

[troyterry2445]

im actually 16 but ive done research so it doesnt matter when i was born the whole under jay and nas thing i have came to realize that i cant choose between them

[devon8trillionaire]

nas is

[rarenature]

You should be silenced for that statement.

[Califacience]

Jay fell off after his first album. After that he became a pop star.

[dolaishiphop]

jay didn't have 11. what da fuck u talkin bout. he had like 2 until 98 dmx dominated then eminem and so on

[razvanxxxx]

2pac has 14(1994-2008)n Nas was n still is.. over Jay-Z(in the streets not MTV) Wu tang r over him 2...Big L was...he dominated what(Jay-Z)?! or when?! the years please!!

[rudycharles]

Rakim was dominant for 7 years...In the Golden Era...Not this watered down rap shit..Father of Modern RYhme..and the most humble real and feared cat in the game..EVER....

[samir5w]

manufactured hip hop= rap

rap=commercial

hip hop=heart felt soulful music

[reggiemunch]

Bout 92 "Technique" era.

[vlad0717]

dude where did you find this?????

but this def looks like late 80's early 90's

[Monolif87]

this is classic man...shit...you should upload this vid again with more tags so people can find it more easily...just stuff like "rakim hip hop new york greatest of all time blah blah"

[rapguru]

greatest if all time