Rakims biography
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RAKIM
William Michael Griffin Jr., better known by his stage name Rakim (born January 28, 1968), is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time.
Rakim is the nephew of the late American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown. He grew up in Wyandanch, New York on Long Island, and became involved in the New York City hip hop scene when he was eighteen years old.
Rakim, then known as Kid Wizard in 1985, made his first recordings live at Wyandanch High School. Rakim was initially introduced to the Nation of Islam in 1986, and later joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation), and adopted the name Rakim Allah.
ERIC B. & RAKIM
First meeting in 1985 after Rakim responded to Eric B.'s search for "New York's top MC", Eric
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Rakim
American rapper (born 1968)
This article is about the American rapper. For other people named Rakim, see Rakim (name).
Musical artist
William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim (), is an American rapper. He is one half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, with whom he released four albums: Paid in Full (1987), Follow the Leader (1988), Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (1990), and Don't Sweat the Technique (1992). He also released four solo albums: The 18th Letter (1997), The Master (1999), The Seventh Seal (2009), and G.O.D.'s Network: Reb7rth (2024).
Rakim is considered a transformative figure in hip hop for raising the bar for MC technique higher than it had ever been.[1] Rakim helped to pioneer the use of internal rhymes and multisyllabic rhymes, and he was among the first to demonstrate the possibilities of sitting down to write intricately crafted lyrics packed with clever word choices an
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A Brief Oral History of Rakim and the Golden Age of Hip-Hop
The success of Run-DMC and Def smet, which proved hip-hop’s gargantuan commercial viability, would usher in what is now known as the golden age, during which a wave of innovation, competition, and diversity swept across the genre. The music’s pioneers, having established hip-hop, had left a canvas for another generation to take it wherever their imagination landed, and to master its capabilities and influence. While New York remained hip-hop’s heartbeat and epicenter, the genre started spreading outside the boroughs as Philadelphia artists like Schoolly D and West Coast artists like Ice-T and N.W.A gained a following.
During this period, wordsmiths like Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, KRS-One, and Kool G Rap elevated the artistry of lyricism. Artists such as MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Salt-N-Pepa broke down doors for female artists. Producers influenced by Marley Marl, like Pete Rock and Gang Starr’s DJ Prem