It was never about the money.
"I always wondered if people understood it" said Rakim, The God MC, backstage of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center after tearing down the arts center's Horizon Foundation Sounds of the City summer concert series in Newark, NJ.
Reflecting on his state of mind when penning the Hip-Hop classic 35 years ago, "Being paid in full is about being the best in everything you do ... regardless of where you come from, you got a choice."
On the surface - like literally on the iconic Paid In Full album cover - are Eric B and The God laced in custom Dapper Dan suits, truck jewels, and fists full of dead presidents.
But dig deeper into one of the best hip-hop verses of all time and you'll find a story about starting with nothing, acting on your dreams, and relying on your spiritual being to transform your physical.
Of course, The God would never come straight at us.
The beauty of Rakim's multi-layered rhyme style is in his ability to incite insight:
"When I was writing Paid In Full, I thought ... 'what's the resolution?' ... it's easy to see a successful brother ... go pick up the hammer and wait to rob him, or you might want to say my brother what's good, how'd you do that ... but people are afraid to ask".
Said another way, the pursuit of knowledge is the jewel. The wisdom that comes from that pursuit empowers all aspects of our lives - financial, social, physical and spiritual.
Wealth begins in our mind.
It's time to get paid in full.
11 окт 2024
