Rakim verse - "I take 7 MC's put em in a line. And add 7 more brothers who think they can rhyme. But It'll take 7 more before I go for mine. Now that's 21 MC's ate up at the same time!" CLASSIC!!!...basically Rakim is givin' them a 21-gun salute at the funeral.
Some Rakim History to give you great perspective to how to actually hear what he is doing. First, you must understand that this is the year 1986. Remember, before Rakim there was only select MC's who had rhymes and word play and only a few of them was considered Greats. Now Rakim comes with words and flows never used before connecting in that way before. So you have to understand how mind blowing it is to hear someone say they can MC. Then when they say some shit like ON THE FIRST LINE: TURN UP THE BASS, CHECK OUT MY MELODY, HAND OUT A CIGAR, I'M LETTING KNOWLEDGE BE BORN AND MY NAMES THE "R" A-K-I-M, NOT LIKE THE REST OF THEM, I'M NOT ON THE LIST, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, I GOT RHYMES LIKE A SCIENTIST. He also said, very swiftly that many people miss is: MY NAME IS RAKIM ALLAH, R - A, STANDS BE FOR RA, SWITCH IT AROUND A - R, STILL COMES OUT AR "R" ... 21 MC'S ATE UP, AT THE SAME TIME. STRONG ENOUGH TO BREAK NY FROM LONG ISLAND. SAYING THESE THINGS IN THIS WAY FROM AN MC IN 1986 WAS SUPER CRAZY... WITH ERIC B, KILLING THE TRACK. ITS WAS RAW, WITH KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM IN IT. MAKING IT MORE POTENT THAN SOMEONE WITH JUST WORD PLAY AND RHYMES. THE WAY THE GOD BUILT HIS RHYMES AND CONNECTED IT ALL TOGETHER TO FLOW, YOU KNEW HE WAS SERIOUS, NO GAMES, I TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUS THAN JUST A POEM. PEACE TO THE GOD. YOU HAD TO BE THERE, MIND RIGHT, WOMAN RIGHT, SEEDS RIGHT, MONEY RIGHT, LIVING GOOD, THE FAMILY CHILLING.. GOOD DAYS.. RAKIM COMES OUT AND BOOM, CHANGED THE FLOW EVERYONE BOUNCES OFF TODAY.. HE CREATED THE BOUNCE FLOW...
It's all Rakim, the shorter guy. Eric B is the DJ. Keep in mind Hip Hop was born out of poverty. This was '87 so there were no laptops, no software and instruments were too expensive. The turntable was everything. The first samplers were just coming out. Everything was hardware. They recorded to analog tape. This was serious DIY. Marley Marl was one of the first superstar producers. This is some real sh*t.
@@seanwright8786 Thanks for the dap. It was an exciting time. I worked in a record store in Philly and it was all vinyl. 12" DJ singles and full albums. All the stuff that is considered classic was brand new. My Melody did really well in Philly. You'd hear it blasting out of jeeps at 3am. In the store it was Eric B and Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Slick Rick, Three Times Dope, Schooly D, and more playing all day long. The youngsters don't quite understand the amount of hustle and determination it took to put out a hip hop record back then. These cats changed the world.
That flow was standard. Especially in a mixed tape. If you hear one of the originals "Spoonie Gee". That was his flow. On Spoonie rapping "I don't drink or smoke or Gamble. The record was about 15 minutes long. I believe in came out in 1981.
Rakim was the only one rapping on all the songs every album Eric-B was on the turn tables, I hear many people confused as to which one of them is rapping on this part or that part, AGAIN, Rakim was the only one rapping on all of the songs period.
He said " My name is Rakim Allah , n RA stands for GOD switch it around it still comes out R..... A few bars later he says " I take 7 emcees put em in line, take 7 more brothers who think they can rhyme, now it'll take 7 more before I go for mine..... now that's 21 emcees ate up at the same time!!!!!!
If you like this song you should react to paid in full , as the rhyme goes on , and Eric b is president.. they are all songs on the same album as this song you reacted to .
I’m sorry but Rakim is the greatest of all time no exceptions… just do follow the leader and see why… or message in the song or love 4 sale or in the ghetto or untouchables or 18th letter (all of these are songs).. you could go on and on but here’s just a few I think you’ll enjoy reacting to 🤷🏾♂️