Rakim

This article is about the American rapper. For other people named Rakim, see Rakim (name).

Rakim
Rakim performing in 2008
Rakim performing in 2008
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Michael Griffin Jr.
Also known as
  • The God MC
  • Kid Wizard
  • The R
  • The 18th Letter
  • Rakim Allah
Born (1968-01-28) January 28, 1968 (age 56)
Wyandanch, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • record producer
DiscographyRakim discography
Labels
Member ofEric B. & Rakim
Websitethegodrakim.com

William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim (/rɑːˈkɪm/), 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 and metaphors rather than the more improvisational styles and simpler rhyme patterns that predominated before him.[1] Rakim is also credited with creating the overall shift from the more simplistic old school flows to more complex flows.[2] Rapper Kool Moe Dee explained that before Rakim, the term 'flow' wasn't widely used – "Rakim is basically the inventor of flow. We were not even using the word flow until Rakim came along. It was called rhyming, it was called cadence, but it wasn't called flow. Rakim created flow!"[3]

Paid in Full was named the greatest hip hop album of all time by MTV in 2006,[4] while Rakim himself was ranked No. 4 on MTV's list of the Greatest MCs of All Time.[5] Steve Huey of AllMusic stated that "Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs – perhaps the greatest – of all time within the hip-hop community".[6] The editors of About.com ranked him No. 2 on their list of the 'Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)'.[7] In 2012, The Source ranked him No. 1 on their list of the "Top 50 Lyricists of All Time".[8]

  1. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Rakim Biography". allmusic. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  2. ^ Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 224.
  3. ^ Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 328.
  4. ^ "The Greatest Hip-Hop Albums Of All Time". MTV.com. March 9, 2006. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  5. ^ "The Greatest MCs Of All Time". MTV.com. March 9, 2006. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  6. ^ Huey, Steve. "Rakim". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  7. ^ "Top 50 MCs of Our Time: 1987–2007 – 50 Greatest Emcees of Our Time". Rap.about.com. January 26, 2012. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  8. ^ "The Source's Top 50 Lyricists Of All Time **Complete List Inside**". ThisIs50.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2013.