“Every time I stepped into madness of the crowds, I longed for the wisdom of the loneliness.“
— Mehmet Murat Ildan
“Why don’t you write about rap anymore?”
Tag: Rakim
In most cases, progress and evolution happen slowly, over a period of time marked by small, incremental changes. Occasionally, however, a seismic shift occurs and a culture transforms overnight.
That is what happened in 1986 when a young man with a voice that sounded like it was from outer space came in the door and changed the game forever with “Eric B. Is President,” the first single from Eric B. & Rakim. The latter half of that duo was still in high school when he introduced a “new era of rhyme style” with complex internal rhymes full of multisyllabic words and a relaxed, composed delivery that was more conversational than shouting.
It was a new day in hip-hop.
Documentaries – unfairly – have long been seen as a snob’s film of choice.
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Why Are We So Obsessed with Sales?
Fans are more obsessed with sales than ever before.
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In Appreciation of: Kool G Rap
“Hearing me is like hearing G Rap in his prime”
– Jay-Z, “Encore”
If there were a Mount Rushmore of pre-’90s, Golden Era hip-hop, the four heads would belong to Rakim, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, and Kool G Rap. While the first three are often referenced, it unfortunately seems like many casual fans are unaware of how truly great and important G Rap was, even though he has been mentioned as an influence to an entire generation of emcees, including the greats like Nas, Eminem, Big Pun, Jay-Z, and others.
As a favor – one that you did not ask for – I’ve compiled a list of twenty songs that I think casual hip-hop fans should know.
For my first guest post on England’s The Musical Outcast, I chose a dream team of rappers that would form Voltron to create the perfect MC.
The Passion of Christopher Pierznik 