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Rating: The new Rakim album has been released this week, "The Seventh Seal". The last album dates back to 10 years ago; the reason for this delay? Contractual issues with the old label first, the search for new sounds later, but above all the interference from that old steroid businessman Dr Dre, who, after bringing him to Aftermath (his transition is remembered only for a couple of appearances absolutely unworthy of his name), did everything possible to make practically every kind of thing difficult for him. It is said there were opposing ideas and too different views between the two... but after all, from mister-launch-Eminem-50Cent-and-then-also-TheGame, what could we expect? And hence the release on his own Ra Records.
It is reasonable to expect something truly strong after the last semi-flop "The Master," the pretentious premises (they talk about 6 years of work), and words like these, which, as is typical of the character, notoriously hyper-egocentric (if he can't afford it), appear anything but modest: "The most important thing for me is to maintain my artistic integrity and achieve the high standard that has always distinguished me," "I feel music differently: even if the beats proposed to me are created by great producers, I am not satisfied with those 'normal' ones. I don't use those on which people would expect to hear a rap. Instead, I choose the most intricate beats, those that suggest a title or a state of mind to me."
Like many curious enthusiasts, I rushed to listen to the album: aside from the renowned charisma on the mic, the intact style, and a few interesting peaks towards the end, it's a complete failure: excessively current productions largely unsuited to the weight of The Ra, unraveling between MTV-like sounds, R&B digressions, and unprecedented Timbaland-like imitations (Jake One, Neo Da Matrix, certainly not the elite of the beatmaking world), utterly misplaced featuring (one name above all, his daughter Destiny Griffin), samples from No Doubt and so on! Let's also add a mediocre stolen beat from the Italian Bassi Maestro (!) which in a few hours stirred up the current Italian environment [you can read about it on his blog (here's the link), his resentment will offer pleasant satisfaction to those like me who never liked him].
Well, rather than yet another lukewarm comeback, wouldn't it have been better to avoid and keep the aura of a guru intact, continuing to reap the rich profits from records with Eric B., enjoying retirement like several colleagues have already done? I can't give precise answers, but in the meantime, I've dusted off my copy of the immortal Paid In Full followed by the here-discussed solo debut "The 18th Letter" (1997).
A completely different story: the beats by master Premier (the superb "New York" is bow-worthy), Clark Kent (what class on "Remember That"), and Pete Rock (a gem is the beat of "The Saga Begins"), samples from Mobb Deep, Public Enemy, Grand Wizard Theodore and the indispensable James Brown, self-celebrations ("Guess Who's Back"), and self-sampling from his own records ("It's Been a Long Time"), the splendid lyrics of "The Mystery" (Who Is God), the callbacks to the Hip Hop that was. This and more on The 18th Letter, a significant album, certainly not flawless (two useless filler remixes, the clumsy "Stay A While", and too many skits earn it "only" a 4.5), but completely unassailable on the perfect style that has distinguished it from the successful beginnings with comrade Eric B. and the flow, impeccable in its legendary smoothness (on tracks like "When I'm Flowin", and the very elegant "Show Me Love" provides yet another demonstration). Appealing is the other (and more widespread) double version containing "The Book Of Life", a collection of hits by Eric B. & Rakim.
Meanwhile, MTV America compiles the ranking of the best MCs of all time: it turns out that the moneymakers Jay Z and Tupac are respectively the first and the second best rappers in history, Eminem precedes people like Prodigy, LL Cool J, Chuck D, Raekwon! Okay, the interests, the cash, and everything else, but what will Rakim Allah think about this, he who with his lesson more than anyone has revolutionized the way of writing and rapping, about his ridiculous fourth place?
Pump Up The Volume!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Skit (00:23)
Kind of glad I ain?t come out in this y?know the last few years, y?know
But umm right now I think everybody want a change
Back to hip-hop and, knowhati?msayin rhymes skills and
Things of that nature, so timing man, timing is perfect
Plus this is ninety-seven, which is born god, knahmean?
And I?m back, straight up
07 Skit (00:19)
Kind of glad I ain?t come out in this y?know the last few years, y?know
But umm right now I think everybody want a change
Back to hip-hop and, knowhati?msayin rhymes skills and
Things of that nature, so timing man, timing is perfect
Plus this is ninety-seven, which is born god, knahmean?
And I?m back, straight up
08 Guess Who's Back (04:10)
"Once again back is the incredible" --> Chuck D
Yeah, yeah
It's the return of the Wild Style fashionist
Smashin hits, make it hard to adapt to this
Put pizazz and jazz in this, and cash in this
Mastered this, flash this and make em clap to this
DJ's throw on cuts and obey the crowd
Just pump the volume up, and play it loud
Hip-Hop's embedded, before I said I wouldn't let it
But me and the microphone is still magnetic
Straight off the top, I knew I'd be forced to rock
Dancefloors just stop, the spot's scorchin hot
Hoping I open Rakim Allah seminars
Massage at the bar smokin ten dollar cigars
while I admire midas, with more vision than TV's
I find it easy catchin diabetes from fly sweeties
Sit back and wait to hear a slammin track
Rockin jams by popular demand, I'm back
12 Skit (00:18)
Kind of glad I ain?t come out in this y?know the last few years, y?know
But umm right now I think everybody want a change
Back to hip-hop and, knowhati?msayin rhymes skills and
Things of that nature, so timing man, timing is perfect
Plus this is ninety-seven, which is born god, knahmean?
And I?m back, straight up
14 When I'm Flowin (05:04)
Yes yes y'all, check it out y'all (repeat 2X)
Chorus: Rakim
(Yo) I find a show, rhyme til it's time to go
I'm designed to blow, my mind's inclined to flow
Yo, my M.O., makin all kind of dough
From the info that Rakim show, y'know?
Verse One: Rakim
Yes yes y'all, I still fiend by any means
to flow, and I go through extremes don't intervene
My adventures show like a three dimensional screen
Cause I mention many things and I'm presentin many scenes
Guess I'm telegraphic, motions energentic
Better tell em forget it, cause I'm telekinetic
Crowds is screamin, I choke the mic and keep squeezin
Styles seemin like I used a thousand words without breathin
Bustin techs like Russian Roulette I doubt you win
Freestyles like hand grenades without the pin
Composin, then leave the mic full of corrosion
Don't test this, or best to expects this explosion
At shows I spit flows with seven deadly venoms
Killin syllables with poisonous synonyms in em
Ideas is blowin, mics is blowin
from what I'm showin, see it, I keep it goin when I'm flowin
Chorus
Verse Two: Rakim
When I'm flowin, theoretically speakin like a drummer
I take you through the streets to the parks in the summer
or illustrate, a time and place you never been in
and make you focus on the future after seein the beginning
And my style wilds, like Miles on the trumpet
Volume dial was kind of low, need to pump it
Up another notch turn the dial til it stops
More watts you got, more things to watch
Third eye's wide open, you're focused on the theory
Keep scopin til you hear me, words is spoken clearly
It's no smokescreens on the scenes that I'm showin
Man I keep it goin, damn I keep it flowin
Chorus 2X
Verse Three: Rakim
Two pages cause panic, freestyles is frantic
Thoughts is organic, flow is aerodynamic
Mic is volcanic, rhymes spread across the planet
I send out the scribe now the vibes gigantic
Now, I'm internationally known, mental capacities blown
I hope your microphone's accident prone
Raw footage is shown, but only showin scenes of my own
Leavin your periphereal vision in a zone
But not the twilight, from the insight that I write
and recite, in my mic'll be bright, cause I like
the night glowin, it's out of sight when I'm showin
Man I keep it goin, damn I keep it flowin
Chorus 2X
Verse Four: Rakim
Yo, accurate tactics "Make Em Clap to This"
When I "Move the Crowd", my "Rhythm" still don't miss
Breeze through melodies cause "It's Been A Long Time"
My "Lyrics" is "Fury" and rappers hate to hear me rhyme
Every antidote that I quote, is "No Joke"
Nobody's smilin "In The Ghetto" from the notes I wrote
My high techniques wreck and disrepect beats
Have you "Follow-in The Leader" up and down the streets
So "Kick Along" as I rip a song with pull
As the rhyme goes on I get "Paid In Full"
It's Rakim, I'm indicatin rhymes for the showin
Check it out y'all, I keep it goin when I'm flowin
Chorus 2X
Straight up, Rakim Allah the Fiend of the Microphone still flowin
You know? One love to ? comin through your livin room soon, straight up
?, one love
The whole tri-state, one love
Rakim Allah baby, y'know?
It's on, what, check it out y'all, check it out
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