Rakim
The 18th Letter

THE REVIEW

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!