Eric B. & Rakim were almost universally recognized as the best DJ & MC duo. Not only was their chemistry superb, but individually, each represented the absolute peak in their respective skills. Eric B. was a hugely influential DJ and beatmaker whose taste for hard-hitting James Brown samples touched off a stampede through the Godfather of Soul's back catalog that continues up to the present day. Rakim, meanwhile, still tops fan polls as the greatest MC of all time. He crafted his rhymes like poetry, filling his lines with elaborate metaphors and complex internal rhymes, and he played with the beat like a jazzman, earning a reputation as the smoothest-flowing MC ever to pick up a mic. His articulation was clear, his delivery seemingly effortless, and his influence on subsequent MCs incalculable. Together, their peerless technique on the microphone and turntables upped the ante for all who followed them, and their advancement of hip-hop as an art form has been acknowledged by everyone from Gang Starr to the Wu-Tang Clan. While certain elements of their sound might come off as slightly dated today, it's also immediately clear how much of a hand Eric B. & Rakim had in leading hip-hop into the modern age.
Eric B. was born Eric Barrier in 1965 in Elmhurst, Queens; his future partner, William Griffin, Jr., was born in 1968 and also hailed from the suburbs of New York, specifically Wyandanch, Long Island. At age 16, Griffin converted to Islam and adopted the name Rakim Allah. Barrier played trumpet and guitar early on, but switched to the turntables in high school, and eventually landed a job as the mobile DJ for radio station WBLS. It was there that he met Rakim, and the two officially formed a partnership in 1985. Their first single -- "Eric B. Is President" (an ode to Barrier's DJ skills) b/w "My Melody" -- was released on the tiny Harlem-based indie label Zakia. It was a street-level sensation during the summer of 1986, and the duo was picked up by the larger 4th & Broadway imprint. The equally monumental singles "I Ain't No Joke" and "I Know You Got Soul" sampled James Brown and his cohort Bobby Byrd, respectively, and their utter funkiness began to revolutionize the sound of hip-hop. Moreover, Rakim's line "pump up the volume" on the latter track was in turn sampled itself, becoming the basis for M/A/R/R/S' hit of the same name.
In 1987, 4th & Broadway issued the duo's full-length debut, Paid in Full; accompanied by a mighty underground buzz, the record climbed into the Top Ten on the R&B LP charts (as would all of their subsequent albums). Additionally, the British DJ duo Coldcut remixed the title cut into a bona fide U.K. smash. The exposure helped make "Paid in Full"'s drum track one of the most sampled beats this side of James Brown's "Funky Drummer"; it provided the foundation for Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True," among many other, more credible hits. On the heels of Paid in Full, Eric B. & Rakim signed with MCA subsidiary Uni and consolidated their reputation with another landmark hip-hop album, 1988's Follow the Leader. The title cut took its place among the classic singles already in their canon, and Jody Watley soon tapped the duo for a guest spot on her 1989 single "Friends," which brought them into the pop Top Ten for the first and only time.
The 1990 follow-up Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em proved relatively disappointing from a creative standpoint, although 1992's slightly jazzier Don't Sweat the Technique was a more consistent affair that bolstered their legacy. As it turned out, the record also completed that legacy. The duo's contract with MCA was almost up, and they had discussed the possibility of each recording a solo album. Unfortunately, the resulting tension over the future of their partnership ultimately destroyed it. In the aftermath of the breakup, various legal issues prevented both parties from starting their solo careers for quite some time.
Paid in Full
Eric B. & Rakim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
Yo, I'm doing the knowledge, E., I'm tryna get paid in full
Well, check this out, since Nobry Walters is our agency, right?
True
Cara Lewis is our agent
Word up
Zakia and 4th and Broadway is our record company
Indeed
Okay, so who we rollin' with?
We rollin' with Rush
Of Rushtown Management
So check this out
Since we talking over this def beat right here that I put together
I wanna hear some of them def rhymes
You know what I'm sayin'?
And together, we can get paid in full
Thinkin' of a master plan
'Cause ain't nothin' but sweat inside my hand
So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent
So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint
So I start my mission, leave my residence
Thinkin' "How could I get some dead presidents?"
I need money, I used to be a stick-up kid
So I think of all the devious things I did
I used to roll up, "This is a hold up, ain't nothin' funny
Stop smilin', be still, don't nothin' move but the money"
But now I learned to earn 'cause I'm righteous
I feel great, so maybe I might just
Search for a 9 to 5, if I strive
Then maybe I'll stay alive
So I walk up the street whistlin' this
Feelin' out of place 'cause, man, do I miss
A pen and a paper, a stereo, a tape of
Me and Eric B, and a nice big plate of
Fish, which is my favorite dish
But without no money, it's still a wish
'Cause I don't like to dream about gettin' paid
So I dig into the books of the rhymes that I made
So now's a test to see if I got pull
Hit the studio, 'cause I'm paid in full
Rakim, check this out, yo
You go to your girl house and I'll go to mine
'Cause my girl is definitely mad
'Cause it took us too long to do this album
Yo, I hear what you sayin'
So let's just pump the music up
And count our money
Yo, well check this out, yo Eli
Turn the bass down
And just let the beat keep on rockin'
And we outta here
Yo, what happened to peace?
Peace, peace, peace
The lyrics of Paid in Full by Eric B. & Rakim have a deeper meaning than just the words on the surface. The song is an autobiographical reflection of Rakim's past life as a teenager and how he came to be a successful rapper. The first few lines of the song are an exchange between Eric B. and Rakim, where they discuss the people they are working with and how they plan to get "paid in full." This demonstrates the importance of having a team and a plan in order to be successful.
The next few lines of the song describe Rakim's struggle to make money and survive in his youth. He talks about digging into his pockets and finding only lint, and how he used to be a "stick-up kid." Rakim's use of the phrase "dead presidents" is a reference to money, as it features the faces of past US presidents on its bills. The next few lines demonstrate Rakim's growth, as he turns away from his criminal past and decides to search for a legitimate job. This reveals that he is someone who has learned from his mistakes and is willing to make positive changes in his life.
The last few lines of the song celebrate Rakim's success, as he talks about going to the studio to record his music, indicating that he has reached his goal of being "paid in full." The final line of the song, "what happened to peace?" is a reflection on the tension and violence in the hip-hop community at the time this song was created. Overall, the song highlights the importance of perseverance, hard work, and positive change in overcoming struggles and achieving success.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, Rakim, what's up?
Eric B. greets Rakim to start talking about their business strategy
Yo, I'm doing the knowledge, E., I'm tryna get paid in full
Rakim is gathering information and ideas to become wealthy
Well, check this out, since Nobry Walters is our agency, right?
Eric B. shares some important business information with Rakim about their agency and management
True
Rakim agrees with Eric B.'s statement
Cara Lewis is our agent
Another important business detail is disclosed by Eric B.
Word up
Rakim acknowledges Eric B.'s comment
Zakia and 4th and Broadway is our record company
Eric B. shares information about their record company with Rakim
Indeed
Rakim agrees with Eric B.'s statement
Okay, so who we rollin' with?
Eric B. confirms the management company they are associated with
We rollin' with Rush
Eric B. specifies their management company is Rush
Of Rushtown Management
Eric B. discloses the complete name of their management company
So check this out
Eric B. wants Rakim to pay attention to what he is about to say
Since we talking over this def beat right here that I put together
Eric B. mentions the beat they are talking over, which he created himself
I wanna hear some of them def rhymes
Eric B. asks Rakim to share some of his impressive rhymes
You know what I'm sayin'?
Eric B. asks Rakim if he understands what he means
And together, we can get paid in full
Eric B. believes that by sharing their talents, they can become wealthy
Thinkin' of a master plan
Rakim starts reflecting on his plan to make money
'Cause ain't nothin' but sweat inside my hand
Rakim realizes he has no money in his hand, but only sweat due to his hard work
So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent
Rakim checks his pocket only to find out he has spent all his money already
So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint
Rakim keeps searching but only finds lint instead of money
So I start my mission, leave my residence
Rakim decides to leave his house and start his mission to make money
Thinkin' "How could I get some dead presidents?"
Rakim starts thinking about ways to make money (slang term for US currency notes is 'dead presidents')
I need money, I used to be a stick-up kid
To make money, Rakim used to hold up people with a gun in the past
So I think of all the devious things I did
Rakim reminisces about all the bad things he did to make money in the past
I used to roll up, "This is a hold up, ain't nothin' funny
Rakim describes how he used to hold up people with a gun in the past as a form of robbery
Stop smilin', be still, don't nothin' move but the money"
In his past, Rakim used to tell the victims of his robberies to stop smiling and keep still
But now I learned to earn 'cause I'm righteous
Rakim mentions he has learned to earn money in a righteous way (without harming others)
I feel great, so maybe I might just
Rakim feels great about his newfound approach for earning money and wants to continue on this path
Search for a 9 to 5, if I strive
Rakim thinks of searching for a regular job working from 9 AM to 5 PM
Then maybe I'll stay alive
Rakim believes that finding a regular job might help him stay alive and out of crime
So I walk up the street whistlin' this
Rakim walks up the street whistling a tune
Feelin' out of place 'cause, man, do I miss
Rakim feels out of place because he misses his old habits and the lifestyle he used to have
A pen and a paper, a stereo, a tape of
Rakim misses the simple things like writing (pen and paper), music (stereo), and tapes of his own creations
Me and Eric B, and a nice big plate of
Rakim misses working with Eric B. and having a nice meal together
Fish, which is my favorite dish
Rakim mentions fish as his favorite food
But without no money, it's still a wish
Although Rakim likes fish, he cannot afford it at the moment due to his financial situation
'Cause I don't like to dream about gettin' paid
Rakim dislikes dreaming about becoming wealthy and prefers to have actual money
So I dig into the books of the rhymes that I made
Rakim decides to look through his old rhymes to find inspiration for his future work and earnings
So now's a test to see if I got pull
Rakim thinks of this as a test to see if he can still attract people to listen to his music
Hit the studio, 'cause I'm paid in full
Rakim decides to work in the studio where he will earn money from his music
Rakim, check this out, yo
Eric B. calls Rakim's attention for another matter
You go to your girl house and I'll go to mine
Eric B. suggests they should both go home to their respective partners
'Cause my girl is definitely mad
Eric B.'s partner is angry at him for taking so long to finish their album
'Cause it took us too long to do this album
The album took too long to finish, causing frustration from both parties
Yo, I hear what you sayin'
Rakim understands what Eric B. is saying
So let's just pump the music up
Rakim suggests increasing the volume of their music
And count our money
Instead of arguing, Rakim suggests they should focus on counting their earnings
Yo, well check this out, yo Eli
Rakim calls for attention and mentions someone named Eli
Turn the bass down
Rakim asks Eli to lower the volume of the bass
And just let the beat keep on rockin'
Rakim suggests keeping the beat playing without making any changes
And we outta here
Rakim implies that they are done with their work and it's time to leave
Yo, what happened to peace?
Rakim asks a rhetorical question about the state of society and the lack of peace
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eric Barrier, William Griffin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Oscar Warren
My dad loved this song. He used to bump this all the time when i was young. Lost him two weeks ago. RIP Oscar Raymond Warren Jr....❤️
Fiona Fleming
Your Dad had superb taste! Sorry for your loss Oscar.
Newyork Bass hunter
Soory for your lost he sure knew what was good music god bless his soul
Juanita Martinez Piñeros
Hes smiling from the sky ! Stay strong !
Tony Marciante
Condolences, sounds like a great guy.
Paul Callister
Your dad was Oscar Warren Jr and you Sr? How tf does that happen
Tiphany Lydecker
This isn't just a song, it's a historical artifact. 30 years later I'll still be blasting it.
Eric B. & Rakim is the GOAT even if he did just use that AUTHENTICVIEWS dawwt cawwm joint to get his career going initially, but fr fr who aint just using them these days to get mad exposure?
Arnabi Arnab
This song while playing basketball just seem to melodic...a beautiful combination
Elena Arman-Tang
This song could be released right now in 2023 and would still be a hit record 🎯
Eric Barrone
No it really couldn't be. The whole reason I came across this is cause I'm tired of the PC Now BS and went back in time to this good kinda tunes again. It'd be blasphemy to make now. In which way I dunno but I know it would be picked apart to death if made now