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.
Eric B. Is President
Eric B. & Rakim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(To show our appreciation for your support)
Make 'em clap to this
(Thank you DJ's)
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
I came in the door, I said it before
I never let the mic magnetize me no more
But it's bitin' me, fightin' me, invitin' me to rhyme
I can't hold it back, I'm lookin' for the line
Takin' off my coat, clearin' my throat
The rhyme will be kickin' it 'til I hit my last note
My mind remains to find all kind of ideas
Self esteem makes it seem like a thought took years to build
But still say a rhyme after the next one
Prepared, never scared, I'll just bless one
And you know that I'm the soloist
So Eric B., Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap, make 'em clap, make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this (clap your hands)
(Clap your hands)
Make 'em clap to this (clap yo-)
(Clap yo-, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)
I don't bug out or chill or be actin' ill
No tricks in '86, it's time to build
Eric B. Easy on the cut, no mistakes allowed
'Cause to me, MC means move the crowd
I made it easy to dance to this
But can you detect what's comin' next from the flex of the wrist?
Say indeed then I'll proceed 'cause my man made a mix
If he bleed he won't need no band-aid to fix
His fingertips sew a rhyme until there's no rhymes left
I hurry up because the cut'll make 'em bleed to death
But he's kickin' it, 'cause it ain't no half steppin'
The party is live, the rhyme can't be kept inside
It needs eruptin' just like a volcano
It ain't the everyday style or the same old rhyme
'Cause I'm better then the rest of them
Eric B. Is on the cut and my name is Rakim (nasty)
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap-, make 'em clap-
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap-
Go get a girl and get soft and warm
Don't get excited, you've been invited to a quiet storm
But now it's out of hand 'cause you told me you hate me
And then you ask what have I done lately
First you said, "All you want is love and affection"
Let me be your angel and I'll be your protection
Take you out, buy you all kinds of things
Make 'em clap to this
Caught an attitude, you need food to eat up
I'm schemin' like I'm dreamin' on a couch with my feet up
You scream I'm lazy, you must be crazy
Thought I was a donut, you tried to glaze me
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap, make 'em clap, make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap, make 'em clap, make 'em clap
Make 'em clap to this
I made it easy to dance to this
But can you detect what's comin' next from the flex of the wrist?
Say indeed then I'll proceed 'cause my man made a mix
If he bleed he won't need no band-aid to fix
Make 'em clap to this
Eric B. Is on the cut
Eric B. Is on the cut
Eric B. Is on the cut and my name is Rakim (nasty)
Make 'em clap to this
Rakim
Clap your hands
Clap your hands
Clap your hands to what he's doin'
Clap your hands to what he's doin'
Clap your hands
Clap your hands
Clap your hands
Clap your hands
Clap your hands to what he's doin'
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
The song "Eric B. Is President" by Eric B. & Rakim is a classic hip-hop track that showcases the duo's skills in a way that captures the energy and essence of the era. The song starts with the line, "Make 'em clap to this," which sets the stage for a call-and-response exchange between the MC and the audience.
Throughout the song, Rakim delivers rapid-fire rhymes with a smooth, effortless flow that is unmatched in the genre. He talks about his craft, his mindset, and his approach to writing and rapping. He also pays tribute to his DJ, Eric B., who is seen as an equal partner in the creative process.
The chorus, "Make 'em clap to this," emphasizes the song's overall goal, which is to get the audience to participate and engage with the music. The phrase is repeated several times throughout the song, driving home the point that Eric B. and Rakim want to make a big, bold statement that will resonate with their fans.
Overall, "Eric B. Is President" is a classic example of old-school hip-hop that remains relevant and influential to this day. It captures the spirit of a critical time in the evolution of the genre and showcases the talents of two of its most significant figures.
Line by Line Meaning
Make 'em clap to this
To show our appreciation for your support
Make 'em clap to this
Thank you DJ's
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
Make 'em clap to this
I came in the door, I said it before
I've done this before and I'm back again
I never let the mic magnetize me no more
I'm not going to get too caught up in my performance
But it's bitin' me, fightin' me, invitin' me to rhyme
I can't resist the urge to freestyle
I can't hold it back, I'm lookin' for the line
I need to let out my rhyming energy
Takin' off my coat, clearin' my throat
Preparing myself to rap
The rhyme will be kickin' it 'til I hit my last note
My lyrics will be fire until my performance is done
My mind remains to find all kind of ideas
I'm always looking for new things to rhyme about
Self esteem makes it seem like a thought took years to build
I'm confident in my rhyming abilities and it shows in my lyrics
But still say a rhyme after the next one
I have a lot of rhymes up my sleeve
Prepared, never scared, I'll just bless one
I'm always ready to perform and impress
And you know that I'm the soloist
I'm the one in charge of this performance
So Eric B., Make 'em clap to this
Encouraging his DJ to hype up the crowd
I don't bug out or chill or be actin' ill
I don't act foolish or embarrass myself
No tricks in '86, it's time to build
It's time to focus on building my career
Eric B. Easy on the cut, no mistakes allowed
Give me a solid beat and I'll do the rest
'Cause to me, MC means move the crowd
I'm focused on getting the crowd pumped up and moving
I made it easy to dance to this
I created an infectious beat that people can easily dance to
But can you detect what's comin' next from the flex of the wrist?
Are you ready for the next part of the performance?
Say indeed then I'll proceed 'cause my man made a mix
If you're ready then I'll move on to the next part
If he bleed he won't need no band-aid to fix
My DJ is so skilled that he won't make any mistakes
Make 'em clap to this
Caught an attitude, you need food to eat up
You're being difficult and need to relax
I'm schemin' like I'm dreamin' on a couch with my feet up
I'm strategizing how to deal with this situation
You scream I'm lazy, you must be crazy
You're making unfair judgments about me
Thought I was a donut, you tried to glaze me
You thought you could control me, but you were wrong
Make 'em clap to this
Rakim
Referring to himself
Clap your hands
Encouraging the crowd to clap
Eric B. Is on the cut
Acknowledging his DJ's skills
Clap your hands to what he's doin'
Encouraging the crowd to follow the beat
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Eric Barrier, William Griffin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind