Griffin is the nephew of American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown. He grew up in Wyandanch, New York, and became involved in the New York hip hop scene at a young age. Eric B brought him to Marley Marl’s house to record "Eric B. is President." At the time Griffin was fresh out of high school and on his way to college, but he decided to forgo higher education and instead chose to record with Eric B. Leshaun
When Griffin turned 16, he joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation) and changed his name to Rakim Allah.
In 1986, Rakim started to work with New York-based producer-DJ Eric B. The duo — known as Eric B & Rakim — is widely regarded as among the most influential and groundbreaking of hip-hop groups. The duo’s first single, "Eric B. Is President" (#48, 1986) b/w “My Melody,” was a success and got the duo a contract with the fledgling Island Records sub-label 4th & B'way. The duo’s next single, the smash “I Know You Got Soul,” sparked early debate on the legality of unauthorized, uncredited sampling when James Brown sued to prevent the duo's use of a fragment of his music. Their first full length album, Paid in Full, was released in 1987, and has since been hailed as one of hip-hop's seminal albums. Their follow-up LP; Follow the Leader was released a year later, and was also well received by fans and critics. The duo recorded two more albums; Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em and Don't Sweat The Technique before they parted ways in late 1992. Due to legal wrangling over royalties and his contracts with both his record label, and with Eric B., Rakim would not release a solo album until five years later.
After splitting with Eric B., Rakim signed with his good friend at the time DeShamus "Q=BOB" Sallis of Q=BOB Records to commence his solo career, however, the label folded shortly afterward. He eventually returned in 1997 with The 18th Letter, which included collaborations with DJ Premier and Pete Rock; which was released in two versions, one of which included an Eric B. & Rakim greatest hits disc titled The Book of Life. The critical reception of the album was positive, and it was certified gold. In 1999, Rakim released The Master, which received very good reviews as well.
Rakim was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label in 2000, for work on an album tentatively titled Oh, My God. The album underwent numerous changes in artistic direction and personnel and was delayed several times. While working on the album, Rakim made guest appearances on numerous Aftermath projects, including the hit single "Addictive" by Truth Hurts, the Dr. Dre-produced "The Watcher Part 2" by Jay-Z, and Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack. However, Rakim left the label in 2003 and Oh, My God was indefinitely shelved, a result of creative differences with Dre. Rakim signed with DreamWorks Records shortly afterward, but the label closed its doors shortly after that.
Rakim also made cameos in the Juelz Santana video "Mic Check," the Timbaland & Magoo video "Cop that Disc," and the Busta Rhymes video "New York Shit." Eric B. and Rakim's classic album Paid In Full was named the greatest hip-hop album of all time by MTV. Rakim was engaged in a lawsuit with reggaeton performer R.K.M (formerly Rakim) over the use of the name "Rakim". Rakim won the rights to the name. Recently, Rakim was featured in an All-Pro Football 2K8 commercial.
The Seventh Seal, Rakim's long-anticipaited album, was released November 17 2009. The first single off the album, Holy Are You, was released through his MySpace page on July 14, 2009 and was made available on iTunes July 28. A second track "Walk These Streets" ft. Maino was released in October. Rakim has been active during its recording with several national tours and special events. Rakim recently closed the Knitting Factory in NYC as the last Hip-Hop performer to walk off the historic club's stage after 25 years of underground performances.
Rakim has influenced songs by Jay-Z, Nas, The Notirious BIG, Lil- Wayne and countless others. Other rappers use many of his lyrics in their songs, often without giving credit.
Tributes to Rakim include:
* Tupac Shakur pays homage to Rakim in the song "Old School" off the album "Me Against the World"
* Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan dedicated a tribute to Rakim titled "Rakim Tribute," which was released on DaVinci Code: The Vatican Mixtape Vol. II in 2006.
* 50 Cent makes a reference to Rakim on his hugely successful collaborative effort "Hate It or Love It" with The Game. "Daddy ain't around, probably out committing felonies/my favorite rapper used to sing Ch-Check out my melody," referencing Eric B & Rakim's hit "My Melody".
* Shock-G paid homage to Rakim by playfully reciting lines from the Eric-B & Rakim song "I Know You Got Soul" in the Digital Underground song Doowutchyalike: "since ya came here ya gotta show & prove, and do that dance until it don't move.."
* Saul Williams mentions Rakim in the song "Twice The First Time", stating: "not until you've listened to Rakim on a rocky mountain top have you heard hip hop" and also in the song "Penny For A Thought" where he says "Someone like Rakim said – 'I could quote any MC, but why should I? how would it benefit me?'"
* Kurupt references Rakim on Snoop Dogg's debut album, Doggystyle. On "For All My Niggaz and Bitches," Kurupt says, "Who's jokin'? Rakim never joked, so why should I, loc? now that's my idol...."
* Ghostface Killah references Rakim in the end of "Paisely Darts," by saying that he is better than every artist except for Rakim, referring to him as "the older god". On his album More Fish, the first track, "Ghost is Back", makes use of the beat from "Juice (Know the Ledge)". He also raps some lines from "Move the Crowd" in "Ghost Deini."
* Eminem has also paid tribute to Rakim's style as an inspiration and references lines from "My Melody"" in his song “I'm Back”. The hook in Eminem's song "The Way I Am" is a homage to the line "I'm the R, the A, to the KIM. If I wasn't then why would I say I am?" from Eric B and Rakim's "As the Rhyme Goes On". Nas made a similar reference in Got Ur Self A...: "I'm the N the A to the S-I-R / and If I wasn't I must've been Escobar". I-Kompleate has also does the same in his song "Rhymes" on the hook: "I'm not I-K-O to the N-I-C, cos if I was I wouldn't be I-Kompleate".Masta Ace uses this in the song by Bekay "Brooklyn Bridge": "I'm from the B-R double O-K L-Y-N, if I wasn't then why would I yell I am"
* I-Kompleate pays tribute and references Rakim in his songs Rhymes, Dominate (The Microphone), and I'm Ready. "Leaving a trace of R, When I chase the stars" "
* Jay-Z paid tribute to Rakim in his 2007 hit "Blue Magic," where he states: "Eighty-seven state of mind that I'm in/I'm in my prime so for that time I'm Rakim."
* Killah Priest references Rakim in many of his songs. He states: "I remind you of Rakim but I'm not him."
* British rapper Scroobius Pip mentions Rakim in his song "Fixed" from the album Angles, as an example of hip hop as art, in the lines "Take it back to the start/Like KRS and Rakim use passion and heart".
* Nas' Street's Disciple album has a track titled "U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)" where he tells a short version of Rakim's musical career and life.
* The Game directly refers to Rakim in the first line of the third verse of "Da Shit" by saying, "I'm the West Coast Rakim, got niggaz blocked in." He also mentions Rakim in his song "Angel" on LAX: "So I start hip-hop and I understand why Common used to love her. She got me open so I even had to fuck her. But I used the rubber, cause she was married to Rakim".
* Apathy pays homage to Rakim in his song "Hip Hop is Dead" on Baptism by Fire. Apathy raps, "Remember that video 'I Ain't No Joke', Rakim had a chain that'll break your neck, I'm trying to get paid in full and get that check."
* Rapper R.A. The Rugged Man references Rakim in his song "On The Block" referring to the golden age, "that's when Rakim ran shit."
* Rage Against the Machine covered the song "Microphone Fiend" as the opening song on their final album, Renegades, in 2000.
* Canibus pays homage to Rakim on his 1000-bar song "Poet Laureate Infinity", most notably with the bars "I been toe to toe with the best, I ‘Know the Ledge’" and "As odd as it may seem, the Microphone Fiend, Is God of the Hip Hop regime"
* Songs like Lloyd's "Girls Around the World" and Snoop Dogg's "Paper'd Up" sample the beat of Eric B. and Rakim's "Paid in Full" with both Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg putting their own twist on the Rakim's verse.
* Brother Ali calls Rakim his hero in his song "As Real As Can Be". He also references the line "I came in the door/said it before" from "Eric B is President" in his song "Whatcha Got" where he raps "I came in the door/1984".
* Drunken Tiger (South Korean hip-hop artist) features Rakim on the track "Monster" off of his 2009 album, "Feel gHood Muzik: The 8th Wonder".
* Jay-Z references Rakim in his song "Run This Town" rapping, "Please follow the leader/So Eric B. we are/Microphone fiend/It's the return of the god/Peace god..."
* Jin references Rakim in his song "It's All Over" from "The Emcee's Properganda" album with the line "ya'll needa follow the leader like Rakim gave the orders"
* Nas paid tribute in his song The World Is Yours by saying "The fiend of hip-hop has got me stuck like a crack pipe"
* Scott Van Pelt recently said on his radio show that '...because I'm Paid in Full like Rakim'
* Saigon mentions Rakim in his song 'Hip-Hop' stating "We crown Rakim the king, cos he was calling the gods of earth that came with bling bling"
* Jedi Mind Tricks paid tribute to Rakim by sampling two of his lines from Heat It Up in their song Saviorself, "Elements burst and gave birth to the first/Get the pen from the nurse and hook the mic up first"
Widely considered the greatest rapper of all time, he continues his career with the recently released Seventh Seal.
After You Die
Rakim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do You Ever Think
What Life Would Be
Where You Will Go
After you Die?
Verse 1:
Do you ever sit back and get a little too high,
Does your soul rest where your coffin is,
or is death just a metamorphosis?
Does life go on in the mental form,
If we live a good life will we get reborn?
Is it a heaven or we trapped in hell?
Where do we go from here, nobody came back to tell.
If we reincarnated or perish in time,
could you shine when darkness inherits your mind?
And your eyes closed for good, you out the galaxy now,
Is this subconscious dream my reality now?
Listen to brain, with no physical frame,
Could we return to the hood on a spiritual plane?
Ask yourself, "If I pass tonight,
Am I prepared for what's after life?" (After you die)
Chorus 2x:
Do You Ever Think
What Life Would Be
Where You Will Go
After you Die?
Verse 2:
Could we come back, do we get left in the past?
F**k that, i'ma kick death in the ass,
To come walk with the creator, 'til my mind is greater,
Get insight so I could design and find data.
'Til my third eye gives me a bird's eye view,
Focus 'til my ghost is on a curb by you,
Watchin you mourn my death, like im lost in time,
But im with you even if I don't cross your mind.
When you pour out liquor, im catchin the Cognac,
When you pull out a spliff im catchin the contact.
Try to look after my people, that's trapped in evil,
playin craps and c-low, to get gats and kilos,
and still do some of the things that I love to do,
Hang on the streets, throw it up in a club or two.
See women and catch'em in their wildest dreams,
possess 'em, make'em do the wildest things.
And my peeps, what i'ma do, is pray that you blest,
And my kids, keep'em away from the angel of death,
So just in case if I pass tonight,
Yo, im prepared for what's after life. (After you die)
Chorus 3x:
Do You Ever Think
What Life Would Be
Where You Will Go
After you Die?
The song "After You Die" by Rakim explores the theme of death and the possibility of an afterlife. The chorus of the song asks a series of existential questions: "Do You Ever Think / What Life Would Be / Where You Will Go / After you Die?" The first verse begins by acknowledging the common experience of getting high and contemplating what happens to us when we die. The lyrics then delve into the various beliefs people have about the afterlife. Some believe that the soul rests where the body is buried, while others see death as a metamorphosis. The idea of reincarnation and the concept of heaven and hell are also mentioned. The verse concludes with the powerful image of being out of the galaxy and questioning whether our subconscious dream is actually our reality.
Verse two takes a more assertive tone, rejecting the idea of being left in the past and instead wanting to "kick death in the ass." The lyrics express a desire to walk with the creator and gain insight into the mysteries of life and death. The imagery of the third eye and watching from the curb suggest a sense of detachment and a desire to observe life from a more elevated perspective. The verse ends on an emotional note, with the artist expressing a wish to look after his loved ones and keep them away from the angel of death. The song ends with a repeated chorus, emphasizing the central message of contemplating the unknown and preparing oneself for the afterlife.
Line by Line Meaning
Do You Ever Think
Have you ever reflected on
What Life Would Be
What the experience of living is like
Where You Will Go
Where your consciousness goes
After you Die?
After your physical form ceases to exist?
Do you ever sit back and get a little too high,
Have you ever relaxed and felt shifted under the influence of psychoactive substances,
start thinking what happens to you when you die?
and contemplated the fate of your consciousness upon the termination of your physical form?
Does your soul rest where your coffin is,
Is your essence confined to the space around the container holding your physical body,
or is death just a metamorphosis?
or does it signal a transformation or transition to another state of being?
Does life go on in the mental form,
Can one continue to exist solely in the realm of consciousness,
If we live a good life will we get reborn?
and if one leads a righteous life, will they be granted another opportunity to exist?
Is it a heaven or we trapped in hell?
Is there a positive afterlife destination, or are we condemned to eternal torment?
Where do we go from here, nobody came back to tell.
Since no one has returned from death to share their experience, it's impossible to know what lies beyond.
If we reincarnated or perish in time,
If our essence is reborn, or if it eventually fades away,
could you shine when darkness inherits your mind?
will you be able to maintain your essence as your consciousness fades?
And your eyes closed for good, you out the galaxy now,
And when your physical body is gone, you exit the realm of existence.
Is this subconscious dream my reality now?
Is the dreamlike state of my subconscious my current reality?
Listen to brain, with no physical frame,
Without the constraints of a physical form, the consciousness must be acknowledged.
Could we return to the hood on a spiritual plane?
Is it possible to exist in a disembodied form and visit familiar areas?
Ask yourself, "If I pass tonight,
Take a moment to reflect and consider
Am I prepared for what's after life?" (After you die)
Are you ready for what lies beyond physical existence?
Could we come back, do we get left in the past?
Is it plausible that we may exist again in a different form, or are we stuck in the past?
F**k that, i'ma kick death in the ass,
Disregard that notion; I plan to defy the fate of mortality.
To come walk with the creator, 'til my mind is greater,
To stand beside the divine and gain greater knowledge and insight
Get insight so I could design and find data.
To gain understanding to be able to construct and discover.
'Til my third eye gives me a bird's eye view,
Until I achieve a heightened sense of perception,
Focus 'til my ghost is on a curb by you,
Concentrate until my nonphysical essence is beside you,
Watchin you mourn my death, like im lost in time,
Observing from a realm of existence where time is foreign, while you grieve my passing
But im with you even if I don't cross your mind.
Lingering beside you despite your conscious recognition of my existence
When you pour out liquor, im catchin the Cognac,
When you pour an offering for me, I am there to accept it,
When you pull out a spliff im catchin the contact.
As you smoke, I can feel the effects despite my lack of physical form.
Try to look after my people, that's trapped in evil,
Attempt to protect those in my community who are struggling, entrenched in wickedness,
playin craps and c-low, to get gats and kilos,
Risking financial gain for the acquisition of firearms and illegal drugs,
and still do some of the things that I love to do,
Still engaging in activities that bring me pleasure
Hang on the streets, throw it up in a club or two.
Loiter in and revel at my favorite places
See women and catch'em in their wildest dreams,
Seduce women and fulfill their desires,
possess 'em, make'em do the wildest things.
Influence and control their actions to fulfill my own desires.
And my peeps, what i'ma do, is pray that you blest,
And to my friends, I will pray that they are recognized as blessed,
And my kids, keep'em away from the angel of death,
And to my children, protect them from an untimely demise
So just in case if I pass tonight,
Just in case I were to expire this evening,
Yo, im prepared for what's after life. (After you die)
I am ready to confront the unknown that lies beyond death.
Contributed by Isabella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LiL N1BBA
[Hook: Truth Hurts]
Do you ever think
What life would be
Where you will go
After you die?
[Verse 1: Rakim]
Do you ever sit back and get a little too high
Start thinking what happens to you when you die?
Does your soul rest where your coffin is
Or is death just a metamorphosis?
Does life go on in the mental form
If we live a good life will we get reborn?
Is it a heaven or we trapped in hell?
Where do we go from here, nobody came back to tell
If we reincarnated or perish in time
Could you shine when darkness inherits your mind?
And your eyes closed for good, you out the galaxy now
Is this subconscious dream my reality now?
Listen to brain, with no physical frame
Could we return to the hood on a spiritual plane?
Ask yourself, If I pass tonight
Am I prepared for what's after life? (After you die)
[Hook]
[Verse 2: Rakim]
Could we come back, do we get left in the past?
Fuck that, I'mma kick death in the ass
To come walk with the creator, 'til my mind is greater
Get insight so I could design and find data
'Til my third eye gives me a bird's eye view
Focus 'til my ghost is on a curb by you
Watchin you mourn my death, like im lost in time
But im with you even if I don't cross your mind
When you pour out liquor, im catchin the Cognac
When you pull out a spliff im catchin the contact
Try to look after my people, that's trapped in evil
Playin craps and c-low, to get gats and kilos
And still do some of the things that I love to do
Hang on the streets, throw it up in a club or two
See women and catch'em in their wildest dreams
Possess 'em, make'em do the wildest things
And my peeps, what I'mma do, is pray that you blessed
And my kids, keep'em away from the angel of death
So just in case if I pass tonight
Yo, im prepared for what's after life. (After you die)
[Hook]
LiL N1BBA
[Hook: Truth Hurts]
Do you ever think
What life would be
Where you will go
After you die?
[Verse 1: Rakim]
Do you ever sit back and get a little too high
Start thinking what happens to you when you die?
Does your soul rest where your coffin is
Or is death just a metamorphosis?
Does life go on in the mental form
If we live a good life will we get reborn?
Is it a heaven or we trapped in hell?
Where do we go from here, nobody came back to tell
If we reincarnated or perish in time
Could you shine when darkness inherits your mind?
And your eyes closed for good, you out the galaxy now
Is this subconscious dream my reality now?
Listen to brain, with no physical frame
Could we return to the hood on a spiritual plane?
Ask yourself, If I pass tonight
Am I prepared for what's after life? (After you die)
[Hook]
[Verse 2: Rakim]
Could we come back, do we get left in the past?
Fuck that, I'mma kick death in the ass
To come walk with the creator, 'til my mind is greater
Get insight so I could design and find data
'Til my third eye gives me a bird's eye view
Focus 'til my ghost is on a curb by you
Watchin you mourn my death, like im lost in time
But im with you even if I don't cross your mind
When you pour out liquor, im catchin the Cognac
When you pull out a spliff im catchin the contact
Try to look after my people, that's trapped in evil
Playin craps and c-low, to get gats and kilos
And still do some of the things that I love to do
Hang on the streets, throw it up in a club or two
See women and catch'em in their wildest dreams
Possess 'em, make'em do the wildest things
And my peeps, what I'mma do, is pray that you blessed
And my kids, keep'em away from the angel of death
So just in case if I pass tonight
Yo, im prepared for what's after life. (After you die)
[Hook]
The Hip Hop 101 - Classic & Real ONLY
Razimion Great man... thats whats up
LiL N1BBA
The Hip Hop 101 - Classic & Real ONLY :D
dummy account
Razimion Thanks peeps!!!!
Kytto Rudy
WHOOO
i I
The Hip Hop 101 - Classic & Real ONLY would have been a classic album shame Dre messed around the goat Rakim
James Jackson
Extremely underrated song. Shame Rakim and Dre couldn't have done more together.
Vernon Johnson
That was Dre fault
Vernon Johnson
@Darkfriend Aiel true big homie
Mr October
@Vernon Johnson
Nah Rakim didn't wanna adjust to how Dre works too much ego