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.
Concrete Jungle
Rakim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
higher divinity, Rastaman
dilution which is like earth create,
because the earth come back from what it wants,
Someone is trying to be as powerful as god.
Here's a little story that must be told. [Repeat: x2]
Come On [Repeat: x2]
Here's a little story that must be told. [Repeat: x2]
Come On [Repeat: x2]
No solution in my day today,
The high yellum won't come out to play,
I said darkness has covered my life, (oh)
And has changed order, (oh)
Where is this love to be found (Where's this love to be found)
I would say that life must be somewhere to be found (Sweet life)
Instead of Concrete Jungle, (Jungle, oh, oh oh,)
Concrete Jungle, (Jungle)
Man you have to do your thing yeah. (Jungle)
Oh yeah.
Come On
No chains around my feet but I'm not free, here now
I know I am bound here in captivity
Oh
Never know
Never known happiness
Never known
Never known what real
Well I'm always laughing like a clown (oh)
I said I've, I've got to be passing from off the ground yeah (oh, instead of)
Concrete Jungle (Jungle)
Illusions, Illusions (Concrete Jungle)
Concrete Jungle (Concrete Jungle)
Oh, no no no
Concrete Jungle
[Rakim]
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (come on)
In the lions den,
You hear the cry of the dying men,
The lions in,
Every puddle about it then
You try and win go against the blind to win
It'll put the eye of the tiger in iron men
The heart beats like animals in dark street,
Starve to eat,
In the jungle it's concrete,
Instead of wood we use the metal to draw heat,
The habitats the hood,
They single the god beats
The tribals in a deadly game of survival,
Genocidal,
Read you Koran and your Bible,
When the merciful get merciless
We need to read Psalms 82 verse 6
Its real so make you sure you do real thing,
Females never forget your still queens,
Feel it till you feel free with wings,
And the male we ain't got to kill to be kings
Concrete Jungle (Jungle) (Come on now)
Concrete Jungle (Come on) [Repeat: x3]
The lyrics to Rakim's song Concrete Jungle are complex, with multiple layers of meaning that are open to interpretation. The song begins with a spoken word reference to Bob Marley's spiritual beliefs, suggesting the idea that someone is attempting to be as powerful as God. Moving into the lyrics of the song proper, Rakim references the "concrete jungle," a metaphorical representation of modern urban life as an oppressive and suffocating place where people struggle to survive.
Throughout the song, Rakim emphasizes the brutality of life in this concrete jungle, referencing the high rates of crime and violence that are endemic to this environment. The lyrics suggest a sense of hopelessness and despair, with Rakim noting that there is "no solution" to the problems that people face in their day-to-day lives.
Despite this dark and ominous vibe, the song also contains a message of resilience and defiance. Rakim encourages listeners to "do their thing" and not be bound by the chains of oppression. The lyrics suggest that even in the midst of adversity and suffering, people can find a way to rise above their circumstances and achieve a sense of freedom and empowerment.
Overall, the lyrics to Concrete Jungle are a powerful meditation on the challenges of modern life, and the importance of staying strong and determined in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a little story that must be told.
This is a story that needs to be told.
Come On
Let's go.
Concrete Jungle
The city is a dangerous place.
Here's a little story that must be told.
This is an important tale.
Come On
Let's go.
No solution in my day today,
I can't find a solution for my problems today.
The high yellum won't come out to play,
The sun isn't shining today.
I said darkness has covered my life, (oh)
I am currently living in a dark time.
And has changed order, (oh)
Everything is different now.
Where is this love to be found (Where's this love to be found)
Where can I find love?
I would say that life must be somewhere to be found (Sweet life)
I hope life can be found somewhere.
Instead of Concrete Jungle, (Jungle, oh, oh oh,)
I don't like living in the city.
Concrete Jungle, (Jungle)
The city is a dangerous place.
Man you have to do your thing yeah.
You need to be yourself.
No chains around my feet but I'm not free, here now
I'm not physically restrained, but I'm still not free.
I know I am bound here in captivity
I feel trapped here.
Never known happiness
I've never truly been happy.
Never known
I've never experienced anything.
Never known what real
I don't know what's real.
Well I'm always laughing like a clown (oh)
I pretend to be happy.
I said I've, I've got to be passing from off the ground yeah (oh, instead of)
I want to leave the city.
Concrete Jungle (Jungle)
The city is a dangerous place.
Illusions, Illusions (Concrete Jungle)
The city is full of illusions.
Oh, no no no
Oh no.
Concrete Jungle
The city is a dangerous place.
In the lions den,
In a dangerous situation.
You hear the cry of the dying men,
You can hear people in pain.
The lions in,
Danger is everywhere.
Every puddle about it then
You need to be aware all the time.
You try and win go against the blind to win
You need to take risks to succeed.
It'll put the eye of the tiger in iron men
It will make you determined and strong.
The heart beats like animals in dark street,
People are scared and on edge.
Starve to eat,
They are struggling.
In the jungle it's concrete,
The city is just like the jungle.
Instead of wood we use the metal to draw heat,
We use modern technology to survive.
The habitats the hood,
The neighborhoods are the habitats.
They single the god beats
They try to imitate gods.
The tribals in a deadly game of survival,
People are fighting to survive.
Genocidal,
It's like a genocide.
Read you Koran and your Bible,
Seek guidance from your religion.
When the merciful get merciless
Even good people can become violent.
We need to read Psalms 82 verse 6
We need to seek righteousness.
Its real so make you sure you do real thing,
Life is real, so be true to yourself.
Females never forget your still queens,
Women are powerful and should never forget it.
Feel it till you feel free with wings,
Feel free to reach for the sky and follow your dreams.
And the male we ain't got to kill to be kings
Men don't have to be violent to be powerful.
Jungle (Come on now)
The city is dangerous.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CALVIN BROADUS, TRACY LA MARR DAVIS, JERRY B. LONG, COREY MILLER, KEIWAN DASHAWN SPILLMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mahesh Prasad
Two legends on one track
Khatim McLean
Why isn't this a bigger hit? At least 2 times per day!!! 👏🏾🙆🏾♂️🕺🏾
Rafael Sá
Esse som ficou pedrada do bob
BigTrepound
This does something to my soul
Roslyn George
still vibin in 2020 <3
MGM
2021 and that Rakim verse is still fire 🔥
LOZZ
still jammin’ in 2022 🔥🔥
Thomas Edwards
Still Rocking Out To This In 2023
Damon Foxworth
Love the omage that the REAL hip hop artists PAID...# no mumble rap
Yolanda Kondor
Rakim still the baddest!