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.
It's Been A Long Time
Rakim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
Rakim, the microphone soloist
Follow procedures, the crowd couldn't wait to see this
Nobody been this long awaited since Jesus
I'm still one of the deepest on the mic since Adidas
They said I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of
So I made some more to put the New World in Order
With Mathematics, put your status above the average
And help you rappers, make paragraphs with graphics
'Cause new days is dawnin', new ways of performin'
Brainstormin', I write and watch the night turn to mornin'
On and on and, I got the whole world respondin'
Rock, I keep it hot and blow the spot without warnin'
The emperor, well known for inventin' a sentence
Full of adventure, turnin' up the temperature
Rush with adrenaline, how long has it been again
To be in the state of mind that Rakim is in?
It's been a long time
Rakim, the microphone soloist
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
Rakim
When I'm out proppin', either, hangin' or shoppin'
People see me, stop and ask me when the album droppin'
The wait is over, in formation like a soldier
Like I told ya, greater, stronger, now that I'm older
I broke the code of silence with overloads of talents
My only challenge is not to explode in violence
I'm Asiatic, and blazin' microphones' a habit
At least once during the course of a day, it's automatic
In ghetto apparel, mind of a Egyptian pharaoh
Far from shallow, thoughts travel like an arrow
Allah's monotony, so far they can't stop me
You know, Ra want property like Mummar Khadafi
More thoughts than Bibles, recital taught disciples
A sawed-off mic, so words scatter like a rifle
Thoughts that's trifle, I'm bustin' these for you
Ayo, technical difficulties is through
It's been a long time
Rakim, the microphone soloist
It's been a long time
Rakim, the microphone soloist
It's been a long time
Rakim, the microphone soloist
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
When I flow at night, I show 'em new heights I go to write
They know I strike with new prototypes to blow the mic
Critics and biters don't know where my source of light is
Still leave authors and writers with arthritis
Cursed kids like the pyramids when they found the style
First to ever let a rhyme flow down the Nile
The rebirth of hip hop'll be dropped now
'Cause the crowd didn't hear the original in a while
So be alarmed, what you 'bout to see is the bomb
Like, 3D in 'Nam, vivid like CD-Rom
Info kept like internet.com
My notebook's my bond like the Holy Quran
Since I came in the door, said it before
But, no, I ain't down with Eric B. no more
At night the open mic be invitin' me to rhyme
So, yo, I'm online, it's been a long time
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
Rakim, the microphone soloist
It's been a long time
Rakim, the microphone soloist
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
In Rakim's song "It's Been A Long Time," the rapper reflects on his absence from the hip-hop scene and asserts his dominance upon his return. The lyric "Follow procedures, the crowd couldn't wait to see this, nobody been this long awaited since Jesus" speaks to the anticipation and excitement surrounding his comeback. He also references his reputation as one of the greatest rappers of all time, with lines such as "They said I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of, so I made some more to put the New World in Order" and "The emperor, well-known for inventin' a sentence, full of adventure turnin' up the temperature."
Throughout the song, Rakim emphasizes his talent and influence in the genre, referring to himself as the "microphone soloist," and boasting about his abilities as a lyricist. He also touches upon themes of spirituality and cultural identity, referencing Allah and Egyptian pharaohs. Ultimately, Rakim seeks to reclaim his place at the top of the rap game and assert his dominance in the genre.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long time
Rakim has been away from the music industry for a long time
It's been a long time
The wait for his return has been long
It's been a long time
People have been eagerly anticipating his return for a long time
It's been a long time
It's been a long time since he has released new music
Rakim, the microphone soloist
Rakim is known for his skills as a rapper and lyricist
Follow procedures, the crowd couldn't wait to see this
The fans were eagerly anticipating Rakim's return to the music world
Nobody been this long awaited since Jesus
Rakim is so highly anticipated that it's comparable to the anticipation of Jesus's return
Who wouldn't believe this, I heard the word on the street is
There are rumors about Rakim's return that are spreading on the streets
I'm still one of the deepest on the mic since Adidas
Rakim is still one of the best rappers and lyricists since he first came on the scene
They said I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of
Rakim revolutionized the music industry with his rhymes and ideas
So I made some more to put the New World in Order
Rakim created new music to push boundaries and challenge the norm
With Mathematics, put your status above the average
Rakim used complex mathematical concepts in his lyrics to elevate his status above other rappers
And help you rappers, make paragraphs with graphics
Rakim's style of writing helped other rappers improve their lyricism and visuals
'Cause new days is dawnin', new ways of performin'
The future of music is changing and evolving, and Rakim is ready to adapt to these changes
Brainstormin', I write and watch the night turn to mornin'
Rakim spends long hours writing and creating music, watching the night turn into the morning
On and on and, I got the whole world respondin'
Rakim's music is so influential that people all over the world are responding to it
Rock, I keep it hot and blow the spot without warnin'
Rakim's music is powerful and intense, and he can capture his audience's attention without warning
The emperor, well known for inventin' a sentence
Rakim is known for his unique and innovative style of writing lyrics
Full of adventure, turnin' up the temperature
Rakim's lyrics are exciting and keep the listener engaged
Rush with adrenaline, how long has it been again
Rakim is back and ready to infuse energy and excitement into the music industry
To be in the state of mind that Rakim is in?
Rakim's creativity and innovation are unparalleled, and it's hard to replicate his state of mind
When I'm out proppin', either, hangin' or shoppin'
Even when Rakim is out in public, he's focused on creating new music and ideas
People see me, stop and ask me when the album droppin'
Fans are eager to know when Rakim's new album will be released
The wait is over, in formation like a soldier
The long wait is finally over, and Rakim is back with new music
Like I told ya, greater, stronger, now that I'm older
Rakim has grown and matured as an artist, and his music is now stronger and more impactful than ever
I broke the code of silence with overloads of talents
Rakim's skills as a rapper and lyricist are unmatched
My only challenge is not to explode in violence
Rakim is so passionate about his music that he needs to control himself to prevent outbursts of passion
I'm Asiatic, and blazin' microphones' a habit
Rakim is passionate about his music and enjoys performing and rapping
At least once during the course of a day, it's automatic
Rakim can't go a day without creating new music or rapping
In ghetto apparel, mind of a Egyptian pharaoh
Rakim's style and mindset are unique and innovative, like that of an Egyptian pharaoh
Far from shallow, thoughts travel like an arrow
Rakim's ideas and thoughts are deep and profound, and they flow quickly and easily
Allah's monotony, so far they can't stop me
Rakim has divine inspiration and motivation that propels him forward
You know, Ra want property like Mummar Khadafi
Rakim is ambitious and wants to be successful and powerful, like Mummar Khadafi
More thoughts than Bibles, recital taught disciples
Rakim's ideas and messages are more profound and impactful than religious texts like the Bible
A sawed-off mic, so words scatter like a rifle
Rakim's words are powerful and intense, like bullets fired from a sawed-off shotgun
Thoughts that's trifle, I'm bustin' these for you
Rakim's music is meaningful and impactful, and he's creating it specifically for his audience
Ayo, technical difficulties is through
Any issues or obstacles in Rakim's return to music are now resolved
When I flow at night, I show 'em new heights I go to write
Rakim's creativity and skill reach new heights when he's writing and performing music at night
They know I strike with new prototypes to blow the mic
Rakim constantly innovates and creates new music and ideas to impress his audience
Critics and biters don't know where my source of light is
Even Rakim's critics and competitors can't figure out the secret to his success and creative inspiration
Still leave authors and writers with arthritis
Rakim's lyrics are so impactful and profound that other authors and writers struggle to match his level of excellence
Cursed kids like the pyramids when they found the style
Rakim is so innovative and unique that other rappers who try to imitate his style are doomed to failure
First to ever let a rhyme flow down the Nile
Rakim was the first rapper to take hip hop and rap music to new heights and international fame
The rebirth of hip hop'll be dropped now
Rakim's return to music will spark a new period of growth and change in the hip hop community
'Cause the crowd didn't hear the original in a while
Rakim's fans have been waiting a long time to hear new music from him, and his return will be highly anticipated
So be alarmed, what you 'bout to see is the bomb
Rakim's return to music will be explosive and game-changing
Like, 3D in 'Nam, vivid like CD-Rom
Rakim's music is powerful and impactful, and it will be like a 3D experience for his fans
Info kept like internet.com
Rakim's ideas and messages are kept like valuable information on the internet
My notebook's my bond like the Holy Quran
Rakim is dedicated to his craft and uses his notebook to record and preserve his ideas, like the Holy Quran
Since I came in the door, said it before
Rakim has been known for his skills as a rapper and lyricist since the beginning of his career
But, no, I ain't down with Eric B. no more
Rakim has moved on from his previous collaborations with Eric B.
At night the open mic be invitin' me to rhyme
Rakim is constantly inspired to create new music and rap whenever he has the opportunity
So, yo, I'm online, it's been a long time
Rakim is back and active in the music industry, and it's been a long time since his fans have heard new music from him
It's been a long time
It's been a long time since Rakim has released new music
It's been a long time
The wait for Rakim's return to music has been long
It's been a long time
Rakim's fans have been eagerly anticipating his return to music for a long time
It's been a long time
Rakim has been away from the music industry for a long time
It's been a long time
It's been a long time since Rakim's music has been heard by his fans
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eric Barrier, Charles A Bobbit, James Brown, Bobby Byrd, William Griffin, Christopher E Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Grandevauto
Rakim can spit a whole track without saying one curse word! Real hip hop....Amazing !
@davidolajide3707
Like nf today
@SolomonMozart
I'm a Rakim disciple. You should check out my "Five Verses" project. I use three or four curse words very deliberately on the first two verses for emphasis, then the rest is clean rap. I say the f-word twice, the n-word once, and asshole once. Peace.
@martyrx3436
Will Smith been doing that…
@twinglckz8330
@@martyrx3436 nigga will Smith?
@byronherrera6114
Nas?
@LucasAdverse
DJ Premier + Rakim = pure bliss
@DylanFowler
Prem in Hindi means bliss.
@PedroSanchez-mv5fh
IF YOU WANT TO HEAR A MODERN RAPPER CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH AS NAS AND RAKIM LYRICALLY CHECK OUT HYNT. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSRO9z5BWLwTmuMkWsOasdQ?view_as=subscriber
@FredDubnah
Preemo