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.
Paid in Full
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
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 track "Paid In Full" by Rakim is a classic hip-hop song that features the rapper's rhymes about his aspirations to become wealthy while reflecting on his past as a criminal. Along with Eric B's beat, which is sampled from "Ashley's Roachclip" by Funkadelic, Rakim's lyrics make the song one of the most iconic in hip-hop history. The song is essentially about wanting to earn money and the lengths people go through to achieve financial freedom. Rakim shares that he was a stick-up kid in his past and he now desires to earn money through righteous and legitimate means. He mentions that he has no money but has a desire to get paid, so he reflects on his skills as a rapper and decides that he will test his skills by hitting the studio. The song provides a look at the rapper's mindset and his growth since his earlier, criminal days.
The song's title is a nod to a 1987 movie of the same name, in which an ambitious drug dealer attempts to accumulate a fortune without getting caught by law enforcement. The track was a significant departure from other popular rap songs that featured the bravado and excesses of its stars. Instead, Rakim's lyrics were more introspective and cerebral, giving listeners insight into the motivations of a darker side of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, Rakim, what's up?
Rakim's associate greets him and asks how he's doing.
Yo, I'm doing the knowledge, E., I'm tryna get paid in full
Rakim is working hard to learn and earn money in full.
Well, check this out, since Nobry Walters is our agency, right?
Rakim's associate discusses their agency with him.
True
Rakim agrees with his associate's statement.
Cara Lewis is our agent
Rakim's associate informs him that Cara Lewis is their agent.
Word up
Rakim acknowledges his associate's statement.
Zakia and 4th and Broadway is our record company
Rakim's associate informs him about their record company.
Indeed
Rakim agrees with his associate's statement.
Okay, so who we rollin' with?
Rakim's associate asks who they are affiliated with.
We rollin' with Rush
Rakim informs his associate that they are affiliated with Rush of Rushtown Management.
So check this out
Rakim's associate has something to share.
Since we talking over this def beat right here that I put together
Rakim brought together this great beat to chat over.
I wanna hear some of them def rhymes
Rakim wants to hear some great rhymes.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Rakim checks if his associate understands his request.
And together, we can get paid in full
Rakim believes they can earn lots of money together through their music.
Thinkin' of a master plan
Rakim reflects on formulating a plan.
'Cause ain't nothin' but sweat inside my hand
Rakim currently has no money in his hands.
So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent
Rakim searches in his pocket, but finds that he has no money left.
So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint
Despite digging more, Rakim still finds nothing but lint in his pocket.
So I start my mission, leave my residence
Rakim leaves his home to pursue his mission to earn money.
Thinkin' "How could I get some dead presidents?"
Rakim wonders how he can earn a lot of money.
I need money, I used to be a stick-up kid
Rakim acknowledges that he needs money and remembers his past as a robber.
So I think of all the devious things I did
Rakim reminisces about the criminal acts he has done.
I used to roll up, "This is a hold up, ain't nothin' funny
Rakim remembers his past actions of performing successful robberies.
Stop smilin', be still, don't nothin' move but the money"
Rakim threatened during his robberies and instructed victims not to move.
But now I learned to earn 'cause I'm righteous
Rakim has learned to earn money through righteous means and no longer relies on robbery.
I feel great, so maybe I might just
Rakim feels good about his current actions and may decide to continue doing them.
Search for a 9 to 5, if I strive
Rakim considers working a regular 9 to 5 job if he works hard enough.
Then maybe I'll stay alive
Rakim believes that finding a job could be the key to his survival.
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 and misses his past criminal lifestyle, but he knows it's not the right path.
A pen and a paper, a stereo, a tape of
Rakim reflects on the tools he needs to make good music--a pen and paper, his partner Eric B, and a tape recorder.
Me and Eric B, and a nice big plate of
Rakim is reminded of his partner Eric B and their love of music, along with some good food.
Fish, which is my favorite dish
Rakim reveals that his favorite meal is fish.
But without no money, it's still a wish
Rakim cannot have his favorite meal because he has no money.
'Cause I don't like to dream about gettin' paid
Rakim doesn't want to waste his time dreaming about earning money.
So I dig into the books of the rhymes that I made
Rakim uses his knowledge and creativity to earn money through writing songs.
So now's a test to see if I got pull
Rakim is being tested on whether his music can earn him money.
Hit the studio, 'cause I'm paid in full
Rakim is confident that his music will earn him a lot of money and he decides to record in the studio.
Rakim, check this out, yo
Rakim's associate has something to say to him.
You go to your girl house and I'll go to mine
Rakim's associate suggests they go to their respective homes to appease their girlfriends who are angry about how long the album took to produce.
'Cause my girl is definitely mad
Rakim's associate confirms that his girlfriend is angry.
'Cause it took us too long to do this album
Rakim's associate believes their girlfriends are angry because the album took a long time to complete.
Yo, I hear what you sayin'
Rakim acknowledges his associate's statement.
So let's just pump the music up
Rakim suggests that they listen to music to distract themselves from their problems.
And count our money
Rakim's associate suggests that they count how much money they earned from their music.
Yo, well check this out, yo Eli
Rakim has something to say and he addresses his associate Eli.
Turn the bass down
Rakim asks Eli to turn the bass down in the music.
And just let the beat keep on rockin'
Rakim wants them to enjoy the beat of the music and forget their problems.
And we outta here
Rakim declares that they are done and leaving.
Yo, what happened to peace?
Rakim wonders what happened to the peace they once enjoyed and suggests that they try to find it.
Peace, peace, peace
Rakim repeats the word "peace" three times to emphasize his desire for it to return.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eric Barrier, William Griffin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ingamgoduka57
Pls tell me someone still listening to this masterpiece in 2024?!?!
@foley_3104
Of course
@xxtjawsomexx6468
discovering this for the first time. i’m turning 24 and i think with maturity and growth, i can finally listen to true hip hop music. That conscious shit !!!!
@judyabott6260
Only those who have a good taste of music are here
@synistralpsyche
Right here fam
@estellered
Still...massive tune
@eob71
This shit is art. This track was so ahead of it’s time. Eric B and Rakim were so insanely brilliant. We even knew it in 1988 y’all.
@treyblands7275
They truly changed hip-hop when this dropped
@treyblands7275
And I was born in the 90s lol
@jefferyrandall8030
Back then the debate between who was the best came down to two. Rakim or Big daddy Kane. I personally thought MOE Dee was just as good been back then. But after going back and listening to KRS ONE I’ve revised my top 4. 1. Rakim 2. MOE DEE 3. KRS ONE 4. Big daddy Kane.