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.
Psychic Love
Rakim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A tender mommy
But sometimes she like it rough
See shorty way of thinking is we might split up
So when she think it's getting cool then she spice it up
She get the fever give her chill bumps when I caress her
All night she never lets up I love it when she gets off
On a certain night again multiple pleasure
Role playing all day finding secluded spots
Sex in the city with views from the rooftop
Find a cool spot stop
Christening the new drop
Ice can't keep your temperature down - you too hot
We do the craziest thangs and lay in the range
Sex drives out of control she can't stand a lame
She said it turn her on when I'm saying her name
So don't stop Ma I'm playing your game
Should I tell her?
I tell her I like it love
You know just what I want you know just what to flaunt
You got the psychic love
Type of love make a thug wanna wife it up
When Papi play it cool she spice it up
I like it love you know just what I want
Type of love make a thug wanna wife it up
When Papi play it cool she spice it up
We having fun now I'm feeling her digging her style
She creative that imagination runs wild
Put me on make sure I come back for more
She like damn boo I never done that before
She wearing outfits and lingerie and appear sweeter
The stewardess suit the NBA cheerleader
Personal secretary night working type skirt
The live-in maid or my favorite the night nurse
She take me out to public spots and get sushi
Sex in the restaurant that Gucci
She meet me in the cinema she said she wanna do me
As they play the Saturday matinee movie
The girl play right quiet spot at the park
In Rakim's song Psychic Love, he expresses his admiration for a particular woman's ability to keep their relationship exciting, admitting that she has the type of love that entices a thug. Although he describes her as a tender mommy, he notes that she sometimes likes it rough, and that her way of thinking is that they might split up, which leads her to spice things up when they're starting to get too comfortable. He admires her ability to give him chills when he caresses her, as well as her willingness to experiment with new games and role-playing scenarios.
Rakim also highlights the various spaces and scenarios in which the two have had sex, ranging from secluded spots and the rooftop of a city building to the back of a luxury car and public places like restaurants and parks. He admires her creativity and adventurous spirit, noting that she has taken on various personas like a stewardess, a night nurse, and an NBA cheerleader just to make their encounters more exciting. Rakim is clearly enamored by this woman and finds her psychic love, that is, her ability to anticipate his desires and keep things interesting, highly enticing.
Overall, Psychic Love is a tribute to a woman who knows exactly how to keep her man engaged and satisfied, using her imagination and sexual prowess to keep things fresh and exciting.
Line by Line Meaning
She got the type of love that entice a thug*
She has the type of love that can tempt even the toughest of men
A tender mommy
Despite her alluring nature, she remains gentle and caring
But sometimes she like it rough
At times, she desires more intense and passionate experiences
See shorty way of thinking is we might split up
She is aware that their relationship may not last forever
So when she think it's getting cool then she spice it up
To keep things exciting, she brings new ideas and activities into their relationship
She get the fever give her chill bumps when I caress her
When he touches her, she becomes aroused and her skin tingles with pleasure
All night she never lets up I love it when she gets off
She can keep up her high level of energy and excitement all night long, which he finds enjoyable
On a certain night again multiple pleasure
On some occasions, they experience multiple intense orgasms
She love playing new games and love playing dress up
She enjoys trying different sexual positions, fantasies, and dressing up in various outfits for roleplay
Role playing all day finding secluded spots
They engage in various roleplay scenarios and look for private places to do so
Sex in the city with views from the rooftop
They have sex in the city, with beautiful views from high-rise buildings
Find a cool spot stop Christening the new drop
They look for a nice place to have sex and enjoy the experience in his new car
Ice can't keep your temperature down - you too hot
She is so attractive and seductive that even the coldest of people would be unable to resist her
We do the craziest thangs and lay in the range
They do crazy and adventurous things and then relax in his car
Sex drives out of control she can't stand a lame
When they have sex, their passion is intense and she cannot be with someone who is not as passionate
She said it turn her on when I'm saying her name
It arouses her when he says her name during sex
So don't stop Ma I'm playing your game
He wants to continue pleasing her and doing what she likes
Should I tell her?
He wonders if he should tell her how much he enjoys this type of love
I tell her I like it love
He decides to share that he loves this type of relationship
You know just what I want you know just what to flaunt
She knows exactly how to make him happy and excite him
You got the psychic love
Her understanding of his desires and her ability to fulfill them make her love feel almost mystical or supernatural
Type of love make a thug wanna wife it up
Her love is so special and rare that even a tough person would want to settle down with her
When Papi play it cool she spice it up
If he is distant or not reciprocating her affection, she will add more excitement to the relationship
We having fun now I'm feeling her digging her style
They are having a good time and he is getting more attracted to her personality and way of doing things
She creative that imagination runs wild
Her imagination is vivid and she comes up with new and exciting ways to keep their relationship interesting
Put me on make sure I come back for more
She knows how to stimulate and satisfy him, ensuring that he will come back for more
She like damn boo I never done that before
She tries new things and enjoys experimenting in new areas
She wearing outfits and lingerie and appear sweeter
She dresses up in alluring outfits and lingerie to enhance the experience
The stewardess suit the NBA cheerleader
She dresses up in different uniforms to add a new dimension to their roleplaying
Personal secretary night working type skirt
She dresses up as a personal secretary and wears a skirt that is suitable for night work
The live-in maid or my favorite the night nurse
She dresses up as a live-in maid or a night nurse, which he particularly enjoys
She take me out to public spots and get sushi
She takes him to public places, such as restaurants, and they enjoy sushi together
Sex in the restaurant that Gucci
They even have sex in the restaurant, making their love feel extravagant
She meet me in the cinema she said she wanna do me
They go to the movies and she tells him that she wants to have sex with him there
As they play the Saturday matinee movie
They engage in sexual activities while watching a movie that is being shown on a Saturday afternoon
The girl play right quiet spot at the park
They find a secluded and peaceful spot in the park to engage in their activities
Writer(s): nick wiz
Contributed by Isabelle L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brian
on R.A.K.I.M.
Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra
R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
Ayo, when Rakim Allah attack, it's a wrap, y'all, relax
The almanac, just show me where the party's at
Seminars and tracks, cause, comas, and cardiacs
Broads and cats screaming, "oh, my God, he's back"
Just imagine, I hit the lab and get it crackin'
A thousand styles in one verse, rhythms will switch patterns
Chicks get stabbed in the back, 'til they get spasms
Known to spit a magnum, or split an atom
Who woulda known that Jesus would come back to the ghetto
On that level, and that thorough, like a black hero
And pack metal, so rap rebels, will back pedal
The pharaoh of five boroughs, and take over the rap world
Gettin' bizarre, hardcore, this is for y'all
The crib or the park, play it when you get in the car
Chill at the bar, sip somethin' or split a cigar
Get with your dogs, don't be alarmed, this kid is the bomb
It's the R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
Uh, yeah, yo, I used to paint this flow, on ancient scrolls
And learn to make this dough where gangstas roll
Think like the late great Capone when the bank is closed
It's cats that claim they bold, but they ain't this cold
I'm from New York City even pretty chicks act up
Niggas get clapped up, you stack up, they stick that up
Quick to strap up, you'd think my name was "kid, back up"
Big niggas, pick that up or lift that up
Raised by gangstas and gamblers, hustlers, con artists
And convicts, killers and dons
Drug dealers, players and pimps, smooth talkers
Stick-up kids, thugs, real niggas and gods
Haunted by every soul that lay dead in the turf
Cursed by every spirit that never made it to birth
Since the Moon separated from Earth
That's why they say I'm the greatest that ever orchestrated a verse
It's the R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
Ayo, toast to that, it's the cat that broke backs
To a soul clap, I smoke a track, how dope is that
Pope of rap, wrote backs that most slack
That note back before they turned coke to crack
To my dogs hearin' sirens on the firearms
Outcome die in wars or behind iron bars
The boulevard, retire frauds when I evolve
Try and rob my dialogue, I am God
Chicks moan just to get next to my throne
And sniff my cologne and get Ra alone
Sex pots at home, I'm testosterone
Caress spots, dress drops, bed rocks the bone
Hit the floor, it's hot for 2003
Hits galore, who rock a style as wild as me?
Rest assured, when I rock def crowds and scream
Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim
It's the R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne
R, rugged and rough, that's how I do it
A, Allah, who I praise to the fullest
K, keep it movin'
I stand alone
M, it's my crown, my world, my throne