Rakim
In the history of hip hop, few artists have had as great an impact on the development and progression of the art form’s lyrical style as New York’s own William Michael Griffin, known to world as Rakim Allah. Universally referenced as one of the masters of the microphone and an influence and inspiration to his peers and followers alike, Rakim first exploded onto the scene with the release of iconic “Eric B. Is President” in 1986 with longtime collaborator Eric B. The single marked a turning point in the rap world—raising the bar for future emcees and revolutionizing the way rhymes are delivered to this day. No serious discussion of the music’s greatest performers is held without a deferential accounting of his achievements, and no serious rap artist grips a microphone without channeling some of his legend.
Rakim’s intricately intellectual lyrics draw their force from his worldly experience, inner faith, and progressive contemplation; his liquid and seemingly effortless delivery—often imitated but still unrivaled—from a fire fueled by a deep understanding of not just hip hop, but also the jazz and R&B influences that have surrounded his family since his youth. His recordings—including the all-time classics Paid In Full, Follow the Leader, and The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)—have sold in the multi-millions worldwide. Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV, and a host of others consistently refer to Paid in Full as “the greatest hip-hop album of all time”—a claim often repeated in audience polls. These platinum albums line the walls of the Broadway, MCA, and Universal labels and, with a Rakim appearance near-guaranteeing an explosion of sales, he has been recruited to add his star talents to projects for Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Linkin Park, Mobb Deep, Jody Watley, Damian Marley, Lloyd Banks, Limp Bizkit, Gang Starr, and Truth Hurts, among many others.
Rakim’s uncanny innovation was the focal point of the critically acclaimed recreation of Bob Marley’s Concrete Jungle and has helped propel movie and TV soundtracks such as Juice, Brown Sugar, The Rugrats, American Psycho, Ozark, Luke Cage, and 8 Mile to become bestsellers. His role-model status has led world-famous brands such as the Coca-Cola Company, LVMH, Nike, Adobe, Ford Motor Company, the MLB, the NBA, and others to choose him as spokesperson.
Now with over three decades at the top of hip hop’s greatest list, the Long Island native not only continues to record for himself, but also works with young artists signed to his own record imprint, Ra Records. With recent tributes such as being named the #1 Lyricist of All Time by The Source magazine, receiving the coveted BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and being nominated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—not to mention two original music projects, his first feature film role and sold-out international tours—Rakim Allah continues to lead where others just follow.