Do you remember Eric B. & Rakim?
“MICROPHONE FIEND” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPfIIn5V_LQ
Hip/Hop Legends
Eric B was born in 1965 and raised in the Elmhurst section of Queens, and raised in Wyandanch, Long Island, William Michael Griffin converted to The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation) at age 16 and began writing rhymes. Barrier, who had played trumpet and drums throughout high school, switched to turntables prior to graduation and soon, the newly-dubbed “Eric B.” began DJing for radio station WBLS in New York. Eric B. would DJ for WBLS’ mobile events around the city and wound up meeting Alvin Toney, a promoter based in Queens. Eric B. had been looking for rappers and Toney recommended he use Freddie Foxxx, an aggressive Long Island MC with a reputation for battle raps. Toney took Eric B. to Foxxx’s home, but the rapper wasn’t there. Immediately, Toney suggested another option. Eric B. recalled in 2008, “[Toney] was like ‘I got another dude, he nice too–this dude got a smooth, laid-back style.’ So [he] takes me to Rakim’s house and we start talking.” [3] Eric B. borrowed records from Rakim’s brother, Stevie Blass Griffin (who worked at a plant pressing bootleg LPs) and began cutting them in the basement for Rakim, who was down there drinking a beer and relaxing. Said Eric B., “I took Fonda Rae‘s “Over Like A Fat Rat” and said ‘This is the bass line I’m going to use for this record.’ Rakim spit the beer all over the wall and thought it was the funniest shit in the world. I told Rakim, just like you laughing now you going to be laughing all the way to the bank and be a millionaire one day because of this record.”[3]
Eric B. & Rakim decided to record together and immediately came under the tutelage of legendary Queens-based hip hop producer Marley Marl, and there exists some controversy over who actually produced their landmark first single, 1986s “Eric B. Is President“—which was built on the distinctive Fonda Rea bass line sample. Eric B. told Allhiphop.com, “I took the records to Marley Marl’s house in Queensbridge and paid Marley Marl to be the engineer. Marley got paid. That’s why he’s not a producer; that’s why he is not getting publishing. I brought the music. I just couldn’t work the equipment because that’s not what I did…”[3] Nonetheless, the single became an instant classic among hip hop fans, (though it went largely unnoticed in mainstream music), and Rakim’s opening salvo of “I came in the door/said it before” would become one of the most quoted lines in hip hop music.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE DUO
Eric B. released a self-titled solo album in the mid-1990s on an independent label (now out of print). Legal issues continued to delay Rakim’s solo career, but he finally released The 18th Letter in 1997 to critical acclaim and unexpected commercial success. In 1999, Rakim’s second solo album The Master was released to less favorable reviews. By the turn of the millennium, Eric B. was pursuing other business interests outside of music.
Rakim signed with Dr. Dre‘s Aftermath label in 2000, with the hopes of releasing an album pairing the legendary MC with the legendary producer. However, due to creative differences, the album never materialized. Since then, Rakim has made notable guest appearances with numerous other artists like Jay-Z (“The Watcher, Part 2″), Truth Hurts (“Contagious”), Nas, KRS-One and Kanye West (“Classic”), and more.
In 2002, “Don’t Sweat The Technique” appeared in the video game Aggressive Inline.
In 2004 “I Know You Got Soul” appeared on popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on classic hip-hop radio station Playback FM.
In November 2009, Rakim released his long awaited album The Seventh Seal.
Ownership of the duo’s catalog consolidated in 1999, when PolyGram (which owned Island Records, which released Paid in Full) merged with the MCA Records family of labels, which created the Universal Music Group (and which owned the rest of the duo’s albums).
“MOVE THE CROWD” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyl_j0g9AwU
