Eric B. & Rakim

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About Eric B. & Rakim

Hip-hop can be separated into two eras: before Rakim and after Rakim. It was always a cultural force, birthed from Black and Latino communities in the inner cities, but the rapper known as the God MC was the architect of modern lyricism. Eric Barrier was from Queens, while Rakim Allah hailed from Long Island. They met in 1985, recording their first single, “Eric B. Is President”, in Marley Marl's home studio. Rakim was one of the earliest rappers to write multisyllabic rhymes and deliver them with a commanding stoicism instead of the loud, party-friendly charisma of LL Cool J and Run-DMC; he also integrated lessons from the pro-Black Nation of Gods and Earths ideology. Through content and style, he forged a path that generations of rappers would follow. Eric B. backed his rhymes with surgical DJ cuts and sparse, knocking production. Together, they became one of the most influential duos in hip-hop, releasing four albums between 1987 and 1992 before parting ways. Their subsequent solo work was limited, but Eric B. & Rakim needed only five years to change hip-hop forever.

ORIGIN
Queens, NY, United States
FORMED
1986
GENRE
Hip-Hop/Rap
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