The Seventh Seal

The Seventh Seal

On “Message In the Song,” New York rap legend Rakim reflects on the all-encompassing perspectives of his rhymes, and he proves on his third solo album that he's one of the few MCs who can play both teacher and hustler. And at 41 years old — a 25-year veteran of the hip-hop arts — Rakim has the credentials to speak to the younger generation. While his music encourages a shift away from the materialistic fantasies of modern-day rap music, Rakim is careful not to condescend. “To my G's on the block that do what they gotta do, don't get me wrong, I don't judge, I'm not knocking you,” he says in “Message In the Song. As is the case with all Rakim albums, the rapper offers his convictions in the Five Percent Nation as a form of ghetto redemption. Featuring beats from a host of younger New York producers, The Seventh Seal is tough enough to sit alongside new favorites by 50 Cent and Cam’Ron, but as always, Rakim’s sense of spiritual conviction and poetic concision gives the album a force far beyond physical violence.

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