By NailzBuck50
It’s been 10 long years since we have heard anything from Rakim. Many would say he was probably finished when never completed the album with Dr Dre. Though in my mind I felt that would have been a most compelling album I guess that will have to stay in the wishful thinking box. Not to under estimate his latest work “The Seventh Seal. Rakim proves that even being off the scene in 10 years he still know how to make a great album. To read our review pop the trunk.
Rakim
The Seventh Seal
Ra Records/SMC
Guest Appearances-Maino, Tracey Horton, Samuel Christian
Rating- 3.5 out of 5
Standout Tracks-You and I, Holy Are You, Walk These Streets
Every rapper needs to thank Rakim Allah. EVERYONE. No matter the genre of hip hop you are in, you need to pay homage. If it wasn’t for The God Emcee, rap would be totally different than what it is now. Due to tons of smoke and mirrors, no one ever got to hear The Oh My God Album, in which Dr. Dre was supposed to be at the helm. So due to differences and refusing to sit on the shelf Rakim went out on his own and finally it’s done. The Seventh Seal was well worth the wait.
The eighteenth letter is still an astonishingly dope emcee. After twenty plus years in hip hop he still rhymes with a tenacity of a teenager and you can sense that he still loves it. Songs like “How to Emcee” proves this one hundred percent. Known for his elaborate wordplay, Rakim shuts down his final 16 on this track with lines like: “Kill ‘em off with a word like euthanasia, till it spreads to the youth in Asia”
“You and I”, a love song with Samuel Christian producing the track and singing the hook Mr. Griffin shows his usual side of affection for his wisdom: “Posting up like both of us was spending ones, cause we ain’t get it if it didn’t come in him and hers.” The rolling organs and barely audible brass section makes everything come together for a utopian effect.
Holy Are You the strongest track on the album, has Ra up to his old tricks and intriguing people with his advanced wordplay and amazing breath control: ” Seven letters in all three of my goverment names, walked on water, non neighbor to Jesus, is a parable to make followers believe us.”
After all the years (his last album was 10 years ago) Rakim is still a great emcee. My only problem at times with this album is the production. Sometimes it seems as if it didn’t fit him at times and didn’t change up as much as it’s needed. All cats 21 years of age and below needs to get this album and listen to it closely. He’s the past, present, and also a glimpse into their future if they choose hip hop to become their craft…you only get better with time.
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Im glad 2 have a voice on something that i love. Rakim’s new album is a breath of fresh air, i can listen to the whole album straight even with my children around. Wow a complete hip-hop album without a negative word or thought, thats why im so confused why it or Rakim gets very negative comments about him & his music. I fully understand everyone has their own opinion but its crazy that so much negativity can come to a person that displayed none. When NAS said hip-hop was dead, did we ever think that he was talking about us (the listeners and the people who request the music that’s played all day). We need 2 as a culture (hip-hop) educate & love our people that is what Rakim has & will always (i hope) put into his music. Rakim has always been considered to be ahead of his time maybe thats why this album gets bad reviews, so maybe 5 years from now when a rapper who is loved at the time makes an album similar to this one then Rakim legacy will still stand he has always been the blueprint for emcees for his lyrics,flow,education& spirituality. Just imagine hip-hop without his lyrics everyone probably would have sounded like Run Dmc although they were great, Rakim just change the lyrical content & made us think. Thanks Rakim