A Tribute To Rakim

In 1986, I attended PS 37 Elementary School in Springfield Gardens, Queens (NY.) There are three main things I remember from that year… A fight I had with Bobby Ingram while playing kickball at recess (I think it was because he said something about my mother – lol,) my favorite elementary school teacher Ms. Good (one of my favorite teachers ever,) and the first time I heard the God MC Rakim!

From what I can recall, It was one morning while I was taking my daily route to school with my friends the twins, Oscar and Malcolm from 140th avenue. We were reciting the hip hop song “A fly girl” by Boogie Boys, when we approached this older cat (probably in his early 20s) washing his car with the doors swung open blasting music. Anyways, I remember hearing this melodic whistling sound and this crazy fade-in effect that would later be the signature for legendary producer Marley Marl and synonymous with hiphop from out of Queens Bridge. Then, the beat dropped with this heavy bass that automatically syncronized with the muscles in our necks to cause us to do the traditional form of hiphop affirmation – the head nod! Seconds later we heard the lyrics:

“Turn up the bass,
check out my melody,
hand out a cigar,
I’m lettin knowledge be born,
and my name’s the R.,
A-k-i-m not like the rest of them,
I’m not on a list,
That’s what I’m sayin,
I drop science like a scientist”

Simple enough but the timing was impeccable.

“My Melody” By Eric B. & Rakim

My boy Malcolm – who was the most outspoken of us all – asked “ayo my man, who is that?” The dude responded: “whaddup shorty, this cat from Strong Isle (Long Island) named Rakim.” For me, that was it…I was hooked. I’ve never heard anything like that. Granted I was still in my adolescent years, however it didn’t disqualify my taste in music. Prior to hearing Rakim my favorite rappers were Run DMC, LL Cool J & Melly Mel. Everything changed from that day forward, Rakim trumped them all!

Years later, I returned to America from living out in Antigua, and The R. had NYC and the rest of the hip hop game in a headlock (though he had competition with Kool G. Rap & Big Daddy Kane – who performed at prospect part two saturdays ago. see here) what made Rakim stand out from everything else was his rhyme style and pattern. Prior to Rakim, hip-hop music lyricism was usually rather simple from a structural standpoint and the rhymes were rather direct and lacked very little depth. He didn’t simply rhyme couplets like most Emcees, instead Rakim was considered the first emcees using internal rhyme multiple times within just a few lines. Rakim also popularized the use of metaphors with multiple meanings (or double entendres.) This is why he stood out amongst the rest.

So, for about 20+ years of my life I’ve been waiting to see Rakim live, and last week that wish was granted when last Thursday, Frank 151 presented Rakim live @ Highline Ball Room. Me and the family (Daoud, Dahkil & Dallas Penn) went to check out the God MC. All I can say the brother still got it. Check out the footage below provided by Dallas Penn. Also, a special shout out to DJ Synapse of Frank 151 for inviting the Coup to the show.