Eric B & Rakim Paid in Full listening help

dwyanewadeog · Nov 16, 2011

Whats up NT,
I've been going through and listening to the rap greats but am having trouble getting into Paid in Full.

I really enjoy hearing things that I know are part of the hip-hop canon (ex. rocking party to party, back yard to yard/now tear it up ya'll, and bless the mic for the gods) but feel like his flow and beats are too simple.

Any listening tips to enjoy this album?

dgk3188 · Nov 16, 2011

Peace,

you have to really do the knowledge to that era....at the time, rapping was somewhat simple.

Rakim brought scientific, complex rhymes and wordplay to the table. His delivery is straight authoritative, almost as if he's teaching. And really, in a way, he was. Rakim was also a 5%er and he was helping spread Knowledge of Self.

Listen to his multis...how many words he rhymes in a bar. Listen to the topics that he chooses to talk about.

ill steelo · Nov 16, 2011

Rakim was nas's predecessor.

He basically pioneered that multi syllable rhyme scheme all while riding the beat.

If you enjoy nas, you should enjoy rakim.

His technical ability was absurd for rappers back then. *%%$ its absurd today

jthagreat · Nov 16, 2011

The "command" in his voice in words reminds of like a "father figure" no lie lol

balleroni · Nov 16, 2011

Try listening to it on a real system with bass involved.. not headphones.. "check out my melody" was always my favorite track.

sonoftony · Nov 16, 2011

Originally Posted by dgk3188

Peace,

you have to really do the knowledge to that era....at the time, rapping was somewhat simple.

Rakim brought scientific, complex rhymes and wordplay to the table. His delivery is straight authoritative, almost as if he's teaching. And really, in a way, he was. Rakim was also a 5%er and he was helping spread Knowledge of Self.

Listen to his multis...how many words he rhymes in a bar. Listen to the topics that he chooses to talk about.

all of this!

how old are you OP?

moe fab · Nov 16, 2011

"I take 7 MCs stand em in a line
Then take 7 more brothas that think they can rhyme
Well it will take 7 more before I go for mine
And that's 21 MCs ate up at the same time"

"My name is Rakim Allah
And R-A stands for raw
Switch it around it still comes back R
So easily will I E-M-C-E-E
My repetition of words is check out my melody"

Rakim is that dude and one of my favorites. Paid in Full still gets play.

dwyanewadeog · Nov 16, 2011

Originally Posted by SonOfTony

Originally Posted by dgk3188

Peace,

you have to really do the knowledge to that era....at the time, rapping was somewhat simple.

Rakim brought scientific, complex rhymes and wordplay to the table. His delivery is straight authoritative, almost as if he's teaching. And really, in a way, he was. Rakim was also a 5%er and he was helping spread Knowledge of Self.

Listen to his multis...how many words he rhymes in a bar. Listen to the topics that he chooses to talk about.

Click to expand...

all of this!

how old are you OP?

22.
My knowledge of hip-hop before 1990/1995 is pretty poor which isn't all the surprising considering my age.

My first two hip-hop albums were Stankonia and The Lost Tapes (no idea why that was my first nas album).

I'm definitely enjoying his lyricism and like i said before, hearing his verses and rhyming schemes that have been imitated by so many other rappers is really cool. I feel like I'm witnessing the beginning of something very cool.

"I'm the R, the A, to the KIM. If I wasn't then why would I say I am?"

When I heard that I had to pull out my headphones haha. I was blown away that that is where the hook from The Way I Am came from.

I will say I am not digging the songs/interludes where Eric B just scratches.

6 Rings G.O.A.T. · Nov 16, 2011

I'm looking for this CD.. It's somewhere in my house.. When I find it.. I'm going to import it into my itunes..

tfromthe617 · Nov 16, 2011

its just an older sound

rakim allah fathered a majority of these rappers styles who are poppin right now

nychiphophippo · Nov 16, 2011

I'm 21 (a year younger than op) and not a fan of Erik Bs solo stuff but I do understand that there was a point where the DJ > MC in hip hop so I can see why he gets a lot of solo cuts.