The 18th Letter

Sound DNA

• Hip-Hop
• East Coast

• gritty
• swaggering
• urban

About

Nineteen ninety-seven was the perfect time for Rakim to return to the hip-hop scene. The current crop of New York street rappers — Nas, Notorious B.I.G., JAŸ-Z — had all followed the trail blazed by Rakim. While other ‘80s pioneers had flows that weren’t adaptable to modern beats, <i>The 18th Letter</i> proves that Rakim’s style was perfectly suited to the era’s preeminent producers. Whether he’s working with the no-nonsense cuts of DJ Premier (“It’s Been a Long Time”) or Pete Rock’s smoky, stealthy jazz loops (“The Saga Begins,” “When I’m Flowin’”) Rakim’s voice is the hanger on which these beats are draped. He remains a commanding presence without resorting to swearing or sensationalistic crime tales. The listener believes in him because his words exude experience and wisdom. He explains his mission in “It’s Been a Long Time”: “I broke the code of silence with overloads of talents / My only challenge is not to explode in violence … In ghetto apparel, mind of a Egyptian Pharaoh / Far from shallow, thoughts travel like an arrow.” Ever the ascetic, Rakim practices hip-hop as if it were an ancient art form.

via Apple Music

Tracklist

Credits