He is fondly called Rakim tha God MC and he is idolized by Hip Hop heads around the world, definitely one of the greatest and most influential rappers in the history of Hip Hop music.William Michael Griffin Jr. AKA Rakim has been active as a rapper since 1985, many of the rappers of today where unborn at that time, so you can imagine how far this man has come, he came in the game with a classic verse when dropped ''Paid In Full'' back in 86/87 with his then partner Eric B, the song is considered to be the greatest rap song of all time, and if that is hypothetically wrong, i can confidently say that it is the greatest rap song of the 80's and one of the most influential rap music after the Sugar Hill Gang's ''Rappers Delight'' and Grand Master Melli Mel's ''The Message''.
Rakim has bagged numerous Hip Hop awards and honours, he set the standard for a new generation of rapping pattern by breaking out from the old school method of rapping uniformly on beat bars, his delivery was first of its kind, smooth and laid back with deep poetic connotation, unlike other rappers before him that usually deliver their lyrics with high energy, Tha God MC kills it without shouting or applying energy, this was the birth of a new method of rap which is prevalent in today's Hip Hop.You will therefore understand me when i call him a living ancestor, this man paid his dues and it was paid in full, there is no Hip Hop lover that cannot recite the lyrics of the track ''Paid In Full'' for me, it was the first rap lines i was familiar with along with LL Cool J's ''I Need Love'' and am sure there are millions of us that got involved in rap music because of that song.
Tha God MC remains one of the rappers that refused to sell out to the commercialization of Hip Hop music, he keeps it real till date and still gets love and admiration from people who know his worth, i would not put any rapper in the industry over him not even Nas that i consider the greatest rapper of all time, Rakim is a God, his style gave birth to 99% of rappers of the 90's. If Hip Hop was a planet, Rakim would be a continent inside it with alot of countries. I give credit to who credit is due, but giving credit to Rakim is not even enough, i personally think a sub-genre of rap should be created and called ''RAKIM FLOW'', that laid back jazzy rap pattern delivered with the raspy voice that trademarks his every verse, Yes! He is living legend as far as Hip Hop is concerned. The Legendary Eric B & Rakim, when you hear those names you already know '' THIS IS A JOURNEY INTO SOUND'' Like i always say, am not here to represent Google, so Google the man if you really want to know more about him, go on YouTube or VEVO and see his contribution to Hip Hop.
