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Eric B. & Rakim

Data updated on 2024-12-20 14:39:55 UTC
They never had a mainstream hit of their own, but during rap's so-called golden age in the late '80s, Eric B. & Rakim were almost universally recognized as the premier DJ/MC team in all of hip-hop. Not only was their chemistry superb, but individually, each represented the absolute state of the art in their respective skills. Eric B. was a hugely influential DJ and beatmaker whose taste for hard-hitting James Brown samples touched off a stampede through the Godfather of Soul's back catalog that continues up to the present day. Rakim, meanwhile, still tops fan polls as the greatest MC of all time. He crafted his rhymes like poetry, filling his lines with elaborate metaphors and complex internal rhymes, and he played with the beat like a jazzman, earning a reputation as the smoothest-flowing MC ever to pick up a mic. His articulation was clear, his delivery seemingly effortless, and his influence on subsequent MCs incalculable. Together, their peerless technique on the microphone and turntables upped the ante for all who followed them, and their advancement of hip-hop as an art form has been acknowledged by everyone from Gang Starr to the Wu-Tang Clan to Eminem. While certain elements of their sound might come off as slightly dated today, it's also immediately clear how much of a hand Eric B. & Rakim had in leading hip-hop into the modern age.

Eric B. was born Eric Barrier in 1965 in Elmhurst, Queens; his future partner, William Griffin, Jr., was born in 1968 and also hailed from the suburbs of New York, specifically Wyandanch, Long Island. At age 16, Griffin converted to Islam and adopted the name Rakim Allah. Barrier played trumpet and guitar early on, but switched to the turntables in high school, and eventually landed a job as the mobile DJ for radio station WBLS. It was there that he met Rakim, and the two officially formed a partnership in 1985. Their first single -- "Eric B. Is President" (an ode to Barrier's DJ skills) b/w "My Melody" -- was released on the tiny Harlem-based indie label Zakia. It was a street-level sensation during the summer of 1986, and the duo was picked up by the larger 4th & Broadway imprint. The equally monumental singles "I Ain't No Joke" and "I Know You Got Soul" sampled James Brown and his cohort Bobby Byrd, respectively, and their utter funkiness began to revolutionize the sound of hip-hop. Moreover, Rakim's line "pump up the volume" on the latter track was in turn sampled itself, becoming the basis for M/A/R/R/S' hit of the same name.

In 1987, 4th & Broadway issued the duo's full-length debut, Paid in Full; accompanied by a mighty underground buzz, the record climbed into the Top Ten on the R&B LP charts (as would all of their subsequent albums). Additionally, the British DJ duo Coldcut remixed the title cut into a bona fide U.K. smash. The exposure helped make "Paid in Full"'s drum track one of the most sampled beats this side of James Brown's "Funky Drummer"; it provided the foundation for Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True," among many other, more credible hits. On the heels of Paid in Full, Eric B. & Rakim signed with MCA subsidiary Uni and consolidated their reputation with another landmark hip-hop album, 1988's Follow the Leader. The title cut took its place among the classic singles already in their canon, and Jody Watley soon tapped the duo for a guest spot on her 1989 single "Friends," which brought them into the pop Top Ten for the first and only time.

The 1990 follow-up Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em proved relatively disappointing from a creative standpoint, although 1992's slightly jazzier Don't Sweat the Technique was a more consistent affair that bolstered their legacy. As it turned out, the record also completed that legacy. The duo's contract with MCA was almost up, and they had discussed the possibility of each recording a solo album. Unfortunately, the resulting tension over the future of their partnership ultimately destroyed it. In the aftermath of the breakup, various legal issues prevented both parties from starting their solo careers for quite some time. The only recording to appear was Rakim's first solo cut, "Heat It Up," which was featured on the soundtrack of the 1993 film Gunmen. Finally, in 1995, Eric B. issued his self-titled solo debut on his own 95th Street label. Rakim, meanwhile, signed with Universal and delivered a pair of acclaimed comeback albums, 1997's The 18th Letter and 1999's The Master. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi

Total plays

311.0 million
Updated on 2024-12-20

Country

United States

Monthly listeners

1,047,250

Followers

698,122

Top Cities

  1. United States
    17,364 listeners
  2. United Kingdom
    19,207 listeners
  3. United States
    13,256 listeners
  4. United States
    14,940 listeners
  5. Australia
    13,865 listeners

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Most popular tracks

Track Plays Duration Release date
Don't Sweat The Technique
Don't Sweat The Technique
74,974,921 4:23 1992-06-23
Paid In Full
Paid In Full
39,111,449 3:48 1987-07-07
I Ain't No Joke
I Ain't No Joke
30,832,309 3:54 1987-07-07
Juice (Know The Ledge)
Juice (Know The Ledge)
28,801,242 4:02 2005-06-14
Know The Ledge
Know The Ledge
28,801,242 3:59 1991-12-31
I Know You Got Soul
I Know You Got Soul
20,942,772 4:46 1987-07-07
Microphone Fiend
Microphone Fiend
14,079,248 5:15 1988-07-25
Follow The Leader
Follow The Leader
9,532,229 5:35 1988-07-25
Paid In Full - Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix
Paid In Full - Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix
9,392,759 7:10 1987-07-07
Eric B. Is President
Eric B. Is President
7,105,952 6:18 1987-07-07
Keep The Beat
Keep The Beat
7,089,223 4:15 1992-06-23
What's On Your Mind
What's On Your Mind
3,650,583 5:32 1992-06-23
My Melody
My Melody
3,443,825 6:47 1987-07-07
Move The Crowd
Move The Crowd
2,117,028 3:47 1987-07-07
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
1,898,108 5:26 1990-06-29
Friends
Friends
1,870,210 4:32 1989-01-01
Lyrics Of Fury
Lyrics Of Fury
1,813,886 4:12 1988-07-25
As The Rhyme Goes On
As The Rhyme Goes On
1,765,659 4:00 1987-07-07
Paid In Full
Paid In Full
1,739,189 3:38 1987-07-07
Mahogany
Mahogany
1,511,910 4:38 1990-06-29
In The Ghetto
In The Ghetto
1,430,841 5:27 1990-06-29
Eric B. Is On The Cut
Eric B. Is On The Cut
1,164,006 3:50 1987-07-07
Casualties Of War
Casualties Of War
833,579 4:03 1992-06-23
The R
The R
766,083 3:54 1988-07-25
Chinese Arithmetic
Chinese Arithmetic
750,492 4:07 1987-07-07
What's On Your Mind (House Party II Rap Theme) - Extended Vocal Version
What's On Your Mind (House Party II Rap Theme) - Extended Vocal Version
739,719 5:22 2005-06-14
The Punisher
The Punisher
679,043 4:10 1992-06-23
My Melody - Original Mix
My Melody - Original Mix
620,637 5:59 1987-07-07
Extended Beat
Extended Beat
586,927 3:50 1987-07-07
Pass The Hand Grenade
Pass The Hand Grenade
575,135 3:15 1992-06-23
What's Going On
What's Going On
570,812 3:53 1992-06-23
I Like That You Can't Take That Away From Me
I Like That You Can't Take That Away From Me
530,283 2:27 2006-01-01
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - Upso Mix
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - Upso Mix
502,097 6:14 2005-06-14
Run For Cover
Run For Cover
490,440 4:50 1990-06-29
Teach The Children
Teach The Children
461,295 3:02 1992-06-23
Rest Assured
Rest Assured
437,723 3:36 1992-06-23
Musical Massacre
Musical Massacre
417,626 4:28 1988-07-25
Relax With Pep
Relax With Pep
386,050 4:00 1992-06-23
Kick Along
Kick Along
381,016 3:26 1992-06-23
Eric B. Never Scared
Eric B. Never Scared
376,209 5:18 1988-07-25
Put Your Hands Together
Put Your Hands Together
370,041 5:14 1988-07-25
No Competition
No Competition
369,312 3:52 1988-07-25
No Omega
No Omega
340,885 4:45 1990-06-29
Untouchables
Untouchables
307,864 4:16 1990-06-29
No Omega - Extended Remix Version
No Omega - Extended Remix Version
295,988 5:23 2005-06-14
Put Your Hands Together - Fon Force Mix
Put Your Hands Together - Fon Force Mix
294,461 5:29 1988-07-25
Technique (Sprite Limelight)
Technique (Sprite Limelight)
276,261 2:24 2023-06-08
To The Listeners
To The Listeners
274,530 4:30 1988-07-25
Just A Beat
Just A Beat
267,238 2:05 1988-07-25
Set 'Em Straight
Set 'Em Straight
266,766 4:31 1990-06-29
As The Rhyme Goes On - Radio Mix
As The Rhyme Goes On - Radio Mix
261,736 3:53 1987-07-07
Paid In Full - Derek B's Urban Respray Version
Paid In Full - Derek B's Urban Respray Version
257,767 5:14 1987-07-07
I Know You Got Soul - The Double Trouble Remix
I Know You Got Soul - The Double Trouble Remix
253,572 5:55 2017-10-27
Step Back
Step Back
240,526 4:28 1990-06-29
In The Ghetto - Extended Mix
In The Ghetto - Extended Mix
216,420 6:14 2005-06-14
I Know You Got Soul - The Richie Rich Mega Mix
I Know You Got Soul - The Richie Rich Mega Mix
200,936 4:56 1987-07-07
Microphone Fiend - Extended Remix
Microphone Fiend - Extended Remix
195,836 5:21 1988-07-25
Keep 'Em Eager To Listen
Keep 'Em Eager To Listen
192,085 4:41 1990-06-29
The R - Extended Remix
The R - Extended Remix
189,582 9:21 1988-07-25
Move The Crowd - The Wild Bunch Remix
Move The Crowd - The Wild Bunch Remix
188,634 4:26 1987-07-07
Casualties Of War - Radical Radio Edit
Casualties Of War - Radical Radio Edit
185,417 4:11 2005-06-14
Beats For The Listeners
Beats For The Listeners
172,902 4:09 1988-07-25
The R - Remix Edit
The R - Remix Edit
171,423 3:25 2005-06-14
As The Rhyme Goes On - Pumpin' The Turbo - Chad Jay In Effect Version
As The Rhyme Goes On - Pumpin' The Turbo - Chad Jay In Effect Version
154,690 6:10 1987-07-07
Don't Sweat The Technique - BL Socks Remix
Don't Sweat The Technique - BL Socks Remix
152,707 3:49 2019-10-04
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - 12" Vocal Version Remix
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - 12" Vocal Version Remix
137,712 6:12 1990-06-29
Eric B. Made My Day
Eric B. Made My Day
133,411 5:10 1990-06-29
In The Ghetto - Drums And Rakim
In The Ghetto - Drums And Rakim
126,590 5:52 2017-10-27
Move The Crowd - Beatmix By Democratic 3
Move The Crowd - Beatmix By Democratic 3
124,979 7:10 1987-07-07
I Know You Got Soul - Dub Version
I Know You Got Soul - Dub Version
114,213 4:45 1987-07-07
Don't Sweat The Technique - Funky Ginger Club Version
Don't Sweat The Technique - Funky Ginger Club Version
106,230 8:18 2017-10-27
Eric B. Is President - Dub Version
Eric B. Is President - Dub Version
104,693 4:04 1987-07-07
I Know You Got Soul - Acappela Version
I Know You Got Soul - Acappela Version
96,121 4:42 1987-07-07
X-ecution Of A Bum Rush
X-ecution Of A Bum Rush
86,114 2:58 2002-02-26
My Melody - Dub Version
My Melody - Dub Version
82,617 6:31 1987-07-07
Friends - Extended Version
Friends - Extended Version
80,612 8:07 1989-01-01
Casualties Of War - Smooth Mix
Casualties Of War - Smooth Mix
57,572 5:26 2017-10-27
Don't Sweat The Technique - UK Flavor Club Version
Don't Sweat The Technique - UK Flavor Club Version
56,692 6:53 2017-10-27
Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (Live)
Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (Live)
54,004 2:51 2008-01-01
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
54,004 2:49 2003-08-12
Casualties Of War - Militant Remix
Casualties Of War - Militant Remix
37,447 5:05 2017-10-27
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - 45 King Club Mix
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - 45 King Club Mix
35,981 5:36 2017-10-27
Friends - 1989 Remix Album Version
Friends - 1989 Remix Album Version
34,764 5:52 1989-01-01
Put Your Hands Together - Parkside Mix
Put Your Hands Together - Parkside Mix
29,789 6:11 2017-10-27
Casualties Of War - Soulpower Remix
Casualties Of War - Soulpower Remix
25,039 5:25 2017-10-27
Mahogany - Extended Remix Version
Mahogany - Extended Remix Version
23,712 4:11 2017-10-27
Manhogany (Remix)
Manhogany (Remix)
20,883 4:06 2008-06-14
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - Brixton Bass Mix
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - Brixton Bass Mix
20,271 6:17 2017-10-27
Follow The Leader - 7" Edit
Follow The Leader - 7" Edit
13,999 4:15 2002-01-01
Paid In Full - (Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix) Pro Mix Edit
Paid In Full - (Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix) Pro Mix Edit
13,023 5:11 2018-10-12
Friends - "Unity" Remix
Friends - "Unity" Remix
7,064 8:06 1989-01-01
Friends - Bassapella
Friends - Bassapella
6,932 5:52 1989-01-01
I Know You Got Soul - Radio Edit
I Know You Got Soul - Radio Edit
5,218 4:07 2003-03-01
Eric B Is President
Eric B Is President
1,186 2:24 2004-02-02
I Know You Got Soul
I Know You Got Soul
< 1000 5:58 2003-03-01
I Know You Got Soul - Kidz Breakz Mix
I Know You Got Soul - Kidz Breakz Mix
< 1000 6:43 2003-03-01
I Know You Got Soul - Club Mix
I Know You Got Soul - Club Mix
< 1000 6:51 2003-03-01
I Know You Got Soul - Caba Kroll Mix
I Know You Got Soul - Caba Kroll Mix
< 1000 5:47 2003-03-01
I Know You Got Soul - Spacekid vs. Funkfried Remix
I Know You Got Soul - Spacekid vs. Funkfried Remix
< 1000 6:03 2003-03-01

New releases

Technique (Sprite Limelight)
Technique (Sprite Limelight)
2023-06-08
[Streamcut/RCA Records]
Don't Sweat The Technique (BL Socks Remix)
Don't Sweat The Technique (BL Socks Remix)
2019-10-04
[Geffen]
The Remixes (1987-1992)
The Remixes (1987-1992)
2017-10-27
[Island Records]
Paid In Full (Rarities Edition)
Paid In Full (Rarities Edition)
2010-01-05
[Universal Music Group International]
Paid In Full / Eric B.Is On The Cut
Paid In Full / Eric B.Is On The Cut
2009-01-01
[Universal Music Group International]
Gold
Gold
2005-06-14
[Universal Music Enterprises]
I Know You Got Soul
I Know You Got Soul
2003-03-01
[Central Station Records]
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of Eric B & Rakim
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of Eric B & Rakim
2001-06-19
[Hip-O (UC)]
Don't Sweat The Technique
Don't Sweat The Technique
1992-06-23
[Geffen*]
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
1990-06-29
[Geffen*]
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
1990-06-29
[Geffen*]
Follow The Leader (Expanded Edition)
Follow The Leader (Expanded Edition)
1988-07-25
[Geffen]
Follow The Leader
Follow The Leader
1988-07-25
[UNI]
Paid In Full (Deluxe Edition)
Paid In Full (Deluxe Edition)
1987-07-07
[Island Records]
Paid In Full
Paid In Full
1987-07-07
[Island Records]
Paid In Full - Platinum Edition
Paid In Full - Platinum Edition
1987-07-07
[Universal Music Mexico S.A. de C.V. (Polystar)]
Paid In Full
Paid In Full
1987-07-07
[Island Records]