Rakim – The Seventh Seal – 07. Holy Are You
The God MC, Rakim, Finally shows off a song from his long awaited album, The Seventh Seal. _________________ Rakim (pronounced Rah-KIM) (full name Rakim Allah, born William Michael Griffin Jr. on January 28, 1968 in Wyandanch, Long Island, New York) is an American rapper and pioneer of the musical genre of hip hop, known as one half of the duo Eric B. & Rakim. Rakim is often referenced as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time. Eric B. & Rakim broke up in 1992 after releasing three more albums: Follow The Leader, Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em and Don’t Sweat The Technique. All four of the duo’s albums are now considered hip hop standards. Due to legal wrangling over royalties and his contracts with both his record label and with Eric B, Rakim did not release a solo album for another five years. He signed with his good friend at the time DeShamus “Q=BOB” Sallis of Q=BOB Records but the label folded shortly afterward. He then returned in 1997 with The 18th Letter, which included collaborations with DJ Premier and Pete Rock; released in two versions, one of which included an Eric B. & Rakim greatest hits disc titled The Book of Life. The critical reception of the album was positive, and it was certified gold. In 1999, Rakim released The Master, which received very good reviews as well. Rakim was signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment record label in 2000, for work on an album tentatively titled Oh, My God. The album underwent numerous changes in artistic …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Psycho Realm is a Chicano hip hop group started in 1989 by brothers Jacken (Joaquin Gonzalez) and Big Duke (Gustavo Gonzalez) from the Downtown, Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. The first recorded Psycho Realm song, “Scandalous”, was released on the soundtrack of the film Mi Vida Loca in 1993. That same year B-Real of the rap group Cypress Hill saw Psycho Realm performing at Olvera Street for an End Barrio Warfare concert. Their performance inspired B-Real to the point that he wanted to join the group. With this time period being the height of Cypress Hill’s career anything Cypress Hill related would get major publicity. In 1997 Sony released the first Psycho Realm album, labeled as an addition to the Cypress Hill Family by the sticker placed on the CD case. Due to conflicts with the record label the Gonzalez brothers left Sony as Jacken explains, “the machine was just trying to censor me / Didn’t do it for Sony so they ended up releasing me / Independent, no longer locked down for an infinity / So my vicinity stays true to my identity.” The brothers then went on to form Sick Symphonies, their own record label, which lacked the big budget for promotion and distribution in chain stores along with group member B-Real, who was stuck on his contract with Sony for Cypress Hill.
Video Rating: 4 / 5