To answer the thread, yes. On the outside looking in, summer 2002 was a great re-inteoduction of Rakim with the Truth Hurts' "Addictive" song. Then there was Jay's "Watcher 2" during the Fall of the year. I think he would've done well with a December 2002 release. I don't think Ra being a super gangsta would've been a good look, but I could see Ra killing a smooth Dr. Dre joint that featured Alicia Keys being a big deal in 2002.
Did Dr. Dre mismanage Rakim?
- Thread starter Kabnis
- Start date
I think the whole Dre situation is what led to Rakim not being as active as a solo artist as he could have been.
From what he said in his book, not only did Dre sign him, he pretty much changed his whole life around. Moved his family to Los Angeles just so he could work on the album, which kept getting pushed back while Dre was busy working with other artists. It was taking so long, his kids had to move back to New York and he spent all of three years not getting anything done. It was a waste of an acquisition.
And then there's the fact that Dre wanted Rakim to change his lyrical approach. It's Rakim. How are you going to tell him what to write about?
I could understand if Dre wanted to produce some songs for Rakim, but I don’t know why he needed to sign him.
That part of the book was a trip. Rakim took a risk later on in his life. Moved his kids from New York to LA.
He mentioned some money figure there as well in the $100,000 range.
Then his kids I think went back to NY.
My thing is in that whole period what songs were recorded?
That's 3 years at least 8 hours a day in the lab.
I heard Addictive and the Jay Z song but nothing else.
Is Rakim dropping a new album?
He hasn't released one in 12 years at this point.
The music business and being creative can be very difficult.
Anyways he has dropped classics. I'd like to hear new music from him.
I think Rakim over west coast style beats could have worked (see "The R" from Follow the Leader), but would not have been as good as Rakim over east coast style beats.
Rakim trying to be gangsta would have been a disaster though, and I am glad he didn't do it.
I don't know why people get so excited about projects involving Dre. We have seen that when he tries to do something different than west coast style gangsta rap, it either
1. Doesn't turn out well (The Firm, Dre's other work from 96-97)
2. Gets put on the backburner and never comes out (Rakim, Raekwon)
Even with projects that conform to Dre's signature style, we have seen that lots of highly anticipated stuff just never begins or never sees the light of day (his collabo with Ice Cube, the NWA reunion, Detox, etc.).
So when it's announced that someone is doing something with Dre, instead of getting excited, the natural reaction should be "well, that's never actually going to come out"
I think the whole Dre situation is what led to Rakim not being as active as a solo artist as he could have been.
From what he said in his book, not only did Dre sign him, he pretty much changed his whole life around. Moved his family to Los Angeles just so he could work on the album, which kept getting pushed back while Dre was busy working with other artists. It was taking so long, his kids had to move back to New York and he spent all of three years not getting anything done. It was a waste of an acquisition.
And then there's the fact that Dre wanted Rakim to change his lyrical approach. It's Rakim. How are you going to tell him what to write about?
I could understand if Dre wanted to produce some songs for Rakim, but I don’t know why he needed to sign him.
Yeah, this could be the case. We know the issues that kept Rakim on the sidelines for a prolonged period after his breakup with Eric B. But after his 1997 comeback with The 18th Letter, he followed it up two years later with The Master. So it did look like he wanted to reestablish himself on the scene for years to come instead of having a short-lived comeback.
Don't forget about Last Emp, as well. His other signee.
With Rakim, another buzz builder would've been releasing a street single produced by Premo. Followed that up with an Eminem feature produced by Dre. Official single featuring Alicia Keys produced by Dre. Album drops and it's 12 songs with Dre having 7 tracks and the rest spread out among Premo and other producers.
I don't think Dre had faith in Rakim's ability to generate buzz using his usual formula. (The Master had two Premo tracks (including the lead single), and the album was barely noticed.) Dre wanted him to do something different, and it clearly was not going to work.
Ra hasn't done anything notable since. so is that still Dre's fault?
it's Dre's fault he turned down beats that went on a classic debut album right after?
it's Dre's fault he turned down beats that went on a classic debut album right after?
FlyGuy
pimp of the year
he’s always killed his features like for Big L, Little Brother, etc
nobody besides rakim has ever confirmed that story that Dre was making him gangster.
he wasn't giving him west coast beats either
some of the shyt on get rich or die trying was for RA and the singles he was on during his Aftermath stay were the last major looks Ra had. I know people love holding this dude to some godly heights but he is a difficult dude in real life.
Been so long but other people spoke on it that's how we found out that Ra had some heat he turned down that 50 used.
I don't remember Dre saying anything prob out of respect. They also caught a vicious lawsuit for the truth hurts song. So despite it being Ra's last hit it kinda dissapeared because of it.
For near 20 years everyone on Aftermath except Em, 50, Game and Kendrick got shelved. Game one album. Busta one album. Even Cuban Linx 2, modern classic, sold well independent, could've gone gold with the Aftermath push but that wasn't enough.
Rakim and Dre could drop a quality album but gold was the ceiling even with the Dre and Eminem stimulus. Rakim was never dropping a blunts, bytches and Henny album to chase sales
Rakim and Dre could drop a quality album but gold was the ceiling even with the Dre and Eminem stimulus. Rakim was never dropping a blunts, bytches and Henny album to chase sales