this isn't true, people were checking for him.....the thing that hurt ra was dre....people were highly anticipating 'oh my god', but when it kept getting delayed and then ultimately never dropped, it killed a lot of ra buzz cause he didn't have any music out....and he didnt have any other avenues to stay in people's minds......and in rap: outta site, outta mind....that's why people still check for ll and cube even though they hadn't dropped music for awhile: they were still in mind cause of the movies and tv shyt....
#HotTake...how Rakim a GOAT but go damn near two decades with NOBODY checking for him??
- Thread starter T.he I.nformant
- Start date
T.he I.nformant
1st Ballot HOF Teller
On one hand, you say he was unable to adapt. Which I suppose attempts to answer the thread question.
But on another hand, you suggest that the 18th Letter proves he could adapt?
On yet another hand--how do you have an extra arm--you say it doesn't matter because he's your GOAT.
Then on a fourth hand, you make a decent point about how fickle and disinterested the public can be.
Seriously, though, it don't vex you that Ra continues to drop music, albeit not frequently or consistently, that most people aren't checking for...especially since you still believe he's putting out dope art?
T.he I.nformant
1st Ballot HOF Teller
In short, this is the question I'm asking...
In response, I've basically heard:
- Who cares because Ra's GOAT-ness makes him teflon
- Bu, bu, but '87-'92
- He missed Eric B...
- Ra couldn't adapt to the times
- Dr. Dre screwed him
- [Something, something]...Nas
- I still check for Rakim and that's all that matters {in the "it's still real to me damnit" voice}
This needs to be posted on every page in here. Thesimpletruth.ca
The other thing: Ra's flow was too stiff to survive in the era of Pete Rock/Premier/RZA
Add that to the fact that dude wasn't getting good beats (and the only good beats came from Premo and Pete Rock), which means he was done.
Don't you just love the way Juggalo tosses that bullshyt in there?
I aint even mad. shyt's just funny everytime. The Rambler 09 does the same thing with K-Rino but instead it's annoying.
T.he I.nformant
1st Ballot HOF Teller
Lmao at people saying Rakim's solo work was mediocre
All his shyt was solo
nikkas acting like Eric B was DJ Premier or Pete Rock
He did the heavy lifting and ran the engine and Rakim was the rapper
And Rakim started serious rap. Before him nikkas were scream rapping and rapping with those basic ass flows
Idc how mediocre his shyt was post-1992, he needs to always be regarded as a trendsetter household name.
Ali's last fights were cringeworthy, but we remember Ali for the legend he was in his prime
No Rakim disrespect
All his shyt was solo
nikkas acting like Eric B was DJ Premier or Pete Rock
He did the heavy lifting and ran the engine and Rakim was the rapper
And Rakim started serious rap. Before him nikkas were scream rapping and rapping with those basic ass flows
Idc how mediocre his shyt was post-1992, he needs to always be regarded as a trendsetter household name.
Ali's last fights were cringeworthy, but we remember Ali for the legend he was in his prime
No Rakim disrespect
Also I think him not adapting to the times is because of his lowkey and stone cold persona. Rap got more animated and lively post 1995....rappers began to be rock stars...Rakim doesn't strike me as the type of guy to be doing all that extra wild shyt like DMX, Busta, Ja, 50, Kanye, Outkast, etc. Those guys musically will be humorous, angry, wild, etc. Rakim is just relaxed 24/7 musically. And him portraying any other kind of emotion would be unnatural. He's the strong silent type. But those kind of nikkas are better doing the background shyt or making beats than actually being the artist. You have to have some type of animation as an artist. Hov is the greatest example of a rapper who's always cool but doesn't come off stone cold unemotional. But even Jay expressed way more emotion and flamboyance in his rhymes than Rakim.
This Thread.
The Blind Man
Illuminated Attitude Adjuster
It isnt a big mystery. An all time great doesnt improve, times change, younger emcee's improve on his blueprint and surpass him.
Maybe some of you are too young to see but this happens ALL the time, whether it be sport, music, filmmaking whatever the fukk.
Jack Trippa 3z company ho
Superstar
The Blind Man
Illuminated Attitude Adjuster
whatever is said before "but" doesnt really count, here we go...
this is so meaningless yet is the launching pad for the whole thread.
Who is waiting patiently for anyone to spit hot 16's, people can't wait patiently for anything, your fave artist could drop an album on Friday but people want the leak a week before. you think Ra should be doing mixtapes or freestyle fridays with DJ Envy
He allegedly dropped an album that came and went in 2009. In fact, the most notable thing he did in the past 15 years is catch feelings about Nas's UBR.
Of course, Ra did most of his heavy lifting with Eric B. in the late 80s and early 90s: Paid in Full ('87), Follow the Leader ('88), Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em ('90), and Don't Sweat the Technique ('92). Not to mention '97's "solo effort," The 18th Letter.
But what the fukk has he done lately. I know, I know, there's a lot of old heads that ain't dropping music or ain't releasing shyt that a lot of nikkas want to hear. And you're right--this thread could have easily been about Kane. Or even rappers who are in the GOAT convo, as well, but still not releasing music that is actually reaching the masses--e.g. KRS, LL.
When you break it down purely by age, he is no more an "old head" than anyone else from the so-called golden age. Rakim's more like a peer to a lot of the nikkas we think are in contention for GOAT status. Son is just 47 years old.
That's a year older than Jay-Z.
Only five years older than Nas.
Yet he's seen like this grandfather. He's revered as this elder statesmen of hip-hop because he came first and pioneered some shyt. But, for some reason, he's not seen as someone who could and should be pushing the culture forward even more in today's climate.
Here's the thing, though. People still look forward to a Jay-Z or Nas project. In fact, they criticize when there's a delay or hold it against them if it's wack.
Rakim's career was 10 years (not a flash in the pan by any means) but certainly not the 20 years and counting of a Nas. Think about it, he ain't been hot or relevant this century.
Why is Ra held to a different standard? Why the apparently different expectations?
Well this is all subjective ramblings, for some reason you seem to think Ra should be doing something that as of yet no one in Hip-Hop has done, you must think he's pretty special. Still, people took time to offer their opinions and even though in your own words,
you then took time out to say....
In short, this is the question I'm asking...
In response, I've basically heard:
- Who cares because Ra's GOAT-ness makes him teflon
- Bu, bu, but '87-'92
- He missed Eric B...
- Ra couldn't adapt to the times
- Dr. Dre screwed him
- [Something, something]...Nas
- I still check for Rakim and that's all that matters {in the "it's still real to me damnit" voice}
You seem so confused, what is it you expect Rakim to be doing, and what are you basing this on?
The Blind Man
Illuminated Attitude Adjuster
Why is James Brown the Godfather of Soul? Dude hasn't released an album since 2002 and no top 10 hit for decades.
Why is MJ the King of Pop, Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad were decades ago, aint nobody patiently waiting for MJ to moonwalk.
Why is the other MJ one of the GOATS, his last ring was 98.
Why are Marvin, Hendrix, the Stones, Beatles and Miles Davis considered GOATS, some of that list are still alive so no excuse, we waiting for Hot 16's out here,,,,
Ali is still alive why is he A Great, no one has checked Ali for boxing for decades, dude got dusted by Berbick in his last fight, WTF Cassius!
Why is MJ the King of Pop, Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad were decades ago, aint nobody patiently waiting for MJ to moonwalk.
Why is the other MJ one of the GOATS, his last ring was 98.
Why are Marvin, Hendrix, the Stones, Beatles and Miles Davis considered GOATS, some of that list are still alive so no excuse, we waiting for Hot 16's out here,,,,
Ali is still alive why is he A Great, no one has checked Ali for boxing for decades, dude got dusted by Berbick in his last fight, WTF Cassius!
Hannibal Fox
Eetwidomayloh
:ohmygawd:
T.he I.nformant
1st Ballot HOF Teller
whatever is said before "but" doesnt really count, here we go...
this is so meaningless yet is the launching pad for the whole thread.
Who is waiting patiently for anyone to spit hot 16's, people can't wait patiently for anything, your fave artist could drop an album on Friday but people want the leak a week before. you think Ra should be doing mixtapes or freestyle fridays with DJ Envy
Well this is all subjective ramblings, for some reason you seem to think Ra should be doing something that as of yet no one in Hip-Hop has done, you must think he's pretty special. Still, people took time to offer their opinions and even though in your own words,
you then took time out to say....
You seem so confused, what is it you expect Rakim to be doing, and what are you basing this on?
Lemme give you some insight
This is a hip-hop message board
Here, in The Booth, we talk about rap music and the rappers who make it
This thread is about Rakim, one of rap's shining sons
Be mad about it if you want but the reality is some people still get excited over rapper's releasing music--we got a several 100-page thread about Nas and the past two years are full of posts about when Nas is dropping his next project; I just don't see much excitement over Rakim and I wonder why not
You calling the OP "subjective ramblings" is like Jay-Z stans calling Ether all lies or Nas stans saying Takeover was wack--sure, you can say those things but you know the truth is otherwise:
Fact 1: age-wise, he's actually in the same age bracket as other GOATs
Fact 2: other than the 18th Letter, he did his best work in the late in 80s and early 90s
Fact 3: for some people, the only image of Rakim is being some old head throwing shade at Nas
Fact 4: Rakim is still alive
Fact 5: he's still making music
Fact 6: he's not that popular anymore
Fact 7: I do think Ra is dope; I just wonder why he wasn't bigger longer...pause
So, in a nutshell, I'm not confused--I just summed up the major topical responses; some were pretty persuasive and compelling while others were ridiculous and/or funny
It's just this, though...if I did a poll about which 10 artists are brehs looking forward to releasing projects, Rakim probably wouldn't be on anybody's list other than @The Ruler 09 and maybe a few others--this thread is about wondering why that is given he's a GOAT still making music
Maybe, though, as I've already acknowledged, I'll have to get used to the idea of rappers growing old and not being as good as they once were or as popular as days past