Rakim breaks down some of his rhymes

[mson]

The Lyrical Soldier Returns

Interview By James Hamlett

Entertainers come and go, but there are those genuine few who leave an indelible mark on our hearts. Rakim Allah is one of those artists that will be remembered far after this time period. When Rakim came on the scene all MC's had to sit down and analyze what he was saying and how that was going to affect their style and status. You could never say Ra sounded like other MC's you heard on the radio or around your way. He was just Ra. Many of those type of rappers from around the way never get put on! For some reason the "wannabees" tend to get the recording contracts and the true pioneers only go down as neighborhood legends as in the case of many star basketball players. Aside from all of that the god is back. What you will read is one of the most intimate interviews ever with Rakim detailing aspects of his thoughts, life, lyrics and philosophies. So maintain and read it twice for maximum digestion.

JH: Where did you grow up and what are some of the things that stand out about your youth?
RAKIM: I grew up in Long Island the majority of my time. The best thing I grew up around was a musical orientated family. My whole family played instruments, my sister sings, my moms started off she was a singer back in Brooklyn. She sang from Jazz to Opera, she used to be on the radio. Coming up around that being the foundation. I had the streets smarts since I was a little kid. I always hung out with people older than me. I think it's a combination of my peoples that I grew up under, places that I hung out is what contributed to where I'm at now.

JH: What influence did your parents and family have on shaping your mind and how you see things today?
RAKIM: I owe it all to my fam. My moms and pops was real. I'm not going to say strict, but like (hits the table) upfront. They knew everything. They did the same things we did. They was on some like straight up and up. My moms being conscious of music, I guess I got the music from my moms and the street smarts and all that from my pops. I always gave my moms and pops the utmost respect. I didn't talk back to my peoples. The way they presented themselves to us, we knew. Don't talk back to moms and pops. I used to go around to my friend's crib or to my girl's crib and notice how they talk back to their people. I used to say to them, "Yo, don't talk back to your moms like that." I always had deep respect for my peoples 'cause of the love they gave me and the know how that they showed me through the years.

JH: Did your parents ever make you go to church and how did you feel about it?
RAKIM: No doubt. I used to go to church when I was real young. I used to go to church in Long Island, in Brooklyn, but I used to always sit there and feel like I was the only one there that was thinking what I was thinking. I used to look around and it seemed like everyone was paying attention. I was like scratching my head, feeling my fingers, thinking about yo what time is it. Is it time to leave? While everyone was like into it. I knew that wasn't for me. But at the same time I always had an intelligence with me, I was always in the streets, I was always trying to do good. I was always looking for something to guide me. In the beginning church wasn't it.

JH: How did you feel about the school system?
RAKIM: School was easy. It was to the point where I used to get over. I used to get over with not doing my homework or cutting class a couple of times a week. But still when it came time for a test. You know I knocked tests out! Plus the deep subjects like Science, Social Studies. I used to be able to ask the teacher a question that would shut the whole period down to the point where they're addressing my question and then got the class doing a little essay. Especially after I got knowledge of Self. It was funny because my football coach was my Science teacher. I had mad respect for him and he had mad respect for me. He gained more respect for me when I started busting his head. Dealing with the science and things of that nature. School was easy to the point where I used to always try to get over and just do enough to get by where I wouldn't get left back.

JH: What was your inspiration for writing "Eric B. Is President" and "My Melody"?
RAKIM: At that time I was fresh out the streets. The "Melody" was done 8 months before I met Eric B. That was done. Once I got with him we ran up in (the studio) and did "Eric B. Is President" right quick. At that time, I had the street views that I wanted to show, party views and science. That's why the "Melody" was so long. There was so much, its like when you introduce yourself to somebody you want to let them to know everything and the "Melody" was like, "Yo here I go." That's why I dedicated "Eric B. Is President" to my DJ. We was trying to introduce ourselves to the world.

JH: At the time and up to the present time how does the 5% wisdom affect your lyrics?
RAKIM: Allah's blessings is like everyday. I can't do nothing without mentioning ALLAH or one of his words. I can't do nothing without coming across one of his blessings or doing something and be like that's Allah talking to me or something happen to me and I say Allah gave me that. Every time I sit down and write I got to put something conscious in there. It's like I got a job now. They say that for those that know you got to deal in equality. If you know and you don't speak on it and don't apply it, it's like you're the worst hypocrite. I feel I got a job to do, being that I study so much and I believe in Allah like I do, I feel like I got to spread the word.

JH: How do you feel about other MC's that are using the same knowledge, the 5% knowledge in their lyrics? Does it seem real or does it not? Not to name names or anything like that. What's your analysis when you hear certain aspects of the lessons being thrown out there, how does it reach your heart?
RAKIM: When I first came out I was the only one. Now when I hear it, a lot of brothers, I feel good. Regardless if the person lives it or not, being that this is records, just so that the word gets heard somebody who is wise will take it and use it and apply it. You can look in a book of wrong and learn more right. If you're reading a book that has all wrong in it , you're learning what not to do. So meaning even if somebody is talking and they don't live it or whatever. The listener is going to grab it and somebody is going to say "Yo I need that and grab that jewel and live with it." It's all good.

JH: On the "Paid in Full" album you had the song "Move the Crowd". There is a line where you said, "With knowledge of self there's nothing I can't solve. At 360 degrees I revolve." With that what were you trying to break down?
RAKIM:In that right there as far as the 360 degrees, that's the ciphers that we deal with. 360 degrees is like the table that we're dealing with now. Like the tables turn. When you deal with 360 degrees it 's a complete cipher. Dealing with the knowledge that I got it teaches me how to get along in the world in any situation. With the knowledge of Self there's nothing I can't solve and 360 degrees. That means I'm complete, my ciphers complete and I'm going to keep spinning in that cipher just like the planets and the earth and things of that nature. I was trying to show and prove with knowledge you can deal with any circumference or any atmosphere or any habitat and come out the way you're supposed to come out.

JH: On the Song "Follow the Leader" on your next album you said two things: 1. "Self esteem makes me Super, Superb and Supreme" and 2."I'm here to break away the chains, take away the pains, remake the brains, rebuild my name." Break those down.
RAKIM: When you are dealing with the powers from within, super that's a word we use to describe something a little more than ordinary. You know I'm dealing with the same word forms. Superb is like excellence. Supreme is a level that you reach after you accomplish these things. I was showing and proving what Self- Esteem could do for you. I was showing and proving arts skills rhyme skills, by taking the same word and blowing it up. Super, Superb, Supreme! My skill for writing and then my know how for knowledge, that was one of my ways of combining it. Then the other one "I came to break away the chains." That's like the slavery chains. Take away the pains, remake the brains, and rebuild my name from William to Rakim. Like I said I was sent to do this. "I'm here to break away the chains, take away the pains, remake the brains." In other words, retrain people's frame of thought. Rebuilding my name from William to Rakim showing and proving that I'm aware now.

JH: On that next album LET THE RHYTHM HIT'EM you had the song "Mahogany" and you had a line that went "So I prescribed her, something to revive her, surpise her, she's liver and much more wiser, from the light I shine when a brain cells sparked." Break that down.
RAKIM: That's the science of teaching your woman. It's like the man is the captain, the women is the lieutenant and the kids are the soldiers. Like right now I'm not home with my kids. I teach my Wisdom so when I'm not there she takes care of the shorties. Just like the sun shines on the moon, and when the earth rotates and the moon is over here, and the sun is over here, and the sun and its shaded on the side we get light from the moon, showing and proving how we're symbolic to the stars and things of that nature.

JH: It's not what they call sexist.
RAKIM: Nah. With that there I prescribed her knowledge. Something to revive her, and surprise her. Now she's wiser liver, much more wiser. From the light I shine when a brain cells sparked. When her brain cell sparked, constantly so she can glow in the dark, because a woman is symbolic to the moon. I never try to disrespect women in any way. That was strictly to the mind!

 

[mson]

JH: On the next album you had a song "Casualties of War". What was the inspiration for the song?
RAKIM: That right there when I listen to it. I thought I went over there. I was feeling the whole science. War was like a thing of the past. You had little nick nacks where the president would send some soldiers here or there to hold it down. I had people that I grew up with that went to the army. My thing was like, a lot of us was over there for nothing. It wasn't even a beef between the United States and Kuwait. It was their beef. It was a man that was taking back what was rightfully his and then we get involved and send people to die for something that's not going to bring us nothing. I was dealing with it on that spec, feeling sorry for our brothers and sisters that was over there, I wanted to kind of show people what war will do to you. You could fight the war it could take one day or a year but still after that year there's many set backs and things of that nature that the individual got to deal with. Like when I said the kid came home the war was supposed to be over. I mentioned that in the joint. I said "Kamikaze's strapped in bombs, no peace in the east they want revenge for Saddam. Did I hear gun shots of thunder?"

JH: Why did you split with Eric B. and how did it affect you?
RAKIM: It came about, Eric had a little idea. He wanted to do a solo joint, and I would do a solo joint. To make a long story short he did his and when it came time to do mine he had to sign a contract. I couldn't move on until he did the contract. I was letting him know yo G you holding my whole world up. They not letting me go to the studio. They not releasing' none of my money till' this contract. I had to chase him for like 8 months. Once it went down like that - you see I'm a loyal person. If I have $10. and you don't have any and I'm going to give you $5. If there are 10 brothers and I'm the only one that got a room in the hotel or whatever it was like, nothing bothered me. I damn near gave him the spotlight and chilled in the background cause that was my stilo. He liked to be upfront. I liked to be chillin' on the down low. I used to set things up to where he was up there. As far as the cheese we was going 50/50. I wasn't complaining. People used to come up to me. Why y'all split (the money) - I said yo I wasn't planning on making a record. Eric B. came to me when I was about to go to college. Now if I was planning on making a record all my life then I would have been like I worked too hard for this - 75/25. But he came to me like yo let's do this. You I got connects. Yeah I know Marley Marl and Magic. I was like word lets do this. Now we a team now. For him to not come sign that contract when I told him dun my life is on pause right now. That showed me he ain't got the heart I had for him and like I got for others.

JH: Why the delay with the album THE 18th LETTER? Why did it take this span of time for the last album?
RAKIM: That Eric B. thing went down for like eight months. I was going to do the next album 1 year and a half after the last one dropped. The Eric B. thing took about 8 months. Once that got cleared up - 'cause MCA finally said f-k it. We just going to rip your contract up. Eric B.'s name was still on the contract. They was like we know what we're doing. I started working and the whole (MCA) staff got fired. When that happened demos got leaked out on the street. Who ever was at MCA that had access to the tapes they was selling it to mix tapes, selling it to radio. Then after that I got down with Universal in August. Everything went smooth since then.

JH: On the song the "The 18th Letter" you got two lines on there 1. you say "A fire burns in me eternally" you also say "the mind one of Allah's best designs?"
RAKIM: With that, man is symbolic to the sun. The sun is dealing with a ball of fire and didn't go out yet. Me being symbolic to the sun, that's what keeps me going, that's like my hunger. That's like my fury, my self esteem. That's the elements within me that keep my body motionable. The fire is self esteem. Inner strength.

JH: Then that other one, "the mind one of Allah's best designs."
RAKIM: When you look at everything that has been created. Everything is materialistic. As far as mans inventions. When you look at the Most Highs inventions he created the planets, he created the heavens, he created the earths. Like as far as our physical form, it's a great temple. But it has a life span and it dies. But what's powerful about the mind, the mind comes through every physical and when the physical goes the mind still exists. It 's amazing how Allah made the mind to the point where we almost alike me and you, we almost see the same. But we got different aspects of things. Certain things are what they call common sense. Allah made it like that meaning there's only one mind, be we all occupy it. Some of us dig into it a little deeper. Some of us are lazy on it. There's only one right and one wrong. That's one of "Allah's best designs, the mind will stand the test of time when I rhyme.

JH: If you were to tell the youth or anyone else about the power of the mind. What would you say, cause that seems to be the foundation of everything you've said when I think of your albums. What hits me is the power of the mind. A lot of people get caught up into technology and forget Self.
RAKIM: What I could tell them, man is exercise your mind at all times and the more they exercise it the more of their mind they could use. Right now we only use about 1/3 of our mind, if that. Everything derives from the mind. From sex to the way you want people to perceive you to anything in life, it all derives from the mind. If people start realizing this and get deeper into themselves they'll realize there's nothing that they can't do. Another thing when you get to know your self, you get to know everyone and everything on the planet. I'm you and you are me. I'm a man and you're a man. When people understand the more they know Self, the real Inner Self of themselves it's the same physical structure you've got. The same things you deal with I deal with. Everything derives from the mind. What's funny is the mind is the hardest question and I guess that's why I'm always writing about it.

JH: How do you feel about the direction the music is going lyrically? How do you feel about the skill levels of MCs today?
RAKIM: As far as the music, some of the music not the pre-made hits the songs that were hits already. Some of them sound good. As far as the rhymes, people are definitely using more skills, but sometimes the lyrical content it might not make people understand my man is nice. If he's talking about the same thing every body else is talking about that kind of takes away from some of the props. I feel the whole game got better. The only thing is that some of our lyrical content needs more of a balance, more of a scale, so people won't get tired. So if someone wants to drop a joint on how f-ked up the ghetto is or how f-ked up life is. People would respect it if you don't do 10 joints on your album like that. Mix it up and when you do come with that they respect you. When you drown them with it they tend to be like AAHH!! I definitely think it got more skillful and brothers got more colorful. It's going up, but we got to fix the lyrical content so people can start respecting us as artists not just as rappers or thugs off the corner making a record.

JH: How has life changed for you from the first single up to right now? How are you different?
RAKIM: I'm more humble now. Before I made a record I didn't care how my man perceived me. If I wanted to say some thing to somebody in a certain way. I said it! Now being that I'm an artist I learned to be humble. I learned to watch what I say. I learned to pay attention more. It's like a big difference man. Sometimes people say yo do you think rap changed you. No doubt it changed me. If I wasn't making records I'd still be hanging every night. Like I got kids too. Back in the days before I had kids I'd jump in my Benz and be a little moe'd up. Get on the highway and do 110. Not caring. But now I got kids and I'm more wise now. Life means more to me than having fun. I'm more calm, more wise, and more cautious. When you come out the streets. I ain't braggin'. I never sold drugs but I kept a joint on me. I got arrested plenty of times back when I was a juvenile. Not saying I was a bad ass. I was a juvenile coming' out to the city, to do MC conventions that Mike & Dave was doing. I had to hold myself down. Now I put the gat up. I chill. I pay more attention to life.

JH: What are five books you would recommend to read?
RAKIM: Message to the Black Man, Theology of Time, 120 Degrees Lessons, the Quran and the Bible. Read the Bible so they could understand the similarities where the bible got its history and its knowledge from. There's things in the Bible when you read the Quran there different wordings. The Quran is dealing with the Most High and the Bible is dealing with God. If they read them both and put it together they'll know what the true culture is. But definitely the Message to the Blackman, Theology of Time, 120 degree lessons, the Quran and the Bible.


Rakim Interview Part 2

 

[Rakim Allah]

JH: On the next album you had a song "Casualties of War". What was the inspiration for the song?
RAKIM: That right there when I listen to it. I thought I went over there. I was feeling the whole science. War was like a thing of the past. You had little nick nacks where the president would send some soldiers here or there to hold it down. I had people that I grew up with that went to the army. My thing was like, a lot of us was over there for nothing. It wasn't even a beef between the United States and Kuwait. It was their beef. It was a man that was taking back what was rightfully his and then we get involved and send people to die for something that's not going to bring us nothing. I was dealing with it on that spec, feeling sorry for our brothers and sisters that was over there, I wanted to kind of show people what war will do to you. You could fight the war it could take one day or a year but still after that year there's many set backs and things of that nature that the individual got to deal with. Like when I said the kid came home the war was supposed to be over. I mentioned that in the joint. I said "Kamikaze's strapped in bombs, no peace in the east they want revenge for Saddam. Did I hear gun shots of thunder?"

JH: Why did you split with Eric B. and how did it affect you?
RAKIM: It came about, Eric had a little idea. He wanted to do a solo joint, and I would do a solo joint. To make a long story short he did his and when it came time to do mine he had to sign a contract. I couldn't move on until he did the contract. I was letting him know yo G you holding my whole world up. They not letting me go to the studio. They not releasing' none of my money till' this contract. I had to chase him for like 8 months. Once it went down like that - you see I'm a loyal person. If I have $10. and you don't have any and I'm going to give you $5. If there are 10 brothers and I'm the only one that got a room in the hotel or whatever it was like, nothing bothered me. I damn near gave him the spotlight and chilled in the background cause that was my stilo. He liked to be upfront. I liked to be chillin' on the down low. I used to set things up to where he was up there. As far as the cheese we was going 50/50. I wasn't complaining. People used to come up to me. Why y'all split (the money) - I said yo I wasn't planning on making a record. Eric B. came to me when I was about to go to college. Now if I was planning on making a record all my life then I would have been like I worked too hard for this - 75/25. But he came to me like yo let's do this. You I got connects. Yeah I know Marley Marl and Magic. I was like word lets do this. Now we a team now. For him to not come sign that contract when I told him dun my life is on pause right now. That showed me he ain't got the heart I had for him and like I got for others.

JH: Why the delay with the album THE 18th LETTER? Why did it take this span of time for the last album?
RAKIM: That Eric B. thing went down for like eight months. I was going to do the next album 1 year and a half after the last one dropped. The Eric B. thing took about 8 months. Once that got cleared up - 'cause MCA finally said f-k it. We just going to rip your contract up. Eric B.'s name was still on the contract. They was like we know what we're doing. I started working and the whole (MCA) staff got fired. When that happened demos got leaked out on the street. Who ever was at MCA that had access to the tapes they was selling it to mix tapes, selling it to radio. Then after that I got down with Universal in August. Everything went smooth since then.

JH: On the song the "The 18th Letter" you got two lines on there 1. you say "A fire burns in me eternally" you also say "the mind one of Allah's best designs?"
RAKIM: With that, man is symbolic to the sun. The sun is dealing with a ball of fire and didn't go out yet. Me being symbolic to the sun, that's what keeps me going, that's like my hunger. That's like my fury, my self esteem. That's the elements within me that keep my body motionable. The fire is self esteem. Inner strength.

JH: Then that other one, "the mind one of Allah's best designs."
RAKIM: When you look at everything that has been created. Everything is materialistic. As far as mans inventions. When you look at the Most Highs inventions he created the planets, he created the heavens, he created the earths. Like as far as our physical form, it's a great temple. But it has a life span and it dies. But what's powerful about the mind, the mind comes through every physical and when the physical goes the mind still exists. It 's amazing how Allah made the mind to the point where we almost alike me and you, we almost see the same. But we got different aspects of things. Certain things are what they call common sense. Allah made it like that meaning there's only one mind, be we all occupy it. Some of us dig into it a little deeper. Some of us are lazy on it. There's only one right and one wrong. That's one of "Allah's best designs, the mind will stand the test of time when I rhyme.

JH: If you were to tell the youth or anyone else about the power of the mind. What would you say, cause that seems to be the foundation of everything you've said when I think of your albums. What hits me is the power of the mind. A lot of people get caught up into technology and forget Self.
RAKIM: What I could tell them, man is exercise your mind at all times and the more they exercise it the more of their mind they could use. Right now we only use about 1/3 of our mind, if that. Everything derives from the mind. From sex to the way you want people to perceive you to anything in life, it all derives from the mind. If people start realizing this and get deeper into themselves they'll realize there's nothing that they can't do. Another thing when you get to know your self, you get to know everyone and everything on the planet. I'm you and you are me. I'm a man and you're a man. When people understand the more they know Self, the real Inner Self of themselves it's the same physical structure you've got. The same things you deal with I deal with. Everything derives from the mind. What's funny is the mind is the hardest question and I guess that's why I'm always writing about it.

JH: How do you feel about the direction the music is going lyrically? How do you feel about the skill levels of MCs today?
RAKIM: As far as the music, some of the music not the pre-made hits the songs that were hits already. Some of them sound good. As far as the rhymes, people are definitely using more skills, but sometimes the lyrical content it might not make people understand my man is nice. If he's talking about the same thing every body else is talking about that kind of takes away from some of the props. I feel the whole game got better. The only thing is that some of our lyrical content needs more of a balance, more of a scale, so people won't get tired. So if someone wants to drop a joint on how f-ked up the ghetto is or how f-ked up life is. People would respect it if you don't do 10 joints on your album like that. Mix it up and when you do come with that they respect you. When you drown them with it they tend to be like AAHH!! I definitely think it got more skillful and brothers got more colorful. It's going up, but we got to fix the lyrical content so people can start respecting us as artists not just as rappers or thugs off the corner making a record.

JH: How has life changed for you from the first single up to right now? How are you different?
RAKIM: I'm more humble now. Before I made a record I didn't care how my man perceived me. If I wanted to say some thing to somebody in a certain way. I said it! Now being that I'm an artist I learned to be humble. I learned to watch what I say. I learned to pay attention more. It's like a big difference man. Sometimes people say yo do you think rap changed you. No doubt it changed me. If I wasn't making records I'd still be hanging every night. Like I got kids too. Back in the days before I had kids I'd jump in my Benz and be a little moe'd up. Get on the highway and do 110. Not caring. But now I got kids and I'm more wise now. Life means more to me than having fun. I'm more calm, more wise, and more cautious. When you come out the streets. I ain't braggin'. I never sold drugs but I kept a joint on me. I got arrested plenty of times back when I was a juvenile. Not saying I was a bad ass. I was a juvenile coming' out to the city, to do MC conventions that Mike & Dave was doing. I had to hold myself down. Now I put the gat up. I chill. I pay more attention to life.

JH: What are five books you would recommend to read?
RAKIM: Message to the Black Man, Theology of Time, 120 Degrees Lessons, the Quran and the Bible. Read the Bible so they could understand the similarities where the bible got its history and its knowledge from. There's things in the Bible when you read the Quran there different wordings. The Quran is dealing with the Most High and the Bible is dealing with God. If they read them both and put it together they'll know what the true culture is. But definitely the Message to the Blackman, Theology of Time, 120 degree lessons, the Quran and the Bible.


Rakim Interview Part 2

This interview is one of many reasons why Rakim is my favorite EMCEE EVER.

 

[TELL ME YA CHEESIN FAM?]

 

[JulesWinfield]

 

[mson]

This interview is one of many reasons why Rakim is my favorite EMCEE EVER.

 

[JuvenileHell]

Name a rapper the R ain't influence

 

[RedBull]

Name a rapper the R ain't influence

KRS One
Kane

 

[mson]

KRS One
Kane

 

[Greenscar]

JH: On the "Paid in Full" album you had the song "Move the Crowd". There is a line where you said, "With knowledge of self there's nothing I can't solve. At 360 degrees I revolve." With that what were you trying to break down?
RAKIM:In that right there as far as the 360 degrees, that's the ciphers that we deal with. 360 degrees is like the table that we're dealing with now. Like the tables turn. When you deal with 360 degrees it 's a complete cipher. Dealing with the knowledge that I got it teaches me how to get along in the world in any situation. With the knowledge of Self there's nothing I can't solve and 360 degrees. That means I'm complete, my ciphers complete and I'm going to keep spinning in that cipher just like the planets and the earth and things of that nature. I was trying to show and prove with knowledge you can deal with any circumference or any atmosphere or any habitat and come out the way you're supposed to come out.

JH: On the Song "Follow the Leader" on your next album you said two things: 1. "Self esteem makes me Super, Superb and Supreme" and 2."I'm here to break away the chains, take away the pains, remake the brains, rebuild my name." Break those down.
RAKIM: When you are dealing with the powers from within, super that's a word we use to describe something a little more than ordinary. You know I'm dealing with the same word forms. Superb is like excellence. Supreme is a level that you reach after you accomplish these things. I was showing and proving what Self- Esteem could do for you. I was showing and proving arts skills rhyme skills, by taking the same word and blowing it up. Super, Superb, Supreme! My skill for writing and then my know how for knowledge, that was one of my ways of combining it. Then the other one "I came to break away the chains." That's like the slavery chains. Take away the pains, remake the brains, and rebuild my name from William to Rakim. Like I said I was sent to do this. "I'm here to break away the chains, take away the pains, remake the brains." In other words, retrain people's frame of thought. Rebuilding my name from William to Rakim showing and proving that I'm aware now.

JH: On that next album LET THE RHYTHM HIT'EM you had the song "Mahogany" and you had a line that went "So I prescribed her, something to revive her, surpise her, she's liver and much more wiser, from the light I shine when a brain cells sparked." Break that down.
RAKIM: That's the science of teaching your woman. It's like the man is the captain, the women is the lieutenant and the kids are the soldiers. Like right now I'm not home with my kids. I teach my Wisdom so when I'm not there she takes care of the shorties. Just like the sun shines on the moon, and when the earth rotates and the moon is over here, and the sun is over here, and the sun and its shaded on the side we get light from the moon, showing and proving how we're symbolic to the stars and things of that nature.

JH: It's not what they call sexist.
RAKIM: Nah. With that there I prescribed her knowledge. Something to revive her, and surprise her. Now she's wiser liver, much more wiser. From the light I shine when a brain cells sparked. When her brain cell sparked, constantly so she can glow in the dark, because a woman is symbolic to the moon. I never try to disrespect women in any way. That was strictly to the mind!

I always wondered why more interviewers didn't ask him to elaborate on his lyrics more. Nice to see that happening here.

 

[Rakim Allah]

...

 

[IronFist]

going to have to come back and read this. props OP

 

[mson]

going to have to come back and read this. props OP