CLUBS

He’s the rapper’s rapper and a key influence on the likes of Tricky and Massive Attack. Rakim takes Stephen Dalton down memory lane.

Many years have passed since the East Coast hip-hop legend Rakim last brought his sleek, poised, laidback lyrical skills to Britain. Rightly revered for his pinpoint poetic precision and velvet-smooth flow, the 43-year-old Long Island native remains one of the most celebrated MCs ever to hold a microphone. A rapper’s rapper, he is imitated and admired by superstar fans, even if he never quite achieved the mainstream success predicted for him during hip-hop’s late-80s golden age.

Rakim’s enduring reputation also extends beyond US hip-hop. His ice-cool, understated delivery certainly influenced Tricky and Massive Attack. “He wrote some of the best lyrics ever written,” Tricky says. “That’s the simple reason I'm into Rakim: he’s a genius. He was a new breed of rapper, he created a totally new era.”

Heading for Bristol on 7 May, the soft-spoken Rakim chats to Venue down the line from New York. “I haven’t been over there in so long, man,” he says. “I almost want to start from scratch with everybody and just take them on a trip through memory lane, and hit them with newer joints as well. I’m gonna do a little bit of everything and just have some fun.”

Born Michael William Griffin, the spiritually motivated rapper adopted the name Rakim Allah after joining the Nation of Islam offshoot the Five Per Cent Nation in his late teens. His musical reputation rests largely on his four albums with DJ Eric B, beginning with the old-school hip-hop classic ‘Paid in Full’ in 1987. This million-selling milestone spawned a single of the same name, a sumptuous Coldcut remix which became a Top 20 hit and helped put US rap on the UK map.

Alas, the partnership ended acrimoniously in 1992 after the DJ refused to sign a legal release allowing Rakim to make solo records. The subsequent court case wrecked his working relationship with Eric B for good. “I consider him a friend but we don’t speak too much,” Rakim sighs. “The way we parted ways left a bitter taste in my mouth, and my best way to deal with it is to leave it alone. I wish him the best but we kind of burnt that bridge down.”

Since splitting from Eric B, Rakim has enjoyed a chequered career. Unlucky with record labels and studio collaborators, he has released only three solo albums since 1992. Meanwhile, his high standing among hip-hop connoisseurs has only grown. A regular in polls of the greatest ever rappers, he has been feted in musical tributes from the likes of Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas, 50 Cent and dozens more.

“Unfortunately, I can’t get cash for that reputation,” Rakim laughs. “But the bank that I do take it to is the respect bank, you know? Some of the artists you just named are at a level where they don’t really have to give out homage to nobody, so to get that from them is a blessing. It just lets me know that I did something right – I’m not sure exactly what, but it’s good to know.”

Following his British dates, Rakim is planning a 25th anniversary edition of ‘Paid In Full’, followed by a new solo album. This, he says cryptically, may even be his last. “I just want to complete the legacy, man,” he explains. “I feel like I’ve been stagnating for long periods with no albums in between. I’ve got so much to say and so little time, so I just want to get it done. I want to kind of put the cap on everything so, if this is my last album, I have no regrets.”

RAKIM PLAYED THE 02 ACADEMY, BRISTOL ON 7 MAY. SEE http://www.o2academybristol.co.uk/ FFI.

Copyright Stephen Dalton 2011