Review Summary: A hip-hop masterpiece.
#228 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the greatest albums of all time.
Eric B And Rakim, is the best MC/DJ duo in hip-hop, and one of the best duos in hip-hop overall, and this album is one of the reasons why. As a matter of fact, Rakim was ranked #1 on the about.com list of the best emcees, a very true statement, and this album is one of the reasons why, another bonus, is that Rakim got great beats by Eric B. Also, Eric B And Rakim was ranked #3 on the about.com list of the best duos in hip-hop, again proving how good Eric B And Rakim are. This album was ranked #228 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the greatest albums of all time, the ninth highest ranked hip-hop album on the list, #1 being It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back by Public Enemy, #2 being Late Registration by Kanye West, #3 being Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C, #4 being Ready To Die by Notorious B.I.G, #5 being The Chronic by Dr Dre, #6 being The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest, #7 being Paul's Boutique by Beastie Boys, and #8 being Licenced To Ill by Beastie Boys, although Paid In Full is better than all of those albums, it still proves how good Eric B And Rakim. Also, I Know You Got Soul, which is on this album, was ranked #396 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the greatest songs of all time, the tenth highest rated hip-hop song on the list, #1 being Bring The Noise by Public Enemy, #2 being 99 Problems by Jay-Z, #3 being Hey Ya by Outkast, #4 being Paper Planes by M.I.A, #5 being Jesus Walks by Kanye West, #6 being Walk This Way by Run-D.M.C, #7 being Stan by Eminem, #8 being Fight The Power by Public Enemy, and #9 being California Love by 2Pac, and although I think that I Know You Got Soul is better than almost all of those songs, it still proves how good that the song. Also, Paid In Full, was ranked #3, on the about.com list of the best hip-hop albums of all time. Now let's get started with the track by track review.
1. I Ain't No Joke: A great way to start this classic album. A brilliant song lyrically. One of the best songs by Eric B And Rakim. This song has been sampled in songs such as, The Boy Is Dope by Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, Hardcore Rap Act by Das EFX, Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy) by Big Punisher, and plenty of other songs. 5/5
2. Eric B Is On The Cut: Just a beat.
3. My Melody: A brilliant song lyrically. One of the best songs by Eric B And Rakim. This song has been sampled in songs such as, 8 Ball by N.W.A, Eazy Duz It by Eazy-E, Cool V's Tribute To Scratching by Biz Markie, We Can Get Down by A Tribe Called Quest, Out For Fame by KRS-One, Concrete Schoolyard by Jurassic 5, I'm Back by Eminem, Spartibus by Canibus, Queens Get The Money By Nas, and plenty of other songs. 5/5
4. I Know You Got Soul: A brilliant song lyrically. One of the best songs by Eric B And Rakim. This song has been sampled in songs such as, This Is Where You Got It From by Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, You Gots To Chill by EPMD, Gold by Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, Wontu by Das EFX, Can't Knock The Hustle by Jay-Z, Love by Mos Def, Habitat by Mos Def, 2000 B.C (Before Canibus) by Canibus, Battle Song by Deltron 3030, Uh Oh by Talib Kweli, and plenty of other songs. 5/5
5. Move The Crowd: A brilliant song lyrically. One of the best songs by Eric B And Rakim. This song has been sampled in songs such as Ghost Deini by Ghostface Killah, and plenty of other songs. 5/5
6. Paid In Full: A brilliant song, about trying to make some money by rhyming. One of the best songs by Eric B And Rakim. This song has been sampled in songs such as, Hip-Hop by Mos Def, and plenty of other songs. 5/5
7. As The Rhyme Goes On: A brilliant song, that features samples of Hold It, Now Hit It by Beastie Boys, and other songs. This song has been sampled in songs such as, The Way I Am by Eminem, Got Urself A Gun by Nas, You're Da Man by Nas, and plenty of other songs. 5/5
8. Chinese Arithmetic: Just a beat.
9. Eric B Is President: A brilliant song. One of the best songs by Eric B And Rakim. This song has been sampled in songs such as, Mister Cee's Master Plan by Big Daddy Kane, Piano by Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, Sleepin On The Couch by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, The Illest Brother by Gang Starr, East Coast by Das EFX, Old School by 2Pac, Sonset by Ras Kass, and plenty of other songs. 5/5
10. Extended Beat: Just a beat.
Bottom line is, that Rakim is the best emcee of all time, and this album is one of the reasons why.
3 Best Songs:
1. Eric B Is President
2. My Melody
3. I Ain't No Joke
3 Weakest Songs:
Honestly this was really hard, but here they are :( (They are still classic songs, but just by technical default, they are the weakest, and I'm not including the instrumental songs)
1. As the Rhyme Goes On
2. Paid In Full
3. Move the Crowd
