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Rakim Album: “The 18th Letter/The Book of Life”
 Description :
THE 18TH LETTER: THE BOOK OF LIFE is a two disc set containing a full album of new material and a greatest hits collection on the second disc.
<p>Personnel: Rakim (rap vocals); Eric B. (rap vocals, programming); Pete Rock (piano, programming, scratches); DJ Clark Kent (programming, scratches); DJ Premier, Father Shah, Nick Wiz (programming).
<p>Producers include: Rakim, Pete Rock, Eric B., DJ Clark Kent, DJ Premier.
<p>Compilation producer: Kathy Baylor.
<p>Engineers include: Patrick Adams, Ralph Sutton, Carlton Batts.
<p>All tracks have been digitally remastered.
<p>Lyrically, Rakim is the one rapper who defies comparison. His recordings with Eric B. have had a lasting impact on hip-hop culture, and he is arguably the best MC ever to wield a microphone. After a four-year hiatus, Rakim is back with his first solo album, THE 18TH LETTER: BOOK OF LIFE. A double-CD that features one disc of greatest hits and one of new material, this release puts Rakim back in the game once again.
<p>The greatest hits disc provides a Hip-Hop 101 course, establishing the essential components of the genre that Rakim has mastered. On the new cuts, he continues to school listeners. He's paired here with some of hip-hop's hottest producers, including DJ Premier, DJ Clark Kent & Pete Rock. And while Rakim has stepped up the production, his lyrical content hasn't changed much, and is still far more complex than that of most other rappers.
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Track Listing :
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Album Information :
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The 18th Letter/The Book of Life |
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UPC:601215311129
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Format:CD
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Type:Performer
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Genre:R&B - Rap
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Artist:Rakim
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Guest Artists:Eric B.; DJ Clark Kent; Pete Rock
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Label:Universal Records (USA)
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Distributed:Universal Distribution
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Release Date:1997/11/04
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Original Release Year:1997
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Discs:2
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Mono / Stereo:Stereo
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Studio / Live:Studio
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Customer review - March 23, 2006
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
- Yove got some nerve!
i saw that a reviewer a little bit below me on February 13, 2006 said that Rakim was awful! What is that about! He even has the nerve to say that Jeezy is a better rapper than Rakim! That is just a joke! Jeezy is one of the most generic and worst rappers out there today! Rakim was one of the first great rappers, and any rap expert would say that he is one of the top 5 easily. Every song on the compilation is a classic! Ive only heard a couple of songs on the 18th Letter disc, but they were great! That guy has no right to say that Rakim sucks, because he has amazing lyrics, great flow, songs that mean something, and eric b. gave him great beats when they were together. Its people like that guy that cause rap to be in the situation that it is in today. Oh, and by the way, he also gave the Black Star album 1 star (another classic). Just get this cd, and don't listen to people like him, because they have no idea what good music is! 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
- Great Album
Apparently some fool had the guts to compare Young Jeezy to Rakim. Young Jeezy is your typical disposable rapper who is going to be forgotten about next month. Unlike Jeezy, Rakim contains substance. From "Guess whos back" to "it's been a long time", Rakim lays down lyrics like none other. Jeezy's lyrics are all terrible similies refering to crack and cocaine and how he's the snowman. Well Rakim is the sun and he is melting Jeezy's ass! 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
- A great album fron the greatest rapper of all time.
This album is a must-have, especially for real hip-hop enthusiasts like myself, who enjoy excellent lyricism over gangsta crap. It contains his classics, among them being "Paid In Full", "My Melody", "I Ain't No Joke", and many others.
I suggect this to anyone who think real hip-hop is rapping about rims, girls, drugs, gangstas, etc, etc. It'll wake them up to real hip-hop.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
- RAKIM IS ON DA MIC!
This album is astonishing. One of the best hip-hop albums I've ever bought. (And BELIEVE ME I've bought a LOT of hip-hop records.) The best way to listen to this album is to listen to the "Book of Life" CD first, to catch up on the classics. Or, if you consider yourself to a be a hip-hop fan and NOT like Rakim, YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO SOME REAL HIP HOP! But anyway, listen to "The Book of Life" to bring back some memories and then listen to the new album. I was surprised. I thought that, considering Rakim hadn't rocked tha mic for about six years, he might have lost his touch. NOPE! As a matter of fact, he's still got MAD SKILLS, but now he's picked up some wisdom. He's become a wise man. HE IS THE MASTER. Songs like "I Know you Got Soul", "Eric B. is President", "Microphone Fiend", "Know the Ledge" and "Paid in Full" show Rakim at his best. Cuz' I'm not gonna lie and say that Rakim's new album is better than his new stuff. But's he's close. He is SO MUCH better than all of these rappers today, you can't even compare them. And yes, Rakim of '89 might be a little better than Rakim of today, but Rakim of today is still one of the best rockin' the mic. Listen to the songs "18th Letter", "It's Been A Long Time" (The best track on the album), "Guess Who's Back", "Stay A While", "New York (Ya Out There)", and "The Mystery". ("The Mystery" is an excellant track about religious beliefs and philosophy, which could be pulled off by no other rapper other than Rakim). Overall, I give this album 10 STARS! And it deserves all of them.
(Rakim'll say) PEACE!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
- Don't knock what you can't recognise...
I don't know. Maybe people are too used to all the gangsta s**t. Maybe they just don't remember. But this. This is part of the real talent that should have more props to stand up on.
They say that they are real Hip Hop heads. They say that Rakim let himself down, that he'd lost it.
Well he hadn't.
This album goes to show that you can come back. Maybe not brighter, maybe not better. But with as much respect, and as good cuts, as the first time. Besides, how can they say that the album isn't as good as the original joints when on half of the album are the original joints.
I bet they were bouncing your head to "Guess Who's Back" before they even bothered to check it.
Shut up, sit back and listen to it. You may realise that Ra is talking a lot more sense than the critics.
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