Rakim - Rapper
Age: 57
Country: United States Occupations:
Rapper
Domains:
Hip-hop Music
Widely regarded as one of the most influential MCs in hip-hop history, Rakim (born William Michael Griffin Jr.) is celebrated for revolutionizing the art of lyricism.
Rising to fame in the late 1980s as half of the duo Eric B. & Rakim, he transformed rap from simple, rhythmic rhyming into a complex art form. He is best known for:
Internal Rhyme Schemes: He introduced intricate patterns and multisyllabic rhymes that moved beyond basic end-of-line rhyming.
The "God MC": His calm, effortless delivery and intellectual depth earned him this nickname, setting the standard for technical mastery.
Flow: Inspired by jazz instrumentation (particularly the saxophone), his "relaxed" flow changed how rappers interacted with a beat.
Classic Works: His debut album, Paid in Full (1987), is frequently cited as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.