Black Entertainment : Rakim speaking on eminem

[abstract219]

Rakim on Em


Well, i gotta say i liked Em's first 2 albums. i thought they were funny, from a demented point of view..........then he went and tried to be conscious, and that lost me.......but i do respect Em's skills. He is very clear on a topic when he is focused. I gotta respect his flow.....he's was just a throw back to the Beastie Boys, being a snotty white kid. And i agree with others, that white boy in Company Flow is infinitely better than EM, but some times I have trouble understanding him.

The Microphone Fiend, Rakim is the greatest ive heard. He consistently displays a viciousness when it comes to rhythm, verbal gymnastics, and metaphors......he just simply slays a beat.......his motive for saying this, well we dont know. I could be for a deal, or it could be another artist giving another one props......and even if he ended up on Dre's label, hell, i would welcome that, just another chance to hear him work with a top flight producer.....i aint mad at him, brotha's gotta eat.

Ok...Rakim praised EM......does that diminsh what Rakim has accomplished? Because he praised Em a little too much, does that remove his title in the world of hip hop? Is he no longer the God, just because of this silly little remark? Is this based on race or actual fact? Lack of skin color or lyrical skill? If you praise a white boy, does that mean you are no longer black? Or must be knocked down a notch, even though Rakim's track record proves you are one of the tightest rappers ever?.........****, we got to ease up on each other.

Ahhh...Tupac. Tupac was good. But he was not Rakim. Rakim would go absolutely mystical on you. Im not ready to go back on my word, just cause Rakim made a silly comment to the media. Im not ready to place Rakim behind Tupac, just because he made some dumb comment. Do you lose your marketing job to the janitor because you made one silly comment? Does that same comment cause you to be less "black?" I just line the tracks up and let the best man win.

And that would be Rakim.


I mean how far can we go with this?

 

[Omowale Jabali]

Well, i gotta say i liked Em's first 2 albums. i thought they were funny, from a demented point of view..........then he went and tried to be conscious, and that lost me.......but i do respect Em's skills. He is very clear on a topic when he is focused. I gotta respect his flow.....he's was just a throw back to the Beastie Boys, being a snotty white kid. And i agree with others, that white boy in Company Flow is infinitely better than EM, but some times I have trouble understanding him.

The Microphone Fiend, Rakim is the greatest ive heard. He consistently displays a viciousness when it comes to rhythm, verbal gymnastics, and metaphors......he just simply slays a beat.......his motive for saying this, well we dont know. I could be for a deal, or it could be another artist giving another one props......and even if he ended up on Dre's label, hell, i would welcome that, just another chance to hear him work with a top flight producer.....i aint mad at him, brotha's gotta eat.

Ok...Rakim praised EM......does that diminsh what Rakim has accomplished? Because he praised Em a little too much, does that remove his title in the world of hip hop? Is he no longer the God, just because of this silly little remark? Is this based on race or actual fact? Lack of skin color or lyrical skill? If you praise a white boy, does that mean you are no longer black? Or must be knocked down a notch, even though Rakim's track record proves you are one of the tightest rappers ever?.........****, we got to ease up on each other.

Ahhh...Tupac. Tupac was good. But he was not Rakim. Rakim would go absolutely mystical on you. Im not ready to go back on my word, just cause Rakim made a silly comment to the media. Im not ready to place Rakim behind Tupac, just because he made some dumb comment. Do you lose your marketing job to the janitor because you made one silly comment? Does that same comment cause you to be less "black?" I just line the tracks up and let the best man win.

And that would be Rakim.


I mean how far can we go with this?

"Tupac was good. But he was not Rakim."

You got that right. At least Tupac was consistently inconsistent. But tell me...when did Rakim EVER release any SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS material...and how much within the past 9 years???

Did Ra Allah EVER make an LP that even approached "2Pacalypse Now"??

 

[abstract219]

In all due respect......

ok...omowale...this is off the topic but im gonna address it.

look thruout his whole catalog....or just "google" his lyric sheets.
Rakim spoke of a lot of things, not just "social consciousness".....i think he, as a 5%, pushed more of a inner consciousness, leading to a social consciousness......as the way it should be. But to answer you...check out "Know the Ledge"....or "Teach the Children"...or the "18th Letter"

whether or not he made a album approaching "2pacalypse now" or "the makevelli album"......is, as you know, dependent on a matter of taste. This is all subjective, depending on our own viewpoint, likes and dislikes. And we all are entitled to our opinions concerning these artists...as you know.

If you are talking about sales and Soundscan numbers, no...Rakim did not make a "2pacalypes now"......But Im not talking about numbers. But in terms of approaches to the art form of hip hop, I feel Rakim was a overlooked innovator.

One man's trash is another man's diamond.

But the point of the thread was Rakim's discussion on EM. And I feel he's entitled to those opinions. And I also feel that the media seems to jump on this topic to, again, draw distinctions between us. His mentioning of Muhammad Ali is just facetious. Just a toss-in, a weak metaphor.

The question is....does Rakim's comments on EM diminish his place in hip hop history?

 

[Omowale Jabali]

ok...omowale

look thruout his whole catalog....or just "google" his lyric sheets.
Rakim spoke of a lot of things, not just "social consciousness".....i think he, as a 5%, pushed more of a inner consciousness, leading to a social consciousness......as the way it should be.

whether or not he made a album approaching "2pacalypse now" or "the makevelli album"......is, as you know, dependent on a matter of taste. This is all subjective, depending on our own viewpoint, likes and dislikes. And we all are entitled to our opinions concerning these artists...as you know.

If you are talking about sales and Soundscan numbers, no...Rakim did not make a "2pacalypes now"......But Im not talking about numbers. But in terms of approaches to the art form of hip hop, I feel Rakim was a overlooked innovator.

One man's trash is another man's diamond.

You know, in an earlier post I did say that I had once had a higher esteem for Rakim so the comment "One man's trash is another man's diamond" does not apply to my comments. And, in reference to "2Pacalypse Now" I am not speaking of record sales. It was an earlier release from Pac which was evident of his Revolutionary POTENTIAL..yet I am questioning what exactly is this "social consciousness" that Ra's lyricism actually led to..

And I am not merely speaking "subjectively"...I am looking at the effect that each man had, as a complete ENTERTAINER on the Black community, as a whole..

If Rakim was overlooked, which I don't personally believe is the case, perhaps it is because his career lacked LONGEVITY...

He briefly made a comeback with Truth Hurts' single but what has he done since...??

 

[abstract219]

The R hasnt done much lately. But that doesnt diffuse the legacy. Like Pac, his prior work is worthy of study.

But Pac hasnt done anything lately either.
Cause he's dead.
It's just old, inferior outtakes and remixes people are hearing now.
Same with Biggie.

"Potential", from a realist point of view, is unfulfilled wishes. It is what could be, not what is.

Pac was a entertainer, not a revolutionary. He sold records, did shows. He didnt develop breakfast programs for poor kids, or petition the UN concerning racism in America...didnt march on nothing, didnt get arrested for civil disobedience...but he did get arrested for other criimes....to put him in the realm of "revolutionary"...is just star-eyed dreaming.

His effect as a "complete Entertainer"....well to me, Prince is a "complete entertainer." Alicia Keys is a "complete entertainer"...Stevie Wonder is a "complete entertainer"....Some one who can play a instrument, write music and lyrics independent of sampling machines, other's record loops, etc...that's a "complete entertainer".......lPac was a hip hop star. 2 different things there.
And his "effect on the black community as a whole".....well, there was a lot of negativity Pac projected on the "black community" when he signed with Death Row. Talk of "b-tches suckin his d-K"...."shootin n*ggas" and the like......hardly revolutionary...hardly the impact i think you're looking for.

Truthfully, both Rakim and Pac are to be respected. Again, I love them both...but this thread was about Rakim's comments towards Em.

But again, does Rakim's comments concerning EM reduce is impact on hip hop.


Tell me what you think.