Rakim Net Worth, Money and More

By anmol sabherwal | March 5, 2014 0 Comments

Net worth: $ 5 Million

Rakim is a legendary Rapper from the Golden age hip hop days. His real name is William Michael Griffin Jr. He is one half of the famous Golden age Hip Hop Duo, Eric B. & Rakim. He is often regarded as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. His album, Paid in full, was regarded as the best Hip-Hop album by MTV in 2006. He was ranked number 4 on the MTV’s list of the greatest MCs of all time. Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, “Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs — perhaps the greatest — of all time within the hip-hop community.” The source magazine named him #1 on their list of the Best lyricists of all time. He is the nephew of the famous R&B singer, Ruth Brown. He indulged in the Hip-Hop scene at the age of 18. He was earlier known as Kid Wizard. He converted to Islam at the age of sixteen and adopted the name, Rakim Allah. Rakim met Eric B. and they first recorded the single named , ” Eric B. IS PRESIDENT”. The single was heard by the owner of Island records and they were instantly signed.

Music Career

In 1987, the Duo released their first album, Paid in full, and it went on to become one of the most influential hip hop album of all time. “Eric B. Is President”, “I Ain’t No Joke”, “I Know You Got Soul”, “Move the Crowd”, and “Paid in Full” were a few popular singles from the album. Follow the Leader was the second album by  Eric B. & Rakim and was released July 25, 1988. The album achieved a moderate Success and sold more than five hundred thousand copies. It was declared gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. s ‘Microphone Fiend,’ ‘Lyrics of Fury,’ and ‘No Competition.’ were the famous tracks of the album. Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em was the third album released by Eric B. & Rakim and was released in 1990. It was lyrically more coherent than the previous albums by the duo. It received rave reviews from the critics for it’s dense lyrics. Don’t Sweat the Technique was the last album declared by the legendary Duo in  1992. It was a minor hit. The duo separated because of legal and personal troubles thereafter.

As a solo artist Rakim released albums such as 1997 ‘The 18th Letter’, 1999 The Master, 2008 The Archive: Live, Lost & Found, and 2009 The Seventh Seal. Rakim’s solo effort was critically accepted. He worked with Dr. Dre as well for a while but they separated because of creative differences. About his album The Seventh Seal, Rakim once said, he number 7 has a lot of significance. The seventh letter of the [Supreme] alphabet is G—that stands for God. There are seven continents, seven seas. The Seventh Seal deals with that and also some revelations in the Bible. Some call it the end of the world, but for me it’s the end of the old and the beginning of the new. By me naming my album that, I’m using it metaphorically in hip hop. I’m hoping to kill the old state of hip hop and start with the new.” He also appeared on Eminem’s 8 mile soundtrack. He once said, “The seals are from the Bible—Revelations and the coming of the Apocalypse. But Islam, Judaism, Christianity—all have a version of the same events. The Lion of Judah breaks the seven seals one by one, each imparting knowledge and inflicting catastrophe, ending with seven trumpets announcing the end of Times. After the Apocalypse, God rises from the ashes to recreate the Kingdom, taking only the greatest elements from the past with them. When you look at Hip-Hop, I want to do that: to spit fire and take our best from the ashes to build our kingdom; to recognize all the regional styles, conscious lyrics, the tracks, underground, mainstream, the way we treat each other. Lose the garbage and rebuild our scene. I’ve always tried to insert consciousness and spirituality in my records, interpreting the writings of all cultures and religions and how they apply to life in modern times.”

Rapping Technique

Rakim was known for his laid back, relaxed yet powerful lyrics. He has been cited as an inspiration by many rappers such as Eminem, Tupac, Nas, Kool G. Rap, Jay-Z, Biggie and Kendrick Lamar. His velvet smooth flow, internally complex rhymes and powerful lyrics make him one of the best rappers of all time. Rakim’s subject matter usually included, own rapping skills and Islamic faith.

Famous quotes by Rakim

“To be truthful, being that the game has changed so much, you come hoping for the best and expecting the worst. To my surprise, there’s a lot of love out here for me.”

“What was once easy became confused and hard, which brings us back to the mystic question, who is God?”