Customer Reviews

18th Letter / Book of Life (Greatest Hits)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have to admit that I don't much listen to the newer work "The 18th Letter" because I am too busy nodding to the greatest hits on the second CD. I was glad to see Rakim attempt a comeback, but alas the industry has changed. Wisdom isn't respected anymore. It's all about the ice and the loot now. In that sense, I am relieved to see that he does not fit in the current scene. Like one of the previous reviewers already said, Ra does not sound the same here as when he was young and hungry. I don't hear any instant classics on the new set, whereas the older stuff is still hot.

As for those who claim that Rakim has not contributed anything to hip hop, you obviously have no knowledge of the art. When Ra came out in the mid 80's hip hop was still a fairly new phenomenon amd RunDMC were the hottest acts out. Now RunDMC had good beats and party lyrics, but they weren't really talking about anything substantial. They were middle class kids from Queens, indisputably talented, but Rakim came out from a whole other place, the streets. Rakim came out dropping the jewels -- knowledge laid over beats. For sure, he dabbled in some party music and gangersterism too -- spinning tales of street life that no doubt influenced Big and countless others -- but on the whole Rakim's contributions to hip hop were intelligent lyrics and a tight delivery. Ra is the greatest of all time, not because of record sales -- white kids in the burbs weren't buying his music back in the day -- but because he is a pioneer. This man had hit after hit. "Microphone Fiend," "Eric B for President" "My Melody" "Move the Crowd" "Paid in Full" and my favorite "I aint no joke." Asking what he has contributed to hip hop is like asking what Muhammad Ali contributed to boxing.

If it were possible to pit Rakim in his prime against some of these so-called rappers, there would be no doubt. How many of these kids out here bobbing their heads to Lil Bow Wow even know that a verse from "Thank You" is a homage to "Paid in Full?" You can have love for the new stuff without disrespecting the veterans, the ones who paved the way in this rap game. Rap wasn't always on MTV. Rappers weren't always invited to perform at the Superbowl and on awards show. It was a whole different world 15 years ago.

There is room for everyone for sure, but calling Tupac, Big and Jigga the greatest of all time is tantamount to praising the student over the teacher. Not real logical is it?

Before multi million dollar contracts or public acceptance of rap,there were the pioneers. For a moment in time there were none greater than Rakim.
He is the master word smith whose undeniable influence upon hip hop shaped a generation of talented artist. A forefather to the likes of ;2pac,Nas,Canibus,Biggie,Big Pun, and even Eminem. Through ingenious word play and clever metaphor, Rakim built the bridge for all MC's to cross.
This double CD embodies Rakims greatest works and is a welcome add to any collective.
Disc one is "The 18th Letter", which showcases the masters maturity and still vibrant wisdom. His evident fondness for the past and personal reflections are displayed here with great effect. We reminisce along with the master on cuts such as "Remember That", and "Its Been A Long Time". Then journey with him on the spiritual ode "Mystery (Who Is God)". The production by Pete Rock and DJ Premier is subdued in contrast to Eric Bs hard breaks and samples. Which perfectly matches Rakims maturity and serves to illustrate how far he has come.
Disc two is "The Book Of Life", which is a collection of Rakims greatest hits. An apt title for a greatest hits collection for conceivably Rakim breathed life into the art for all new artist to prosper. Here we are rewarded with such stellar classics as "Microphone Fiend, I Aint No Joke, and the indelible "Eric B. Is President". This two disc set serves as an enduring testament to the greatest mc of all time. I highly recomend this album.

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!

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!

The 18th Letter/The Book of Life is the greatest Rap CD ever.

I remember the summer of 1986 clearly. I was 13 years lold and listened to Run DMC, Whodini, LL Cool J. They were probably the 3 most popular rap groups of that era. This was the Summer that Eric B and Rakim released their debut single Eric B is President/My Melody.

For those that are not familiar with the Rap industry in the 80's, rap groups would release a 12" Single (a vinyl record, usually with 2 songs) and if it was popular they would release another 12" single, usually 6 months to a year later. Most rap groups didn't have major label deals and were on Independent labels. Usually, they didn't have videos. They just didn't have adequate promotion to compete with the MTV/BET scene, with the exception of Run DMC, Whodini and LL Cool J.

Anyway, Eric B is President was THE PARTY RECORD of the summer of 1986!!! Any Hip Hop party was not complete unless that record came on. On the B-side of the 12" single was "My Melody", arguably one of the best lyrics in the history of Rap. Busta Rhymes was once quoted as saying that Rakim's lyric in that song is the best rap ever;

"I'll take 7 MC's and put em in a line/ and add 7 more brothers who think they can rhyme/ well it'll take 7 more before I go for mine/ now that's 21 MC's ate up at the same time"

-Rakim - My Melody (1986)

Most people who are knowledgeable about Hip Hop say that the above lyric is the best punchline in the history of rap music.

Anyway this disc, The 18th Letter/The Book of Life is the best rap CD ever because it includes the real underground rap from that period 1986-1992(pre MTV) combined with the new post-Biggie/Tupac rap era, circa 1997.

The new CD is called "The 18th Letter" and was recorded in 1997(disc 1) and is for mature (Mature meaning: older, not mature as in adult entertainment) rap listeners. If you are in your 30's+ and remember the time period that I mentioned in the first paragraph, you will appreciate "The 18th Letter", Rakim is calm, relaxed and mature, it is not like the Wu-tang or Puff Daddy style of rap that was prevelent of 1997. Rakim had been in the game for 11 years and was not looking at the rap industry from the same perspective as Puff Daddy and Wu-tang. He was not trying to make a name for himself, by the time this album was released he was already considered the best ever and had released several classic albums. One song is called "Remember That" and he is reminiscing on the days of what it was like being the best rapper in 1987, ten years prior.

The second disc "The Book of Life" (1986-1992)(disc 2) is Eric B and Rakim's greatest hits compilation. This disc is when Rakim was up-and-coming. In this disc he raps about the typical braggadocious stuff that Rappers are known for (Money, being the best, beating up wack MC's, etc.) but he shows that he is the best at that style. His lyrics were (and still are)strait to the point, positive, conscious and contain no profanity. He clearly spends a lot of time writing his lyrics, this seperates him from a lot of rappers. He concentrates on being the best and it really shows in his voice and delivery. Rakim has a certain confidence about his style of rapping that shows and proves that he is the best rapper that ever was and the best rapper that ever will be.

Eric B

For the record, Eric B was Rakim's DJ and produced the first 4 Eric B and Rakim studio albums. "The Book of Life" highlights Eric B's DJ/Production style and "The 18th Letter" is Rakim without Eric B. There are several producers on "The 18th Letter", DJ Premiere and Clark Kent to name a few.

Production wise, it is a perfect blend "The 18th Letter" is more smoothed out mellow Jazzy/R+B (even has some female vocals) while "The Book of Life" is more old school, classic Hip Hop complete with James Brown Samples and scratching.

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.

As a former fan of commercial rap, I was getting incredibly tired with it about a year ago, and the first underground album I bought was KRS' "Kristyles" which was new at the time. I had heard some about this Rakim guy, so I took a chance on this 1997 double-album (and I never bought anything this old before). Turns out it wasn't a chance at all. This, along with KRS' album, sent me into a whole new world of hiphop and life. I think it's something to be said that KRS and Rakim were the first two underground albums I purchaced, and they are still my favorite MC's throughout all the other hiphop classics I've bought. Rakim is #2 and KRS is #3 in Kool Mo Dee's excellent book on the top 50 all-time greatest MC's. I can't believe anyone could give "The 18th Letter/Book of Life" less than 5 stars!
Yes, "The Book of Life" is an outstanding retrospective of Eric B. & Rakim's four albums (and I have three of those). This one single-handedly got me to respect old-school hiphop and explore it with a vengance. I ended up playing it more than the first album, but my focus here is going to be on "The 18th Letter." This album has it's slow points, and his technique may not be as cutting-age as before, but lyrically this one is nothing less than a masterpiece. The lyrics cover so many more areas than he had ever explored in his four previous albums.
"The 18th Letter" has too many uninteresting skits, and two not-so-different remixes of songs, but overall the ten new tracks are worthwhile. It starts off amazing at track 2, the title track, which is a two-minute powerful verse with a chorus. Something has to be said extensively about "The Mystery (Who Is God)." This is maybe the best song ever, so deep, so wise. He lays out how God created the universe and earth and moves on to how people squandered God's trust and creations. No hip hoppa has ever written a song as strictly focused and dedicated to God and their faith. From the tone he rhymes in, the beat that creates the perfect mood, and the powerful chorus, the song is the best written one I've ever heard. And he doesn't sell you short either, Ra covers a lot while it clocks over 5 minutes. Play this one to your parents or any other religious being who has no respect for hiphop! Otherwise on this album, tracks 4-6 are all classics. The revered "It's Been A Long Time" is the weakest of the three, but it's still great. I didn't like "Remember That" at first, but now I love it because it has a lighter beat and he reflects on his past experiences in this hiphop world. "The Saga Begins" is the second best song here, an excellent beat with clever, abstract lyrics. These are the essential songs on "The 18th Letter."
The other songs on this album are pretty damn good, all of them, but not as fascinating as the aforementioned ones. "Guess Who's Back" was the lead single. It's a little more commercial (not like Nelly or Lil' Jon commercial, mind you) and only the third verse is exceptional. "Stay A Little While" is actually one of my faves, and though it's not the subject matter we usually want to hear from Ra, it still doesn't sound mainstream. "Show Me Love" sounds pretty similar, and although it's alright, it could have been without. "New York (Ya Out There)" has a choppy, boring beat, with not his best lyrics, but is saved because every line rhymes with each other on each single verse. "When I'm Flowin'" is the last track, and he actually sounds out-of-gas at points here, and I don't like the chorus. However, this one is still okay and I like how Rakim incorporates the names of some of his past hits into the rhymes.
What the hell, only 10 new songs after 5 years you say? Well, I bet he didn't just sit around writing two songs a year during this period. Anyways, he spends a lot of time on every single song and ten tracks from Rakim is more fulfilling than three albums or more of your average rapper! Rakim is not your average, he is my favorite MC, and arguably the G.O.A.T. with good reason. At times his material on "The 18th Letter" surpasses his groundbreaking work with Eric B. When I first heard this, I couldn't beleive a rapper would talk about God, as well as protons, and neutrons and other scientific things. I had no idea beforehand that hiphop ever had anything to do with wisdom. The cover art and artwork inside the insert just add to this legendary, mystical, wise figure. If I lost all my hiphop classics, and I could only buy one again, I would purchase this two-disc masterpiece again without hesitation! The best twenty bucks anyone could ever spend...

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!

On this, Rakim's first solo album, we see different facets of an essentially imageless wordsmith of the highest caliber. Ra's rhymes run the gamut here, from songs about New York and seduction, to ingenious personal reflections on the world's genesis, and even a unique portrait of God, which is a conglomeration of many philosophical and religious iconography on the deepest track of the album "The mystery (who is God?). Upon my initial listening to this album, I must admit that I was dissatisfied with the production, despite some strong entries from the always dependable dynamic duo of hip hop; - Dj Premier and Pete Rock. However, as I listen to "the 18th letter" some three years hence its release, I have a much greater appreciation for it on the whole. It is a strong, well rounded effort from the stalwart of old school hiphop (disc 2 will confirm this, all you foolish naysayers!). Peace.

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.