Rakim
| Rakim | |
|---|---|
Rakim in 1998
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Michael Griffin, Jr. |
| Also known as | The God MC, Kid Wizard, Rakim Allah |
| Born |
January 28, 1968 Wyandanch, Long Island, New York, United States |
| Origin | New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | Ra Records, 4th & B'way, Island, MCA, Aftermath |
| Associated acts | Eric B., Marley Marl, Large Professor, Nas, Kool G Rap, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One |
| Website | www |
William Michael Griffin (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim, is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time.
Eric B. & Rakim's classic album Paid in Full was named the greatest hip hop album of all time by MTV in 2006, while Rakim himself was ranked #4 on MTV's list of the Greatest MCs of All Time. Steve Huey of Allmusic stated that "Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs -- perhaps the greatest -- of all time within the hip-hop community." The editors of About.com ranked him #2 on their list of the 'Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)'. Rakim began his career as the emcee of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim, who in 2011 were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2012, The Source ranked him #1 on their list of the 'Top 50 Lyricists of All Time'.
Rakim is the nephew of the late American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown. He grew up in Wyandanch, New York, and became involved in the New York hip hop scene at 18. Eric B. brought him to Marley Marl's house to record "Eric B. Is President".
Rakim, then known as Kid Wizard in 1985, made his first recordings live at Wyandanch High School. Rakim was initially introduced to the Nation of Islam in 1986, and later joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation), and took the name Rakim Allah.
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