When you're talking about most influential groups of all time in hip-hop, Eric B and Rakim are essential for the conversation. You see, one of the most beautiful things about hip-hop since its inception on Aug. 11, 1993 in the Bronx is the evolution of the genre since. Of course, technology played a huge role in it but the DIY mentality hasn't really gone anywhere. Now, each week, we bring back some classic records for our TBT but today, it felt important to bring it back to 1987 when Eric B & Rakim changed the game with their debut album, Paid In Full.
Eric B and Rakim's debut album shifted the genre of hip-hop in numerous ways. Rakim's internal rhyme schemes were way ahead of its time and helped influence the styles of hip-hop's GOATs (i.e. Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem etc.). As for Eric B, his style of using heavy samples was as influential to producing as Rakim's rhymes schemes was to MCing. One song that truly highlighted this was the titular track on their debut album. As Rakim delivers complex rhyme schemes, detailing his hustler mentality, Eric B. laid down a classic beat with groundbreaking multi-layered samples in his production.
Quotable Lyrics
I need money, I used to be a stick-up kid
So I think about all of all the devious things I did
I used to roll up, this is a hold up, ain't nothing funny
Stop smilin', be still, don't nothing move but the money