This day in Hip-hop recognizes the day New York rap legend, Rakim, made his groundbreaking debut as a solo artist with his memorable album, The 18th Letter.
While the album marked the east coast icon's much-awaited solo debut, Rakim had already built upon twelve years experience in the scene, making a name for himself as one-half of the duo Eric B. & Rakim. Parting in 1993, the latter artist seemingly went incognito—which only fueled the hype when speculations regarding an alleged solo debut arose. That event manifested in 1997, when Rakim dropped The 18th Letter following a five-year hiatus.
Released under Universal Records, the album showcased production from DJ Clark Kent, Pete Rock, Father Shaheed, Nick Wiz, and DJ Premier. With expectations already soaring through the roof, the album debuted at #4 off the US Billdboard 200 chart, all the more capitalizing with over 500,000 copies sold nationwide.
Unlimited to chart ranks and listings, the album attained a myriad of positive remarks, such as AllMusic critic Leo Stanley's “The 18th Letter is one of the strongest records a veteran rapper released in the late 90's.” But he doesn't stop there, “Rakim sounds sharp, focused, and strong, rapping with a force unheard of... He still retains his knack for rolling, laid-back rhymes, but what's impressive is how he can switch between that style and a more aggressive technique.”
Be informed, that review was written and published in 2009, more than a decade after Rakim's solo debut, signifying both the album's timeless quality, as well as adding more to the rap legend that is Rakim.
By Jods Arboleda for RAPStation.com
