90's Jams #38: Eric B & Rakim "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em" (1990)

The Canon of First Wave 80's Hiphop normally neglects EB&R's 3rd and 4th albums, which is somewhat understandable since they're from the 90's and all... But unfortunately this resulted in "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em" becoming their most grossly overlooked single (almost as overlooked as "No Omega"). Eric B's mysterious guitar and key samples sound like James Brown guest-hosting an especially creepy episode of Unsolved Mysterious, or possibly some funky dudes on the prowl, like a hiphop version of CHiPs. Rakim's flow never quits. There's a good reason why everyone's favorite DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince moment is "Summertime..." It's because Will Smith bit the shit out of those first 3 EB&R records.

80s Jams #35: Eric B & Rakim "I Know You Got Soul" (1987)

One of the most influential rap albums of all time, Eric B. & Rakim's Paid in Full only continues to grow in stature as the record that ushered in hip-hop's modern era. Rakim's technique on the mic still sounds utterly contemporary, even state-of-the-art -- and that from a record released in 1987, just one year after Run-D.M.C. hit the mainstream. Rakim basically invents modern lyrical technique over the course of Paid in Full, with his complex internal rhymes, literate imagery, velvet-smooth flow, and unpredictable, off-the-beat rhythms. -- Allmusic http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fpfwxqy5ldfe

80's Jams #68: Eric B & Rakim "Lyrics Of Fury" (1988)

Having already revolutionized hip-hop, Eric B. & Rakim came up with a second straight classic in their sophomore album, Follow the Leader, which basically follows the same blueprint for greatness, albeit with subtle refinements. Most noticeably, Eric B.'s production is already moving beyond the minimalism of Paid in Full. "Lyrics of Fury" manages to top it in terms of sheer force, using the break from James Brown's "Funky Drummer" before it saturated the airwaves. Follow the Leader may not have broken much new ground, but it captures one of the greatest pure hip-hop acts at the top of its form, and that's enough to make the album a classic. -- Allmusic http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gpfwxqy5ldfe