Eric B. & Rakim – biography, discography – pushing the humanity forward through my craft as an entrepreneur

Hip-hop trailblazers Eric B. and Rakim’s first single, “Eric B. Is President” (#48, 1986), sparked early debate on the legality of unauthorized, uncredited sampling when James Brown sued to prevent the duo’s use of a fragment of his music. It also established Brown’s back catalog as a hip musical mining ground for a new generation of hip-hop programmers.

With Rakim’s relaxed vocal delivery (“Microphone Fiend,” “Paid in Full”) and rhymes that have been described as “existential,” together with Eric B.’s deft turntable manipulation, the duo became one of the most acclaimed hip-hop acts of the late ’80s. The two met in 1985 when Eric Barrier was working as a DJ at New York City radio station WBLS and looking for an MC to rap over his turntable work. A year later they released “Eric B. Is President” (#48 R&B, 1986) on the independent Harlem label Zakia.

Paid in Full (#58 pop, #8 R&B) appeared in 1987 with a new mix of the single, as well as songs such as “I Know You Got Soul” (#64 R&B, 1987) and “I Ain’t No Joke” (#38 R&B, 1987). The duo’s subsequent three albums reached the Top 40, with Follow the Leader peaking at #22, Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em at #32, and Don’t Sweat the Technique at #22. In 1991 Eric B. and Rakim scored another hit with the theme to House Party 2, “What’s on Your Mind” (#34 R&B). The duo, who were never close friends, parted ways after Don’t Sweat the Technique, but not before running into another legal dispute over their sampling of Funkadelic’s “No Head, No Backstage Pass,” from Follow the Leader’s “Lyrics of Fury.”

In 1995 Eric B. released a self-titled debut solo album, but spent most of the ’90s as a producer and executive for Street Life Records. After suffering years of legal wrangling and label mishaps, Rakim finally reemerged in 1997 with the acclaimed 18th Letter/Book of Life (#4 pop, #1 R&B, 1997) – a two-disc set split between new material and classic Eric B. and Rakim cuts. That same year, Rakim performed a duet with Mobb Deep for the Hoodlum soundtrack. The rapper returned two years later with The Master, which eschewed ghetto stories for a more mystical approach.

from The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001)

Discography:

Repaid In Full – The Paid In Full Remixes
2008
The Best Of Eric B & Rakim 20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection
2007
Gold
2005
Paid in Full [Bonus Tracks]
2005
Follow the Leader [Bonus Tracks]
2005
Paid In Full – Deluxe Edition
2003
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection…
2001
Don’t Sweat The Technique
1992
Let The Rhythm Hit `Em
1990
Follow The Leader
1988
Paid In Full: The Platinum Edition
1987
Paid In Full
1987

Singles
In the Ghetto

Compilations

Old School Rap
2008
Hip Hop Gold
2006
Hip Hop Box
2004
Back to Mine
2003
Best of Old Skool Hip Hop
2003
Brown Sugar
2002
Boom Box Flava
2002
Old School Hip Hop, Vol. 2
2001
Old School Rap, Vol. 5
2001
Old School Rap, Vol. 1-4 [Box Set]
2000
Rap Mania: The Roots Of Rap
2000
American Psycho
2000
Old School Rap Volume 4
1999
In The Lab With DJ Nabs: The Live Album
1998
The Source Presents… The Pioneers
1998
Hip-Ol’ Skool
1997
Hip Hop Classics, Vol. 3
1997
History of Rap, Vol. 2
1996
Hip Hop Classics, Vol. 1
1996
Hip Hop Classics, Vol. 2
1996
Old School Rap Volume 3
1996
Rap: Today’s Greatest Hits
1993
Gunmen
1993
Juice [Original Soundtrack]
1992
Rap: Straight Outta the Ghetto
1992
Rap’s Most Wanted
1991
House Party 2 [Original Soundtrack]
1991
Fresh Rap [K-Tel]
1990
Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack, Vol. 3
1990
Rap the Beat
1990
Rap’s Biggest Hits
1990
Rap’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 3
1989
Hard Rap
1989
Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack, Vol. 2
1987

Guest
I Know You Got Soul
Jason Nevins
2002
The Mix Tape, Vol. 1: 60 Minutes of Funk
Funkmaster Flex
1995
Marley Marl’s House Of Hits
Marley Marl
1995

Jody Watley – Friends Video with Eric B. and Rakim