On July 7, 1987, Eric B. & Rakim dropped Paid in Full, their debut album in 4th & B’way Records, and forever changed the game with a style of rhyme so fly Rakim still stands as Top 5 today.
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As was the tradition of Hip Hop acts back in the days, Eric B. (Eric Barrier) was the DJ, so he got top billing. A native of Queens, Eric B. was DJing on WBLS-FM, the inky black-owned radio station in New York City at the time. He started a search for “New York’s top MC” and hooked up with Rakim (William Griffin), who hailed from Suffolk County, Long Island.
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Rakim took his name after joining The Nation of Gods and Earths, bringing the Five-Percent nation to Hip Hop. The first cut they made was “Eric B. is President,” which was released as a single in 1986 with “My Melody” on the B side. The moment Rakim started rhyming, it was a wrap. Hip hop had never seen anything like it before—and it sure hasn’t since.
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