Check out any list of the most skilled Hip Hop MCs, and you will find Rakim, The God MC on it, if not topping the list. Having has a long and successful rap career as part of the duo Eric B & Rakim as well as a solo artist, Rakim has a lot of stories to tell. And he does so in his upcoming memoir, “Sweat The Technique: Revelations On Creativity From The Lyrical Genius.”
Hailed as “the greatest MC of all time,” Rakim has even been compared to jazz great Thelonious Monk. Now at the age of 51, and still touring Rakim told the Source magazine he thought it was time to tell his story.
“Why now for ‘Sweat The Technique‘? There’s been a lot of points of reflection in my life over the last couple of years. I turned 50; my first album turned 30. I’ve welcomed some new editions to my family and lost some beloved ones. I got back together with my partner Eric to tour and release a box set and, while we were doing interviews, the same questions all seemed to come up,” Rakim told the Source in an exclusive. “A lot of those questions were rehashes of some issues that I wanted to finally speak about and, more importantly, almost none of them covered what my fans and supporters are always asking…which is pretty much ‘How do you do it?’ It made sense to put a little focus on the craft and where I, and hopefully the readers, can search for inspiration. After over three decades of being an artist who mostly speaks through his music, the time felt right to pull back the curtain.”
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According to the official description, “Sweat the Technique” is a “part memoir, part writing guide” penned by the rap pioneer alongside seasoned journalist Bakari Kitwana. The book details how Rakim influenced and even changed the way rappers actually rhymed, his intrinsic skills that helped make a certified classic debut album alongside Eric B. with their 1987 magnum opus ‘Paid in Full’ and ultimately his journey from a young Black man hailing from Long Island with nothing but a dream and talent into the most respected MC of his era.”
The publisher, HarperCollins, explained: “When he exploded on the music scene, musical genius Rakim was hailed for his brilliant artistic style, adding layers, complexity, depth, musicality, and soul to rap. More than anyone, Rakim has changed the way MCs rhyme. Calm on the mic, his words combine in a frenzy of sound, using complicated patterns based on multisyllabic rhymes and internal rhythms. Rakim can tell a story about a down-on-his-luck man looking for a job and turn it into an epic tale and an unforgettable rhyme. He is not just a great songwriter—he’s a great modern writer.”
“Sweat The Technique: Revelations On Creativity From The Lyrical Genius” goes on sale starting September 24.
