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Whenever any '70s or '80s babies preach about the classic days of Hip Hop, they usually refer to the early '80s and 90s era. But what they most commonly mention is that one particular individual defined what it meant to be an enigmatic emcee during this period.
Rakim, the proclaimed “God MC” drops his eagerly anticipated third solo LP, seven years after it was announced he would be returning to the booth.
Whilst collaborations with
Dr Dre broke down early, the R still pursued his comeback and with the Biblically referenced Seventh Seal album ready, is this the Armageddon which the rap game has been waiting for?
If you've been a fan of 9th Wonder, Phonte, Little Brother and/or Foreign Exchange or even a follower of the burgeoning music scene in North Carolina for the past three or four years, then you will not be a stranger to the unique, soulful and powerful vocals of one Carlitta Durand but just in case you are [a stranger that is] to this 25-year old singer and songwriter born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and bred in North Carolina (US), then by God, an introduction is well and truly long overdue.
In an environment where image and visibility are as vital as an artist’s output, allowing ten years to pass before delivering new material to a fickle audience can be considered assisted suicide. A fan’s deaf ears and blind eyes amass dust as swiftly as a shelved album and undoubtedly ensure label limbo in the afterlife.
On the other hand, an emcee with the ability to “spit a million rhymes in 240 seconds” can remain relevant when everyone else has long been forgotten.