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Eric B Featuring Rakim – Eric B For President 7" - 2021

 

7" - 2021 - KU

"It has been no small feat for KU to produce its first-ever major-label licensed replica reissue, but when you have the opportunity to recreate a piece of art involving “The God” Rakim, and producer/DJ, Eric B, there’s no going too far to get it right. The original master files for this record had been lost in the Universal archives, and the masters that were available were for the album versions that appeared on Eric B. & Rakim’s ‘Paid In Full’ (1987). Unfortunately, those versions are 6+ minutes and far too long to cut a 45. This led KU founder and label head to go back to his roots and do some record digging of his own. He was able to find a brand new copy of the original 45 on Discogs, and made the move to purchase it to have a high-quality audio restoration from the vinyl transferred into digital files to then be cut to lacquer. After acquiring the original version of the 45 it was discovered that the versions on the 45 were just the 12” single versions but faded out to make them fit on a 45. It took over a year to sort this all out, which included having Danny Roth Designs recreate the original 4th and Broadway labels, which the major label also no longer had." - courtesy of King Underground

A - Eric B Is President 

B - My Melody

Available on Blue 7" vinyl (300 copies), Yellow 7" vinyl (300 copies) & Black 7" vinyl (900 copies) + Bundle (w/ t-shirt).

Shipping Date : November 19th 2021

Pre-Order 

Record Report - The Source Summer 1990

From The Source - Summer 1990 - Scans courtesy of Steph Freshnews 

Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul & I Ain’t No Joke 7"

7" - 2020 - Mr Bongo

A1 - Ain’t No Joke 

B1 - Eric B. Is On The Cut

                            

"Craft a record iconic enough and, no matter what you’ve sampled to make it, you’re destined to be sampled more yourself.

It helps if you’ve got Rakim’s voice, of course. When he and Eric B went into Power Play Studios in New York in 1987 to record ‘I Ain’t No Joke’, their next move was highly anticipated due to the critical success of the duo’s first record, ‘Eric B. Is President’. Rakim was already seen as a masterful MC with a distinctive slow, baritone flow and seamless access to a rich vein of words not often heard in hip-hop.

People’s first exposure to this track was on the landmark ‘Paid in Full’ album, and it was clear this had the potential to jump off as a single. The repetitive, simply scratched sample of ‘Pass the Peas’ by the JB’s was an infectious ear worm that needed a truly strong MC to stand up to it. He did more than that – here Rakim spun timeless lyrics and lines that would go on to be sampled and referred to dozens of times down through hip-hop history. He took one of rap’s great instrumentals and wrestled it to the floor. Of course, you can’t have Eric B & Rakim without Eric B. The DJ gets his time to shine on the flip, and while he isn’t a man renowned for his dexterity and turntablist skills, the track still knocks. Maybe it’s because Eric B has already realised what many would come to work out later: If you haven’t got Rakim on your record, at least scratch his vocals. This re-release comes with a brand new cover utilising some of Dan Lish’s trademark artwork." - Mr Bongo

Release Date : May 1st 2020

Pre-Orders :

 Mr Bongo / HHV / Fat Beats (2x7" Bundle - Fat Beats Exclusive Clear Vinyl)

7" - 2020 - Mr Bongo

A1 - I Know You Got Soul

B1 - I Know You Got Soul (Dub Version)

"While it’s undeniable that Eric B & Rakim crafted and concocted classic after classic back in the Golden Era of the late 80’s and early 90’s, very few of their records could ever be classified as ‘dancefloor fillers’. But that’s exactly what ‘I Know You Got Soul’ was.

The duo’s third single was released at a time when their debut LP, 1987’s ‘Paid in Full’ was already being hailed as a gamechanger. Rakim’s smooth but sombre flow had introduced new phrases to the hip-hop lexicon, while the barrage of James Brown samples had declared open season on the Godfather of Soul’s back catalogue.

There were already stirrings of a backlash from the more frequently sampled artists at the time this came out, and the fact that it took not just its main hook but also its title from Bobby Byrd’s James Brown-produced 1971 single was almost like rubbing salt in the wound. The hip-hop fans and the dancefloor didn’t care – this played all summer long in 1987, elevating the group to a Soul Train performance.

Only months after this dropped, the UK collective M|A|R|R|S turned Rakim’s “Pump up the volume” line into the basis of their own hit. Pop will eat itself. The original 7” was released in a no-frills generic sleeve – this re-release comes with a brand new cover utilising some of Dan Lish’s trademark artwork." - Mr Bongo 

Release Date : May 1st 2020

Pre-Orders : 

 Mr Bongo / HHV / Fat Beats (2x7" Bundle - Fat Beats Exclusive Clear Vinyl)

Return of The Mecca Don

From Hip-Hop Connection - December 1997 

Rakim : The Master is Back !

 From Rap Pages - January 1998 - Scans courtesy of Tim Burton 

Summer Jeep Slammers

From The Source - 1992 - Scans courtesy of Babylon Falling

Grown Man Rap Show - Episode 151 - Rakim Birthday Tribute

Hosted by veterans DJ Toast & Paul Nice and broadcast live every Sunday night 10pm-12 midnight (ET) from 91.5 WRPI (Albany NY), Toast & Paul bring you 2 hours of the best in vintage & contemporary true school Hip Hop.

This is Episode 148 - Big Daddy Kane vocal samples - originally aired on January 7, 2018

  

Eric B & Rakim “Lyrics of Fury”

(Paul Nice set)
Kid Wizard & Biz Markie "Live at Wyandach High School" (1985)
Eric B & Rakim "My Melody"
Eric B & Rakim "Eric B Is President"
Eric B & Rakim "Eric B Is President (Jorun Bombay Remix)"
Eric B & Rakim "Microphone Fiend (45 King Remix)"
Rakim "Once Upon a Rhyme"
Mangeshkar Lata "Thoda Resham Lagata Hai"
Truth Hurts f. Rakim "Addictive"
Eric B & Rakim "What’s On Your Mind"
Eric B & Rakim "I Ain’t No Joke"
Eric B & Rakim "Don’t Sweat the Technique"
Eric B & Rakim "Follow the Leader"
Eric B & Rakim "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em"
Eric B & Rakim "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (Remix)"
Eric B & Rakim "Know the Ledge (Juice)"
Eric B & Rakim "No Omega"
Eric B & Rakim "Put Your Hands Together"
Alicia Keys f. Nas & Rakim "Streets of New York"
(DJ Toast set)
Eric B & Rakim “Move the Crowd”
Eric B & Rakim “As the Rhyme Goes On”
Gang Starr f. WC & Rakim “The Militia II”
Rakim “New York (Ya Out There)”
Rakim “The Saga Begins”
Eric B & Rakim “To the Listeners”
Eric B & Rakim “In the Ghetto (Drums and Rakim)”
Eric B & Rakim “In the Ghetto”
Rakim “Guess Who’s Back (Alternative Mix)”
Mobb Deep f. Big Noyd & Rakim “Hoodlum”
Eric B & Rakim “Step Back”
Rakim “When I B On Tha Mic”
Eric B & Rakim “The R”
Eric B & Rakim “The R (45 King Remix)”
Eric B & Rakim “Paid In Full”
Rakim “Heat It Up (The Wiz Mix)”
Eric B & Rakim “Set ‘Em Straight”
Jody Watley f. Rakim “Friends (Bassapella)”
Jody Watley f. Rakim “Off the Hook (D-Dot Remix)”
Canibus f. Rakim “I’ll Buss ‘Em U Punish ‘Em”
Eric B & Rakim “What’s Going On”
Eric B & Rakim “I Know You Got Soul”

Grown Man Rap Show 

The Source Magazine - Fat Tape Oct & Nov 1992

Props to Brandan E for the rips.

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Press Kit : Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full - 1987

LP - 1987 - 4th & Broadway 

Press Kit Scans courtesy of Slick 

Interview - HHC 1995 : Rakim

From Hip Hop Connection - December 1995