Paid in Full

Paid in Full

by Eric B. & Rakim
Paid in Full

Paid in Full

by Eric B. & Rakim

CD(Expanded / Remastered / Bonus Tracks)

$16.99 
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Overview

One of the most influential rap albums of all time, Eric B. & Rakim's Paid in Full only continues to grow in stature as the record that ushered in hip-hop's modern era. The stripped-down production might seem a little bare to modern ears, but Rakim's technique on the mic still sounds utterly contemporary, even state-of-the-art -- and that from a record released in 1987, just one year after Run-D.M.C. hit the mainstream. Rakim basically invents modern lyrical technique over the course of Paid in Full, with his complex internal rhymes, literate imagery, velvet-smooth flow, and unpredictable, off-the-beat rhythms. The key cuts here are some of the most legendary rap singles ever released, starting with the duo's debut sides, "Eric B. Is President" and "My Melody." "I Know You Got Soul" single-handedly kicked off hip-hop's infatuation with James Brown samples, and Eric B. & Rakim topped it with the similarly inclined "I Ain't No Joke," a stunning display of lyrical virtuosity. The title cut, meanwhile, planted the seeds of hip-hop's material obsessions over a monumental beat. There are also three DJ showcases for Eric B., who like Rakim was among the technical leaders in his field. If sampling is the sincerest form of admiration in hip-hop, Paid in Full is positively worshipped. Just to name a few: Rakim's tossed-off "pump up the volume," from "I Know You Got Soul," became the basis for M/A/R/R/S' groundbreaking dance track; Eminem, a devoted Rakim student, lifted lines from "As the Rhyme Goes On" for the chorus of his own "The Way I Am"; and the percussion track of "Paid in Full" has been sampled so many times it's almost impossible to believe it had a point of origin. Paid in Full is essential listening for anyone even remotely interested in the basic musical foundations of hip-hop -- this is the form in its purest essence. [In 2005, Island reissued the album and added a pair of bonus tracks -- the radio mix of "As the Rhyhme Goes On" and the Coldcut "Mini Madness" remix of "Paid in Full" -- to the original track list.] ~ Steve Huey

Product Details

Release Date: 04/26/2005
Label: Geffen / Island
UPC: 0602498804223
Rank: 1519

Tracks

  1. I Ain't No Joke
  2. Eric B. Is on the Cut
  3. My Melody
  4. I Know You Got Soul
  5. Move the Crowd
  6. Paid in Full
  7. As the Rhyme Goes On
  8. Chinese Arithmetic
  9. Eric B. Is President
  10. Extended Beat
  11. As the Rhyme Goes On
  12. Paid in Full

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Eric B. & Rakim   Primary Artist
D.J. Slack   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Rakim   Primary Artist,Vocals
DJ Slack   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Eric B.   Primary Artist
Matt Black   Scratching
DJ Cell   Scratching

Technical Credits

Elai Tubo   Engineer
Patrick Adams   Engineer,Remixing
Traditional   Composer
Steve Griffin   Composer
Robert Hill   Executive Producer
Michael Dewayne Williams   Composer
The Wild Bunch   Remixing
Bobby Byrd   Composer
Coldcut   Remixing
James Brown   Composer
Carly Simon   Composer
Charles Bobbit   Composer
Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins   Composer
Chad Jackson   Remixing
Derek B   Remixing
MC Shan   Remixing
Marley Marl   Remixing
Rakim   MC,Composer,Producer
Calvin Simon   Composer
William Griffin   Composer
Eric B. & Rakim   Composer,Producer
Eric B.   Composer,Producer
Grady Thomas   Composer
Herb Powers   Mastering
Richie Rich   Remixing
Raine Shine   Remix Engineer
Benny Nagari   Arranger
Ron Contarsy   Photography
Democratic 3   Remixing
Eric Barrier   Composer
Ruth Kaplan   Art Direction
Chief Engineer Scott   Remix Engineer
PJ "Dyna-Mix" Smith   Remix Engineer
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