The hip-Hop industry is the most trending music platform today. But do we ever wonder about the artists who built the foundation for this tremendous growth? Rakim is one of the popular hip-hop sensations who contributed to the flourishment of this pop genre. The rapper and MC have a long and successful career in the pop field. He began his musical journey with the pop band “Eric B. & Rakim”. The group was named the most popular DJ/MC duo in the hip-hop industry! His contributions have given him the title of the most talented MC of all time! So, why not learn more about his legendary contributions without any delay?
Rakim Profile/Wiki/Bio
William Michael Griffin was born on 28 January 1968 and is 54 years old (as of 2022). The rapper is iconic for his unique style of rapping. He provided a new dimension to the genre of East Coast Hip Hop. He signed up with popular labels like Ra, Island, MCA, Aftermath, Universal, and 4th &B’way. The rapper was introduced to religious groups like the Nation of Islam and the Nation of Gods and Earth. Inspired by their teachings, he kept his stage name as Rakim Allah.
| Birth name | William Michael Griffin |
| Birthdate/Born on | 28 January 1968 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 54 |
| Birthplace | Wyandanch, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Also Known As (AKA)/Other names | The God MC, Kid Wizard, The R, The 18th Letter |
| Occupations | Rapper, Record Producer, Songwriter |
| Debut | Paid in Full |
| Genres | Dance/Electronic, Arabic Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop/Rap, Maghreb Rap |
| Labels | Ra, 4th &B’way, Island, MCA, Aftermath, Universal |
Rakim Relationship Status, Affairs & More
The famous rapper Rakim is a married man. An interesting thing about their marriage is that he met his wife at school. Felicia is his childhood love. There are very few couples in the industry of glamour which are still together. Rakim-Felicia is one such couple. They are blessed with three children.
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Felicia |
| Girlfriends/Affairs | N/A |
| Children’s | Jabar Griffin, Destiny Griffin, Tahmell Griffin |
Rakim Net Worth & More
| Net Worth | $ 3 million |
Rakim Biography, Life Story, Trivia & More
Knowing about Rakim will be incomplete unless we delve into the nitty-gritty of his musical rising! So, why wait? Let’s get going!
Rakim’s Early Life
The Long Island Based rapper is best known by his stage name Rakim. The artist grew up in a small hamlet called Wyandanch in New York. But his dreams introduced him to the vast world of music. Rakim is one of those artists who realized his dreams as a musician early.
He was called “Kid Wizard” in his boyhood days. He built up his initial recordings at the High School of Wyandanch. Before taking the big decision of his life as a hip-hop artist, Rakim wished to be a football player. He also loved playing quarterback during his high school days. But music had a stronger hold on him. He came into contact with the local D.J. called Eric B. and was influenced to write his lyrics!
Another interesting fact about the artist is that he is not only a musical artist but an admirer of significant movements or groups like “Nation of Islam” and “The Nation of Gods and Earths”. Inspired by their teachings, he also took up the name of Rakim Allah for himself. His name is often cut short to Rakim.
A Successful and Long Musical Career
Throughout his life, Rakim experimented with modes of performance in his musical career. Initially, he worked as a duo. Then the artist moved on to a solo career. Hardships were a boon to him. He always made the best of whatever opportunity was given to him!
The duo signed up their deal with Island Recordings. From here, Rakim’s extraordinary career came to highlight. On 7 July 1987, the group released “Paid in Full” on4th & B’way Records. Their hardship persevered, and the album rose to the top 58 on the chart of Billboard 200! Some of the popular singles are “I Know You Got Soul”, “Paid in Full”, and “Ain’t No Joke”. This attempt was followed by Follow the Leader. This was much more popular than their initial attempt. The album gained number 22 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. Deservingly, the album also earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
The years 1990-1992 were the duo’s final work years. “Don’t Swat the Technique” was the group’s fourth and final album. This was a minor radio hit. Along with these works, “Casualties of War” and “Know the Ledge” was also released. But Rakim wished to begin his solo career. So, the legendary works of the duo eventually dissolved in 1992.
Rakim began small with his solo career in his initial steps. He started with the soundtrack for the movie “Gunmen”. But the artist’s wish to do something bugger succeeded with 1996’s “The 18th Letter”! This album debut reached number 4 on Billboard 200 chart! Also, it received gold certification from R.I.A.A. (Recording Industry Association of America”.
After this, Rakim worked on several popular projects. He worked on the 1999 tracks of “The Seduction of Claude Debussy” by the synth-pop group Art of Noise. He also signed up for “Aftermath entertainment” to work on the “Oh, My God” album.
The artist also made notable guest appearances. Two of these are “8 Mile” by Eminem with the track called “R.A.K.I.M.” and The Watcher” by Jay-Z. He also worked with the legendary pop group “Linkin Park” on the music “Guilty All the Same”. The pop artist leaves an evergreen legacy of his hip-hop style.
He provided fuel to East Coast Hip Hop genre. William Jelani Cobb praised the artist’s rapping mastery in his book “To the Break of Dawn”. The hip-hop artist also reunited with his long-time mate Eric B. after 23 years of a solo career. Indeed, the artist is one of a kind and worth inspiring!
Rakim Social Media Channels & Links
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