Erik. B and & Rakim are widely credited as advancing hip-hop in ways that were
still apparent decades after their break-up. Queens native Erik Barrier honed
his turntable skills while working as a mobile DJ for a local radio station
while still a teenager. It was during that job that he formed a partnership with
Rakim, born William Griffin Jr, who took the name Rakim Allah after converting
to Islam as a teenager. Their initial singles, “Erik B. Is President” and “My
Melody” would both go on to appear on their debut album, 1987’s Paid In Full.
The combination of Rakim’s poetic rhy...