Rakim

5th September 2023

Rakim changed the rap game forever. He’s one half of the groundbreaking hip-hop duo, Eric B. and Rakim. And a legendary solo rapper in his own right. On Bullseye, Rakim kicks off Rap Month by looking back at his almost 40 years in hip-hop. He gets into how he met Eric B. and his mentorship with Marley Marl. Plus, how his career has changed now that he’s in his 50s.

Episode notes

Courtesy of Michael Wong Photography

This September is Rap Month at Bullseye – we’re celebrating 50 years of hip-hop with a full month rappers. First up: Rakim! He changed the rap game forever. You could divide hip hop into two eras: before Rakim and after Rakim.

He grew up in Long Island, a 20 minute train ride from the epicenter of hip-hop in the late 80s. In New York City, boroughs like Harlem were home to a thriving hip-hop scene. But despite the distance, Rakim found himself at the forefront of hip-hop at just 17 years old. 

When we say he changed the rap game forever, we mean it. 

He’s one half of the groundbreaking hip-hop duo, Eric B. and Rakim. And a legendary solo rapper in his own right. His lyricism is next level, and his flow is unmatched. 

Rakim’s influenced some of the biggest names in rap: Jay Z, Nas, Eminem, Bun B, and literally hundreds of other super famous rappers. 

On Bullseye, Rakim kicks off Rap Month by looking back at his almost 40 years in hip-hop. He gets into how he met Eric B. and his mentorship with Marley Marl. Plus, how his career has changed now that he’s in his 50s. 

You can catch Rakim playing a handful of shows across the country with acts like LL Cool J and Big Daddy Kane here. 

In this episode...

Senior Producer
Producer
Maximum Fun Producer
Maximum Fun Production Fellow
Video Editor

Guests

  • Rakim

About the show

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture.

Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney’s, which called it “the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world.” Since April 2013, the show has been distributed by NPR.

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People

Senior Producer

Producer

Maximum Fun Producer

Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Video Editor

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