“He is not afraid to just go where the track takes him.”
– Rakim

Hip Hop lyrical great Rakim, born Michael William Michael Griffin Jr., knows a little thing or two about Hip Hop. One half of the duo Eric B. & Rakim, the emcee is best know for his masterpiece album “Paid in Full.”

Rakim sat down with Atlantic Records to discuss his thoughts on the current state of Hip Hop. The conversation soon focused on rapper/ super producer Kanye West.

The “My Melody” rapper expressed admiration for Kanye West being a “producer, making beats and being a rapper.” He said he loves Kanye because he “does it all.”

Rakim said West is in great position as an artist because “he has that situation where he’s lucky enough to love rhyming but can make his own beats, and that’s like the perfect match.”

When he [Kanye] plays a record, he said, his mind is on it right away.

“…Sometimes somebody can give you a credible track. But when you’re searching for records or samples, only you know in your mind, in your intuition or your first instincts, what you need,” Rakim told Atlantic. When you hear that record, there’s no denying it.”

Rakim said “The Good Life” rapper is “not afraid to reach” when it comes to making music citing he has done “a lot of different types of music.”

“He is not afraid to just go where the track takes him.”

To read full interview, head over to Atlantic Records by clicking here.

Listen Eric B. and Rakim- Paid in Full