Guest TheGame2705 Report post Posted August 28, 2003 If I know my rap stuff correctly about this, Rakim signed back a while ago for Aftermath. However, he has done for the most part nothing memorable since signing with him. I personally wonder why when I find him to be as good if not better than the other two products of the AMM. He might look ugly and not have the same market appeal as a white person, but this puzzles me as much as Styles getting solo air time on the radio and time on MTV yet Sheek gets the shaft. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest sean pyro Report post Posted August 28, 2003 Alot of his core audience dont even listen to/buy rap music anymore It hurts me to say it, but he's a liability... When half your audience was not even born when you released your first album, you have a problem. His name means nothing to consumers today, he needs to start from scratch, doing collabo's & remixes. Addictive should have jumpstarted his career. Dre dropped the ball big time on that one, he should've focused on Ra instead of Truth Hurts... had it be him featuring her on the hook. And dude really needs to get rid of the grey though... no one wants to see or hear their father rap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheGame2705 Report post Posted August 28, 2003 He had a hot verse on a hot song "The Watcher 2" and on Addictive but it's obvious Dre doesn't care. I agree that he has to nix the grey too unless Dre uses it to his advantage. Dre's made marketable rappers out of a white guy and 50 has looks and that funny sounding voice so who knows if people would mark for an old guy rapping with that evil voice of his. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Perfxion 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2003 Rakim has a look and a voice. But the problem is Rakim is old school. Dre is now in the Em style of rap. Rakim would be better with Timbaland and Missy who are going for the old school style. That is the major problem. Plus, Rakim been out since mid 80s. Most fans of rap from back then either listen to Classic Soul and gave up on rap. Or gave up on rap in total because rap is getting too extreme for them. Though, Rakim's new CD will kick ass, it might be an Eve isssue where it gets hype and total work from someone else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ant_7000 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2003 Yea, Rakim is 34, in rap world thats considered old, Rakim still has the skills, he had best verse on "Watcher 2." The rap game is different as terms of taking a hitaus, you can't take 5 years off and then come back like everyone remembers you (well not in Rakim case, but definitely in Keith Murray's). But Dre did drop the ball on this one, he should focus on Rakim instead of 50 or Em they already have enough buzz anyway. Rakim is now a free agent, and I don't know if Aftermath is going to release Rakim's album or not now. And Dre should've never gave up his share of Aftermath to Interscope that was another reason why they had to drop Rakim and Truth Hurts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Adrian 3:16 Report post Posted August 28, 2003 Rakim and Dre were never a good mix together; from what I heard the bulk of the album had been done for a while and Dre was just sitting on it. Also, Dre tried to hijack creative control of the project. DJ Premier hooked Ra up with a beat, and Dre's dumb ass rejected it (possibly for fear of being shown up). So Rakim has since scrapped it and left Aftermath altogether, but I couldn't tell you where he ended up. Hopefully that Primo track still surfaces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Unwritten Religion Report post Posted August 29, 2003 (edited) Oh, Never Mind. Such a damn shame. Edited August 29, 2003 by Unwritten Religion Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mw679 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2003 Ra should just hook up with Primo and let him produce the whole album. I mean, Primo knows how to lay down the old school type of beat, and definitely more towards the style Ra sounds best on. Although, it would have been interesting to hear the tracks Dre worked on. Here's hoping Ra can get the album out sometime soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steviekick 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2003 One of my biggest problems is that too many rap fans forget about the older acts. It seems that the rap scene is all about who's new. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2003 I remember Rakim did a collabo's or remix for a R&B singer several months ago, it had a middle eastern sound to it, kind of like the current sound that R.Kelly is using now. I think Rakim has to be older than 34. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted August 29, 2003 One of my biggest problems is that too many rap fans forget about the older acts. It seems that the rap scene is all about who's new. but they will throw out "I gives mad props to the originals like LL, Pac, Biggie, Dmc and the rest"... and act like they have respect for the past which is bullshit. At least Modern Day Metal fans will appreciate the old stuff.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
