Rakim Songs: The Complete Guide to Every Album, Guest Verse & the Lost Dr. Dre Record

The best Rakim songs span four decades and seven studio albums — from the genre-defining Eric B. & Rakim records of the late 1980s to his 2024 comeback album G.O.D.’s Network (REB7RTH). Across every era of his career, Rakim songs have set the standard for lyrical excellence. He is widely regarded as the greatest MC of all time, the rapper who taught every rapper after him how to rap. His catalog includes solo classics like “Guess Who’s Back” and “The 18th Letter (Always and Forever),” landmark guest verses on tracks like Jay-Z’s “The Watcher Part 2” and Truth Hurts’ “Addictive,” and one of hip-hop’s most fascinating what-if stories: the lost Dr. Dre album that never was.

Detail	Info
Full Name	William Michael Griffin Jr.
Born	January 28, 1968, Wyandanch, New York
Active Years	1985–present
Eric B. & Rakim Albums	4 (1987–1992)
Solo Albums	4 (1997–2024)
Notable Songs	“Paid in Full,” “Microphone Fiend,” “Guess Who’s Back,” “The 18th Letter”
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame	Nominated 2012 and 2024 (not yet inducted)
Latest Release	G.O.D.’s Network (REB7RTH) (2024)

The Foundation — Eric B. & Rakim’s Essential Songs

Before Rakim went solo, he built the blueprint with DJ Eric B. across four studio albums between 1987 and 1992. Their debut Paid in Full (1987) didn’t just introduce hip-hop to internal rhyme schemes and complex metaphors — it fundamentally rewired what MCs thought was possible with the English language. “My Melody,” “I Ain’t No Joke,” and the title track “Paid in Full” became instant classics.

Follow the Leader (1988) escalated the ambition. The title track opened with “Follow me into a solo — get in the flow” over Eric B.’s massive horns-and-bass production, and “Microphone Fiend” became one of the most sampled hip-hop songs in history. Let the Rhythm Hit Em (1990) went deeper and darker, while Don’t Sweat the Technique (1992) showed a more relaxed Rakim flowing over jazz-inflected beats.

For a deep dive into every track from the Eric B. & Rakim catalog, check out our complete guide: Eric B. and Rakim Songs: The Complete Album-by-Album Breakdown.

Going Solo — The 18th Letter & The Master

After Eric B. & Rakim split in 1993 — partly due to legal disputes over royalties and partly because both wanted to go in different creative directions — Rakim disappeared from music for five years. When he returned with The 18th Letter in 1997, the hip-hop landscape had transformed completely. Biggie and Tupac were dead. Wu-Tang had rewritten the rulebook. Puff Daddy’s shiny suit era was in full swing.

None of that mattered. Rakim came back sounding like he’d been training in isolation.

“Guess Who’s Back” announced his return over a hard-hitting DJ Premier beat, and it was clear immediately: the five-year absence hadn’t dulled anything. “The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)” showcased his evolution — the flow was more relaxed but the wordplay was denser than ever. “It’s Been a Long Time” addressed his absence directly, riding a smooth R&B sample with the confidence of a man who knew his legacy was secure.

The Master followed in 1999 with a stacked guest list — DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Clark Kent, and even a track with the late Notorious B.I.G. (“It’s Nothing,” built from unreleased Biggie vocals). Standout tracks like “When I B on tha Mic” and “Flow Forever” proved Rakim could adapt to late ’90s production without sacrificing his signature precision. The album’s title wasn’t arrogance — it was a statement of fact that even his competitors agreed with.

The Dr. Dre Years — Aftermath’s Lost Rakim Album

This is the great what-if of Rakim’s career — and one of hip-hop’s most tantalizing lost albums.

Around 2000, Rakim signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. The pairing seemed like destiny: hip-hop’s greatest lyricist over hip-hop’s greatest producer. Rakim reportedly recorded an entire album titled Oh My God, and early snippets — particularly a track called “Euphoria” — leaked and sent the hip-hop internet into a frenzy.

But the album never dropped. Reports vary on exactly what went wrong. Some sources point to creative differences — Dre’s meticulous production schedule clashed with Rakim’s process. Others suggest label politics at Interscope complicated the release. What we know for certain: by 2003, Rakim had quietly parted ways with Aftermath without releasing a single official track.

Here’s the twist that still haunts hip-hop fans: several of the beats Dre produced for that Rakim album reportedly ended up on 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003), which went on to sell 12 million copies worldwide. Nobody knows exactly which tracks, but the timeline — and the quality of those beats — makes the loss sting even more.

Rakim’s influence on hip-hop can’t be measured in album sales alone — it’s in every internal rhyme, every multisyllabic flow, every MC who treats the microphone like a sacred instrument. For fans who want to honor that legacy, our Eric B and Rakim Paid in Full T-Shirt celebrates the album that started it all — the 1987 debut that taught rap music what lyricism could be.

Guest Verses That Proved Rakim Never Lost It

Even during the years when Rakim wasn’t releasing solo albums, he kept showing up on other people’s tracks and reminding everyone why he’s the God MC. These guest verses are essential listening:

• “Addictive” — Truth Hurts ft. Rakim (2002): This was Rakim’s biggest commercial moment. The track, produced by DJ Quik and featuring a Bollywood sample, hit #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rakim’s verse was smooth and effortless, gliding over the lush production like he was born for mainstream crossover.
• “The Watcher Part 2” — Jay-Z ft. Dr. Dre & Rakim (2002): From The Blueprint², this sequel to Dre’s 2001 track featured three titans of hip-hop trading verses. Rakim’s contribution was a reminder that even alongside Jay-Z at his commercial peak, the God MC could hold his own.
• “Classic (Better Than I’ve Ever Been)” — Kanye West, Nas, KRS-One & Rakim (2007): Created for a Nike commercial, this four-MC posse cut was a generational summit. Rakim delivered a characteristically measured verse that showed he could share a mic with three other legends without anyone stealing his shine.
• “Holy Are You” — Rakim (2006): A standalone loosie that circulated online and showed a more spiritual, introspective Rakim. The Five Percenter references were front and center, and the flow was as precise as anything from the golden era.

G.O.D.’s Network (REB7RTH) — The 2024 Comeback

After fifteen years of near-silence — The Seventh Seal (2009) had come and gone with little fanfare — Rakim returned in 2024 with G.O.D.’s Network (REB7RTH) (AllMusic discography), and the album was loaded with meaning.

The feature list alone told a story. Nipsey Hussle and DMX — both gone far too soon — appeared on the album posthumously, giving the project a weight that went beyond a typical comeback record. Method Man, Kurupt, and other guests rounded out a lineup that spanned coasts and generations.

Lyrically, the new Rakim songs sounded reinvigorated. The Five Percenter themes that have always colored his work were more prominent than ever, and his flow — while more measured than the rapid-fire delivery of Paid in Full — carried the wisdom of a 56-year-old man who’d seen hip-hop evolve from park jams to a multi-billion-dollar industry. Tracks like “Be Ill” and “Walk These Streets” showed that Rakim wasn’t chasing trends. He was simply doing what he’d always done: treating each bar like a piece of architecture.

The title itself — G.O.D.’s Network — was a nod to his faith and his Five Percenter beliefs (G.O.D. = Gaining One’s Definition). REB7RTH referenced both his return to music and a spiritual rebirth. It wasn’t the album’s commercial performance that mattered. What mattered was that Rakim proved, at 56, that he could still write verses that made other rappers take notes.

The Seventh Seal — The Overlooked Middle Chapter

Released in 2009 on his own Ra Records label, The Seventh Seal is the Rakim album most fans haven’t heard — and that’s a shame, because it’s stronger than its reputation suggests.

After the Aftermath debacle, Rakim spent years in a legal and creative limbo. The Seventh Seal was his declaration of independence: self-funded, self-released, and uncompromising. Tracks like “Walk These Streets” (yes, a different version than the 2024 track) and “How to Emcee” were vintage Rakim — dense lyricism over boom-bap production, with zero concessions to whatever was popular on the radio.

The album didn’t chart well, partly because independent distribution in 2009 was a very different game than it is today. But for the dedicated fans who found it, The Seventh Seal was proof that Rakim’s pen hadn’t dulled. It’s the bridge between The Master and G.O.D.’s Network, and it deserves a closer listen.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rakim Songs

What is Rakim’s most famous song?

“Paid in Full” (1987) with Eric B. is widely considered Rakim’s most iconic track. The song’s Cold Crush-sampling beat and Rakim’s revolutionary flow made it a hip-hop standard that’s been sampled and referenced for nearly four decades.

How many solo albums does Rakim have?

Rakim has four solo albums: The 18th Letter (1997), The Master (1999), The Seventh Seal (2009), and G.O.D.’s Network (REB7RTH) (2024). He also recorded an unreleased album called Oh My God during his time at Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment.

What happened to the Rakim and Dr. Dre album?

Rakim signed to Aftermath Entertainment around 2000 and reportedly recorded an album titled Oh My God. The album was never released due to creative differences and label complications. Rakim left Aftermath by 2003, and several of the beats are believed to have been repurposed for other Aftermath projects, including 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

Why did Eric B. and Rakim break up?

Eric B. & Rakim split around 1993 due to royalty disputes and creative differences. Both wanted to pursue solo careers. They’ve reunited for live performances over the years but have never recorded a new studio album together.

Is Rakim in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

Not yet. Eric B. & Rakim were nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 and again in 2024, but they have not been inducted as of early 2026. Many fans and critics consider the omission one of the Hall’s biggest oversights.

What is Rakim’s best solo album?

Most fans and critics point to The 18th Letter (1997) as his strongest solo work. It featured production from DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Father Shaheed, and tracks like “Guess Who’s Back” and “The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)” showed Rakim could thrive in the late ’90s hip-hop landscape without compromising his style.

What is “The 18th Letter” a reference to?

The 18th letter of the alphabet is “R” — for Rakim. It also ties into his Five Percenter beliefs, where letters and numbers carry spiritual significance. The album title was Rakim’s way of branding himself as both a solo artist and a spiritual figure.

Did Rakim release a new album in 2024?

Yes. G.O.D.’s Network (REB7RTH) was released in 2024, Rakim’s first album in 15 years. It features posthumous appearances by Nipsey Hussle and DMX, along with guest verses from Method Man and Kurupt.

Rakim’s catalog is the story of hip-hop itself — from the raw boom-bap of Long Island basements to platinum-selling mainstream crossovers to a quiet, dignified return at age 56. Other rappers have sold more records. Others have had bigger hits. But no one has been more consistently revered by their peers for this long. Every generation of MCs discovers Rakim and has the same reaction: this is what it’s supposed to sound like.