Mic Check 1-2, 1-2

I had to do something to keep the fellas that read this blog interested. Most of the people close to me know that I am very eclectic when it comes to music. I like a little bit of everything. My current favorite XM channel is 94 Caliente!!! I’m into Hip-Hop but I’m not a huge purchaser of it. Sure I’ll party to it but buying it you have to stick out to me. I really like rappers who are wordsmiths…masters of word manipulation with wit, humor, sarcasm and great figurative language. Few MC’s have been awarded the honor of me paying $12.99; those few include Nas, Jay Z, Biggie, T.I., Common, Talib Kweli and Most Def (FYI I want money back for that Black Jack Johnson crap). The others who I refer to as rappers are okay and I’ll party.

An MC according to me is someone who holds your attention, makes you process the lyrics; someone who may have you hitting rewind because you can’t believe how ill those lyrics were just now and if you were younger you probably want to write them down! Now if you notice my list of favorites is basically from the last 10-12 years. I’ll be 30 in a few days so you know I can take you back further than that. See, I told you all of the things that I expect and MC to be, but what I didn’t mention is that MC means Move the Crowd. That brings me to the topic of this blog. An Ode to Rakim.

Rakim aka Rakim Allah aka The God MC aka The G.O.A.T. is ultimately and without question my favorite MC. One of the first rap videos I remember seeing was for “I Ain’t No Joke”. I know all of the words front and back. As I got older I could actually appreciate a lot of what he was saying. No talk of bling, pushing kilos, iced out grills, fully loaded Maybachs, and pouring out expensive champagne on cheap women. Rakim’s purpose was to remind anyone that doubted why he is better than you. I live for stuff like that. I love when folks can say they are better and have all the ammunition to prove it. Who honestly can’t say he wasn’t. Rakim was ahead of his time. He didn’t need a catchy hook or chorus. Just bars and bars of pure lyrical madness . My Melody is arguably one of the greatest compositions of hip hop ever created. “I take 7 MC's put em in a line; And add 7 more brothas who think they can rhyme; Well, it'll take 7 more before I go for mine; And that's 21 MC's ate up at the same time” WHAAATTTTTT. How can you come back from that? You can’t so just have a seat.

I’ll probably never get a chance to meet Rakim. If I did I’d probably be too afraid to talk to him. I mean dude doesn’t smile and I’ve never heard him talk much outside of vicious lyrics. So I had an idea. What if I could interview the God MC? Well I don’t know anyone that knows him. I don’t know anyone that knows someone that knows him. But, I went to undergrad at Clark Atlanta University where the motto was “FIND A WAY OR MAKE ONE”. So I made one. I came up with a few important questions that I would like to ask Rakim, and I interviewed him in the quiet comfortable confines of my mind using lyrics from My Melody. Here’s how it went.

BL29: Hi Mr. Rakim thanks for taking the time to speak with me. If you don’t mind me asking what is your real name so that I may address you properly?

RTG: My name is Rakim Allah, and R and A stands for Raswitch it around, it still comes out R

BL: Umm oh okay, so I’ll call you R? Great. Well sir you are my #1 favorite MC. I’ve even heard of others MCs who call you their favorite. The part I like about you best is your lyrics. You are a lyricist. I’ve heard of other rappers like Biggie and Jay Z not writing down their lyrics, how did you create you masterpiece?

RTG: As I memorize, advertise, like a poetKeep you goin' when I'm flowin', smooth enough, you know with the rough you know with the rough That’s why the moral of my story I tell will beNobody beats the R, check out my melody

BL: Needless to say we haven’t been graced by your presence in quite some time, how do you feel about yourself in comparison to other MC’s still in the game?

RTG: I'm number one; competition is noneI'm measured with the heat that's made by sun

BL: Well if I wasn’t a fan I’d say “says who?” what makes you stand out from the rest?

I'm not a regular competitor, first rhyme editorMelody arranger, poet, etceteraExtra event, the grand finale-like bonusI am the man they call the microphonist.

BL: Microphonist I like that. I should call my self a purseophonist!

RTG: *silence*

BL: Okay next question. There is so much talk of violence on wax these days. Everybody wants to shoot their rival MC off a stage and snatch his chain...ugh? Are you the gangster violent type?

RTG: Easy does it, do it easy, that's what I'm doin'No fessin', no messin' around, no chewin'No robbin', no buyin', bitin', why bother
BL: Yeah well folks don’t bother dudes that don’t smile too much anyway. So earlier I stated that an MC should move the crowd. A lot of them have such a horrible stage presences (Sorry Jay) but presentation is key in a live performance. So you think you were/can be able to maintain and audiences attention when they not only are listening to you but are watching your every move?

RTG: In a rhyme, why waste time on the microphone; I take this more serious than just a poemRockin party to party, backyard to yard; I tear it up, y'all, and bless the mic for the gods

BL: Well you got me convinced….

RTG: Wait, I’m not done. If I was water, I'd flow in the NileSo many rhymes you won't have time to go for yoursJust because of applause I have to pause

BL: WOW. Well hey just afford me the courtesy of front row seats and we are good. One last question. How do you feel about the Christian Dior Gaucho collection? I mean those bags are hot like fiyah but Jeez Louise the prices are astronomical!

RTG: The who?

BL: Gaucho.

RTG: And that is a what?

BL: A purse.

RTG: Did you just ask me if I liked a purse? I came to express the rap I manifest. Stand in my way and I'll veto, in other words, protest

BL: Sorry, remember you are in my head and I get easily distracted. Darn that eLuxury.

RTG: *straight face*

BL: My unusual style will confuse you a while

RTG: I said that, that’s my line.

BL: I think this is a good stopping point. Thanks for sitting down to chat and don’t step on anything valuable on your way out.

RTG: *Ice grill*

BL: *waving*