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Click Rakim ‘The Seventh Seal’ Album Details
Photography by WordsNTunes
Having just got back from a playback session for about two-thirds of the upcoming Rakim album, ‘The Seventh Seal’, HHC Digital can report the following:
- ‘The Seventh Seal’ will be 16 tracks long, with the main rap guests being Busta Rhymes, Styles P and Jadakiss.
- It’ll be released on October 20th.
- Along with CD and download formats, it’ll be available in heavyweight coloured vinyl, plus a special collector’s package that’ll feature, um, some other stuff.
- Nothing from a one-week recording session between Rakim and Kanye West appears on the album.
- The ‘official’ reason for his departure from Aftermath was simple creative differences (Rakim not wanting to rhyme about guns and drugs), plus the different creative work habits of Dr Dre and Ra.
- Off the back of the release of the album Rakim will be touring (and hitting Europe in spring 2010) and is actively looking to record with artists from around the world.
- There are 50 other unreleased new Rakim tracks in the vault that will be rolled out once ‘The Seventh Seal’ is released. There may or may not also be some tracks with Puffy and Will I Am on another new album next summer.
On the track-by-track tip…
‘Still In Love’ (produced by Nick Wiz): Ostensibly an ode to hip-hop, this will feature Busta shouting something or the other on the chorus, has a possibly-slightly annoying “Love!” vocal sample running throughout it, and the less than other-worldly lines, “The god Rakim/You know I get it in”. Bonus trivia: This is likely to end up being used on the season opener of CSI: NY.
‘Holy Are You’ (produced by Nick Wiz): Aka the one you’ve all heard. Apparently, while writing it, Rakim had the Bible, the Koran and the Torah set up in front of him with notes and paper clips marking up references to quote.
‘Man Above’ (produced by Nick Wiz): Another Nick Wiz production (who’ll likely end up with four beats on the finished album), this is Ra in street sermon mode, dropping lines like, “Stereotypes start off a life stigmata/But still a kid gotta get a dollar,” and involves a juvenile gone wild getting advice from his father. So kinda like Ra’s ‘Pappa Don’t Preach’, but without all that underage pregnancy stuff.
‘Won’t Be Long’ (produced by Jake One): Featuring Pudgee Tha Fat Bastard crooning on the chorus, this is a pretty dope track, with Ra throwing shots (”I question the state of hip-hop; major labels and so on”) and Jake One’s beat meshing well with his vocals.
‘Put It All To Music’ (produced by Poppa Pillz): Not sure on the spelling of the producer, but a great ’70s-soul-sounding sample-based track from a new bod on the boards, with what sounds like it may be a Minnie Riperton vocal snippet for the hook. Comes over with the warmth of something from the early-90s – but not in an overly retro way.
‘I Walk These Streets’ (produced by Needlz): Probably the album’s clanger, not so much because Needlz’s beat uses either the same or a startlingly similar sample to Busta Rhymes’s ‘Been Through The Storm’, but because the inclusion of Akon on the hook – and maybe the second verse – just doesn’t seem to make any sense, stylistically or in terms of the end product. Possible addition: Maino may be drafted in to spit 16 bars on the second verse if Akon can’t send over his vocals in time.
‘Psychic Love’ (produced by Nick Wiz): Billed as this album’s ‘Mahogany’, it’s another one you’ll likely skip before it’s even finished.
‘How To Emcee’ (produced by DJ Slyce): Hurrah! Track of the album so far, no doubt, with a right rattling beat from the DMC champ – think something not too far off a DITC or P Brothers moment, all heavy drums and discordant saxophone stabs – with Rakim dropping straight braggadocio like, “I wrote some of the illest rhymes ever/Soon as I put ‘em together/Rappers take ‘em… paraphrase ‘em.” Sage-like advice: Ditch Akon and spend the money on putting together a remix with KRS-One, Kool G Rap and Jay-Z.
‘Documentary Of A Gangsta’: Featuring up-and-coming Brooklyn spitter I.Q. on the hook, this is Ra in street-level story-telling mode. Up-in-the-air trivia: The chorus may or may not be bringing the word ‘chicken’ (as in a scardey-cat) back, or it might fall back on using the term ‘actor’.
‘Working For You’ (produced by Jake One): Another decent Jake One beat, though there’s a chance it might be dipping into the same sample pot as Dilated Peoples’ ‘Worse Comes To Worst’.
Can not wait to hear this!!!!!
Rakim has came out with some of the most interesting rhymes I have ever heard + his flow is untouchable.
NO.1 Best Emcee of All Time! With out a doubt.
I just hope during the Eropean tout in spring 2010 some Scottish promoters are of the same oppinion and put him on
otherwise I’ll be trecking down South of the Boarder.
Rakim for President
this is sdounging heavy! return of the god mc!
AKON CAN GET THE BOZACK!!!!
Sounds promisig except for the akon song. Ra is too cmplex for the new kids tho…
[...] it might be dipping into the same sample pot as Dilated Peoples’ ‘Worse Comes To Worst’. SOURCE: http://hhcdigital.net/blog1/2009/08/…album-details/ __________________ myspace.com/vocabthemc [...]
Ain’t gonna save hiphop but we need this one.. How to mc sounds I
I’ll!
Believe this when I hear it!!! Is Jigga on it then? Big!
YES Ra Sounding Fierce! Ain’t Mad At That Akon Money..
[...] be dipping into the same sample pot as Dilated Peoples’ ‘Worse Comes To Worst’. HHC Digital Rakim ‘The Seventh Seal’ Album Details __________________ :: The 5% Supremacy Thread :: "You dissing moi? Take the ratchet [...]
[...] in the long-awaited album stakes Rakim revealed a batch of new details about ‘The Seventh Seal’, including a much-debated cameo from Akon and less contentious guest spots from Jadakiss, Styles P [...]
First heard Rakim when Paid In Full dropped and was pretty much in awe of him. Not that convinced on any of his solo stuff even if Eric B did fuck all on the albums. Interested to hear this obviously but not expecting the world.
After 10 years of waiting, we FINALLY get to hear The 7th Seal!!! I believe it’ll definitely be worth the wait! AN EPIC HIP HOP ALBUM!
“Holy Are You” is INCREDIBLE and the new tracks from his album, “The Archive – Live, Lost & Found” are also tight as hell! In other words, so far so good!
I”ll def. be copin Ra’s “Seventh Seal” album when it drops!! I think this will be his best solo effort to date. Perhaps it will be a classic like “Paid in Full”…? We shall see.
Nonetheless, I’ve been a fan of Rakim since I was like 10 or 11 and I’m 33 now. In my opinion he has been and will contiue to be one the illest to grace the mic. My favorite true emcee (not rappter) of all time.
I do hope he will have at least one tight, raw/gritty premo track on the album and maybe even perhaps a pete rock track on it too. Them two cats can definely bring the heat that Rakim can spit over and just murder the track. But then again Ra can pretty much murder any track especially if it’s a track that he’s really feelin and it’ll inspire him to write to it at his top notch lyrical level. No matter what Ra will bring it but I just hope the overall production on the album will be on the same level too.
i doubt this will ever be released – and i should know – i live in the future…
[...] http://hhcdigital.net/blog1/2009/08/13/rakim-the-seventh-seal-album-details/ [...]
Damn… nothing with Kanye made the album. That sucks. =/
I doubt this information is accurate
are you a fucking idiot or are you just acting like one???????????, you seem to think that mahogagny was one to skip. You must be the biggest idiot around!!!!plain and simple!!!. Anyone with half of a mind would understand just how cool and soothing that track was. For you to say it’s worth skipping, is totally assanine…that of which you are…by far. You big idiot you just don’t understand lyrics and how it goes together with rhythm. I ask you, what is your definition of R.A.P.????. Let me put it to you this way, as the god put it….rap is rhythm and poetry…do you understand…you fucking idiot. Do not ever, ever write anything that stupid about creativity again. It just proves that you wasted eight years of your parents income to be a so called journalist….HAHAHA what a joke…Mahogany worth skipping….DUMBASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
The GASFACE for AKON……..bbbbrrrraaaahhh
return of the GOD
So Iam am back and angry as ever. I would like the idiot that wrote the review on the entire album of the 7th seal to respond to this!!!!!!!!!. 1st of all, how old are you?, second, where in the fucking world did you grow up?, third of all when did you start listening to rap…I mean real rap. Not the B.S. that’s on the air waves now. Most of these rappers are one hit, or should I say one album oneders….(that’s right, it’s no longer wonders, it’s now one and done!!!!). Of these so called rappers that you would place above the pioneer (how many of your rap listenters and followers could spell that?), could say that they have this much longevity?, or for that matter, have their one single remixed over 500 times(that’s right…paid in full…..look it up)DUMBASS!!!!
Sounds like Sean should be listening to that soulja boy……
Personally, for me at this point I aint taking everything I see on this site as factual because you can come accross so much incomplete or totally wrong info on the web…Although I do think that some of the info could be accurate BUT to be honest I’m kinda disregarding the info on this site at this point and just waiting for something more concrete/official and/or from a real credible source (like if something is coming from Rakim himself or something is posted on his official myspace page, etc). In the end I really don’t want to know too much about the album because I wan’t to have that element of suprise when I get the album.
I’m flat out ashamed with rap today but thank god their is still sick mc’s like Rakim out their to keep me interested in this genre of music. All my friends frown on me for enjoying Rakim, Nas, KRS-One, Talib Kweli, and such. I was born in 1990 but I grew up listening to real hip hop and I’m not gonna stop because it’s not whats in now. I love the underground because that is where your gonna find a real mc putting their best out and not some special ed looking fucktard rapping about doing the batman and sippin’ on crunk juice or whatever the fuck their promoting to get these kids in a state of mind that allows them to think that lowering your expectations on intelligence and dignity in music as well as their life styles is acceptable. (sorry for the run on sentence)My point is that I’m just glad that a good mc is still around so I can have something real to jam out to.
There’s really no point raging at the journalist who wrote this article because it’s not going to be changed (although he might get fired). I enjoyed Ra’s solo efforts as much as his classics with Eric B…. and I’ve never heard I.Q., so I’m looking forward to this album. Also, Mahogany is a skippable song??!!!! (I never skip songs anyway.)
For everyone visiting this site and who are in support of Rakim and looking forward to his album: GO TO RAKIM’S OFFICIAL MYSPACE PAGE. IT GIVES US AN “OFFICIAL” RELEASE DATE OF 11.17.09! I was hoping for it to drop Oct. 20th but I was kinda skepticl of this October date since it didn’t seem official. But Finally! we have an official release date! I know there’s been release dates or time frames given multiple times before but this is the first one I’ve seen actually posted on Rakim’s myspace. I got a feelin this is the date people!
I made a comment a few hours ago about Rakim’s official myspace page giving what appeared to be an official release date of 11.17.09. (BELIEVE ME, I AM A HUGE RAKIM FAN WHO IS EAGERLY AWAITING THE ALBUM AND WOULD NOT MAKE THIS UP)! Basically, there was a dessert like background image similar to the new album cover shown above but instead of Rakim being at the forefront it had the words “Rakim The Seventh Seal 11.17.09″ with an image of an old authentic looking hour glass which appeared to be on fire! (My take on this is that the hour glass image on fire was supposed to symbolize that the album is comming soon and the eager/burning anticipation of the album coming out and that when it does, it going to blaze…something to that affect)? Also, there was a whole list of dates and places that Rakim would be touring, apparently to promote the upcoming release of the album and to continue promoting once it comes out. However, when I visited the page again just a few mintues ago, that whole image is no longer there. This is interesting how all that info was removed in just a short period of time. Perhaps they decided to remove temporarily and will repost it a little later…?
Rakim is one of the realest & illest cats on the MIC. I’m certain this album’s gonna be a “collectors item” and part of any emcee’s “hip-hop starter kit”. Can’t wait to drop some hard currency for that album. Hey yo Rakim, if you’re reading this, do not shift that release date!! Your fans in West Africa ain’t gonna wait more than ten years for yo def poetry…
[...] a few bits to add to our pretty extensive preview of Rakim’s ‘The Seventh Seal’ album a month or so [...]
More like Alchemist dipped into True Master’s pot on One Step from Killah Priest’s first album…keep passing it to the left, Dope sample.
you have to understand is not everybody is going to like certain songs…I see alot of angry messages up here and I just have to say that every body has their own taste of ear…if dude thinks a certain track is one to skip over than thats just how he feels about.people need to stop getting overly angry just because nobody agrees on a song or album or artist creativity Im a rakim fan but at the same time i have songs that I skip over also not because its corny but because its just not my taste of ear we need to learn to respect peoples opinions and disagreements nevermind getting mad at somebodys opinion you dont even know.
JAKE IS AN IMPOSTOR,THE BEAT OF ”WORK FOR YOU” IT’S OF BASSI MAESTRO!AN ITALIAN PRODUCER.
I hate Rakim now.
What happens to the Don’t sweat the technique days…..
He must be broke because he as SOLD THE FUCK OUT!!!!
I’ve waited so long for THE R to return, but I’m not feeling this new style he’s kicking and the rhymes are nothing like the old Rakim, he should have stayed with Dre, I’m so disappointed in this Album. Sorry Rakim, I’m still a fan but go back to the lab.
What a load of PAP. what the hell is going on with you RAKIM.you are one of the most talented emcees out there and yet you cant get a PRODUCER who’s anygood to do your album,SOUNDS LIKE POP BABBLE TO ME and NOTHING compared to his previous albums. his lyrics are ok,but they are overshadowed by the shite music.bring back the REAL toons for rakim to flow over.premier produced CLASSIC tune,that was nice, why didnt he produce the album,none of it makes sense.damn shame
SDpSZ8 Excellent article, I will take note. Many thanks for the story!