CD Review: Rakim – The Seventh Seal
December 7th, 2009 Filed under: Reviews - Music by admin
CD Review – Rakim
The Seventh Seal
RA Records/SMC/E1
It’s been a long wait, but the God MC, the seventeenth letter, Rakim has returned. After canning the Dre sessions and numerous delays, “The Seventh Seal” entered at #61 on the album charts, proving that true Hip Hop heads are always hungry for spiritual nourishment, and while it will appeal to neither the Soulja Boy/Lil Wayne crowd nor fans of Snoop and Eminem, this tablet is a vessel of guidance for open minds.
Mathematics, street knowledge and jaded wit combine with Rakim’s effortless delivery, which defined swagger before there was such a word and influenced all who followed. Hear his resonant vocal tone in the cadences of Prodigy, Jim Jones and even Jeezy, who all rock it from the larynx. Understand the significance of terms and concepts elaborated on by the Wu Tang Clan and Jay-Z, originating in the one hundred and twenty lessons of the Five Percent Nation, and only recently revealed to outsiders. With storytelling flows that run through more grimy scenarios than Raekwon, more sex scenes than Ghostface and a sharper sword than the RZA, the god Rakim is a potent antidote to post Golden Era poison, a mental floss in fourteen movements.
Ever rooted in the electro Boom Bap of the Eighties and the soulful loops of the Nineties, the productions elegantly complement Rakim’s eloquent flow, from the manifesto contained in the opener “How to Emcee”, to the spiritual paean of tracks like “Man Above” and “Holy Are You”, which manage to present devotion with an appropriate seriousness and reverence. “Working For You” is a story of life and love that all men can relate to, while “Psychic Love” describes the ideal bond of sex, affection and understanding that makes life a heaven on earth. “Still In Love” brings that love to the art and culture of Hip Hop itself, the ultimate and eternal companion of true Hip Hoppas. Closer “Dedication”, Rakim’s ode to his late mother is too much to even speak on. Beauty can often hurt, and this music is no comfort blanket, but like KRS-ONE said – “take the pillow from out your head!!!”. It’s time for Hip Hop to start dealing with reality again, and not the club fantasy of forever living the high life. It’s time to hear lyrics about the reality of human relationships – with ourselves, each other, and the Creator.
If you’ve heard enough god talk for one review, then this album is not for you. But with idiots like Kanye West forever claiming religious inspiration, it’s better to hear testaments from a true Emcee schooled in the rich traditions of Hip Hop culture from its origins. As each seal is opened in its own good time, “The Seventh Seal” is revealed only to those with overstanding, and the ultimate lesson seems to be… love.
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