The 18th Letter [Explicit Lyrics]

1. Intro

2. 18th Letter (Always and Forever)

3. Skit

4. It's Been a Long Time

5. Remember That

6. Saga Begins

7. Skit

8. Guess Who's Back

9. Stay a While

10. New York (Ya Out There)

11. Show Me Love

12. Skit

13. Mystery (Who Is God?)

14. When I'm Flowin

15. It's Been a Long Time [Suave House Mix]

16. Guess Who's Back [Alternative Mix] [Mix]

17. Outro

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Up in hip-hop heaven, once Lateef and Lyrics Born got finished kicking Puff Daddy's ass, they'd send him to Rakim's cloud, where Rakim would have him write, "I am very sorry for impersonating a rapper" 1 billion times on the chalkboard. In a rap scene where it's hard enough to stick around and nearly impossible to come back, hip-hop's most legendary MC has returned 11 years after his brilliant debut (and five years since he split from partner Eric B.). Amazingly, he's lost none of his skill and even gained wisdom with maturity. Even more amazing, 1997's The 18th Letter looks like a measured commercial success. The deluxe, double-CD version contains a retrospective of Rakim's career; also worth checking out is the reissue of Eric B. & Rakim's seminal Paid in Full. --Roni Sarig

Tracks:

Intro
The 18th Letter (Always And Forever)
Skit
It's Been A Long Time
Remember That
The Saga Begins
Skit
Guess Who's Back
Stay A While
New York (Ya Out There)
Show Me Love
Skit
The Mystery (Who Is God?)
When I'm Flowin
It's Been A Long Time (Suave House Mix)
Guess Who's Back (Alternative Mix)
Outro

Tracks:

I Know You Got Soul
Follow The Leader
Eric B. Is President
Microphone Fiend
I Ain't No Joke
Lyrics Of Fury
My Melody
Know The Ledge
Move The Crowd
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
Mahogany
In The Ghetto
Casualities Of War
The Punisher
Paid In Full

Amazon.com

Back in hip-hop heaven, once Lateef and Lyrics Born got finished kicking Puff Daddy's ass they'd send him to Rakim's cloud, where Rakim would have him write, "I am very sorry for impersonating a rapper" one billion times on the chalkboard. In a rap scene where it's hard enough to stick around and nearly impossible to comeback, hip-hop's most legendary MC has returned eleven years since his brilliant debut (and five years he split from partner Eric B.). Amazingly, he's lost none of his skill and even gained wisdom with maturity. Even more amazing, 1997's 18th Letter, a double CD that's half new and half retrospective, looks like a measured commercial success. --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews:

great to have in the archives.......2007-05-12

It is one of the best rap albums ever made!

who's Jeezy!.......2006-11-23

I'm not a big hip- hop fan , i'm more classic R&B But I know Rakim (not litterally, but his music) He's one of the few (very few) rappers that I've followed along the years. His voice is excellent and the lyrics are deep. I agree with the rest of the crew,(except that first one)He's one of the best! By the way...who's Jeezy?

Young Jeezy Sucks.......2006-05-21

I read that guys review saying this CD is gay and he says Jeezy is better, Jeezy sounds worse than me taking a s*it! Southern rap is probably one of the worst forms of hip hop now adays. Rakim is probably one of the best rappers ever, he stays focused and he could kill anyone in a battle rap. His albums have been great, going back to the days when he was with Eric B. The beats are hard and his rhymes are perfect, every song on here is awesome. Also, the only reason why Jeezy got famous was because MTV (the gayest channel on earth) played his videos over and over again. If you like this, you'd also like the Wu Tang Clan.

Yove got some nerve!.......2006-03-24

i saw that a reviewer a little bit below me on February 13, 2006 said that Rakim was awful! What is that about! He even has the nerve to say that Jeezy is a better rapper than Rakim! That is just a joke! Jeezy is one of the most generic and worst rappers out there today! Rakim was one of the first great rappers, and any rap expert would say that he is one of the top 5 easily. Every song on the compilation is a classic! Ive only heard a couple of songs on the 18th Letter disc, but they were great! That guy has no right to say that Rakim sucks, because he has amazing lyrics, great flow, songs that mean something, and eric b. gave him great beats when they were together. Its people like that guy that cause rap to be in the situation that it is in today. Oh, and by the way, he also gave the Black Star album 1 star (another classic). Just get this cd, and don't listen to people like him, because they have no idea what good music is!

Great Album.......2006-03-23

Apparently some fool had the guts to compare Young Jeezy to Rakim. Young Jeezy is your typical disposable rapper who is going to be forgotten about next month. Unlike Jeezy, Rakim contains substance. From "Guess whos back" to "it's been a long time", Rakim lays down lyrics like none other. Jeezy's lyrics are all terrible similies refering to crack and cocaine and how he's the snowman. Well Rakim is the sun and he is melting Jeezy's ass!

Average customer rating:

Once Apon A Time, there was A Rap Album with No Cursing That was A "Classic"
It's not the same without Eric B.
A Prayer
The R
hot sh*t

The 18th Letter
Rakim
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

$7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Master
Don't Sweat the Technique
Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em
Doe or Die
Long Live the Kane

ASIN: B000005B0R
Release Date: 1997-11-04

Tracks:

Intro
The 18th Letter (Always And Forever)
Skit
It's Been A Long Time
Remember That
The Saga Begins
Skit
Guess Who's Back
Stay A While
New York (Ya Out There)
Show Me Love
Skit
The Mystery (Who Is God?)
When I'm Flowin
It's Been A Long Time (Suave House Mix)
Guess Who's Back (Alternative Mix)
Outro

Amazon.com

Up in hip-hop heaven, once Lateef and Lyrics Born got finished kicking Puff Daddy's ass, they'd send him to Rakim's cloud, where Rakim would have him write, "I am very sorry for impersonating a rapper" 1 billion times on the chalkboard. In a rap scene where it's hard enough to stick around and nearly impossible to come back, hip-hop's most legendary MC has returned 11 years after his brilliant debut (and five years since he split from partner Eric B.). Amazingly, he's lost none of his skill and even gained wisdom with maturity. Even more amazing, 1997's The 18th Letter looks like a measured commercial success. The deluxe, double-CD version contains a retrospective of Rakim's career; also worth checking out is the reissue of Eric B. & Rakim's seminal Paid in Full. --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews:

Once Apon A Time, there was A Rap Album with No Cursing That was A "Classic".......2006-04-14

Did you know Rakim doesn't curse on this album and it isn't like he is trying to be positive, he is just being the Master. Rakim.

1.Intro- Rakim walking to somebody, there doing part one of an interview. (2/5)
2.The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)- My God, Rakim just basically raps, there is no topic he is just killing the song with his lyrics. (5/5)
3.skit-Part two of the interview.(2/5)
4.It's Been A Long Time- It's been a long time since Rakim came out.(3/5)
5.Remember That- On this song, Rakim talks about the past, not of his life just the past. Asking you do you remember those things.(5/5)
6.The Saga Begins-This is why we call Rakim, RAKIM because he kills this song, just listen to the lyrics.(5/5)
7.skit-Part three of the goofy interview.(2/5)
8.Guess Whos Back- Good beat, the hook is a strange like something off that Master CD. But the song is good.(4/5)
9.Stay A While- A song to women, I like the beat, it's sonds like something from the Super Mario Bros.(5/5)
10.New York(Ya Out There)- A song decribing New York.(5/5)
11.Show Me Love- A song to the ladies.(3/5)
12.skit-What nuber is this? I think four, part four of the
skits.(2/5)
13.Mystery(Who is God)-Rakim tells you who is God and why is he God.(4/5)
14.When I'm Flowin'-An aight song, it's his verses that create the song.(3/5)
15.It's Been A Long Time (Suave House Mix)-Same as the other song just a different beat.(3/5)
16.Guess Who's Back (Alternative Mix)-Same as the other song, the beat does sound a little better but it's the same.
17.Outro-Last part of the interview but I like this one. (3/5)

You already know he paid the way for half these people out there. If you haven't got a Rakim C.D. and you want a newer one, cop this. Don't pick up the Master, to me that is his worst album, it's better than everything else out, but not better than this. Anyway you need to get the album with no cursing or foul language, because on the next album he does. R.A.K.I.M. always and forever.

It's not the same without Eric B........2005-11-05

After his acrimonious split from his partner Eric B., Rakim would wait five years before his solo debut, 1997's The 18th Letter. As evidenced here, time had not dulled Rakim's skills one bit as his smooth delivery and creative lyrics were still intact. However, while this would be Rakim's highest charting album, debuting at #4 on the Billboard Top 200, the magic he created while working with Eric B. was no longer in evidence. What made the duo so special was what each of them brought to the table. Rakim's delivery, whether it was on the laid back "Mahogany", the rapid fire "Follow the Leader", or the mid-tempo groove of "My Melody", was always on the mark and Eric B.'s turntable work as well as his creative sampling provided the perfect accompaniment. However, Eric B.'s absence is very apparent here as The 18th Letter lacks the killer production and beats that made the duo's previous releases so great. The album also suffers from a sameness in the songs as they never abandon the same mid-tempo beat.

The hard hitting title track and the epic "The Mystery" highlight the album and are among the very few tracks that remind you of the duo's previous greatness. While tracks like the single "Guess Who's Back", "Remember That", "The Saga Begins", and "When I'm Flowin'" are all very good, the passable production makes you wonder how much better they'd be if Eric B. was present. This is even more obvious on "It's Been a Long Time", which with its lifeless production, makes the song sound very sluggish, something you could never see about any of the duo's previous work. The suave house mix is actually much better than the original. The tracks "Stay Awhile" and "Show Me Love" are both decent and continue the strong R&B influence from the Don't Sweat the Technique album. All told, while The 18th Letter is a decent listen, it isn't as memorable or essential as any of the Eric B. & Rakim albums. Rakim's next release, The Master, which would subsequently bomb on the charts, is actually a much better album.

A Prayer.......2005-10-14

Lord, please make somebody re-mix this album. Rakim's genius and flow are there, but the pseudo-old-school production isn't beef-squashing. Please, lord, make it beef-squashing.

The R.......2005-08-04

Rakim's solo effort, The 18th Letter, isn't as funky or groovy as his group projects, but there's some surprises here for new listeners. The title track or first song with its violins has the feel for Rakim's no joke, no playing lyrics. "Remember That" is jam for the old school heads to reminisce over as he fumbles over memories of earlier years. A standout from the production skills of DJ Premier on "New York (Ya Out There)" as the R represents the Empire State both bad and good. The off-keys for "The Saga Begins" fitted well for his voice and style. The two songs for the ladies, "Stay A While" and "Show Me Love" are a good one, two punch to give the album more depth. The remixes, "It's Been A Long Time (Suave House Mix)" a southern lick for diversity and "Guess Who's Back (Alternative Mix)" did justice for this release and it also ended on a good note. Real hip-hop, no gimmicks, no curses, just lyrics.

hot sh*t.......2005-05-31

Rakim introduces his first solo album here and its great. his true voice gets spoken here and hes hear to rip the mic again. only thing that puzzled me is that the album didnt get a parental advisory sticker on it. does that mean no cussing? maybe its cuz they call him the god, and God doesnt curse...or at least we assume that.