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18th Letter: THE BOOK OF LIFE [Limited Edition]

Rakim | Format: Audio CD
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
Price: £13.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Buy the MP3 album for £10.49 at the Amazon MP3 Downloads store.

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Biography

Universally referenced as one of the Masters of the Microphone and an influence and inspiration to his peers and followers alike, Rakim first exploded onto the scene with the release of iconic Eric B. is President in 1986 with long time collaborator Eric B. The single marked a turning point in the Rap world – raising the bar for future emcees and revolutionizing the way rhymes are ... Read more in Amazon's Rakim Store

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18th Letter: THE BOOK OF LIFE + The Master
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  • The Master ~ Rakim Audio CD £4.96

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Product details

  • Audio CD (3 Nov 1997)
  • Number of Discs: 2
  • Format: Limited Edition
  • Label: Universal Music
  • ASIN: B000005B0O
  • Other Editions: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 6,579 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         


Disc 1:

Samples
Song TitleArtist Time Price
Listen  1. IntroRakim0:12£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  2. The 18th Letter (Always And Forever)Rakim 3:00£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  3. SkitRakim0:23£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  4. It's Been A Long Time (Album Version)Rakim 3:57£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  5. Remember ThatRakim 4:40£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  6. The Saga BeginsRakim 4:22£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  7. Skit (Album Version)Rakim0:19£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  8. Guess Who's Back (Album Version)Rakim 4:10£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  9. Stay A WhileRakim 4:25£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen10. New York (Ya Out There)Rakim 4:04£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen11. Show Me LoveRakim 4:18£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen12. Skit (Album Version)Rakim0:19£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen13. The Mystery (Who Is God?)Rakim 5:20£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen14. When I'm Flowin'Rakim 5:04£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen15. It's Been A Long Time (Suave House Mix)Rakim 3:58£0.59  Buy MP3 
Listen16. Guess Who's Back (Alternate Mix)Rakim 4:10£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen17. OutroRakim 1:19£0.69  Buy MP3 


Disc 2:

Samples
Song TitleArtist Time Price
Listen  1. I Know You Got SoulEric B. & Rakim 4:43£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  2. Follow The LeaderEric B. & Rakim 5:32£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  3. Eric B. Is PresidentEric B. & Rakim 6:15£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  4. Microphone FiendEric B. & Rakim 5:13£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  5. I Ain't No JokeEric B. & Rakim 3:52£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  6. Lyrics Of FuryEric B. & Rakim 4:11£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  7. My MelodyEric B. & Rakim 6:47£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  8. Know The LedgeEric B. & Rakim 3:58£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen  9. Move The CrowdEric B. & Rakim 3:36£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen10. Let The Rhythm Hit 'EmRakim 5:24£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen11. MahoganyRakim 4:27£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen12. In The GhettoEric B. & Rakim 5:26£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen13. Casualties Of WarEric B. & Rakim 4:02£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen14. The PunisherEric B. & Rakim 4:07£0.89  Buy MP3 
Listen15. Paid In FullEric B. & Rakim 3:49£0.89  Buy MP3 

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk

The 18th Letter may not quite rank next to his stunning 1980's work with Eric B ("Follow The Leader", "I Know You Got Soul", "Paid In Full"), but that's okay, because said tracks appear as a second CD, The Book Of Life, alongside it. Rakim's impressive comeback album serves as reminder that he possesses one of the most thrilling voices in hip hop. Both his technique and his lyrics on The 18th Letter show the influence his deep-voiced, commanding, reflective rapping style had on later notables like Gang Starr, Mobb Deep and GZA, and prove that he has lost none of the talent and sophistication which set him apart from the beginning. Pride of place goes to the title track and to the swaggering, staccato statement of intent, "Guess Who's Back". --David Bennun

Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Bass Ripping Magic 5 July 2000
By csharland@hotmail.com
Format:Audio CD
With songs like the punisher and follow the leader, plus alternitive mixes of some of Rakim's most inspired tunes you won't be sad. This box set is a hip hop must. It's music Puff Daddy could dream of.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars 1997's solo album, plus bonus Eric B& Rakim Best of. 23 Nov 2002
By Jason Parkes #1 HALL OF FAME
Format:Audio CD
Hopefully in the wake of the success of the Dr Dre-produced Truth Hurts single, rapper/pioneer Rakim will have more interest generated in his previous work. This double-set contains 1997's The 18th Letter, which may not be as great as those classic early works, but has a fair share of spot-on tracks- anyone who likes albums like Genius/GZA's Liquid Swords, the Killah Priest debut or the 2nd Gravediggaz album will find much here to enjoy (Guess Who's Back was milked for Eminema's terrible Without Me).

The 2nd disc, The Book of Life, is what makes this a must purchase- the definitive best of Eric B & Rakim- who were as important to the development of hip hop as Mantronix, Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, De La Soul & NWA. The tracks stem from their four albums Paid in Full, Follow the Leader, Let the Rhythm Hit Em & Don't Sweat the Technique (with Know the Ledge coming from the Tupac-starring Juice). Every track is great, highlights are 1987's UK hit Paid in Full, the timely Casualties of War (recalling Ali's objection to fighting in the Vietnam War and pre-dating film Three Kings in terms of theme), the sci-fi industrial throb of songs like Follow the Leader and Let the Rhythm Hit Em ranking up there with Meat Beat Manifesto's Satyricon. Lyrics of Fury was strangely covered by Tricky on 1997's Pre-Millennium Tension album, though its lyrics "I'm as serious as cancer" would be borrowed for the idiotic Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap. I Know You Got Soul is probably the most classic single here, M/A/R/S Pump Up the Volume taking its title and key sample from here- while overrated indie band The Stone Roses would steal (but not acknowledge the stealing ) of Rakim's phrase "It ain't where you're from/it's where you're at"- another classic example of the whiteman stealing from the blackman in the history of music? (Hello Elvis!).

This is a great value double-set that needs to be owned for The Book of Life (which ought to be issued seperately) which details some of the most revolutionary pre-gangsta rap hip hop of the 1980's. Classic stuff!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Rakim's first solo album and probably his best 11 Mar 2013
By Jonathan R
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Rakim's performance on the 18th Letter LP is brilliant. His intellectual lyricism and interesting subject matter makes this 1997 album one of The God MC's greatest to date, on par with albums like 'Paid in Full' and 'Follow the Leader'.

The edition of the album here also comes with a second CD, which is essentially a "Greatest Hits" LP covering Rakim's 1986-92 career with DJ Eric B. The duo made a range of classics during their reign on the hip-hop throne, and you'll get to hear them at their best if you listen to the second CD.

Overall, a 5/5 album and one of the finest hip-hop CDs in my collection. A must-buy for the serious Hip Hop fan.
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