Rakim

Article summary

William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim ( ), is an American rapper. He is one half of golden age hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, with whom he released four albums: Paid in Full (1987), Follow the Leader (1988), Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (1990), and Don't Sweat the Technique (1992). He also released five solo albums: The 18th Letter (1997), The Master (1999), The Seventh Seal (2009), G.O.D.'s Network: Reb7rth (2024) and The Re-Up (2025). Rakim is considered a transformative figure in hip-hop. He helped to pioneer the use of internal rhymes and multisyllabic rhymes, and was among the first to demonstrate the possibilities of sitting down to write intricately crafted lyrics packed with clever word choices and metaphors rather than the more improvisational styles and simpler rhyme patterns that predominated before him. Rakim is also credited with creating the overall shift from the more simplistic old school flows to more complex flows. Rapper Kool Moe Dee explained: "Rakim is basically the inventor of flow. We were not even using the word flow until Rakim came along. It was called rhyming, it was called cadence, but it wasn't called flow. Rakim created flow!" Paid in Full was named the greatest hip-hop album of all time by MTV in 2006, while Rakim himself was ranked No. 4 on MTV's list of the Greatest MCs of All Time.…

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1968-01-28 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of birth: 1968-01-28 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. release date: 1987 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
4. release date: 1997 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
5. release date: 1999 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
6. release date: 2009-11-17 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
7. release date: 2009-07-14 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
8. release date: 2013 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
9. release date: 2014-03-06 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
10. release date: 2014-03-07 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
11. release date: 2024-07-26 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1968-01-28". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of birth is "1968-01-28". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the release date is "1987". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. The record states that the release date is "1997". What evidence would count against this claim?
6. The record states that the release date is "1999". What evidence would count against this claim?
7. The record states that the release date is "2009-11-17". What evidence would count against this claim?
8. The record states that the release date is "2009-07-14". What evidence would count against this claim?
9. The record states that the release date is "2013". What evidence would count against this claim?
10. The record states that the release date is "2014-03-06". What evidence would count against this claim?
11. The record states that the release date is "2014-03-07". What evidence would count against this claim?
12. The record states that the release date is "2024-07-26". What evidence would count against this claim?
13. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
14. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1377540710