Eric B. & Rakim

Eric B. & Rakim were an East Coast hip hop duo that popularized the James Brown-sampled funky hip hop of the late 1980s. Eric B. is considered to be one of the great DJs and record producers of the late 1980s, while Rakim is widely con

Eric B. & Rakim were an East Coast hip hop duo that popularized the James Brown-sampled funky hip hop of the late 1980s. Eric B. is considered to be one of the great DJs and record producers of the late 1980s, while Rakim is widely considered to be one of hip hop's best MCs ever.

Eric Barrier (Eric B.) and William Griffin (Rakim) began recording together in the middle of the decade with "Eric B. Is President" (1986 in music) from Zakia records in Harlem, New York City. Paid in Full and Follow the Leader were their full-length debuts and were hits by hip hop's standards at the time. Their last album together was Don't Sweat the Technique (1992 in music). Eric B. has begun a solo career on his own 95th Street Records label, as well as serving on various production teams (including working with Dr. Dre).