Today In History

Today In History

Rakim Allah was born on this date January 28, 1968 in Wyandanch, New York to a musically talented family. Under the tutelage of his soft spoken and artistic father William Griffin Sr. and his mother, who sang jazz and opera, Rakim’s innate musical abilities were cultivated at an early age.

He learned how to play the saxophone and drums and developed an appreciation for all genres of music with an emphasis on jazz and soul. He was inspired by greats from Thelonious Monk to John Coltrane and latched onto the syncopation and rhythmic sophistication that jazz derived from. In addition, he was also the nephew of R&B legend and actress Ruth Brown, whose professionalism and artistic genius would have a profound effect on who he would become as an artist.

Rakim has repeatedly been voted the greatest MC of all time in numerous critic and fan polls, the God MC.

In the late 80’s he added a complex flow and fluid delivery to the art of rhyming that was ahead of its time, and was a great source of inspiration.

Rakim Allah has been with Hip Hop since its humble beginnings and is as dedicated to it as his fans are to him. His sheer love and respect for the culture make him a musical legend that turned rhythm and poetry into a culture that transformed America and the world.

“Music orientated so when hip-hop was originated, fitted like pieces of puzzles, complicated.”

CARTER™️ Magazine