Editing New-school hip-hop (section)

===Eric B. & Rakim===
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Eric B. & Rakim appeared with the Marley Marl-produced "Eric B. Is President" and "My Melody" on Zakia Records in 1986. Both tracks appeared on ''[[Paid in Full (album)|Paid in Full]]'' ([[4th & B'way Records|4th & Broadway]], 1987). Just as B.D.P. had, the pair reflected changes in street life on their debut's cover, which depicted the two wearing huge gold chains and surrounded by money. Like [[Criminal Minded]], the sampling prevalent in the album cemented James Brown's status as a hip hop source, while Rakim's allusions showed the growing influence of mystic Nation of Islam-offshoot [[Five-Percent Nation|The Nation of Gods and Earths]] in hip-hop.  The music was minimalist, austerely so, with many writers noting that coupled with Rakim's precise, logical style, the effect was almost one of scientific rigour.  The group followed ''Paid in Full'' with ''[[Follow the Leader (Eric B. & Rakim album)|Follow The Leader]]'' ([[Uni Records|Uni]], 1988), ''[[Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em]]'' ([[MCA Inc.|MCA]], 1990) and ''[[Don't Sweat the Technique]]'' (MCA, 1992).

Rakim is generally regarded as the most cutting-edge of the MCs of the new school era.<ref>Neal, Mark Anthony. [http://www.popmatters.com/music/features/031119-rakim.shtml "...And Bless the Mic for the Gods: Rakim Allah"], ''PopMatters'', November 19, 2003. Retrieved on July 2, 2008.</ref>
Jess Harvell in ''Pitchfork'' in 2005 wrote that "Rakim's innovation was applying a patina of intellectual detachment to rap's most sacred cause: talking shit about how you're a better rapper than everyone else."<ref>Harvell, Jess. [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/17495-paid-in-full-follow-the-leader "Paid in Full/Follow the Leader"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210025535/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/17495-paid-in-full-follow-the-leader |date=2008-12-10 }}, ''Pitchfork'', June 2, 2005. Retrieved on July 2, 2008.</ref> Christgau in the ''Village Voice'' in 1990 wrote of Rakim's style as "calm, confident, clear. On their third album, as on their phase-shifting 1986 debut," he continues, "Eric B.'s samples truly are beats, designed to accentuate the natural music of an idealized black man's voice."<ref>Christgau, Robert. [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=1119 Consumer Guide], ''Village Voice'', 1990. Retrieved on July 2, 2008.</ref> Looking back at the late eighties in ''Rolling Stone'' in 1997, Moralez describes Rakim as "the new-school MC of the moment, using a smooth baritone to become the jazz soloist of mystic Afrocentric rap."<ref>Morales, Ed. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080513093409/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rakim/albums/album/302568/review/5942482/the_18th_letterthe_book_of_life "Rakim: The 18th Letter/The Book of Life"], ''Rolling Stone'', November 10, 1997. Retrieved on July 2, 2008.</ref>