THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

856-Eric B. & Rakim-Paid in Full ((Coldcut ‘Seven Minutes of Madness’ remix.)

1987-Number 15 single.

Best Bit-At 1.55. ‘This is a journey in to sound.’ Each and everyone of these 1000 + songs is a ‘journey into sound.’ Please take time to have a listen, you might hear something you like.

Eric B, & Rakim are the American ‘Hip-Hop’ duo of Louis Eric Barrier, (Eric B.) who was born on November 8th, 1963, in New York City, United States, and William Michael Griffin Jr. (Rakim) who was born on January 28th, 1968, in Wyandanch, New York, United States. The duo formed in 1986, in Long Island, New York, and were active until 1993, but reformed in 2016, to perform together, but to not release any new music. Eric B. & Rakim were active during the so called ‘Golden Age’ of ‘Rap Music,’ with many music critics citing them as the most influential artists of that period. The duo came together when Eric B. was DJing for the radio station ‘WBLS,’ in New York City, which included promotional events around the city. Eric B. who was by then producing his own music, and experimenting with samples, was looking for a Rapper to work with, when he was recommended to William Griffin (Rakim.) Rakim is considered to be one of the most innovative performers in ‘Rap’ music, being one of the first to deliver intricately crafted lyrics packed with clever word choices and metaphors, rather than the more improvisational styles and simpler rhyme patterns that predominated before him. It was also noted that Rakim’s vocal delivery was less ‘shouty’ than was often heard on ‘Rap’ records, which led him to become a major influence on future generations.

The discography of Eric B. & Rakim includes four studio Albums released between 1987-1992, and 15 singles issued between 1986-1992, there are also five official compilation Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, their only entry inside the top 40 is as the featured artists on ‘Friends,’ by Jody Watley, which reached Number 9 in 1989. They have also had nine songs which have reached the Billboard ‘R&B/Hip-Hop,’ and ‘Hot Rap Chart,’ including ‘Don’t Sweat the Technique,’ which made Number 1 in 1992. In the UK, three of their singles have made the top 40, with ‘I Know You Got Soul,’ charting the highest at Number 13 in 1987. Eric B. has also released a self titled solo studio Album in 1995, while Rakim has issued three solo studio Albums between 1997-2009, and five singles between 1997-2013, with ‘Guess Who’s Back’ from 1997, reaching Number 32 in the UK.

‘Paid in Full’ which was co-written, and co-produced by Eric B. and Rakim, was the fifth and final single released from the duo’s debut studio Album, from July 1987, of the same name, the Album is credited as a benchmark Album of the ‘Golden Age’ of Hip-Hop,’ and has gone on to sell in excess of one million copies worldwide. The version of ‘Paid in Full’ that I have chosen is the remix of the song by the English Electronic Music duo ‘Coldcut,’ (see also best songs 754) who were paid £700 for doing the remix, when it was decided to release the track as a single. ‘Coldcut’ who are the duo of Matt Black, and Jonathan More, remixed ‘Paid in Full’ by taking out some of the original samples, and adding many more of their own, extending the song by 3.32 seconds, to what has become known as the ‘Seven Minutes of Madness’ remix.

The Coldcut ‘Seven Minutes of Madness’ remix is considered ground breaking in that it is one of the very first commercially successful remixes to become a hit single. Despite its success, Eric B. has dismissed the remix as ‘girly disco music,’ Rakim, however, has called it ‘The best remix he had ever heard.’ The original Album version of ‘Paid in Full’ has many samples including the drum portion from the 1974 instrumental song from ‘Ashley’s Roachclip,’ by the American Funk group ‘The Soul Searchers.’ ‘Paid in Full’ also samples the bass line from the 1984 track ‘Don’t Look Any Further, by Dennis Edwards (1943-2018) and Siedah Garrett. Towards the end of the track, Eric B. also repeatedly scratches the line ‘This stuff is really fresh!’ which is taken from ‘Change the Beat,’ a much sampled 1982 record by the Hip-Hop artist Fab 5 Freddy.

The Coldcut remix adds several new music, and vocal samples, the most prominent of these is he voice of Israeli singer Ofra Haza, (1957-2000) taken from her 1984 recording of ‘Im Nin’alu,’ (UK Number 15-1988.) Jonathan More of Coldcut has said that when he lowered its pitch, it synced perfectly with the “Ashley’s Roachclip” drum sample. The opening vocal sample, ‘This is a journey into sound,’ is the voice of the British actor Geoffrey Sumner, (1908-1989) taken from a 1958 Album called ‘A Journey Into Stereo Sound.’ The line,’Now wait a minute, you better talk to my mother,’ comes from Humphrey Bogart, (1988-1957) as spoken in the 1946 classic film ‘The Big Sleep.’

‘Thinkin’ of a master plan, ’cause ain’t nothin’ but sweat inside my hand. So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent, so I dig deeper but still comin’ up with lint.’