Follow the Leader (Eric B. & Rakim album)

Last updated
Follow the Leader
Eric B Rakim-Follow the Leader (album cover).jpg
Studio album by
Eric B. & Rakim
ReleasedJuly 26, 1988 (1988-07-26) [1]
Recorded1987–88
StudioPower Play Studios, New York City, New York
Genre
Length48:47
Label Uni/MCA
UNID-3
Producer
Eric B. & Rakim chronology
Paid in Full
(1987)		Follow the Leader
(1988)		 Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em
(1990)
Singles from Follow the Leader
  1. "Follow the Leader"
    Released: July 16, 1988
  2. "Microphone Fiend"
    Released: 1988

Follow the Leader is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on July 26, 1988. Following their debut album Paid in Full (1987), Eric B. & Rakim left 4th & B'way Records and signed with Uni Records, a subsidiary label of major label MCA Records. [2] They recorded Follow the Leader at Power Play Studios in New York City. [3] The duo produced, composed, and arranged the album with additional contributions from Rakim's brother Stevie Blass Griffin, who contributed with various instruments. [3] Eric B. & Rakim worked with audio engineers Carlton Batts and Patrick Adams on the album. [4] In a similar manner to their first album, a "ghost producer" was brought in for two songs. In a 2007 interview with Unkut.com, The 45 King said he produced both "Microphone Fiend" and "The R". "Microphone Fiend" was originally made for Fab 5 Freddy, until 45 King gave it over to Eric B., the group's "DJ".

Contents

Reception and legacy

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [5]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
NME 8/10 [7]
The Philadelphia Inquirer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]
Pitchfork 8.5/10 [9]
Record Mirror 4/5 [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [12]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 9/10 [13]
The Village Voice A− [14]

Follow the Leader peaked at number 22 on the U.S. Billboard Top Pop Albums and at number seven on Billboard 's Top Black Albums chart. [15] It achieved higher charting than Eric B. & Rakim's debut album and serves as their best-charting album in the United States. [16] The album produced four singles, "Follow the Leader", "Microphone Fiend", "The R", and "Lyrics of Fury". "Follow the Leader" peaked at number 16 on the Hot Black Singles, at number 11 on the Hot Dance/Disco, and at number five on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. [17] "The R" reached number 79 on the Hot Black Singles, number 28 on the Hot Dance/Disco, number 41 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales, and number 14 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. [17] On September 27, 1988, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States. [18]

Follow the Leader was well received by contemporary critics. Los Angeles Times writer Jonathan Gold viewed it as "far more consistent" than the duo's Paid in Full, calling Eric B. "a master of chill, understated beats" and complimenting Rakim for weaving "a laid-back web of words, his whiskey-smooth tenor less noisy but more intense than the machine-gun mutterings you hear booming from beat boxes, his keen rhymes all the more devastating for being near-whispered where lesser rappers would shout". [6] In his review for The Village Voice , Robert Christgau found the duo's sampling as an improvement from their previous work's "Brownian motion" and complimented Rakim's "ever-increasing words-per-minute ratio—the man loves language like a young Bob D". [14] Peter Watrous of The New York Times commended Eric B.'s mixes and described him as "a minimalist virtuoso". [19] Watrous called Rakim "one of the most distinctive rappers in the business" and elaborated on his lyricism: "His voice soars as gracefully as a well-thrown football; it'll change direction on the spot. He will vary rhythms, pushing and pulling against the beat to highlight his lyrics. Insistent, cool and dedicated, his rapping has an urgency that makes the music much more than pop; it sounds like a musical version of a political, social vision. [19]

In the 2006 book To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic, author William Jelani Cobb later wrote of the album's significance:

On the heels of Paid in Full, Eric B. & Rakim delivered a full clip of album titled Follow the Leader in 1988. Featuring a broader spectrum of sounds than the James Brown samples that had defined the initial release, Follow the Leader saw Rakim at his most lyrically fierce, issuing deft and def threats on such tracks as 'Microphone Fiend,' 'Lyrics of Fury,' and the nearly felonious 'No Competition.' The release marked the high point in the collaboration between the two and prefaced the long slide they faced in the 1990s. [20]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic editor Steve Huey viewed Follow the Leader as an improvement over Paid in Full, commending Rakim's "agile, up-tempo lyrical showcases". [5] In a dual review of both Paid in Full and Follow the Leader's reissues, Pitchfork 's Jess Harvell expressed that the high points of the latter album "are as high as any rap group has gotten" and wrote that both albums' music serve as "a reminder of a brief period where people thought they could become a millionaire on skills alone, where the reality of that was so far away that no one had to think about what being a millionaire would mean to the culture that nurtured those skills". [9] In 1998, Follow the Leader was selected as one of The Source 's 100 Best Rap Albums, and in 2005, it was ranked number 12 on comedian Chris Rock's list of the "Top 25 Hip-Hop Albums". [21] The track "Lyrics of Fury" was ranked number five on About.com's list of "Top 100 Rap Songs". [22]

The album is ranked number 979 in All-Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd. edition, 2000). [23]

Follow the Leader (Reimagined as Jazz)

Follow the Leader, re-imagined as Jazz is an instrumental reworking of the entire album by Jonathan Hay, Mike Smith and Benny Reid. [24] The album spent four non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart, dethroning Michael Bublé's Love. [25] Eric B. told Forbes ,

Hearing the music faithfully arranged and re-recorded with the stellar group of musicians Jonathan Hay and Benny Reid brought together not only stays true to our original work, but elevates and highlights the core concepts we drew from 30 years ago. [...] It really completes a full circle... We imitated jazz, and now jazz is imitating us. [26]

Rakim was quoted in HipHopDX as saying:

The trajectory of this project is the ultimate blessing. It's tapping into a divine consciousness and showing how the universe continues to spin full circle. Eric and I were always heavy in our influence from the jazz genre. Then three decades in, we are influencing a jazz album, then that album is coming back around to influence Hip Hop production greats like Whoo Kid and hopefully a lot more. We used to dig through the crates at record stores to pull vinyl instrumentals and sample them for our tracks and now Follow The Leader is on vinyl for another generation to expand on with next level music. It's breaking new barriers, which is the core of Hip Hop culture. [27]

Track listing

All songs written and produced by Eric B. & Rakim (Eric Barrier, William Griffin). [28]

No.TitleLength
1."Follow the Leader"5:36
2."Microphone Fiend"5:17
3."Lyrics of Fury"4:15
4."Eric B. Never Scared" (instrumental) ("Eric B. Is on the Cut" Part 2)5:21
5."Just a Beat" (instrumental)2:07
6."Put Your Hands Together"5:15
7."To the Listeners"4:32
8."No Competition"3:52
9."The R"3:55
10."Musical Massacre"4:29
11."Beats for the Listeners" (instrumental) ("Extended Beat" Part 2)4:08
Total length:48:47
2005 Remastered Expanded Edition Bonus Tracks [29]
No.TitleRemixer(s)Length
12."The R (Remix)"
9:21
13."Microphone Fiend (Extended Remix)"
5:20
14."Put Your Hands Together (FON Force Remix)"
5:28
Total length:68:56

Personnel

Credits for Follow the Leader adapted from AllMusic. [4]

Charts

Charts (1988)Peak
position [15]
U.S. Top Pop Albums [33] 22
U.S. Top Black Albums 7

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [34] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric B. & Rakim</span> American hip hop duo

Eric B. & Rakim are an American hip hop duo formed on Long Island, New York, in 1986, composed of DJ Eric B. and rapper Rakim. They first received acclaim for their 1987 debut album Paid in Full, which featured versions of the popular singles "Eric B. Is President" and the title track. They followed with three successful albums: Follow the Leader (1988), Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (1990), and Don't Sweat the Technique (1992).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rakim</span> American rapper

William Michael Griffin Jr., 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 three solo albums: The 18th Letter (1997), The Master (1999), and The Seventh Seal (2009).

<i>Tougher Than Leather</i> 1988 studio album by Run-D.M.C.

Tougher Than Leather is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Run-D.M.C., released on May 17, 1988, by Profile Records. The album was produced by the group members themselves, Davy D. and Rick Rubin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric B.</span> American hip hop producer

Louis Eric Barrier is an American rapper, record producer, DJ, and actor from New York City. One half of the golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he formed the group in 1986 and served as its primary producer and DJ. Their debut album, Paid in Full (1987) was named the greatest hip hop album of all time by MTV in 2006, and the duo were nominated in 2011 for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

<i>Paid in Full</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Eric B. & Rakim

Paid in Full is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on July 7, 1987, by Island-subsidiary label 4th & B'way Records. The duo recorded the album at hip hop producer Marley Marl's home studio and Power Play Studios in New York City, following Rakim's response to Eric B.'s search for a rapper to complement his disc jockey work in 1985. The album peaked at number fifty-eight on the Billboard 200 chart, number eight on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and produced five singles: "Eric B. Is President", "I Ain't No Joke", "I Know You Got Soul", "Move the Crowd", and "Paid in Full".

<i>Let the Rhythm Hit Em</i> 1990 studio album by Eric B & Rakim

Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em is the third studio album by hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on June 19, 1990. The group's sound develops further, with Rakim adopting a deeper, more aggressive tone of voice, and more mature and serious subject matter. Musically, the production ranges from smoother soulful tracks such as "In the Ghetto" to the hard-edged assault of the title track "Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em."

<i>Dont Sweat the Technique</i> 1992 studio album by Eric B. & Rakim

Don't Sweat the Technique is the fourth and final studio album by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on June 23, 1992, by MCA Records. It was recorded and produced by Eric B. & Rakim at The Hit Factory in New York City. The album builds on the sounds of 1990's Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em, with Rakim sounding more aggressive on Eric B.'s jazzy, soulful production.

<i>The 18th Letter</i> 1997 studio album by Rakim

The 18th Letter is the debut solo album of American emcee Rakim, released November 4, 1997, on Universal Records in the United States. The album features production by DJ Clark Kent, Pete Rock, Father Shaheed, Nick Wiz and DJ Premier. It contains lyrical themes that concern hip hop's golden age, Rakim's rapping prowess, and the state of hip hop.

<i>The Master</i> (Rakim album) 1999 studio album by Rakim

The Master is the second solo album by American rapper Rakim, released November 30, 1999, on Universal Records. It serves as the follow-up to Rakim's debut solo album, The 18th Letter (1997), and would be Rakim's last studio album for nearly a decade, until 2009's The Seventh Seal.

<i>AKA the Rugged Child</i> 1994 studio album by Shyheim

AKA the Rugged Child is the debut studio album by American rapper Shyheim. It was released on April 19, 1994 via Virgin/EMI Records. Production was entirely handled by RNS, except for 1 song produced by RZA. It features guest appearances from GP Wu, Du-Lilz, Kwazi, Prophet and Kia Jeffries. The album peaked at #52 on the Billboard 200 and at #7 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. Its lead single, "On and On", peaked at #89 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg</span> 1991 single by TLC

"Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" is the debut single by American girl group TLC, from their debut album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip (1992). It was released by LaFace Records on November 22, 1991 (promo) and late January 1992 (retail). The song would ultimately peak at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The single also reached the top 20 in the UK Singles Chart. The song describes the group explaining that they don't mind begging for attention from their significant others. Songwriters Dallas Austin and Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes received a nomination for the 1993 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. The song appeared in video games Dance Central 3 and the 2022 reboot of Saints Row.

<i>Strictly Business</i> (EPMD album) 1988 studio album by EPMD

Strictly Business is the debut album by hip-hop duo EPMD. It was released on June 7, 1988, by Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records around the world and BCM Records in Germany. It peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 soon after release, yet it earned an RIAA gold album certification within four months of its release. In addition, it has received much positive critical attention since its release. In 2012, the album was ranked number 453 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

<i>Violator: The Album, V2.0</i> 2001 compilation album by Violator

Violator: The Album, V2.0 is the second and final installment in the Violator hip hop compilations series. It was released on July 24, 2001 through Violator/Loud Records as a sequel to 1999's Violator: The Album. Production was handled by several record producers, including Scott Storch, Bink!, Bryce Wilson, Irv Gotti, Just Blaze, 7 Aurelius, and Eric Nicks, who also served as executive producer together with Chris Lighty. It features guest appearances by the likes of JoJo Pellegrino, Remy Ma, Capone-N-Noreaga, Butch Cassidy, Mobb Deep, Big Noyd, CeeLo Green, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Ja Rule, Jadakiss, Kurupt, Memphis Bleek, Missy Elliott, Rah Digga, Spliff Star and Styles P among others. The album debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

<i>Child of the Ghetto</i> 2001 studio album by G. Dep

Child of the Ghetto is the debut studio album by American rapper G. Dep. It was released on November 20, 2001, through Bad Boy Entertainment/Arista Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Follow the Leader (Eric B. & Rakim song)</span> 1988 single by Eric B. & Rakim

"Follow the Leader" is a song by American hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. It was written by group members Eric Barrier and Rakim Allah and released as the first single from their second studio album of the same name.

"Microphone Fiend" is the second single released from the hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim's second album Follow the Leader. The song became a signature song for rapper Rakim, and AllMusic's Steve Huey says the song "weaves references to substance addiction throughout in explaining why Rakim can't keep away from the mic." Featuring a prominent sample of Average White Band's 1975 hit "School Boy Crush", the song was further evidence of Eric B.'s fondness for soul samples and became one of the most quoted songs in hip hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Ain't No Joke</span> 1987 single by Eric B. & Rakim

"I Ain't No Joke" is a song by rap duo Eric B. & Rakim, released as the second single from their debut studio album Paid in Full. It peaked at number thirty-eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Described as one of the album's "monumental singles", Michael Di Bella wrote in the All Music Guide to Rock that "Rakim grabs the listener by the throat and illustrates his mastery of the rhyming craft". A music video was made for it, featuring dancing from Flavor Flav of the group Public Enemy. The song was selected by Jay-Z for the NBA 2K13 soundtrack. It was also featured in the video game Saints Row, as well as in the soundtrack of MLB The Show 23.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paid in Full (Eric B. & Rakim song)</span> 1987 single by Eric B. & Rakim

"Paid in Full" is a 1987 song by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. Written and produced by group members Eric Barrier and Rakim Allah, the song was released as the fifth single from the duo's debut studio album of the same name. It became one of the group's most successful singles, owing heavily to a popular remix of the song by English electronic dance music duo Coldcut.

<i>More Malice</i> 2010 studio album (reissue) by Snoop Dogg

More Malice is the reissue of American recording artist Snoop Dogg's tenth studio album Malice n Wonderland (2009). All the songs from the album are on the re-release with five new tracks, four remixes, one song included on Malice n Wonderland and a movie, which stars Jamie Foxx, Xzibit, Denyce Lawton and DJ Quik, among others, which was simultaneously released with the album on March 23, 2010. The first single of the album is the remix of the original album's third single, "I Wanna Rock", known as "I Wanna Rock ", which features fellow American rapper Jay-Z. A new song titled "That Tree", featuring fellow American rapper Kid Cudi, was released in February 2010. Snoop Dogg also added the remix of "Pronto", which features Soulja Boy Tell 'Em and Bun B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric B. & Rakim discography</span>

The discography of Eric B. & Rakim, an American hip hop duo, consists of four studio albums, five compilation albums, 15 singles, and nine music videos. Eric B. & Rakim formed and signed a record deal with Zakia Records in 1985. The following year, the duo signed a deal with 4th & B'way Records. Their debut album Paid in Full was released in 1987. In the United States, it peaked at number 58 on the Billboard 200, number 8 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It appeared on the Dutch, New Zealand, and UK Albums Chart. Paid in Full produced five singles, four of which appeared on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The fifth single "Paid in Full" (1988) peaked in the top five of the Dutch and New Zealand Singles Chart.

References

  1. ↑ "Hip-Hop's Greatest Year: Fifteen Albums That Made Rap Explode". Rolling Stone. 12 February 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  2. ↑ Huey, Steve. Biography: Eric B. & Rakim. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-09-06.
  3. 1 2 Product Page: Follow the Leader. Muze. Retrieved on 2010-09-06.
  4. 1 2 "Credits: Follow the Leader". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
  5. 1 2 Huey, Steve. "Follow the Leader – Eric B. & Rakim". AllMusic . Retrieved October 19, 2009.
  6. 1 2 Gold, Jonathan (August 28, 1988). "Rakim's Web of Words". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 19, 2009.
  7. ↑ O'Hagan, Sean (July 23, 1988). "Martial Law". NME . London. p. 34.
  8. ↑ Tucker, Ken (September 22, 1988). "Eric B. and Rakim: Follow the Leader (Uni)". The Philadelphia Inquirer .
  9. 1 2 Harvell, Jess (June 1, 2005). "Eric B. & Rakim: Paid in Full / Follow the Leader". Pitchfork . Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  10. ↑ Jeffery, Tim (August 6, 1988). "Eric B & Rakim: Follow the Leader". Record Mirror . London. p. 31.
  11. ↑ Browne, David (October 20, 1988). "Eric B and Rakim: Follow The Leader". Rolling Stone . New York. Archived from the original on May 28, 2009. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  12. ↑ Frere-Jones, Sasha (2004). "Eric B. & Rakim". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  281–282. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8 . Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  13. ↑ Hunter, James (1995). "Eric B. & Rakim". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 133. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
  14. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (September 27, 1988). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
  15. 1 2 Charts & Awards - Billboard Albums: Follow the Leader. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-09-06.
  16. ↑ Charts & Awards - Billboard Albums: Eric B. & Rakim. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-09-06.
  17. 1 2 Charts & Awards - Billboard Singles: Follow the Leader. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-09-06.
  18. ↑ Gold & Platinum - Searchable Database: Eric B. & Rakim [ permanent dead link ]. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on 2010-09-06.
  19. 1 2 Watrous, Peter (September 9, 1988). Review: Follow the Leader. The New York Times . Retrieved on 2009-10-19.
  20. ↑ Cobb (2006), p. 142.
  21. ↑ Chris Rock's Top 25 Hip Hop Albums Archived May 26, 2012, at archive.today . Rate Your Music. Accessed August 9, 2008.
  22. ↑ Adaso, Henry. Top 100 Rap Songs Archived 2015-04-05 at the Wayback Machine . About.com. Accessed August 9, 2008.
  23. ↑ "Rocklist". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Follow the Leader - Jonathan Hay, Benny Reid, Mike Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  25. ↑ "What Eric B. & Rakim Think About the 'Follow the Leader' Jazz Covers Album". Billboard. 2019-09-24. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  26. ↑ Javier Hasse. "Eric B. & Rakim's "Follow The Leader" Reimagined Displaced Michael Bublé From His #1 Billboard Spot—And Cannabis Played A Big Role". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  27. ↑ "#DXCLUSIVE: Rakim Gives "Microphone Fiend" Jazz Remix The Ultimate Co-Sign". HipHopDX.com. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  28. ↑ Follow the Leader (CD liner, Expanded Edition). Eric B. & Rakim. UNI Records. 2005. B0004324-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ↑ "Eric B. & Rakim – Follow The Leader (2005, Expanded Edition, CD)". Discogs.
  30. ↑ "Eric B. & Rakim - The R (1988, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  31. ↑ "Eric B. & Rakim - Microphone Fiend (1988, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  32. ↑ "Fon Force - Discography - Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  33. ↑ ""Eric B. e Rakim Chart History (Billboard)"". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  34. ↑ "American album certifications – Eric B. & Rakim – Follow the Leader". Recording Industry Association of America.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.