| The 18th Letter | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 4, 1997 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 54:10 | |||
| Label | Universal | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Rakim chronology | ||||
| ||||
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. [1] It contains lyrical themes that concern hip hop's golden age, Rakim's rapping prowess, and the state of hip hop. [2]
It is his first release of new material, following a five-year hiatus after Don't Sweat the Technique (1992) as duo Eric B. & Rakim. [3] [4] The album's title refers to the letter "R" being the eighteenth letter of the English alphabet.
A deluxe version of The 18th Letter was sold with the compilation disc The Book of Life (UD2-53111), [5] an Eric B. & Rakim greatest hits collection. [6] The Book of Life was also issued separately as a double vinyl LP.
The 18th Letter debuted at number four on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart [7] and was certified Gold in the United States. [8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| Chicago Tribune | [10] |
| Robert Christgau |  [11] |
| Pitchfork Media | 8.0/10 [12] |
| Rolling Stone |  [13] |
| The Source | [14] |
| Spin | 7/10 [15] |
| USA Today | [16] |
| Yahoo! Music | (favorable) [17] |
The New York Times wrote that the album "features gripping, richly textured backing tracks and kinetic wordplay filled with references to the Koran; his masterly command of rhyming has only deepened with time." [18]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:13 | ||
| 2. | "The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)" | 3:01 | ||
| 3. | "Skit" | 0:24 | ||
| 4. | "It's Been a Long Time" |
| 3:58 | |
| 5. | "Remember That" |
| 4:40 | |
| 6. | "The Saga Begins" |
| 4:22 | |
| 7. | "Skit" | 0:19 | ||
| 8. | "Guess Who's Back" |
|
| 4:11 |
| 9. | "Stay a While" |
|
| 4:25 |
| 10. | "New York (Ya Out There)" |
| 4:04 | |
| 11. | "Show Me Love" |
|
| 4:19 |
| 12. | "Skit" | 0:19 | ||
| 13. | "The Mystery (Who Is God?)" |
|
| 5:21 |
| 14. | "When I'm Flowin'" |
|
| 5:04 |
| 15. | "It's Been a Long Time (Suave House Mix)" |
|
| 3:59 |
| 16. | "Guess Who's Back (Alternative Mix)" |
|
| 4:11 |
| 17. | "Outro" | 1:20 | ||
| Total length: | 54:10 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Know You Got Soul" (from Paid In Full ) |
| 4:43 | |
| 2. | "Follow the Leader" (from Follow the Leader ) |
|
| 5:32 |
| 3. | "Eric B. Is President" (from Paid In Full) |
|
| 6:15 |
| 4. | "Microphone Fiend" (from Follow the Leader) |
|
| 5:13 |
| 5. | "I Ain't No Joke" (from Paid In Full) |
|
| 3:52 |
| 6. | "Lyrics of Fury" (from Follow the Leader) |
|
| 4:11 |
| 7. | "My Melody" (from Paid In Full) |
|
| 6:47 |
| 8. | "Know the Ledge" (from Don't Sweat the Technique ) |
|
| 3:58 |
| 9. | "Move the Crowd" (from Paid In Full) |
|
| 3:36 |
| 10. | "Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em" (from Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em ) |
|
| 5:24 |
| 11. | "Mahogany" (from Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em) |
|
| 4:27 |
| 12. | "In the Ghetto" (from Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em) |
|
| 5:26 |
| 13. | "Casualties of War" (from Don't Sweat the Technique) |
|
| 4:02 |
| 14. | "The Punisher" (from Don't Sweat the Technique) |
|
| 4:06 |
| 15. | "Paid in Full" (from Paid In Full) |
|
| 3:49 |
| Total length: | 1:11:21 | |||
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) [23] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) [24] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
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