The Master (Rakim album)

Last updated

The Master
Rakim - The Master Cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 30, 1999
Recorded1998–1999
Genre
Length62:07
Label Universal
542 082
Producer
Rakim chronology
The 18th Letter
(1997)
The Master
(1999)
The Archive: Live, Lost & Found
(2008)
Singles from The Master
  1. "When I B On Tha Mic"
    Released: December 14, 1999

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 .

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Los Angeles Daily News Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Source Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [7]
USA Today Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]
Vibe (mixed) [9]
The Village Voice (unfavorable) [10]

The Master received generally positive to mixed reviews from music critics.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro (The Master)"1:22
2."Flow Forever"
4:11
3."When I B on tha Mic" (feat. DJ Premier)
  • DJ Premier
3:42
4."Finest Ones" (feat. Clark Kent)
  • Griffin
  • Franklin
  • Yvette Davis
  • DJ Clark Kent
4:24
5."All Night Long"
  • Griffin
  • Michael Harper
  • Punch
4:27
6."State of Hip-Hop" (interlude)
  • Griffin
  • Rakim
0:39
7."Uplift"
  • Griffin
  • Ronald Lawrence
  • Victor Padilla
  • Amen-Ra
  • V.I.C.
3:09
8."I Know"
  • Griffin
  • Trevor Randolph
  • Benjamin Latimore
  • David Hinds
4:07
9."It's the R"
  • DJ Clark Kent
4:15
10."I'll Be There" (feat. Nneka Morton)
  • Naughty Shorts
5:10
11."It's a Must" (feat. Rahzel)
4:24
12."Real Shit"
  • Griffin
  • Lawrence
  • Padilla
  • Amen-Ra
  • V.I.C.
4:21
13."How I Get Down"
4:05
14."L.I." (interlude)
  • Griffin
  • Rakim
0:53
15."Strong Island"
  • Griffin
  • Barrier
  • Rakim
4:34
16."Waiting for the World to End" (feat. DJ Premier)
  • Griffin
  • Martin
  • Barrier
  • DJ Premier
4:05
17."We'll Never Stop" (feat. Connie McKendrick)
  • Griffin
  • Nicholas Loizides
  • Sylvia Robinson
  • Nick Wiz
4:19
Total length:62:07
Samples

Charts

Album

Chart (1999)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [11] 72
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [12] 7

Singles

YearSongChart positions
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles
2000"When I B On Tha Mic"-53 [13] 20 [14]

Notes

References

  1. Bush, John. "The Master - Rakim". AllMusic . Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  2. Perry, Tim (November 27, 1999). "Pop: ALBUM REVIEWS" . The Independent . Archived from the original on June 18, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  3. "SOUND CHECK. - Free Online Library". Los Angeles Daily News . December 3, 1999. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  4. Baker, Soren (December 25, 1999). "DMX Delivers Harsh Reality on 'Then' - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  5. Columnist (September 12, 2005). "The Master - NME". NME . Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  6. Hoard, Christian (November 2, 2004). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide - Google Books". Rolling Stone . ISBN   9780743201698.
  7. Parker, Erik "Mr Parker" (January 2000). "Record Report: Rakim – Rakim". The Source . No. 124. New York. p. 191.
  8. Jones, Steve. "Review: The Master". USA Today : 04.D. November 30, 1999. Archived from the original on 2009-08-21.
  9. Mao, Chairman (February 2000). "Vibe - Google Books". Vibe .
  10. Lewis, Miles Marshall (January 18, 2000). "The Passing of the Mic - Village Voice". The Village Voice . Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  11. "Rakim Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  12. "Rakim Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  13. "Rakim When I B On Tha Mic Chart History - Billboard". Billboard . Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  14. "Rakim When I B On Tha Mic Chart History - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2020.