Rakim - "The Seventh Seal"

[Frank Sobotka]

People expect too much from releases like this, what leads to people thinking it's wack.

[claaa7]

^ and that's exactly what i thought on first listen.. not wack, but average and dissapointing on further listens i realized shit was the album i've been wanting to hear from Rakim all along.

[beardman]

This cd is a banger!

I really like that Rakim can make songs without swearing. This alone sets this album above 95% of the other cds. The beats are good, i think the R&B hooks match well with the songs.

His flow and delivery are excellent as always.

Conclusion: I'm really pleased. I would rate this about 4/5. True banger!
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Honda XRV750 history

[RynMur]

Ok, but wasn't feeling the r&b hooks at all. Just my take on it.

[RynMur]

Gave it a good rating. Wasn't feeling the r&b hooks, and felt he could of came harder on some of his rhymes.

[claaa7]

i've been re-discovering this album again the last week, i think this is the 3rd or 4th time i'm listening to it the last few days and to me it still stands out as a great album. Rakim is still easily one of the absolute best and most natural MC's the game has to offer us hip-hop heads and whatever the concept is, whatever the beat sounds like the god MC fucking nails it. he isn't exactly as sharp as he was between '87-97 but on the other hand no other album in his catalouge has this large range of varying topics which is a plus. you really live into the characters he is portraying on joints like "Documentary of a Gangsta", "Man Above" and "Working For You" where he rhymes from the third person perspective or when he's rhyming from his own point of views on tracks such as "Won't Be Long", "Walk These Streets" and "Dedicated". there's alot of things to relate to on here for me and Ra's performance on the mic is so natural and he always gets his message through no matter how many multies and hard rhymes he builds his verses on (much like Nas).

as someone said in another thread (was it Ikke?), this will most likely be one of those albums people look back on in a few years time and realize how dope it was - altho it wasn't what they expected after all that waiting and everything (blame Dre). the production really sounds like a 2009 album and it's amazing to hear an '80s vet sound so comfortable and natural over beats like most on here. you gotta give the R props for putting on some lesser known talents as well for the project!!

[claaa7]

i wish he would've included "Euphoria" on the retail album tho, since it was obviously done and everything (the back of the CD even lists an exclusive bonus track featuring Jada, Styles and Busta which was available on his website). anytime i'm at home and banging the album like now i plug in my iPod to the system right after and blasts "Euphoria" to round off the LP - i fucking love that joint!! the beat is hard as fuck, that real raw street edge to it which is perfect for the line-up of MC's. i mean Rakim, Styles P, Jadakiss and Busta on a real banger like this?? amazing! should definitely have been included from jump, i can imagine the reason might have been that he wanted the album to be just him - with no guest spots from outside rappers. well, one posse track can't hurt but at least he released it as an mp3 so that we can enjoy it on the album either way.

[THE MASON]

i regret to admit that i still havent purchased this.

i have been meaning to everytime i see, but something else catches my eye and i put it back. everything i have read about it gives it good reviews, and not to many complaints.

ill check this soon, but the reviews in here make me wanna get it that much sooner

[JASPER BEARDLY]

this cd was dope as fuck i just heard euphoria for the first time and damn rakim busta jada and styles on the same track thats whats up

[CharlesJones]

I finally heard this album and it sucks. Very disappointing.

[puerto rock]

Haven't heard it in a while. It was far from bad, but some of the hooks and beats felt a little over used. I think a bit more diversity would have helped.

That said, "Holy are U" is amazing, as is Documentary of a Gangsta. I'll get to this one again and then give my 2 cents.

[CharlesJones]

I can't believe 9 people voted this album a banger hahahahahahahahaha.