While everyone’s awaiting the release of The Seventh Seal, I harkened back to hearing Rakim for the first time. I guess I came late to all of this, but a year after The 18^th Letter was released, I remember seeing it sitting around my friend’s house and eventually tossed it on. At the time Lyricist Lounge and work of that vintage comprised most of my listening, but hearing one of the most well respected emcees in recorded history go in on his ‘come back album’ was truly something untoward. It was the basis of everything that I’d been interested in – within hip hop, at least. But beyond that, it seemed so effortless – his flow coming off as a relaxed east coast throw back to a time when rappers didn’t just brag about being the greatest, some actually possessed that talent.

That 1997 album, though, probably cemented the reputation that Rakim still lugs around with him today. It was released a half decade after the final recordings by Eric B and this rapper, perhaps lending some insight into the release schedule that the emcee would continue, but served to introduce this golden age performer to a new clutch of rap fans. And if nothing else, the disc sports production by a veritable litany of the most talented producers of the time – Premier, DJ Clark Kent and even Pete Rock all contributed. And while the production for the most part was spotless (not “Show Me Love” or “Stay a While,” though) Rakim’s mic academics are able to overshadow every beat here.

The 18^th Letter, while being an updated continuation of Rakim’s back catalog, maintains a great deal of cogence when contrasted with earlier works. It’s not surprising that one of the first out spoken Muslim rappers shows up to produce a few tracks – the aforementioned Pete Rock. Regardless of his contributions here, Rakim gets into a discussion of mathematics and the higher power in a variety of places, but most adroitly on “The Mystery (Who is G-d).” There might be some other rap tracks on another disc that gets as heavy and thoughtful as this particular track, but I’d be hard pressed to think of it off the top of my head. Lyrically, it’s all figurings based upon various scriptures and truths that Rakim ardently believes. And beat wise, it’s as strong as anything else represented on the disc. There’re probably a few tracks here that almost match what’s going on amidst the piano sample, but if this emcee was asked to choose a song that was the thesis of his career, I’d hope he’d pick this one.

I don’t think that I immediately set about tracking down some Eric B & Rakim discs after hearing this album, as would have been advisable. Today, it still sounds as strong as the day it was released or the day, a year latter, that I heard it. And while it remains to be seen whether or not The Seventh Seal is going to be comprised of the same sort of lyrical alchemy, any educated guess would point to a positive end result.