Rakim Talks About The CD Callbos
“Too many creative differences,” he said about the Aftermath labelhead. “[Dre] wanted to go in one direction, and I wanted to go in another. I really wish we could’ve gotten on the same page, and an album would’ve come out like four years ago. There weren’t any bridges burned, though, so hopefully we can work together again. One good thing that did come out of living in California for a few years was it opened me up to some West Coast sounds that I didn’t know existed…I used a bunch of hungry, talented [producers] — Needlz, Nottz and my best-kept secret, Nick Wiz… I spoke with Eric B before I started recording, and we both decided it was in our best interest not to collaborate…I’m trying to keep everything a secret. I want people to be surprised. I will give you one name, though: Busta Rhymes. He’s an amazing New York artist who I really wanted to work with. I’m laid-back and he’s all over the place, wild and very colorful. It’s a great mix.
Did Rakim Write Will Smith’s Summertime?
The net has been buzzing with old/new news. Rakim apparently ghost wrote Summertime for Will Smith. “Here it is a groove, slightly transformed. Just a bit of the break from the norm.” From the opening line it has the signature Rakim flow and wordplay. Jazzy Jeff responded to these rumors via his twitter. “Fyi…Rakim did not write Summertime…I love Rakim to death but that was 100% Big Willy Styles…”
Now a days we see ghost writing as common place in hip hop. Who ever thought Puff wrote a rhyme? As he said “Don’t worry if I write rhymes, I write checks”. Ludacris and T.I. have recently been identified as ghost writers for Dr. Dre. I mean who didn’t know Jay-Z wrote Still Dre? I can still hear B.I.G. spitting the reference track for Queen Bitch for Lil Kim . But back in the late eighties/early nineties to have another MC write your rhymes was taboo to say the least.
No one ever thought of Will Smith as a serious lyricist, but in our minds he always had Summertime.
In other Rakim news
Billboard Reports :”The Seventh Seal,” the long-anticipated album by rap legend Rakim, is slated for release in the fall, Billboard has learned exclusively. The project’s first single, “Holy Are You,” will drop July 28.
