"Towards The Top"

Ex-saxonphonist and one of the greatest lyricists of all-time, Rakim, is as important to hip hop as anyone to ever touch a microphone, turntable, spray can or cardboard box. In this roughly 10-minute video, Complex and Reebok Classics teamed to give a little background on his impact, even talking to the godfather of hip hop himself.

Bill Adler says it perfectly when he describes how key Rakim’s uniqueness was to his overall package. If you don’t know, Rakim is THE reason for the more complex rhyme schemes we’ve seen during the 20+ years since he first burst on the scene. No Nas, no Lupe, no Kendrick, no anybody with advanced rhyme skills comes if not for the “18th letter.” Salute to the god emcee.