Like most of us who have considered the question, I subscribe to the view that rappers only thought they were rapping before Rakim. But, as much as I admire the Know The Ledge hit maker, it has always rankled that the very first words I heard him utter were It’s been a long time I shouldn’t have left you Without a strong rhyme to step to as though The R was like a modern Odysseus returning from a protracted war against Sucka MCs and I was an even bigger sucker to not be acquainted with his legendary body of work. To my mind, what’s particularly unfortunate about this misunderstanding is that it undersells the Paid In Full album, which is, if anything, more impressive for being a debut. Some years after this mix up I found myself cursing that I did not live in the era of the town crier, for in such a society the peace of my morning would surely have been shattered by a “Hear ye! Hear ye!” that “Mark Morrison has a new single out”. Instead it was left to The Mack himself to ask me to “listen carefully while I sing my comeback song”. The » Continue Reading.