Words by Rakim

Although I would love to pretend I was right there in the mid-late 80's, ahead of the game when it came to hip-hop, the truth is that the 11 year old me, living in rural Northern Ireland, was not and it was later when I looked back over hip-hop that I found an appreciate for Eric B and Rakim, in particular Paid in Full and Follow the Leader. Rakim is a name that comes up frequently when discussing who is the Greatest of All Time in hip-hop and, although everyone will feel differently on this depending on personal taste, he is an artist that I look back on with respect.

This is where the film "Words by Rakim" needs you to be already, because it is not a documentary in the sense that it will inform you and give you detail; it is really more of a promo in style and content. This will limit the appeal in some ways but to be fair as a piece of stylish delivery it is very effective. The film has Rakim's verses and words over the top in narration, which engages you to listen, but it also has very good footage and shots from streets, concerts and around New York. All presented in lush and atmospheric black and white, the film feels very cool and slick. The downside is that the substance is not really there to convince you if you don't already like Rakim, but for fans it is a very stylish and professional little promo for him – although of course this is a limiting factor too.