Rakim - The Re-Up

When the God MC links up with one of underground hip hop's most celebrated beatmakers, the result is exactly what you would hope for. The Re-Up brings together Rakim, the Long Island lyricist widely regarded as the most technically gifted MC in hip hop history, and the anonymous, elite producer Big Ghost Ltd for a record that is a full-blown rebirth of boom bap mastery, precision lyricism laid over grimy, layered production.

Few figures in hip hop have cast as long a shadow as Rakim. As one half of Eric B. & Rakim, he helped pioneer the use of internal rhymes and multisyllabic rhyme schemes, demonstrating for the first time what was possible when an MC sat down to craft intricate, carefully considered lyrics packed with wordplay and metaphor. Decades later, the pen remains every bit as sharp. Big Ghost Ltd, who began as an online persona and satirist before emerging as a serious production force in his own right, provides the perfect backdrop: dark, soulful, and immaculately constructed.

The guest list reads like a who's who of underground royalty. Planet Asia, Ras Kass, Kool G Rap, Method Man, KXNG Crooked, Canibus, Chino XL, Skyzoo, 38 Spesh, Joell Ortiz, and the late Prodigy all appear, each bringing their A-game to a record that demands nothing less. Standout tracks include the sprawling six-minute "Pendulum" and the album closer "Not to Be Defined" featuring Lazarus, produced by Dem Jointz. Essential listening for anyone who believes hip hop is still capable of greatness.