The 18th Letter / The Book of Life

~ Release by Rakim (see all versions of this release, 3 available)

Tracklist

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▼ CD 1: The 18th Letter
#TitleRatingLength
1Intro
recording of:
Intro
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
0:12
2The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)
producer and mixer:
Father Shah
recording of:
The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
3:01
3Skit
recording of:
Skit
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
0:24
4It’s Been a Long Time
producer and mixer:
DJ Premier (US hip hop producer & DJ)
samples:
I Know You Got Soul by Eric B. & Rakim
recording of:
It’s Been a Long Time
writer:
Charles Bobbitt, James Brown (“The Godfather of Soul”), Bobby Byrd (founder of the Famous Flames, James Brown's vocal group), Chris Martin (US hip hop producer & DJ), Eric Barrier and William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
3:58
5Remember That
producer and mixer:
DJ Clark Kent (veteran hip-hop producer)
recording of:
Remember That
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
4:40
6The Saga Begins
producer:
Pete Rock (US hip hop producer)
mixer:
DJ Clark Kent (US hip hop producer)
recording of:
The Saga Begins
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
4:22
7Skit
recording of:
Skit
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
0:19
8Guess Who’s Back
producer and mixer:
DJ Clark Kent (veteran hip-hop producer)
recording of:
Guess Who’s Back (Rakim song)
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Barrier, Rodolfo Franklin (veteran hip-hop producer), Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee and William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
44:11
9Stay a While
producer and mixer:
DJ Clark Kent (veteran hip-hop producer)
recording of:
Stay a While
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
4:25
10New York (Ya Out There)
producer and mixer:
DJ Premier (US hip hop producer & DJ)
recording of:
New York (Ya Out There)
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
4:04
11Show Me Love
producer and mixer:
Nick Wiz
recording of:
Show Me Love
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
4:19
12Skit
recording of:
Skit
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
0:19
13The Mystery (Who Is God?)
co-producer:
Bill Blass (US hip-hop producer)
producer:
Naughty Shorts (US hip-hop producer)
mixer:
Dave Kennedy (Jamaican-American sound engineer/producer) and Naughty Shorts (US hip-hop producer)
recording of:
The Mystery (Who Is God?)
writer:
Joe Davis (US hip-hop producer) and William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
5:20
14When I’m Flowin’
producer and mixer:
Pete Rock (US hip hop producer)
recording of:
When I’m Flowin’
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
5:04
15It’s Been a Long Time (Suave House mix)
producer:
Mo‐Suave‐A
mixer:
James Hoover
remixer:
Mo‐Suave‐A
recording of:
It’s Been a Long Time
writer:
Charles Bobbitt, James Brown (“The Godfather of Soul”), Bobby Byrd (founder of the Famous Flames, James Brown's vocal group), Chris Martin (US hip hop producer & DJ), Eric Barrier and William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
recording of:
It’s Been a Long Time (Suave House mix)
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
3:59
16Guess Who’s Back (Alternative mix)
recording of:
Guess Who’s Back (Rakim song)
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Barrier, Rodolfo Franklin (veteran hip-hop producer), Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee and William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
recording of:
Guess Who’s Back (Alternative mix)
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
4:11
17Outro
recording of:
Outro
writer:
William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and The Eighteeth Letter Music (Rakim music publisher)
1:20
▼ CD 2: The Book of Life
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1I Know You Got Soul
engineer:
Patrick Adams (US disco, soul, boogie songwriter and producer) and Elai Tubo
producer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Island Records, Inc. (US) (in 1987)
recorded at and mixed at:
Power Play Studios in New York, New York, United States
samples:
I Know You Got Soul by Bobby Byrd (founder of the Famous Flames, James Brown's vocal group)
part of:
Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 386)
recording of:
I Know You Got Soul
writer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
Eric B. & Rakim3.54:43
2Follow the Leader
producer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
UNI Records, Inc. (in 1988)
samples:
I Know You Got Soul by Eric B. & Rakim, I Wouldn’t Change a Thing by Coke Escovedo, Listen to Me by Baby Huey (US rock/soul singer James Ramey) and Nautilus by Bob James (US jazz keyboardist, arranger and producer)
recording of:
Follow the Leader
Eric B. & Rakim55:32
3Eric B. Is President
Eric B. & Rakim6:15
4Microphone Fiend
producer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
UNI Records, Inc. (in 1988)
samples:
School Boy Crush by Average White Band
recording of:
Microphone Fiend
writer:
Louis Eric Barrier and William Michael Griffin Jr. (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Songs Ltd.
Eric B. & Rakim5:13
5I Ain’t No Joke
engineer:
Patrick Adams (US disco, soul, boogie songwriter and producer) and Elai Tubo
producer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Island Records, Inc. (US) (in 1987)
recorded at and mixed at:
Power Play Studios in New York, New York, United States
recording of:
I Ain’t No Joke
writer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
Eric B. & Rakim3.853:52
6Lyrics of Fury
producer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
UNI Records, Inc. (in 1988)
samples:
No Head No Backstage Pass by Funkadelic
recording of:
Lyrics of Fury
writer:
Eric Barrier and William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
Eric B. & Rakim Music Inc.
Eric B. & Rakim54:12
7My Melody
engineer:
Patrick Adams (US disco, soul, boogie songwriter and producer) and Elai Tubo
producer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
remixer:
Marley Marl (QB hip hop producer & DJ of Juice Crew)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Island Records, Inc. (US) (in 1986)
recorded at and mixed at:
Power Play Studios in New York, New York, United States
recording of:
My Melody
writer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
Eric B. & Rakim36:47
8Know the Ledge
producer:
Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
remixer:
Gary G‐Wiz and Hank Shocklee
recording of:
Juice (Know the Ledge)
writer:
Eric Barrier and William Griffin (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
publisher:
EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (1989-07-24–present) and Eric B. & Rakim Music Inc.
Eric B. & Rakim53:59
9Move the Crowd
Eric B. & Rakim3:36
10Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em
Eric B. & Rakim5:24
11Mahogany
Eric B. & Rakim4:28
12In the Ghetto
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Geffen Records (in 1990) and MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1990)
samples:
Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth by 24‐Carat Black
Eric B. & Rakim45:26
13Casualties of War
Eric B. & Rakim4:03
14The Punisher
Eric B. & Rakim4:07
15Paid in Full
engineer:
Patrick Adams (US disco, soul, boogie songwriter and producer) and Elai Tubo
producer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Island Records, Inc. (US) (in 1987)
recorded at and mixed at:
Power Play Studios in New York, New York, United States
samples:
Ashley’s Roachclip by The Soul Searchers (70s US funk group) and Change the Beat (French Rap) by Beside
part of:
The Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 132)
recording of:
Paid in Full
writer:
Eric B. and Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr., American rapper)
Eric B. & Rakim4.53:50

Credits

Release

printed in:USA
distributed by:Universal Music & Video Distribution, Inc. (not for release label use! distributor/manufacturer, renamed as Universal Music & Video Distribution, Corp. on 2000-05-01)
copyrighted (©) by and phonographic copyright (℗) by:Universal Records Inc. (not for release label use! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1997)
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/release/444902 [info]
https://www.discogs.com/release/2831080 [info]
ASIN:CA: B000005B0O [info]
US: B000005B0O [info]