In the history of Hip-Hop, few artists have had as great an impact on the development and progression of the art form and lyrical style as Rakim. On July 28, 2009 the man many call The God MC will drop “Holy Are You” – the hypnotic lead single off of his long awaited new album The Seventh Seal, to be released early fall, 2009 on the artists Ra Records imprint in a joint venture with TVM and SMC Recordings and distributed through Fontana / Universal Music Group.
His first full album of new material in almost a decade, The Seventh Seal is Rakim’s contemporary observation of the Hip-Hop culture he helped define. While staying loyal to his New York roots, the artist has created a body of work that encompasses the very best of regional, underground and mainstream styles reformed and delivered through his intricate lyricism and the seemingly effortless flow for which he is revered. The first single, “Holy Are You” (produced by long-time Rakim collaborator Nick Wiz for Preserve the Art) embodies the overall concept of the album, communicating Rakim’s worldview and spirituality through artistic interpretation of scriptures and revelations about the coming of the Apocalypse and each persons role in the world around them. Additional releases prior to the albums early Fall drop range from seething character studies of life in modern times and personal stories of self-awareness to feel good anthems celebrating music and Hip-Hop in all of its forms.
The artist states, “The Seventh Seal is my own revelation. . . my way of taking the best of what Hip-Hop has to offer, what we as a culture and a community have to offer, putting my stamp on it and leading us forward while constantly respecting what we’ve already accomplished. When you’ve been blessed with a career like mine, you develop a deep relationship with the music and that love is recognized by the true heads that share it with you. Holy Are You is for those core brothers and sisters. . . the first building block – the lyrical and spiritual piece – of an album that’s my monument to Hip-Hop past, present and future. You’ll see us keep building as we break through each Seal. . .showing the best of what I can do in many forms, bringing the energy and having fun, but first I’m laying that foundation and give my longtime fans the conscious fire they expect.”
http://www.smcrecordings.com/HolyAreYou.mp3
His first full album of new material in almost a decade, The Seventh Seal is Rakim’s contemporary observation of the Hip-Hop culture he helped define. While staying loyal to his New York roots, the artist has created a body of work that encompasses the very best of regional, underground and mainstream styles reformed and delivered through his intricate lyricism and the seemingly effortless flow for which he is revered. The first single, “Holy Are You” (produced by long-time Rakim collaborator Nick Wiz for Preserve the Art) embodies the overall concept of the album, communicating Rakim’s worldview and spirituality through artistic interpretation of scriptures and revelations about the coming of the Apocalypse and each persons role in the world around them. Additional releases prior to the albums early Fall drop range from seething character studies of life in modern times and personal stories of self-awareness to feel good anthems celebrating music and Hip-Hop in all of its forms.
The artist states, “The Seventh Seal is my own revelation. . . my way of taking the best of what Hip-Hop has to offer, what we as a culture and a community have to offer, putting my stamp on it and leading us forward while constantly respecting what we’ve already accomplished. When you’ve been blessed with a career like mine, you develop a deep relationship with the music and that love is recognized by the true heads that share it with you. Holy Are You is for those core brothers and sisters. . . the first building block – the lyrical and spiritual piece – of an album that’s my monument to Hip-Hop past, present and future. You’ll see us keep building as we break through each Seal. . .showing the best of what I can do in many forms, bringing the energy and having fun, but first I’m laying that foundation and give my longtime fans the conscious fire they expect.”
