#119 Eric B. & Rakim (+ Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock bonus)

Eric B. & Rakim were given an impressive 5 cards in the 1991 Yo! MTV Raps set, but just this one in the Super Stars layout. The photo features Rakim blinged out with a pair of Mercedes-Benz emblems around his neck. He's in the same outfit on the back photo, though Eric B. has had a wardrobe change in the interim, losing the suit and slipping into something more comfortable.

The duo only put out one more album after this, Don't Sweat the Technique (1992), then legal stuff with the record label saw the guys go their separate ways. After two decades, the pair reunited for a handful of live performances in 2017 and 2018 before going back to their own things.

Eric B. & Rakim - "Paid In Full"

 
I didn't listen to much Eric B. & Rakim growing up, but remember "Paid In Full" popping up on MTV.  I was probably a little young to fully appreciate them. My speed was more the "entry-level rap" equivalent coming up in the Custom Corner. 

 

But yeah, Eric B. & Rakim are still regarded as hip hop legends today, each taking their craft to a new level, and together are widely regarded as "the most influential DJ/MC combo in contemporary pop music period." Read up more on their big Wikipedia entry if you like.

CUSTOM CORNER

Parallels are there with the pairing of a slender MC and a husky DJ, both out of New York in the late 80s... yep, I figured the most obvious act to pair up in this post has gotta be Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock.

With the 1988 crossover hit "It Takes Two" still getting plenty of airplay into the early 90s, it's surprising that Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock didn't get a real MusiCard, not even in the Yo! set. Who knows what happened there, but at least here's a custom mock-up for posterity.

 

"It Takes Two" 

I think It Takes Two was the first album (cassette) that I ever bought myself. I remember liking the title track from hearing it on the radio and MTV, and then I liked the follow-up single "Joy & Pain" enough to scrape some allowance money together to buy the tape from the Long's Drugs by my house. I loved that album and played the hell out of it in my youth, still giving it a spin every once in a while today.. though full disclosure, I nearly always skip the track "Crush", a sappy love song that never did much for me.

It Takes Two went multi-platinum, but that momentum didn't carry over to the sophomore effort that-- despite previously stressing the importance of taking two to make a thing go right-- turned out to be a Rob Base solo album called The Incredible Base (1989). Sales couldn't measure up to the big debut, although it managed to go gold on the strength of the single "Turn It Out (Go Base)". Rob also landed a track on the Rocky V soundtrack (1990). Not sure if he had a falling out with E-Z Rock or what, but eventually the duo regrouped to put out a second Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock record, Break of Dawn, in 1994. After that album tanked, the guys pretty much went their separate ways for a while, though they returned in 1999 with the single "Ready 2 Party".

Sadly, E-Z Rock lost his battle with diabetes in 2014 at age 46. Rob Base continues to perform live, recently on the I Love the 90s Tour. I'm going to try to schedule this to publish on his birthday, May 18th. Happy Birthday, Rob Base!

"Ready 2 Party"

 

That'll wrap things up for today. As always, I'm curious to hear in the comments if you readers spent much time listening to either act covered in this post. Thanks a lot.