Eric B. and Rakim reunited in New Jersey this week for a history-making performance to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.
On Tuesday (June 13), the illustrious Hip Hop duo became the first rap act to perform at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ during the North to Shore Music Festival. Eric B. said that performing at Stone Pony has been a long time coming for the legendary DJ.
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“Performing at the Stone Pony is definitely a dream come true,” Eric B said in a press release. “I have been TRULY BLESSED during my career to have played at almost every premiere arena and venue around the world. So, to be able to be the first Hip Hop group to play at the Stone Pony, which has been the home to countless iconic acts…especially as we celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop, is unprecedented.”
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy took to Twitter to thank Eric B. & Rakim for their performance. “Tonight I was honored to introduce two pioneers of hip-hop — @EricBandRakim — for historic performance at @thestonepony @inAsburyParkNJ!” he wrote. “I couldn’t dream of a better way to honor 50 years of hip-hop as part of the @NorthtoShore Festival.”
Tonight I was honored to introduce two pioneers of hip-hop — @EricBandRakim — for a historic performance at @thestonepony@inAsburyParkNJ!
I couldn't dream of a better way to honor 50 years of hip-hop as part of the @NorthtoShore Festival. pic.twitter.com/4vVpoJyr4Q
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) June 14, 2023
Eric B. and Rakim are one of Hip Hop’s most iconic groups. Arriving during the Golden age of Hip Hop, their 1987 debut album Paid in Full remains a constant reference point for many younger, and older artists from a musical and stylistic standpoint.
In addition, classic records such as “I Ain’t No Joke,” “Eric B. For President,” and “Know The Ledge,” have stood the test of time and are recognized as building blocks in the foundation of Hip Hop.
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In 2016, Rakim spoke to HipHopDX about the group’s first single “Eric B. Is President” and how he laughed at the beat originally and admitted he didn’t like it.
“What it was is that me and Eric B. was in my mom’s crib and we was going through my mom’s records,” The God MC began. “And I pulled out James Brown ‘Funky President’ for the beat (mimics the drum pattern). And Eric B. pulls out Fonda Rae ‘Over Like A Fat Rat.’ So I bust out laughing, I fell on the floor and shit, crying, tears in my eyes, literally.
“He was like, ‘Ra, man, this is gonna work.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way Fonda Rae is gonna go with James Brown ‘Funk President.'” And I just laughed at him for about 30-to-40 minutes. Every time I looked at him I was making fun of the shit, looking at him, just laughing at him and shit.”
He continued: “But we got to the studio, we made the beat, and at that time I was so used to sampling, and I just couldn’t see how he was gonna make that happen. But we flipped it up, and we sampled the drum and we just kinda sampled [a piece] of the drum. We played the joint over it instead of using the sampled record, and it worked out kinda crazy, man. I was surprised that it did work out like it did. So big up to E on that one. He got over. Word up.”
Within the same interview, he also spoke about the 30th anniversary of Paid in Full at the time and the impact that the album has had on pop culture and if it was a goal of theirs to make history with its release.
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“Not at all, man,” Rakim said. “We had a vision, and we understood what the bottom line was. But we didn’t think it had the effect on Hip Hop that it has. We were speaking to the streets, but it kinda came back and expressed itself time and time again. Some negative ways, and some good ways, but the bottom line is we have to get that currency. We have to.”
