“It’s been a long time, I shouldn’t have left you without a strong rhyme to step to.”

From the first track on, the beats and lyrics are reminiscent of shell-top Adidas and the old-school hip-hop sounds of the ’80s.

-The lyrical flow sounds similar to original hip-hop moguls, such as Run DMC and Grand Master Flash. Any true hip-hop fan will hold this album close to his or her heart.

The combination of Eric B.’s spins and Rakim’s unmatched lyrical skills makes this album unsurpassed in its genre. Songs such as “My Melody” and “Eric B. for President” were some of the most controversial tracks when the album first came out; their fresh sound still is contained in this version.

No duo other than Eric B. and Rakim has ever so effortlessly recreated mixes produced more than a decade ago to receive such widespread popularity.

It is inarguable that Eric B. and Rakim “bring it” with skill ahead of their time because their tracks still sound fresh in the rerelease.

The influence brought on by the emergence of this masterpiece has shaped the path of hip-hop and rap from fad to undying phenomenon. The enhanced CD also includes the video for “Paid in Full.”

This album isn’t just an important piece of music literature because of the unmatched skill and sound — it is a true work of hip-hop history.

Once the set is paid for, the album will prove its worth in full.