‘Eric B is President’: The track Eric B says everybody has misunderstood

(Credit score: Spotify)

Eric B is finest often called one half of Eric B and Rakim. Collectively, they crafted the 2 hit tasks, Don’t Sweat the Approach and Paid in Full, and the pair lit up the streets of New York within the Nineteen Eighties and ’90s, altering the path of hip-hop eternally. 

Usually considered the crown jewels of the golden technology, the group wouldn’t final lengthy however their mark on hip-hop shall be burned on the style eternally. If some duos depend on one half greater than the opposite, Eric B and Rakim is definitely probably the most balanced act in hip hop historical past. 

Following the discharge of Paid in Full, in an interview with Revolt TV, Eric mirrored on their sharp rise and the cultural affect of their work, noting: “To ride through Harlem and hear it in the streets of Harlem [and] ride through Brooklyn, it’s playing in the streets of Brooklyn.”

He continued: “It was just the backdrop of the late 80s into the early 90s. For us, we never took the time to sit back and watch our work. These people were just our friends, and enjoyed the great music that we made. And we appreciated it.”

Nonetheless, there was all the time one factor which irked Eric, in relation to the observe which bears his title: ‘Eric B Is President’, noting, “Everybody messes up the [name of the] record. The name of the record is ‘Eric B. is President.’ And everybody’s like, ‘Eric B. for President.’ Oh, you still can’t understand a Black man being president, huh?” Eric B. requested, via a chuckle.

He elaborated: “But that was the name of the record. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh, ‘Eric B. for President.” I used to inform individuals, ‘What document is that?’ I say, ‘I don’t know what document that’s.’”

Eric’s perspective is comprehensible right here. It’s, in fact, jarring to listen to the title of the work that you’ve got put years of your life into making, casually mis-titled. But in addition, speaks to the bigger societal points that are nonetheless prevalent. 

His feedback on individuals not having the ability to comprehend the potential of a Black president could have been made in jest (given the later election of Barack Obama for not one, however two phrases), however they do maintain numerous energy. From his perspective, individuals not getting the track title proper speaks to a big portion of the inhabitants treating artwork created by Black individuals, and by extension, Black individuals themselves, with disrespect.

The universality of the music could not have been an important enhance for garnering respect both. Rakim’s injection of move, while revolutionary on the earth of hip hop on the time, additionally meant the music garnered numerous curiosity from the nefarious underbelly of the New York crime.

Maybe, it was that affiliation with unseemly actions have tainted the work of two people who can stake a legitimate declare to altering the course of hip-hop historical past. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless unacceptable to repeatedly disrespect the work of those that, by their very own phrases, get pleasure from making nice music for his or her associates.

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