Eric B. & Rakim are an American hip hop duo formed in Long Island, New York, in 1986, composed of Eric B. (born Eric Barrier) and MC Rakim (born William Michael Griffin Jr.). Eric Barrier was born and raised in the East Elmhurst section of Queens, New York. He played trumpet and drums throughout high school, and later switched to experimenting with turntables prior to graduation. The newly dubbed "Eric B." soon began DJing for radio station WBLS in New York City, including WBLS' promotional events around the city. Barrier wound up meeting Alvin Toney, a promoter based in Queens. Eric B. had been looking for rappers and Toney recommended he use Freddie Foxxx, a Long Island MC. Toney took Eric B. to Foxxx's home, but Foxxx was not there, so Toney suggested another option: William Griffin, a.k.a. Rakim. Griffin had begun writing rhymes as a teenager in Wyandanch and had taken the name "Rakim" as a result of his conversion to The Nation of Gods and Earths (a breakaway group from the black supremacist group, Nation Of Islam). (read more on wikipedia)
Links to Peel
Peel started first playing Eric B. & Rakim records in the late 80's via import. When the duo released their album, Paid In Full, in 1987, Peel described it as one of the records of the year. He would continue play their material through the late 80's and early 90's and also nominated their track 'I Know You Got Soul' as his Peelenium 1987.
13 July 1987: Move The Crowd (LP - Paid In Full) 4th & Broadway
14 July 1987: I Ain't No Joke (LP - Paid In Full) 4th & Broadway
20 July 1987: My Melody (LP - Paid In Full) 4th & Broadway
21 July 1987: Chinese Arithmetic (LP - Paid In Full) 4th & Broadway (JP: 'If this isn't on your first fragile pencil list records of the year and you dear sir and madame are probably cream doughnut')
