Real name: William Michael Griffin, Jr.

Effective period / Period of releases: 1993 - 2024

Born: January 28, 1968 / Long Island, NY, United States

Rakim Allah, a native of Wyandanch, New York, revolutionised the rap artform during the late 1980s as one half of the influential hip-hop duo Eric B & Rakim. The duo parted ways in 1992 after releasing four popular albums, including the all-time hip-hop classic 'Paid In Full'. After taking a five-year break from music, Rakim returned as a solo artist in 1997 with the album 'The 18th Letter'. He continues to record sporadically.