grand daddy i.u. Archives - New Hip Hop News

On this date in 1990, Long Island rap juggernaut Grand Daddy I.U. released his debut album Smooth Assassin under the Cold Chillin’ Records umbrella. With production from the late Biz Markie and his DJ Cool V, Smooth Assassin was a street-wise, conceptual album with I.U. manifesting a flow that many almost immediately compared to Rakim.

The 16-track album featured a couple of radio friendly tracks; “Something New”, which features singers Desiree Price, Raezia Rolle and Toni Rolle. “Sugar Free” features singer Mary Brown respectively. He also kept it gully for the streets with songs like “Nobody Move”, “Girl In The Mall” and “Behind Bars”.

The Hip Hop community lost another chapter to its 50 year history when Ayub “I.U.” Bey passed away last December at 54 years old. Smooth Assassin was I.U.’s only full length studio release that received a push from a major label. Salute to I.U., Biz, Cool V, DJ Kay Cee and everyone who played a part in making this album a success and a part of Hip Hip history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Grand Daddy I.U. Dropped His Debut LP ‘Smooth Assassin’ 33 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Grand Daddy I.U. Dropped His Debut LP ‘Smooth Assassin’ 33 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Born on this date in 1968, William Griffith Jr. aka Rakim Allah is considered the greatest emcee to ever touch the mic. His debut album along with DJ Eric B., Paid In Full, is a necessary piece of Hip-Hop’s creative history, used as an instructional tool to many up-and-coming emcees and deejays as a style and sound to emulate. There were a few emcees who cashed checks sounding like the “R”, so since it’s said that mockery is the best form of flattery, TheSource.com put together this list of Rakim soundalikes who owe the God some recognition for borrowing from his style.

King Sun
The 6’8″ emcee, whose raps were also saturated with Five Percent Nation vernacular, had a flow and vocal tone that was very similar to Rakim, and being that he came out after Ra, his music immediately drew many comparisons.

MC Rell
With all due respect, this guy was the epitome of what Hip-Hop considered a “biter.” Rell not only dressed exactly like Rakim on his Follow The Leader album cover but only true Rakim fans and Hip-Hop aficionados could tell the difference between this copycat and the 18th Letter. Needless to say, his career was very short-lived.

Antoinette
As the only female on this list, her voice couldn’t possibly sound like the God, but she tried extremely hard to mimic his flow in order to get recognition in the male-dominated field of emceeing. Needless to say, her nemesis and pioneer femcee MC Lyte, used that in her “Beat Biter” battle record, saying, “..you should win a prize as a Rakim soundalike..”

Will Smith on “Summertime”
In possibly one of his most celebrated singles, the lyrical funnyman borrowed Rakim’s slow flow and monotone voice instead of his regular, quirky octave that most fans of his TV sitcom, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, are familiar with.

Grand Daddy I.U.
The rapper known for his “Something New” fame dropped several albums with a voice, flow, and cadence that was identical to Rakim. I.U. passed away in December 2022. RIP

The post Happy 55th Birthday Rakim! 5 Rappers That Made Careers Sounding Like The God MC appeared first on The Source.