Eric B and Rakim’s debut album shifted the genre of hip-hop in numerous ways. Rakim’s internal rhyme schemes were way ahead of its time and helped influence the styles of hip-hop’s GOATs (i.e. Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem etc.). As for Eric B, his style of using heavy samples was as influential to producing as Rakim’s rhymes schemes was to MCing. One song that truly highlighted this was the titular track on their debut album. As Rakim delivers complex rhyme schemes, detailing his hustler mentality, Eric B. laid down a classic beat with groundbreaking multi-layered samples in his production.

Quotable Lyrics
I need money, I used to be a stick-up kid
So I think about all of all the devious things I did
I used to roll up, this is a hold up, ain’t nothing funny
Stop smilin’, be still, don’t nothing move but the money