Once again, rap legend Rakim returned to Harrisburg for the 16th annual Cultural Festival in Riverfront Park. Lead sponsor Capital Blue Cross, in association with the Dauphin County Commissioners Office, helped make this free event a must-go for hundreds of people.
After bursting on the scene in 1986, Rakim, his DJ Eric B, and their debut album Paid in Full stood the test of time, even after a 15-year hiatus. I had the opportunity to sit with the iconic musician and talk about his music. We discussed his new album, G.O.D.S. Network, his longevity in the industry, and his frequent trips to the
Harrisburg region, where he has performed several times in recent years at HMAC, 2x Club XL, and others. He stated, “Harrisburg’s economic development has been growing steadily; it wasn’t like that early in my career.” With Rakim’s many years of touring the country, finding Harrisburg as a performing destination is a testament to the city’s diversity growth.
Rakim’s new album, G.O.D.S. Network, includes work with some of the industry’s most significant artists and others who are no longer with us, including Nipsy Hussle, DMX, and Chino XL. Rakim played a substantial role in the production of this album. He produced every track and created every beat, a fact that he was very proud to reveal. Rakim is widely regarded as one of the greatest lyricists ever to touch a microphone and offers his incredible variety of talent throughout this album.
Knowing that Rakim is a huge sports fan, we concluded the evening talking about football. I asked Rakim about his feelings on the New York Giants losing their star running back Saquon Barkley to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. He expressed supreme disappointment, saying, ……. Bringing back the focus to Harrisburg, I asked if he knew that he was in the hometown of the Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons. His response was “No,” followed by “That dude is a beast. Closest thing in the NFL to Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor”. That is a big compliment to Micah Parsons, well-deserved by the Harrisburg native.
Harrisburg has brought about great talent and continues inviting more, especially those with incredible talent like rap legend Rakim himself. Rakim closed our conversation by saying “Saqoun should still be a New York Giant.”
