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25 Best Rakim Songs - When Eric B. and Rakim’s “Eric B. Is President” and “My Melody” debuted in 1986, Ra’s internal-rhyme style and metaphysical flow forever changed the rhyme paradigm of hip hop music. In celebration of the legend’s contribution to the future of the genre, here’s a look at the G.O.D. MC’s 25 best songs.(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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“Eric B. Is President” - Rakim's debut single is considered one of the first hip hop songs to use a sampler. This funky replay of Fonda Rae's "Over Like a Fat Rat" and James Brown's "Funky President" introduces Ra's unorthodox yet infectious flow and love of the mic. "It's biting me, fighting me, inviting me to rhyme." (Photo: Zakia Records)

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"My Melody" - With its towering mid-tempo kick (unheard of in hip hop music at the time) and Spaghetti Western-esque keyboards, this cut deftly displays Rakim's god-like voice, his lethal play on rhyme meter and his ability to kill sucka MCs in three sets of seven.  (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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"I Ain't No Joke" - Over Eric B.'s scratch of the J.B.'s "Pass the Peas," Ra boldly establishes his no-nonsense demeanor. The song's video is prophetic, introducing the hip hop nation to Public Enemy's Flavor Flav before P.E. blows up.  (Photo: Island Def Jam Records)

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"I Know You Got Soul" - Sampling Bobby Byrd's 1971 original (of the same name), this cut bridges the gap between the soulfulness of hip hop and the Black pride-powered sound of late '60s/early '70s soul music. (Photo: Wikicommons)

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"Paid in Full" - The title track from Eric B. & Rakim's debut LP, "Paid in Full" is quasi-confessional of Ra's love of MCing and his 5 Percenter beliefs over his former life as a stick-up kid. The song also changes hip hop's word for "good-bye" to "peace."  (Photo: Island Def Jam Records)

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"Follow the Leader" - Rakim takes listeners into the scientific world of outer space on this title cut from his and Eric B.'s second album.  (Photo: Geffen Records)

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"Microphone Fiend" - Sampling the Average White Band's "School Boy Crush," this song puts Rakim's lyrical kingship front and center as he rhymed: "Music orientated. So when hip hop was originated, fitted like pieces of puzzles...complicated." (Photo: Geffen Records)

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"Move the Crowd" - This classic track blends Rakim's love of rocking the crowd with his religious duty to elevate the mind of his audience. "With knowledge of self there's nothing I can't solve," he concludes. "And 360 degrees I revolve."  (Photo: Facebook)

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"Lyrics of Fury" - Accompanied by a blizzardous sample of James Brown's "Funky Drummer," Rakim's offers head-spinning proof that he is a lyrical master.  (Photo: David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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"Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em" - On this title song from his third disc with Eric B., Rakim matches the beat's furious pace with a rhyme that throws syllables like missiles.  (Photo: Geffen Records)

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"In the Ghetto" - Rakim showcases his candid look at urban life on the classic tune “In the Ghetto." (Photo: Geffen Records)

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"Mahogany" - Over an off-beat sample of Al Green's "I'm Glad Your Mine," Rakim shows off his lyrical abilities as a lover man.  (Photo: Geffen Records)

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"Casualties of War" - A year after America's Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War, Rakim released this militant cut where he imagined rebelling against America's war against a Muslim country. (Photo: Geffen Records)

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"Don't Sweat the Technique" - This title track from Eric B. and Rakim's fourth LP finds the God MC heavily flexing his jazz-inspired rhyme cadence.  (Photo: Geffen Records)

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"Kick Along" - A playful example of Rakim's command of the spoken word.    (Photo: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson /Landov)

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"Put Your Hands Together" - This unheralded cut shows why Rakim continues to move the crowd. (Photo: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson /Landov)

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"The Punisher" - Another one of Rakim's monster displays of microphone mastery. Competition is none. (Photo: Facebook)

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"What's On You Mind" - Where Rakim exhibited his Cassanova skills on "Mahogany," the cut "What's On Your Mind" had him exploring the ups and downs of a relationship.  (Photo: Facebook)

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"Guess Who's Back" - Five years after Rakim split with Eric B., and disappeared off hip hop's radar, Rakim debuted this impressive track which led his first solo LP, The 18th Letter, to gold status in 1997.  (Photo: Universal Music Group)

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"Teach the Children" - On this track, Rakim stays true to the 5 Percent Nation's tenet of passing on the wisdom.  (Photo: Universal Music Group)

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"Pass the Hand Grenade" - Rakim's explodes the competition with this standard battle rhyme.  (Photo: Universal Music Group) 

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"Keep the Beat" - On this this smoothed out  boom-bap rhythm, Ra, as usual, doesn't miss a beat, riding the track like a magic carpet. (Photo: Steven Dewall/Redferns)

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"Juice (Know the Ledge)" - This classic track (and Ra's most popular) was the theme song for the 1992 film Juice. Rakim spits an unforgettable tale of a drug kingpin taken down in a hail of arrogance and bullets.  (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

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"The Mystery (Who Is God)" - On The 18th Letter, Rakim reacquaints his fans with the knowledge-filled skills that established him as one of the most potent MCs in hip hop music history.  (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images

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"Heat It Up" - The G.O.D. MC simply tears s--t up on this plodding cut off the soundtrack for the film Gunmen. (Photo: Terrence Jennings/PictureGroup)