Rakim kept a stern demeanor, rarely smiling. When Eric B. & Rakim performed on Soul Train in 1987, host Don Cornelius said, "You don't smile much." His reply: "I ain't no joke." Eric B. explained: "Our image is a strong, positive image."
"I Ain't No Joke" was the second single for Eric B. & Rakim, following "Eric B. Is President." It helped establish Rakim as one of the top MCs in the game, with inventive writing and an exceptionally tight flow. This track finds him bragging, but in a style we hadn't heard before and with no shortcuts - Rakim didn't add any filler.
We counted 650 words in this song, and none of them are swears. This was intentional, as Rakim felt he could make his point without profanity.
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