(LP) Eric B. & Rakim – Paid In Full (2LP)

Paid in Full is the debut studio album by iconic American hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on July 7, 1987, through 4th & B'way Records. Widely acknowledged as a benchmark blueprint for the Golden Age of hip-hop, this landmark album completely revolutionized the genre's lyricism and production. Rakim introduced unprecedented internal rhyme schemes, multi-syllabic flows, and a calm, precise delivery that completely shifted rap away from the high-energy delivery of his contemporaries. Behind the boards, Eric B. elevated sampling techniques to a high art form, utilizing jazz, funk, and soul loops (most notably James Brown rhythms) to create a minimalist, heavy backbeat. The record contains several of hip-hop's most enduring anthems, including "Eric B. Is President" and "I Ain't No Joke."