Rakim

Rakim plays new song in Tiny Desk Concert; KRS-One playing SOB's

It’s been a good year for Rakim. He got back with his old pal Eric B for their first tour together in over two decades (after first reuniting for a one-off at The Apollo) last year, and the God MC also premiered a new song, “Kings Paradise,” in season two of Marvel’s Luke Cage. The song was produced by Adrian Younge and A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad, who are the music supervisors for Luke Cage (and who just dropped a collaborative LP). Rakim also played that song in an NPR Tiny Desk Concert with Adrian Younge on keys and Ali Shaheed Muhammad on bass (plus several other musicians and backing singers). He also played two classics from his days with Eric B, “Paid In Full” and “Know the Ledge.” Watch the full Tiny Desk Concert and a Luke Cage clip with “Kings Paradise” below.

In semi-related news, fellow NYC rap legend KRS-One (who shared a hometown bill with Eric B & Rakim earlier this month at the Yo! MTV Raps 30th anniversary concert at Barclays Center) has another hometown show this week: SOB’s on Thursday (6/28). UPDATE: moved to July 5. Tickets are on sale.

Rakim Tiny Desk Concert Musicians
Rakim (vocals), Adrian Younge (keys), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (bass), Jack Waterson (guitar), David Henderson (drums), Loren Oden (vocals), Saudia Mills (vocals), Angela Munoz (vocals), Stephanie Yu (violin), Bryan Hernandez-Luch (violin), DeAndre Shaifer (trumpet) , Jordan Pettay (saxophone), Joi Gilliam (vocalist), Christone Ingram (Kingfish) (guitar)