Prologue -- Intro. The door ; Origins ; From the park to the studio -- Part 1. Purpose. How to emcee ; Find your path ; The Griffins ; True meaning -- Part 2. Inspiration. Mahogany ; Find inspiration to be great ; Lee and Ali ; Coming up ; First loves ; School daze -- Part 3. Spirituality. The mystery (Who is God?) ; Believe in something greater than yourself ; Nation of gods and earths ; Strong Island to Latin Quarter -- Part 4. Consciousness. Musical massacre ; Embrace conscious energy ; From high school to rap star ; The hip-hop throne -- Part 5. Energy. Casualties of war ; Enter the zone ; Divine universal consciousness : frequencies ; Who's gonna take the weight? ; End of an era -- Outro. No omega.
Summary:
"Rakim has been hailed for his brilliant artistic style, adding tiers, complexity, depth, musicality, and soul to elevate the art of rap. But he is not just a revolutionary songwriter--he's a great modern writer. Filled with valuable insight for every writer and music fan, Sweat the Technique offers unprecedented access into how the reclusive hip-hop legend thinks about words, music, writing, and rhyming, and the obervational and spiritual foundations upon which he built the persona of The God MC. It is also a rare glimpse into Rakim's private life, full of entertaining personal stories, recounting experiences that celebrate a journey that parallels the rise of hip-hop as a global cultural phenomenon"--Page 4 of cover
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.