The 18th Letter is the debut solo album by American emcee Rakim. It was released on November 4, 1997, through Universal Records in the United States. The album features production by DJ Clark Kent, Pete Rock, Father Shaheed, Nick Wiz and DJ Premier. It contains lyrical themes that concern hip hop's golden age, Rakim's rapping prowess, and the state of hip hop.
Background The album was Rakim's first release of new material following a five-year hiatus after Don't Sweat the Technique (1992) as duo Eric B. & Rakim. The album's title refers to the letter "R" being the eighteenth letter of the English alphabet.
Deluxe version A deluxe version of The 18th Letter was sold with the compilation disc The Book of Life (UD2-53111), an Eric B. & Rakim greatest hits collection. The Book of Life was also issued separately as a double vinyl LP.
Commercial performance The 18th Letter debuted at number four on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and was certified Gold in the United States.
Critical reception
The New York Times wrote that the album "features gripping, richly textured backing tracks and kinetic wordplay filled with references to the Koran; his masterly command of rhyming has only deepened with time."
Track listing
Notes signifies a co-producer. "The Mystery (Who Is God?)" contains scratches by DJ Sond.
The Book of Life
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1997) Peakposition
Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 80 Chart (1998) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 70
Certifications
The 18th Letter & The Book of Life
See also List of number-one R&B albums of 1997 (U.S.)
References
External links The 18th Letter at Discogs
The Microphone God — By Vibe