Gold: Eric B. & Rakim

The profound influence that Eric B. & Rakim exerted over the progression of rap music should be measured not by one album but rather by the string of singles they released between 1986 and 1992. While this may have been the golden age of classic hip-hop LPs, Eric B. & Rakim had individual songs that were more impactful than entire albums. The first five tracks on Gold—all released with the span of 18 months—would have been enough to cement the duo’s legacy, but equally essential are the lesser-known masterworks they made at the dawn of the '90s, including “Casualties of War” and “Don’t Sweat the Technique.”