This is the second EP of New York emcee/producer Rakim, pioneering Long Island. They are known for the precise Golden Age duo Eric B. & Rakim, who released 4 classic albums from the mid-80s to the early 90s, paid in full for their debut, while sophomore efforts followed the leaders to lay the foundation for future generations’ Hip Hop. Kid Wizard eventually signed with Universal Music Group in late ’97 for the acclaimed 18th letter and follow-up, but did not receive as positive feedback as it was well received. Due to the dull production of lyric poetry, the Master’s decades of reception were even more mixed, and while lyricism is certainly praised, the God Network (Reb7rth) is still a step in the right direction. Despite its traits, Big Ghost Ltd. produced 2 new tracks on Re-Up, and these 7 remixes made me expect a lot of him.
The track “I’m OK” is the only track without guests, but God still conveys the sensation on the microphone, only Zeus’s own hand to play. The hearts of two lyricists.
I’ll only score based on the short material we got from the reupgrade, because 1 thing I want to be clear is that 7 remixes from Gods Network (Reb7rth) compete for the original version of the original EP I prefer, as this is all new material. Still, I still believe that both of these newly recorded cuts are worth mentioning, as they continue to illustrate that Rakim is still God nearly 40 years later. It is said that Reb7rth 2 has fewer guests than its predecessor, and if yes, it may be the 18th letter caliber.
Score: 7/10
