Eric B. & Rakim - My Melody - Live @ Central Park Summerstage

I wish I could say that I shot this, but alas, I was standing with other concert-goers in the rain behind the barricade, outside of the Mainstage.

Rakim went through his list of hits, and proved that "Rakim gets stronger/as I get older". Yeah. He's still got that magnetic flow, and his voice is still resonant. It's amazing to be so far into his career as an artist, all ups and downs included, and that his best work STILL is lyrically fresh.

I got to hear "Know the LEDGE", "Microphone Fiend", and "I Know You Got Soul", and "Paid in Full" live. The only thing I have left to do is meet the man. Glad I went, and over the fact that I wasn't in the main crowd.

Real talk, a lot of people who couldn't get in, like me, stood outside the barricades, danced in the rain, sat on rocks, stood on woodchips, and rapped songs bar for bar. That's hip-hop.