Additional personnel: Stevie Blass Griffin (various instruments).

Recorded at Power Play Studio, New York.

Personnel: Eric B., Rakim.

New York team who met in 1985 and have gone on to become an important duo in Rap's short history. Their debut album, PAID IN FULL, caused great legal waves via its explicit use of samples (Eric B is often credited with putting the funk back into rap music via his James Brown signatures). Rakim was responsible for introducing a more relaxed, intuitive delivery which was a distinct advance on the thumping bravado of Run DMC and LL Cool J, and is best sampled on this influential and instructive album. The title track, "Lyrics Of Fury" and "Microphone Fiend" provided the fullest possible evidence of the duo's skill.