Follow the Leader

The album was released in 1988, arriving just one year after their groundbreaking debut Paid in Full. It was highly anticipated and helped solidify Rakim's reputation as one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop history.

Eric B. and his production team moved away from the sparse, heavy James Brown samples of their debut. Instead, Follow the Leader utilized denser, more layered productions, incorporating classical music samples like Bob James's "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" on the title track.

Rakim's delivery on the track introduced a smoother, more conversational cadence that perfectly matched the beat. He pioneered the use of internal rhyme schemes and multi-syllabic rhymes, heavily influencing almost every major lyricist who followed in the late 1980s and beyond.

The album was supported by singles like "Follow the Leader," "Microphone Fiend," and "The R." "Microphone Fiend" became one of their most enduring hits, famously sampling Average White Band's "School Boy Crush."