Eric B. Is President
Encyclopedia
"Eric B. Is President" is the debut single released by hip-hop
duo Eric B. & Rakim
. The single has become one of the most memorable songs in hip hop, and Rakim's opening salvo of "I came in the door/I said it before" is one of rap's most oft-quoted lines. The distinctive bassline samples Fonda Rae's "Over Like A Fat Rat" and the song was interpolated in 1997 for New Orleans rapper Master P
's hit single "Ghetto D
." Legendary hip hop producer Marley Marl
is often credited with handling production duties for the song, but Eric B. has disputed this in recent interviews.
Said Eric B.:
As far as the production controversy, Eric B. told Allhiphop.com, "I took the records to Marley Marl’s house in Queensbridge and paid Marley Marl to be the engineer. Marley got paid. That’s why he’s not a producer, that’s why he is not getting publishing. I brought the music. I just couldn’t work the equipment because that’s not what I did..."
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
duo Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
. The single has become one of the most memorable songs in hip hop, and Rakim's opening salvo of "I came in the door/I said it before" is one of rap's most oft-quoted lines. The distinctive bassline samples Fonda Rae's "Over Like A Fat Rat" and the song was interpolated in 1997 for New Orleans rapper Master P
Master P
Percy Robert Miller , better known by his stage name Master P or his business name P. Miller, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, and producer. He is the founder of the popular label No Limit Records, which went bankrupt and was relaunched as New No Limit Records through Koch...
's hit single "Ghetto D
Ghetto D
Ghetto D is the sixth studio album by rapper Master P. One of the songs in Ghetto D, "Make 'Em Say Uhh!", is ranked at #36 on Blender's list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever", and at #60 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever by Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio. In 2008, it ranked #94 on VH1's 100...
." Legendary hip hop producer Marley Marl
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
is often credited with handling production duties for the song, but Eric B. has disputed this in recent interviews.
Said Eric B.:
"I took Fonda Rea’s “Over Like A Fat Rat” and said 'This is the bass line I’m going to use for this record.' Rakim spit the beer all over the wall and thought it was the funniest shit in the world. I told Rakim, just like you laughing now you going to be laughing all the way to the bank and be a millionaire one day because of this record."
As far as the production controversy, Eric B. told Allhiphop.com, "I took the records to Marley Marl’s house in Queensbridge and paid Marley Marl to be the engineer. Marley got paid. That’s why he’s not a producer, that’s why he is not getting publishing. I brought the music. I just couldn’t work the equipment because that’s not what I did..."
Musical tributes
- Phife DawgPhife DawgMalik Isaac Taylor , better known by his stage name Phife Dawg, is an American rapper of Trinidadian descent, and a member of the acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest with high school classmates Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad...
, in the opening lines of the A Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
song "Steve Biko (Stir it Up)" from Midnight MaraudersMidnight Marauders- Additional credits :- Accolades :The information is taken from Acclaimedmusic.netand other website links below. designates lists which are unordered.-Cover art:...
, says that his "Favorite jam back in the day was 'Eric B. For President'". - Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, in "The Watcher 2" from his 2002 album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The CurseThe Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse-See also:*List of number-one albums of 2002 *List of number-one R&B albums of 2002 - External links :* at Discogs...
, raps "'Til I came through the door, Like 'Eric B. for Pres', respect me in this bitch!"". - Ghostface KillahGhostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
, on the track "Toney Sigel a.k.a. The Barrel Brothers" from 2007 album The Big Doe RehabThe Big Doe RehabThe Big Doe Rehab is the seventh studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released December 2007 on Def Jam Records.- Album information :The album was released on December 4, 2007...
, raps "We never voted, we votin' for Oprah, Obama, and Eric B." - Fat JoeFat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
, in the song "I'm Gone" on his 2010 album The Darkside Vol. 1The Darkside Vol. 1The Darkside Vol. 1 is the 10th solo studio album by rapper Fat Joe. The album was released July 27, 2010. Production came from Cool & Dre, Streetrunner, DJ Infamous, Just Blaze, Scram Jones, DJ Premier, Raw Uncut, and Scoop DeVille, with guest performances by Trey Songz, Too Short, R...
, raps "Where I'm from, for President we voted Eric B." - Felt, in the song "Henrietta Longbottom" from their album "Felt 3: A Tribute To Rosie PerezFelt 3: A Tribute To Rosie Perez- External links :* at Discogs* at Metacritic...
", raps "Kicked in the door, beat up a dead whore.", which is a variation on the line "came in the door, I said it before" rapped by Rakim on "Eric B. is President".
Samples
- "Funky PresidentFunky President"Funky President " is a funk song by James Brown. Released as a single in 1974, it charted #4 R&B. It also appeared on the album Reality. According to Brown the "funky president" of the song's title was meant to refer to U.S...
" by James BrownJames BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr... - "The Champ" by The MohawksAlan HawkshawAlan Hawkshaw is a British composer and performer, particularly of themes for movies and television programmes...
- "Long Red" (drums, vocals) by MountainMountain (band)Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today...
- "Over Like a Fat Rat" by Fonda Rae
External links
- "Eric B. Is President" at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...