Sweat the Technique: Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars | 1,535 ratings
Price: 16.53
Last update: 12-22-2024
About this item
The musician and hip-hop legend - hailed as “the greatest MC of all time” and compared to Thelonious Monk - reimagines the writing handbook in this memoir and guide that incorporates the soulful genius, confidence, and creativity of a master artist.
When he exploded on the music scene, musical genius Rakim was hailed for his brilliant artistic style, adding layers, complexity, depth, musicality, and soul to rap. More than anyone, Rakim has changed the way MCs rhyme. Calm on the mic, his words combine in a frenzy of sound, using complicated patterns based on multisyllabic rhymes and internal rhythms. Rakim can tell a story about a down-on-his-luck man looking for a job and turn it into an epic tale and an unforgettable rhyme. He is not just a great songwriter - he’s a great modern writer.
Part memoir, part writing guide, Sweat the Technique offers insight into how Rakim thinks about words, music, writing, and rhyming as it teaches writers of all levels how to hone their craft. It is also a rare glimpse into Rakim’s private life, full of entertaining personal stories from his youth on Long Island growing up in a home and community filled with musicians to the clubs of New York and the studios of Los Angeles during his rise to the top of popular music. Rakim celebrates the influences that shaped his development, including the jazz music of John Coltrane and the spirituality of the streets, and shares anecdotes spotlighting personalities such as LL Cool J and Dr. Dre, among others.
Filled with valuable lessons for every writer, Sweat the Technique reveals the heart and mind of an artist and his love for great storytelling and, always, the words.
Top reviews from the United States
5.0 out of 5 stars "more than just a memoir; it’s a journey back to my childhood"
This book took me back to those days, reminding me of the impact Rakim had on my life and how his music shaped my understanding of hip-hop. Sweat the Technique isn’t just a book about creativity—it’s a revelation. Rakim shares his insights on writing, inspiration, and the discipline it takes to be a true artist. His reflections on his craft are both profound and relatable, offering a glimpse into the mind of a lyrical genius who has influenced countless artists and fans over the decades.
Thank you, Mr. Griffin, for this incredible book. It’s more than just a memoir; it’s a journey back to my childhood and a deep dive into the artistry that has made Rakim a legend. For any fan of hip-hop, this book is a must-read.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book about being a Hip Hop MC
Good book:)
5.0 out of 5 stars More EP Than Full Player, Sweat The Technique Still Has Enough Soul To Move The Crowd
Offering rare reflections of his life and career, Rakim still holds the literary reigns tight like a grudge. Leaving topics previously touched on in social media blogs and old interviews on the cutting room floor, Rakim bypasses wild-style stories of his younger days when he and DJ Eric B rolled deep with the infamous Paid In Full posse. Ditto for the obligatory mouth-dropping industry confessions and untold stories recounting the late Eighties' testosterone-filled rap industry.
Technique really comes alive when Rakim reflects on his early days as "Popo" and "Lil Griff"---the scrappy kid from Wyandanch, Long Island, part music/sports prodigy----part gun-toting hard rock, nurtured by his mother's support and guided by his father's wise and steady hand. Recounting the oft-told story of his entry in the rap game, Rakim shares how an unexpected visit from Eric B puts him on the fast track to becoming the teen-aged hip hop prodigy---automatically better than every rap peer and pioneer.
Technique captures the dizzying highs: the big money paydays and rapid career ascent requiring Rakim to drop out of school. The bidding war that led to him signing the first million-dollar rap contract at the tender age of twenty. ("Just two years earlier, I had no thought of making money as a MC and now I was out buying a Benz, a Jeep Cherokee, jewelry, clothes and sneakers."). It reveals the lows: the pressures of young fatherhood and his grandmother's passing. Rakim expresses the guilt of reluctantly tending to a hot careers while his hero---his beloved father succumbed to bone cancer.
Momentarily pulling back the veil of discretion, Rakim shares stories of his first love and briefly unpacks his sometimes conflicted relationship with his partner. He celebrates the accomplishments of their unlikely partnership while revealing his desire to be independent of it at the start of their journey. He revisits the growing pains, creative and business differences that would lead to their breakup as well as their tension filled and triumphant reunion.
Sweat The Technique's circular prose at times can be thematic. Like Rakim's syncopated flow, it swings back and forth, both discreet and revealing all at once. Recollections capture the GOD MC's many moods and grooves. Bold and testy like Miles. Enigmatic like Monk. An ember-like spirit stoked by competition and self-mastery. A soaring rap deity whose family is the wind beneath his wings. More EP than a full-length player, Sweat The Technique still has enough soul to move the crowd.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Memoir
4.0 out of 5 stars RAKIM THE GREAT
5.0 out of 5 stars A GIFT FOR CREATIVE ARTISTS
Eartha Watts Hicks
Harlem World Magazine