Rakim is an American rapper as well as a record producer who owns a net worth of $2 million. From 1987 to 2007, Rakim was the top-ranked & greatest MC — in rap music, MC refers to ‘Master of Ceremonies’. His collaborated album—Paid in Full—was MTV’s greatest hip hop album.
Over three decades of a musical career, Rakim has released three studio albums alongside four collaborated albums. Rakim and Eric B. are best known for their ‘Paid in Full’ collaborated album.
Rakim’s unique MCs technique made him a transformational figure in the genres of hip hop. All Music, About.com, The Source, all of these database platforms ranked Rakim on their list of Top 50s MCs of all time. Typically speaking, Rakim was a leading figure when it was hip-hop’s golden age.
Earning Highlights
Rakim has earned most of his wealth through record sales. The year 1987 was his career-best earning year. In that year, Rakim grossed $1 million through record sales.
Here’s Rakim’s record sale and earning summary:
| Record Sales Year | Earning |
| 1987 ( Paid in Full ) | $1 million |
| 1988 ( Follow the Leader ) | $500k |
| 1990 ( Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em ) | $500k |
| 1996 ( The 18th Letter ) | $500k |
| 2009 ( The Seventh Seal ) | $12k |
Through YouTube, Rakim earns quite well. Talking about his channel’s Social Blade analysis, Rakim earned his YouTube best earnings in April 2020. After 2010, Rakim became quite inactive in rap music.
However, here’s Rakim’s yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily income/ salary highlights:
- Yearly Income: $347k
- Monthly Income: $28,888
- Weekly Income: $6,666
- Daily Income: $949
Rakim: At a Glance
| Real Name | William Michael Griffin Jr. |
| Nicknames | The God MC, Kid Wizard, Rakim Allah, The R |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 28 January 1968 |
| Birth Place | Wyandanch, New York, United States |
| Residence | Long Island, New York |
| Height | 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 77 kg |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Rapper, Musician |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Net Worth | $2 million |
Early Life
William Michael Griffin Jr. was born in Wyandanch, New York, on 28 January 1968. He is the nephew of a famous American singer, and actress—Ruth Brown. His parents are Cynthia Griffin and William Griffin Sr.
At an early age, Rakim desired to be a professional footballer. He also played in the quarterback position of his high school team. Later, Rakim met up with DJ Eric B. — who influenced him to rap music.
Talking about education, Rakim attended Wyandanch High School. At the age of 17, Rakim made his debut recording live in this school. He wrote his maiden rhyme when Rakim was only 7. However, after meeting Eric B, Rakim fully concentrated on rap music.
Career
In 1985, Rakim began his professional rap music career with Eric B. He has released four albums with Eric B. These are ‘Paid in Full’, ‘Follow the Leader’, ‘Let the Rhythm Hit Em’, and ‘Don’t Sweat the Technique’.
Among these four albums, ‘Paid in Full’ was a commercial success. This album ranked #58 on the Billboard 200 Chart. Besides, they earned $1 million through record sales of this album.
At this time, Rakim was featured in numerous magazines. He earned accolades from many digital media companies. Rakim became The Source magazine’s top-ranked lyrists.
Later, Rakim signed with records labels like Ra, Island, 4th & B’way, MCA, and Aftermath. He then released three solo albums. These albums are ‘The 18th Letter (1997)’, ‘The Master (1999)’, and ‘The Seventh Seal (2009)’.
Rakim’s most popular singles are ‘When I B on the Mic’, ‘My Melody’, ‘Guess Who’s Back’, ‘Walk These Streets’, ‘It’s Beeb a Long Time’, and so on.
In 1988, Rakim & Eric B. earned the nomination for the Soul Train Awards for their ‘Paid in Full’ album. Besides, Rakim won the BET networks presents “I Am Hip Hop Icon” Awards.
FAQs
Though Rakim is unmarried, he has four children. With Nicole Smith, Rakim has a son. They haven’t married. What’s more, Rakim has three children with his childhood sweetheart, Fee. However, Rakim’s children with Fee are Jabar Griffin, Destiny Griffin, and Tahmell.
Eric B. and Rakim released four collaborated albums. They gained popularity after releasing their first album—Paid in Full. However, Eric B. owns a net worth of $600k.
Despite having four children, Rakim is unmarried. He took children with Nicole Smith & Fee. Rakim has three children from his childhood girlfriend—Fee. Now, Rakim & Fee is living together with their children.
