"Hip-hop's golden age began in 1986, the day Rakim stepped to a microphone to record “Eric B Is President.” Only 18 years old, Rakim had a smooth, effortless flow that brought a cool melodicism and high intelligence to the rap game. His partnership with his DJ, Eric B, yielded four great albums and numerous classic singles before Rakim split for a solo career. Despite initial success with 1997's The 18th Letter, he endured several frustratingly fruitless years signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath, working on an album that never came. Yet in 2012, The Source named him the greatest MC of all time. In this talk at the 2013 Red Bull Music Academy in New York, Rakim discussed living in the moment, the ’80s, and the various challenges of the music industry." Art by Tasiir Franz.