Eric B. & Rakim’s entire classic album Follow the Leader Jazz remake was released on it’s 21st anniversary.
The album is considered by many critics to be one of the greatest hip-hop projects of all time. Released on July 26th 1988, the classic LP put Rakim in the conversation as one of the greatest emcees.
Twenty one years later, multi-platinum producer Jonathan Hay recreated the entire album in the style and genre of Jazz, and is releasing it on the classic album’s 21st anniversary, this coming Friday.
All 11 songs from Follow the Leader were recreated using only instrumentation, with all the songs’ mechanical licenses granted – meaning that Eric B. & Rakim will be paid in full from this golden-age revisit.
Led by Hay, musicians Benny Reid, Mani Ajami, Mike Smith, Mike Baker and Atlas Jenkins all contributed to this revisionist tribute to Follow the Leader which is being released through the Smith and Hay label.
No stranger to the Jazz genre, Hay currently enjoys two albums which he co-produced on the Billboard Jazz Charts; Jazz Part Two (Smith & Hay and DJ King Tech) which is currently at #2 and Liquor, Jazz & Jail Tattoos (feat Juicy J and Yung Bleu).
