Master

The Source (1/00, p.191) - 3.5 mics out of 5 - "...an avalanche of pure hip-hop rhythms - horns, basslines, scratches and kick drums....Hip-hop heads are gonna love it....straight Rakim..."
Vibe (2/00, p.167) - "...THE MASTER shows glimpses of that old rap magic. 'It's the R' is a coolly dispensed rhyme exercise that rides a bluesy Curtis Mayfield guitar loop..."
Q Magazine (2/00, p.92) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...[his] nasal, elongated New York vowels, simple cadences and tough monotone defined the state of the art....The best tracks feature the best guests and producers, with DJ Premier injecting adrenalin into 'When I B On Tha Mic'..."
Melody Maker (12/21/99, p.93) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Ra has perfected a smooth, yet rhythmically complex, flow that still makes most other rappers sound like asthmatic warthogs with debilitating dental problems....He's still got it."
Muzik (2/00, p.72) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Next to most of its contemporaries this album stands out as a wonderful example of a man at ease with his lyrical art....There is the odd treat, like the single 'When I Be On The Mic'....Other gems include the Rahzel collabo 'It's A Must'..."
CMJ (12/20/99, p.22) - "...Rakim melts the mic on the aptly titled, jeep-rockin' THE MASTER....[his] lyrical flow is amazingly strong as aever. On several tracks, Rakim samples classic Erik B. & Rakim tracks...giving the timeless wordsmith a classic edge."