In 1985, Rakim formed a musical partnership with Eric B., which subsequently became one of the most well-known and influential groups in hip hop history. They released four studio albums: 1987’a Paid in Full, 1988’s Follow the Leader, 1990’s Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em, and 1992’s Don’t Sweat the Technique. Each of those records made it to the top ten of Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop album charts and all were certified gold, with the debut Paid in Full reaching platinum status. In 1992, Eric B. and Rakim broke up and because of legal issues, Rakim did not release a solo album until 1997’s The 18th Letter, which included collaborations with DJ Premier and Pete Rock; it was released in two versions; one of which included an Eric B. & Rakim greatest hits disc titled The Book of Life. In 1999, Rakim released The Master. In the time since The Master, Rakim has had to deal with label problems, but has kept busy collaborating with other artists including Z-Trip, Lloyd Banks, Talib Kweli, Alicia Keys, Nas, Jay-Z, Truth Hurts, Dr. Dre, Kool G Rap, Canibus, and Gang Starr. Tribute has been paid, in songs and videos, to Rakim by artists including Nas, 2Pac, Raekwon, and countless others. Additionally, MTV has named Paid in Full as the greatest hip-hop album of all time.