Eric B. & Rakim's Fantastic Voyage (in Toronto)

Here we have a radio appearance by Eric B. & Rakim that is significant for a number of reasons: 1) it was recorded on November 21, 1987 just prior to their first ever concert in Toronto (see the poster for it in the Rakim concert flyer collection posted earlier this week); 2) it aired on 88.1 CKLN's Fantastic Voyage program hosted by Ron Nelson, who played a major role in developing the Toronto hip-hop scene; and 3) perhaps most curiously, it documents Eric B. & Rakim reacting to Coldcut's "Paid in Full" 7 Minutes of Madness Mix. A previous post on this track relayed their reaction second-hand via Coldcut's Jonathan More, who basically said Eric B. hated the mix and Rakim loved it. In this recording, however, they both seem pretty put off by it.

One interesting post-script from Nelson himself: "Today marked the first time in two years of interviewing hip-hop artists that I've ever been nervous about an interview, and you probably detected it in my tone of voice. Believe me, Eric B. & Rakim, they are power. I've interviewed Run DMC before, which I think to most people are the ultimate in power. You name it, I've interviewed them. Name a group ...Whodini, Kurtis Blow ... I don't know why but today marked the first time that I was ever nervious about interviewing an artist, and in a way I'm still coming down from it..."

Props to DJ Law for uploading the radio clip as well as the Toronto concert flyer from yesterday's post, and to Toronto writer and photographer Rick McGinnis whose photographs of Eric B. & Rakim in Toronto circa 1987 appear in today's post. (Presumably they would've been taken while the group were in town for the concert.) Below, stream Eric B. & Rakim's appearance on CKLN's Fantastic Voyage along with a short documentary on the Toronto rap scene, featuring the Ken E Krush Krew who opened for Eric B. & Rakim that night in November 1987.