Eric B. & Rakim – Follow The Leader

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Genre:	Hip Hop
Style:	Conscious
Year:	1988

Tracklist

		Follow The Leader	5:33
		Microphone Fiend	5:14
		Lyrics Of Fury	4:13
		Eric B. Never Scared	5:19
		Just A Beat	2:05
		Put Your Hands Together	5:14
		To The Listeners	4:30
		No Competition	3:50
		The R	3:53
		Musical Massacre	4:28
		Beats For The Listeners	4:08

Credits (13)

Davis Design Co.
Design
Patrick Adams
Engineer
"Lazer" Mike Rhodes
Engineer [Assistant]
CSB*
Lacquer Cut By
Rakim
Lyrics By [All Lyrics Written By]
W. Griffin*
Lyrics By [All Lyrics Written By]

Versions

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45 versions

Image	,	–			In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory	Version Details	Data Quality
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	UNI Records – UNI-3	US	1988	US — 1988
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	MCA Records – 00528	Brazil	1988	Brazil — 1988	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	UNI Records – MCA 6031	US	1988	US — 1988
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	UNI Records – 255 711-1	Europe	1988	Europe — 1988	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album, White Shell, Grid Edge, Dolby HX Pro	UNI Records – UNIC 3	US	1988	US — 1988	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	MCA Records – MCG 6031	UK	1988	UK — 1988	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	UNI Records – UNID-3	US	1988	US — 1988	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	MCA Records – UNID-3		1988	— 1988
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	MCA Records – DMCG 6031	UK	1988	UK — 1988
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	MCA Records – 255 711-1	Australia	1988	Australia — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	UNI Records – UNI-3	Canada	1988	Canada — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album	UNI Records – UNIC-3	Canada	1988	Canada — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album, Title on cover	UNI Records – UNIC-3	US	1988	US — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	UNI Records – UNIXD-3	Canada	1988	Canada — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album, Unofficial Release	Thomsun Original – EN-2490	US	1988	US — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album	UNI Records – 255 711-4	Europe	1988	Europe — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	UNI Records – UNID-3	US	1988	US — 1988	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	UNI Records – UNI-3	US	1988	US — 1988	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album	MCA Records – 767.0137	Brazil	1988	Brazil — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album, Unofficial Release	Michael – 1262	Thailand	1988	Thailand — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader CD, Album, Longbox	UNI Records – UNID-3	US	1988	US — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album, White Shell, Gritty Edge, △	UNI Records – UNIC 3	US	1988	US — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album, Club Edition, Beige Shell, Dolby System	UNI Records – UNIC-3	US	1988	US — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader LP, Album, Club Edition	UNI Records – UNI-3	Canada	1988	Canada — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album	UNI Records – 255 711-4	Australia	1988	Australia — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album, clear shell HX PRO B NR	UNI Records – UNIC 3	US	1988	US — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader LP, Album	MCA Records – MCG 6031	UK	1988	UK — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader LP	UNI Records – UNI-3	US	1988	US — 1988	New Submission
	Follow The Leader Cassette, Album	MCA Records – MCGC 6031	UK	1989	UK — 1989	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	UNI Records – WMC5-12	Japan	1990	Japan — 1990	New Submission
	Follow The Leader CD, Album	MCA Records – MVCM-18567	Japan	1996	Japan — 1996	New Submission
	Follow The Leader 2×LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release	UNI Records (2) – UNI-3	UK	2005	UK — 2005	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Expanded Edition	UMe – B0004324-02	US	2005	US — 2005	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Expanded Edition	UMe – B0004324-02	US	2005	US — 2005
	Follow The Leader CD, Album, Reissue	MCA Records – UICY-6558	Japan	2006	Japan — 2006	New Submission
	Follow The Leader LP, Album, Reissue, 180 Gram	4 Men With Beards – 4M903	US	2009	US — 2009	Recently Edited
	Follow The Leader 2×LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Gold	UNI Records – B0026369-01	US	2017	US — 2017	New Submission
	Follow The Leader 2×LP, Album, Reissue	UMe – B0026369-01	US	2018	US — 2018	New Submission
	Follow The Leader 2×LP, Album, Reissue, 180 Gram	UNI Records – 602557414592	Europe	2018	Europe — 2018	New Submission
	Follow The Leader 2×LP, Album, Reissue	UNI Records – 602557414592	Europe	2023	Europe — 2023	New Submission

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Reviews

Acerun Apr 22, 2025
referencing Follow The Leader (2×LP, Album, Reissue) B0026369-01

Great dynamics for a hip hop album. Soundstage is nice. Packaging is perfect. Vinyl is flat and quiet. If you love this album, definitely consider it for your collection.

Played on:
Rega P6 with Apheta 2 and Aria Mk3 phono
Rega Elex Mk4
Sonus Faber Amator Lumina II’s
Rel T7x
sstacey1971 May 16, 2024
Edited one year ago

referencing Follow The Leader (LP, Album) UNI-3

Has the feel and sound of an '89 release this. Lots of fast paced breakbeats (which were popular in '89), probably done to compliment Rakim's fast rap style. Perhaps a bit lacking in killer samples but still a dope LP.
edvard_hifi Sep 13, 2023
Edited one year ago

referencing Follow The Leader (2×LP, Album, Reissue, 180 Gram) 602557414592

Unfortunatly some tracks on this album have a bit sibilance. Some tracks sounds better than other and not all of them sound like that. But “Follow The Leader” for example has a lot of sibilance:( Fantastic album tho!

Cartridge: Pick it S2 Ortofon (precision setup)
cfigz82 Sep 8, 2023
referencing Follow The Leader (2×LP, Album, Reissue) 602557414592

Clean pressing. Silent all the dynamics are there. Clear vocals. Couldn't ask for better. Very happy to have this classic sound so good.
SqueegeeYourThirdEye Feb 4, 2023
referencing Follow The Leader (LP, Album) UNI-3

Great record of course. I have a gold stamp promo with a press sheet.
fightclubber40 Jan 31, 2023
referencing Follow The Leader (2×LP, Album, Reissue) B0026369-01

Pressing sounds great, no complaints here. Such a banger of an album, no one was quite like these guys. Any Hip-Hop fans needs to listen to Eric B. and Rakim. So so good.
SC725 Sep 22, 2022
referencing Follow The Leader (LP, Album) UNI-3

In an interview with Todd Terry (w/ Duck Sauce), Todd noted he was working in an alternate room at Power Play studios while this album was being finished. One of Todd's friends ("Raymond") went into the tape room and accidentally erased the master. They ended up mastering off a cassette, which is why the album has always sounded somewhat tinny.
max_samhain Apr 19, 2021
Edited 3 years ago

referencing Follow The Leader (LP, Album) 255 711-1

unfortunately this pressing doesnt sound great. Dont know if others are better. My copy of "Paid in Full" sounds great and I expected a sound like that..
ufc May 23, 2020
referencing Follow The Leader (2×LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release) UNI-3

I have a copy of this. Mid 2000's UK unofficial release w/ 45 KIng remix of Microphone Fiend unavailable on any other LP release of this album.
sosflex Jul 28, 2018
referencing Follow The Leader (2×LP, Album, Reissue) B0026369-01

2lp repress sounds good, Don't even bother with the Og press if you don't have it..