Rakim Reflects on Listeners Feeling He 'Predicted 9/11' in 1992 Song Lyric: 'I Try to Tap Into Something Deep'

In "Casualties of War," the hip-hop great rapped: "I look for shelter when a plane is over me/ Remember Pearl Harbor? New York could be over, G."

Rakim is looking back at his career, including one lyrical moment that has since been deemed prophetic.

Upon the release of his first new album in 15 years, G.O.D’s NETWORK – REB7RTH, the hip-hop legend caught up with Stereogum about a few career-spanning topics on Friday, Aug. 2. In particular, he discussed a 1992 lyric that listeners later felt "predicted 9/11."

In the Eric B. & Rakim track "Casualties of War," off the duo's fourth LP Don't Sweat the Technique, Rakim, now 56, rapped: “I look for shelter when a plane is over me/ Remember Pearl Harbor? New York could be over, G.” When asked by journalist Thomas Hobbs if he's ever felt one of his verses was "too prophetic," he pointed to "Casualties of War."

"I had a lot of friends fighting in the Gulf War at the time, and I would be in the crib watching TV, chilling, but in the back of my mind I was wondering what my brothers were going through and if they’d even survive," Rakim said. "The idea was to write a song from their perspective."

The lyric, as he noted, was viewed differently after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. "I remember when 9/11 happened like it did… it definitely bugged me out," Rakim said. "My friend from California called me up and said: 'Yo, Ra, Go on AOL News right now!' And they had this news story that said: 'Rakim predicted 9/11' with my picture next to the Twin Towers."

"Any hair I had left, well, it stood up on my bald head," he added. "I guess whenever I hit the booth, I try to tap into something deep and I let it take over the writing process."

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Elsewhere during his discussion with Hobbs, the God MC dished on baldness, working with Dr. Dre, meeting Tupac Shakur in the '80s and his admiration for Eminem, whom he said he ranks in his top five rappers, "dead or alive."

"You’ve got to keep it a buck: that’s one of the best to ever do it," Rakim said. "Wordplay? Bananas. He also came into the game with his own point of view as a rapper and spoke about subjects no one else ever touched on before."

"Most rappers are too scared to say even half the s--- he says," he added. "... To me, Eminem is one of the dopest we’ve ever seen."

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The latest album from Rakim marks his first since 2009's The Seventh Seal, and includes features from the likes of Nipsey Hussle, Snoop Dogg, Prodigy, Method Man, DMX and several other big names in hip-hop. G.O.D’s NETWORK – REB7RTH also features production from Rakim himself, who explained that it was "was definitely a chance to showcase my production skills; I wanted to show off another side to Rakim."

Speaking with Billboard about the project in July, the musician added that the "stars finally aligned" for him to release it. He also opened up about topping listeners' personal "best rapper" lists.

"The expectations that I not only give myself, but what the people give me. I use that as fuel," he said. "I would rather people expect me to succeed than to expect me to fail. I gotta keep doing it at a higher rate because that’s what they expect from me. I just try to use it to help me rather than stagnate me."

G.O.D’s NETWORK – REB7RTH is out now.

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