Follow the Leader by Eric B. & Rakim is considered by many critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. Released on July 26th 1988, the classic LP put Rakim in the conversation of the greatest emcee’s of all time. Now, 21 years later, multi-platinum producer Jonathan Hay recreated the entire album, Follow the Leader, in the style and genre of Jazz, and it’s being released on 7-26-19, the same day as the original iconic release two decades prior.
All 11 songs from Follow the Leader were recreated using only instrumentation, with all the songs mechanical licenses granted – meaning that Eric B. & Rakim will be paid in full from this golden-age revisit. Producer Jonathan Hay worked with musicians Benny Reid, Mani Ajami, Mike Smith, MIke Baker and Atlas Jenkins on Follow the Leader that’s being released through the Smith and Hay label.
Hay currently has two albums he co-produced on the Billboard charts with Jazz Part Two (Smith & Hay and DJ King Tech) and Liquor, Jazz & Jail Tattoos (feat Juicy J and Yung Bleu). Jazz Part Two is currently the #2 album on the Billboard Jazz Charts.
