One of the most influential rap albums of all time, Eric B. & Rakim’s Paid in Full only continues to grow in stature as the record that ushered in hip-hop’s modern era.

The stripped-down production might seem a little bare to modern ears, but Rakim’s technique on the mic still sounds utterly contemporary, even state-of-the-art — and that from a record released in 1987, just one year after Run-D.M.C. hit the mainstream.

Rakim basically invents modern lyrical technique over the course of Paid in Full, with his complex internal rhymes, literate imagery, velvet-smooth flow, and unpredictable, off-the-beat rhythms. The key cuts here are some of the most legendary rap singles ever released, starting with the duo’s debut sides, “Eric B. Is President” and “My Melody.”

“I Know You Got Soul” single-handedly k