Follow the Leader (Eric B. & Rakim song)
Follow the Leader is a 1988 hip-hop single by American duo Eric B. & Rakim, from their second album of the same name. It was released July 16, 1988 as the lead single. The track marks a move beyond the duo’s debut, offering a more produced, space-age sound and sharper lyrics.
Musically, the song features a pulsing bass and ambient-style sampling. It uses samples from Bob James’s Nautilus, Baby Huey’s Listen to Me, and Coke Escovedo’s I Wouldn’t Change a Thing. Critics widely praised the track and many view it as influential, helping to define the era’s rap solos. It’s been highlighted as a landmark in hip-hop, and Melody Maker ranked it among the top singles of 1988.
The music video was directed by Scott Kalvert and premiered on Yo! MTV Raps on August 6, 1988. It shows Rakim as a mob boss in various scenes and was described as one of the first rap video epics, with visuals inspired by The Untouchables, signaling hip-hop’s growing presence on television.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 01:21 (CET).