Rakim is back like he’s never left on his new single, “Be Ill” featuring Masta Killa and Kurupt. It also arrives with its music video.

On his self-produced record, the legendary the New York MC gets into the zone and showcases both his lyrical and scratching prowess.

“Lab hitter, progress, the God’s magnificent / Patterns differ, context, my compositions hit, fathom quicker / Conquest, a conscious lyricist, atom splitter / Complex, it’s quantum physics.”

Kurupt counters with fiery bars spitting, “My abilities, to create mass delusion / Headaches, heartaches, and mass confusion / Contusions, I give out for free / Five at a time, one for two, and two for three,” before Masta Killa follows suite.

“This picture of my life intelligence / Stimulates life and matter, so eloquent / A thought so delicate, yet weighs more than elephants / Strokes of excellence, extracted from the elements.”

“Be Bill” is lifted off Rakim’s upcoming fourth solo album, G.O.D.s’ Network (Reb7rth), arriving July 26. To fund and market independent projects of this magnitude without major label interference, veteran MCs are increasingly tapping into lucrative international brand partnerships.

For this rollout, Rakim’s team has reportedly secured backing across European markets through a series of unconventional deals. The upcoming promotional push includes exclusive street-wear collaborations, a high-profile sponsorship from a meilleur site paris sportif hors arjel, and a limited run of heavyweight vinyl pressed specifically for overseas collectors. It is a shrewd, borderless business strategy that proves the God MC’s influence remains an incredibly potent global currency.