William Michael Griffin Jr., an American rapper and record producer, holds the grand networth of $3 million as of 2023. Despite having a cool name, Griffin Jr. is known worldwide via his stage name Rakim.
Born in 1968, Griffin Jr. was considered among the most influential rappers ever during the hip-hop golden era between 1988 and 1995. Griifin Jr. and another star rapper, Eric B, had the world by this time.
In the following section, we will dive deep into the age, career, networth, assets, family, and everything that concerns this rapper. Keep reading to discover.
- Quick Facts
- Why is William Michael Griffin Jr. known as Rakim? Is this his stage name?
- William Michael Griffin Jr.’s age, birthday, and birthplace
- Who is the father of William Michael Griffin Jr? A guide to his parents, family, and upbringings
- Explore the nationality, ethnic background and religion of William Michael Griffin Jr.
- What does William Michael Griffin Jr. do for a living? A guide to his career
- William Michael Griffin Jr.’s career highlights
- Is William Michael Griffin Jr. married? Does he have any children?
- William Michael Griffin Jr.’s Networth and Income source briefed
- William Michael Griffin Jr.’s networth in different currencies
- Is William Michael Griffin Jr. available on Instagram? Social media presence
- Final Words
Quick Facts
| Real Name | William Michael Griffin Jr. |
| Popular as | Rakim |
| Also known as | The God MC, Kid Wizard, The R, The 18th Letter |
| Profession | Rapper and record producer |
| Date of Birth | January 28, 1968 |
| Age | 55 years as of 2023 |
| Father | William Michael Griffin Sr. |
| Mother | Cynthia Griffin |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African- American |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Networth | $3M |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Felicia |
| Children | Four-(One from past relationships, three from present wife) |
| Past relationship | Nicole Smith |
| Social Media | Instagram, Youtube |
Why is William Michael Griffin Jr. known as Rakim? Is this his stage name?
Michael Griffin Jr. is Rakim’s family-herited name. Rakim is the stage name of Griffin Jr., through which he is famous worldwide. Besides this, he is popular with several other titles, such as The God MC, Kid Wizard, The R, and The 18th Letter.
Rakim Griffin Jr. is mentioned as a transformative figure in the American and golden era hip-hop as he raised the MC techniques to the next height using internal and multisyllabic rhymes.
Not just this, he also demonstrated an innovative way of using word choices and metaphors rather than focusing on the traditional rhyme patterns. Through such contribution, he is considered the Rap God. Even the recently highlighted R&B singer Drake appreciates him and regards him as his Idol.
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William Michael Griffin Jr.’s age, birthday, and birthplace
Griffin Jr. was born on January 28, 1968, in Wyandanch, New York, United States. As such, he is in his mid-fifties, 55 years as of 2023. Still, people regard his birthday as one of their most significant occasions and celebrate it, praising him and his art and music.
Talking about the zodiac sign, Rakim is an Aquarius. As an Aquarius, men are depicted as open-minded and broad personalities; Rakim is appreciated for being such.
Who is the father of William Michael Griffin Jr? A guide to his parents, family, and upbringings
Rakim’s father is William Michael Griffin Sr., a soft-spoken American man appreciated for his excellent behaviour and charms. On the other hand, Rakim’s mother, Cynthia Griffin, was a singer who used to sing opera and jazz.
It was mentioned that Rakim hailed from a family inclined to music and art, as he is the nephew of the famous former American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown. Not just this, but Rakim’s brothers, whose details are yet to be disclosed, were also artists who played various musical instruments.
Explore the nationality, ethnic background and religion of William Michael Griffin Jr.
Born in New York, United States, Rakim holds American nationality. Talking about his ethnicity, he is believed to be of African-American descent.
Religion-wise, Rakim is a Muslim who follows Islam as his religion. According to thefamouspeople, Rakim changed his faith to Islam at 16, subsequently adapting the name Rakim Allah. He joined the ‘ Five per cent Nation’ movement and became the spokesperson.
What does William Michael Griffin Jr. do for a living? A guide to his career
To enter into the life of hip-hop, Rakim and Queens DJ Eric B. in 1985 started to create together. They came up with their most significant hit ‘Eric B. Is President’ they released one year later on ‘Zakia Records,’ produced at Eric’s friend Marley’s home studio.
It was an overnight success that had them soaring high in the world of Hip-Hop, attracting the attention of Island Record’s boss through the success of this particular track, which in turn lured Russell Simmons of Def Jam to convince Island Records to snap.
Because of this soaring success, they decided to record their first album in Power Play Studios in Manhattan, NY, and it was released as Paid in Full on July 7, 1987, under the label 4th& Bway Records. Though this album managed to peak at only number 58 on the Billboard 200 chart, it turned out to be an essential landmark for them on their way.
After the first achievement, Rakim and Eric B. went to “Uni Records”, the sublabel of MCA. The band returned to ‘Power Play Studios to release their second album, Follow the Leader’ on 26 July 1988.
Despite that, this project was a breakthrough as it hit no 22nd place on the United States Billboard’s ‘Pop Album Chart’. Nevertheless, never mind that because such an album with their music gave all artists an outstanding possibility to demonstrate that they are a part
Following these years, Rakim’s career went through twists and turns involving workings with Aftermath Entertainment and Dr. Dre; Rakim released various solo albums, among other things, finally announcing a reunion, which happened almost twenty-three years later.
The reunion place was polled on Twitter with options such as New York, Las Vegas, Australia, and London. Fans went wild as their anticipation finally came to life. The event was scheduled for October 20, 2016.
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William Michael Griffin Jr.’s career highlights
- First single: Eric B. Is President
- First Album: Paid in Full ( responsible for making him famous worldwide)
- One of his Popular Hip-hop recordings: Follow the Leader
- Listed on 100 Best Rap Albums: Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em
- Gold certificate gained: The 18th Letter.
Is William Michael Griffin Jr. married? Does he have any children?
William Michael Griffin Jr., Rakim is married to his high school sweetheart, Felicia. They share three children: two sons, Tahmell and Jabar, and a daughter, Destiny. Before Felicia, Rakim was involved with Nicole Smith, with whom he had a son.
Unlike Felicia, who is lovingly called Fee, Rakim is never married to Nicole and is often arrested for failing to pay child support for his son with her. Currently, Rakim resides with his wife, Fee, in Connecticut.
William Michael Griffin Jr.’s Networth and Income source briefed
As mentioned earlier, Rakim is estimated to hold a networth of $3 million as of 2023. This networth often gets debates as some news, such as celebritynetworth believe it may be around $2 million.
For now, we will go through the majority, such as Forbes and Wikipedia, which regards his networth as $3 million. Rakim’s duo with Eric B and his solo career as a hip-hop artist after their breakup are the source of his immense income.
1985- 1992, he was paired with Eric B. and gave several hits. Later, in 1993, they got separated, and Rakim started his solo career, in the mean of which he gave several hits. Again, in 2016, he reunited with Eric B and produced many hits. His songs, which topped the charts, are the ones which generated him immense fortune.
Moreover, being an influencer figure, he was flocked to by different brands, which helped to build the networth that it is today.
William Michael Griffin Jr.’s networth in different currencies
For a better understanding, Grififn Jr’s networth, estimated at $3 million, is represented below in different currencies.
| Country | Currency |
| United States of America | USD 3000000 |
| Australia | Australian Dollar 4727925.00 |
| Canada | Canadian Dollar 4125450.00 |
| European Nations | Euro 2853795.00 |
| Japan | Japanese Yen 447102000.00 |
| United Kingdom | Pound Sterling 2471250.00 |
| United Arab Emirates | UAE Dirham 11019000.00 |
| Bitcoin | 340.28073160356 |
Is William Michael Griffin Jr. available on Instagram? Social media presence
William Michael Griffin Jr., as Rakim, is available on Instagram. With the handle thegodrakim, he has 358k followers. He joined this Instagram account in 2019.
Just like Instagram, Rakim is also available on YouTube. There, with the channel name @RakimOfficial he has 105k subscribers. He joined the YouTube community on June 3, 2023. Other than these two, he has his website thegodrakim.com
- Instagram- thegodrakim (358k followers)
- YouTube- @RakimOfficial (105k subscribers)
- facebook- N/A
Final Words
William Michael Griffin Jr. is a pillar of American hip-hop who took it to the next height. He is still active in his profession as a rapper and is making good music, which his followers greatly appreciate.
With teenagers getting hooked on the hip-hop community, Rakim will shine even more in the Hip hop industry. Though new artists have entered the market, his legacy has remained the same and will continue to remain the same. We wish him all the best for his bright future.
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Prabin Singh Thakuri is an accomplished writer whose literary prowess seamlessly intersects with his deep-rooted connection to the world of celebrities and entertainment. With a keen eye for detail and an innate understanding of the complexities of fame, Thakuri has carved a unique niche as a celebrity-related writer, captivating readers with his insightful and engaging narratives.
