ap never boasted a cooler voice, with smoother flow or jazzier attack.

Ten years ago, Rakim revolutionized hip hop on his recordings with DJ Eric B., by offering whispering inflections at a time when MCs shouted, and by writing exploratory street prose while others pushed violent exploitation.

After cutting a track for the 1992 "Juice" soundtrack, though, Rakim vanished, leaving wild rumors in his wake.

"People thought I was in jail," says the rapper, born William Griffin 30 years ago on Wyandanch, L.I. "All kinds of crazy stories went around."

The truth wasn't much saner. Rakim says he spent most of this decade caught in legal knots with both his ex-partner and his former record company - which didn't loosen until this year when Rakim recorded his comeback LP, "The 18th Letter." (It debuted at an impressive No. 4 in last week's Billboard.)

Partner Problems: According to the rapper, his problems began when ex-partner Eric B. (ne Barrier) wanted to record a solo record in the early '90s.

"I had to sign [a paper] for him when he wanted to record but when it came time for him to sign for me, he was scared," says the rap pioneer. "We had two albums left on our contract [with MCA]. He thought those albums would be the last and then MCA would just pick me up.

"I cannot understand that to this day. He's my partner. I would make sure they took care of him. But once he started showing his colors, I just let him get into his own thing."

By the time Rakim finally started his solo album, he got caught in a corporate purge at MCA. "I had recorded nine demos when they fired the staff, and whoever had access to the unfinished tapes sold them to radio and mixed-tape DJs."

So he had to start recording again from scratch. Rakim says he could have come back with an album over the last two years, but he wanted to wait out the gangsta trend.

"I didn't want to be labeled as a gangsta because," says the devout Muslim, the father of three. "It's majorty rules [in music]. I wanted to go against the grain. It seems that now [rap] artists are more free to express themselves."

Rakim got a new contract with Universal, and work on the new album began. Though he found fresh producers - like Clark Kent, Pete Rock and Father Shaheed - Rakim stuck with his spare style, giving a wide berth to his slinky raps. He credits his verbal dexterity to his jazz background.

"I listened to John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk when I was coming up," he says. "They gave me different timings and rhythms."

Right now, Rakim says he hears fresher rhythms in the grooves of current hip-hop records than in the work of its MCs. "Producers are putting down crazy tricks. But we gotta watch our lyrical skills. We need more wisdom."

Rakim will help increase that by recording another album come January. He says, "I'd like to keep it coming while my brain is still hot." And while rap still needs a dash of cool.

Village Voice Review of 18th Letter