In a rare and historic moment for Hip Hop, Detroit emcee Lazarus teams up with the legendary Rakim, delivering a soul-stirring, bar-heavy anthem titled “Not to Be Defined.” More than just a collaboration, this track serves as a generational bridge uniting golden era precision with modern-day grit, intellect, and cultural pride.
Rakim, often hailed as “The God MC,” laid the lyrical foundation for everything Hip Hop would eventually become. His internal rhyme schemes, godlike presence, and cerebral bars redefined the MC archetype. To hear him side-by-side with Lazarus, a full-time board-certified physician and full-time rapper, is to witness two wordsmiths with a shared respect for lyricism, truth, and impact.
Where Rakim brings timeless wisdom and classic cadence, Lazarus counters with Detroit authenticity, global perspective, and surgical sharpness, all delivered with a fire that refuses to be diluted.
Lazarus taps into his Punjabi heritage and upbringing in the Motor City. He has been bred by the elite emcees of Detroit, having worked with and mentored by the likes of D12 and Royce Da 5’9”. He carries the soul of Motown with him through every verse and proudly reps his city here on this track as he makes history by becoming the first ever Detroit artist to collab and shoot a music video with Rakim.
“You can’t put me in no box, I am not to be defined.” The chorus alone summarizes the song’s mission: to break boundaries musical, cultural, and personal. Whether referencing street life, systemic traps, or the temptations of fame, both MCs warn, teach, and elevate, never straying from their roots or moral compass.
This isn’t a track chasing radio trends or TikTok virality. It’s a statement piece. A manifesto. An act of rebellion against the watered-down mainstream, and a reminder that real hip-hop still breathes alive in message, delivery, and soul.
Lines like “I make a predator retreat, get a president impeached” or “Got the heart of a Punjabi, you thinkin’ you brave?” are more than clever; they’re weapons of thought, aimed directly at the listener’s conscience.
For Lazarus, this is a crowning moment in a career that’s always leaned on substance over surface. For Rakim, it’s another notch in a belt that already carries the weight of an entire genre’s evolution.
Together, they’ve created something that feels less like a song and more like a cultural document—an audio scroll of street wisdom, resistance, and pride.
In an age of disposable singles and fleeting fame, “Not to Be Defined” stands as a monument etched in skill, vision, and truth. It’s a reminder that some voices can’t be labeled, tamed, or ignored. Because some artists don’t fit the mold, they break it.
Instagram: @lazdetroit
