Almost two years ago, I had the pleasure of going to the Blue Note to see Rakim, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest MCs of all time, perform Paid in Full, one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the album’s release. It was, in a word, incredible. Do yourself a favor and take the rare opportunity to see Rakim do his thing live at Summerstage this Wednesday night in Red Hook Park. The concert is free, so splurge on a gourmet picnic dinner from Court Street Grocers on the way from the newly-opened Smith Street station. And there you have it: a perfect summer evening! –KH