Long but very interesting interview about his time at Shady/Aftermath, gives a lot of insight studio stuff while recording with Em, Dre, etc...
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interview ... -for-rakim
While recording "Spend Some Times" from Encore :
Stat Quo: We was in his studio and shit. I remember Em started writing the song and he was getting in the zone. This dude was lying in the doorway in front of where you got to walk to get out. And people was just stepping over him and he’s just oblivious to everything that is going on. He didn’t even see you. He just be into the song. This dude writes his rhymes in a circle and shit. It look like artwork on the page. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it but dude writes around in spiral circles and shit. It’s crazy shit. He don’t just write it regular. That dude is an ill dude.