Sad to say, but it turns out that those Eric B. & Rakim reunion rumors were, in fact, a joke. Not a funny one, but one that was perhaps made a little too soon. We reached out to Rakim’s management and learned that even though Ra and Eric have been speaking and remaining close in recent years, “Any statements pertaining to an Eric B and Rakim reunion are completely false.” So there’s no tour and no new music to speak on for the time being. And don’t get us started on those Lord Quas rumors. As much as the very thought might eat away at your true-school loving brain, Madlib‘s squirrel-voiced mad-rapping alter-ego has nothing to do with any potential reunion of Eric B. & Rakim, painful as it is for us to write.

But don’t worry folks, all hope is not lost. Ra’s management assures us that it’s all love between the two legends and Rakim himself delivered a statement of gratitude to his fans:

“It’s always a blessing to feel that love and support from the fans and I’m definitly going to be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Paid in Full in 2017 even if I’m not sure how yet.”

Their debut album hits 30 laps around the sun in July of next year. There may be movement by then, but in the meantime, we’ll all be playing the waiting game.