DJ Premier - My Favorite Producer! Interview '09

Christopher Martin AKA DJ Premier is originally from Houston, but it's no surprise that his sound is synonymous with NY/East Coast hip-hop, because he lived in NYC for practically his whole career. DJ Premier came-up with the help of Guru, who together with DJ Premier, formed the group, Gang Starr. Gang Starr released some of the most noteworthy albums in hip-hop history & really helped define the concept of a producer/MC group. I could speak for ages about the number of hits they laid down & how each of them impacted my life in different ways and at different times, but we'd be here for weeks lol. While a member of Gang Starr, DJ Premier lent his production to other artists and produced albums, which will live in infamy as some of the best work ever done in hip-hop. Examples include Jeru The Damaja's "Sun Rises In The East" album, as well as Group Home's "Livin Proof," and tracks which helped launch or further launch the careers of Nas, Jay-Z, M.O.P., Rakim, Kool G Rap, Biggie, KRS-One and more. His production will always be revered and with his signature sound behind the boards and on the cuts, there may be impostors, but only 1 DJ Premier. If I had to choose 1 song to start this off, I would go with, "Mass Appeal," and let you continue reading, so let's do that ...

Gang Starr - Mass Appeal

Despite all the records that DJ Premier has sold, he's always had his ear to the streets and worked with a lot of underground artists. I always felt that separated him from a lot of other producers, because his sound stayed gritty and always had its own energy, so when a track came on, you knew it was gonna set the place off lol. It's that signature sound & that longevity that has put DJ Premier atop the list of many for favorite producer & even if you disagree, you can't deny the impact he's had on hip-hop.

If it's not clear already, DJ Premier is an idol to me - his skill as a DJ & producer were the very reasons that I fell in love with hip-hop & wanted to get into music on my own. I can't even count the number of hours I must've spent over the years digging for records he put out, sampled or trying to identify with his signature scratches. With that said, having the opportunity to speak with him man to man on camera was definitely a major moment, where I was able to be really thankful for the opportunities I've been afforded. The whole "interview" was real impromptu, so don't expect any throwback questions, which he's been asked about 1000 times already - this was more of a friendly conversation. We discussed current projects, the importance of vinyl and record shops like Fat Beats in the hip-hop community, as well as a couple questions that were on my mind lol. If we had the time, this convo would have gone on for days, so until next time, enjoy this quick interview, and be sure to leave some love below - this is the ultimate sign of respect you can afford me on an interview that will likely go down in history for me. Peace & Love.

Jeru The Damaja - Come Clean (Instrumental)

1. Speak on the importance of events like "Record Store Day" and vinyl shops like Fat Beats.

Well, it's "record store day" today and we here at fat beats, where records are sold...not just CDs because CDs are sold here, too, but actual vinyl records *points at ice cube, who's the mack 12* ... this combines all walks of life that are dedicated to independent ownership (ie: labels and the distributors) - people that are still involved in pushing our type of music. We are all here to combine powers and support each other, because there is still a big network of us that still do what we do. That includes myself - I have my own label, Year Round Records and we do what we do from the heart, ya know, from how we were raised in the early 80s of hip-hop, when there were 12-inches, before it was albums but we still pride ourselves on making good bodies of work. Ya know, a lot of people don't know how to make good albums just because they do hip-hop and they really need to stick to 12-inches or just do a couple singles and learn how to make an album. We know how to make albums and that's why I still exist, why I still do a radio show that's dedicated to breaking records and we know how to judge talent. It's really like with chefs, when we tell you something is gonna taste good, when you take a bite out of it, it does taste good. We are the tastemakers of this industry and all these people here are here for the same cause and that's why I'm here, why Kweli is here, and Eclipse, JS-1, and just Fat Beats in general. Its a real beautiful thing to see them involved with still continuing the legacy of hip-hop vinyl and that's an important part of our life. I mean, I still press vinyl! Yeah, its expensive, but the record plants still exist, the Jamaicans over there in Brooklyn still exist, so I press my shit and I sell it...


2. Rare Play Vol.1 & 2 are out on CD, as well as Beats That Collected Dust, which is available digitally and on vinyl, right?

Yeah, those albums are out now & I'm also working on Beats That Collected Dust Pt.2, thats about to come out. Its ready, I'm gonna put that out on vinyl - only vinyl and digital. We aren't gonna do it on CDs & I know its gonna get on the internet and get burned and all that, but we still make the vinyl because I still like vinyl and again, its a little more costly out of my pocket, but we don't care - we do it because we love it and thats the reason why we'll last and the reason why I still get work, why my phone still rings. A lot of people's phones aren't ringing, mine keeps ringing *smiles*


3. You are working on Blaq Poet's album, Blaq Print, right now - what can you tell us about that?

Blaq Poet's "Blaq Print" is coming out in June on Fat Beats and its produced by me; I did the whole album except for 2 cuts. Easy Mo Bee did a cut, big shouts to him and Jim Crates, who is actually my assistant, did the other. He does beats & he's an up-and-coming producer for Works Of Mart & also big shouts to MoSS who is signed to Works Of Mart, for making beats with us too.


4. Speaking of MoSS, he's doing an album with the dope Candian MC, Eternia. What do you think of her as an MC & about that combination?

Yeah, Eternia, she's nice. I just heard the track they did with *insert dope guest feature* and they want me to get *insert another dope guest feature* on a track, so I'm gonna get with em for that. She can spit. I mean, she gets it in & plus, MoSS is the type that doesn't like to let anyone hear something until its finished and its ready to his standards and thats how I am; until its to my standards, I don't want nobody hearing it. We know too many people criticize too early and most people that criticize can't even make records *laughs*


5. What else are you working on right now?

Lady of Rage is working with me and also big shouts to Heather B, who I'm working with, MC Eight of Compton's Most Wanted is gonna do a project on my label and me & KRS are gonna do an album together on my label. Royce Da 5'9's album, I'm executive producing that album...the album is real tight! Lyrics and beats - he's got some fire and his beats are real original; its a really good, solid hip-hop album. I'm also doing the whole album for NYGz, "Pros & Cons," I'm doing the entire album. We have 6 songs left and its crazy - everyday we are in the studio doing it and its crazy! Also, big shouts to Money B from Digital Underground, I just did a record with him; its called "Make The Sound," & thats my dude! We did it with Rhymefest and Money B's partner, Fred Knox.

6. There was a beat that you sent out to 50, which he turned down, but later leaked onto the net, & I later heard you were gonna use for NYGz. Tell us about that & will you have an official cut on 50's upcoming album?

Yeah, yeah - Well, I mean I'd like to, but it won't be that track you heard. I sent that track to 50, but there was another part to the beat and he just took the main part and looped it and put it out there. I guess he got a lot of feedback from the fans when he turned it down, so I guessed that forced him to go ahead and do the beat. Ya know, its all good; me & 50 are cool, thats my dude, but I don't want him to use that track now because it'll be stale by the time the album drops. I wanna do a new beat, but the NYGz are gonna use that one - its called "Ready" and they killed it, so...


7. Let's switch it up b/c I know you are pressed for time - can you just explain the tattoo on your arm - what it says and what it means?

Oh word, the tattoo says "Reputation Is The Cornerstone Of Power." I was on a plane reading "The 48 Laws Of Power," and I just liked that line when I was reading it. I mean, there were some things that were inconsistent in the book, but for this particular line, I feel that really descibes me & how I came up to make my name in NYC as a producer-DJ and hip-hop artist, and I did it! All I wanted was EPMD, Rakim, KRS-ONE, Marley Marl & people like that to "yo, you're dope, I love your shit!" and they did that, so I feel like I made it. It wasn't just the money, it was them appreciating me and recognizing what I do and also shout to Guru for recognizing that I was dope, too, and ya know, we here and still gettin it in...

8. With that in mind, how important is the consistency and having that signature sound?

That's important because everyone has something that you can be remembered by and for me, its my scratching ability and the funk that I put into my beats. Ya know what I'm saying, its like my worst beats are better than most cats and thats not even a bragging thing. Rest In Peace to Jaco Pastorius, who used to be the bass player for Weather Report, he said, "It's not bragging, if you can back it up," and well, I can back it up...*laughs*