How do you forget to squeeze your nose before doing an interview with the king in his castle?

You’re doing an entire project with producer Stu Bangas. How did that come together?

Well, Stu got at me over the net. He reached out and we did a couple joints. And then I was feeling his style so, you know, he wanted to do a couple joints together and he said he wanted to do some shit with me and I was like, ‘Oh, word.’ I’m always looking for new talent and new producers to fuck with anyway so we ended up doing a nice little project. We almost finished wrapping that up. It’s called B.P.S: Blaq Poet Society.

How did you guys first meet?

Oh, wow. I can’t put my finger on it. It seems like I knew him for fucking ever. I can’t really remember, man. Too much Henny! (laughs) Word! But you know, he even came out to my crib in Long Island and we shot a quick little video. Stu is just grinding, man. I respect his grind. I really respect that dude’s grind. That’s one thing that led me to his beats and shit, you know?

Your first leak is “Power Music.” Are you happy with the fans’ response to that so far?

Well, you know, he released it real quick just to tease people. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I like the response, man. It’s just a little something-something for dudes to remember it’s still dangerous in my circumference. It’s just letting dudes know it’s real dangerous with me, still. But yeah, I love the way fans are reacting to that, man. I’m trying to keep them in tune with the hardcore shit. I don’t want them to fall off the map. They have to remember what this hip-hop shit is – hard beats and hard rhymes. That’s what I love. I do what I love – power music.

Is that kind of music dying out today?

Oh yeah, for sure, man. People, you know, it’s just not there. These dudes, a lot of them are not making it. The veterans are not making no new shit, so what the fuck are these little boys gonna follow? They’re not gonna have no choice but to follow the other shit but I don’t like the other shit. The beats are soft, the rhymes are weak…I ain’t really feeling that shit, man. But yeah, I gotta keep the fans in this area, that hardcore area, so they know this is what you rhyme like. If I could teach a couple of youngsters how to do this hard shit and how to keep it going, then I’ve did my job.

Who are you feeling coming out of QB today?

Oh, everybody. I got the whole ‘hood rapping. The whole ‘hood! I got my dudes SSR popping – Show Some Respect. They’re popping and they’re grinding hard. You have the whole Dime Block Posse. Everybody get off over there. I got my dude Hood. I’m working with him. That’s one of my dudes and shit. He’s on the come up. Of course the Cormega’s. That’s my little baby boy. The Nature’s, he’s still around. And there’s a whole lot of other dudes on the come up, like Crime Family and Lord Black. It’s on and popping in the ‘Bridge right now. We got a whole lot of dudes on the come up.

Is Blitz still around?

Oh, Blitz is around. Trust me. He’s doing his thing. Blitz is fire.

I wasn’t sure if he was still around.

And of course my baby boy Ammo from ACD. He’s the first Puerto Rican nigga from the ‘Bridge rapping. That’s my dude. He’s dangerous on the mic. You’re going to hear some new shit from him. Word. The ‘Bridge is still popping. Word. The ‘Bridge is still popping.

I heard you’re working to get some big names on Blaq Poet Society too like Ron Artest and Cormega. How’s that working out?

I’ve been texting Ron back and forth for a couple of weeks. We haven’t gotten a chance to do that yet because he’s back in training and going for another ring, so we might have to put that one on hold. But back to the up-and-coming dudes from the ‘Bridge, I got my dude Matrix and Sabotage Bars and my dude Mike Delorean.

I haven’t heard anything about Mike Delorean in a while.

Oh yeah, he’s still popping. My nigga Bars from Bars N Hooks is doing his thing.

What was it like in QB when Ron hit the three at the end of Game 7 of the NBA Finals?

Oh, the ‘hood was going crazy. The ‘hood went crazy! Everybody was happy for Ron. He deserved it. I watched that boy grow up. Everybody felt like they was on the court.

With Ron’s inconsistent shooting, were you nervous when he took that shot?

You can never tell, but he felt it! Ron never stops! Ron is different, man. Ron never stops. He was doing things all game. He brought them back. He held them down the whole fucking game. I was feeling that last shot!

What was it like seeing Ron grow up?

I’m older than him. He’s my little dude. I loved watching him practice with his pops and all that. He used to always be on the block in the snow and the rain, practicing his shot on the block and all that. I always knew he was going to do things. Then he went to St. John’s and started doing things at St. John’s and then he got with the Bulls. It’s been a crazy, long ride. I’ve loved watching Ron play.

And it never gets boring.

There’s never a dull moment with Ron. You already know, don’t throw no beer at him! Don’t throw nothing at him!

Your last album Tha BlaqPrint came out last summer. Were you happy with how that project did for you?

Oh yeah, no doubt. Shout out to Premier. That was a nice little shot in the arm for hip-hop. Now I gotta keep it popping.

Are you still working with Premier today?

Oh, no doubt. You know, Primo, he be busy so I’m trying to keep it popping. That’s why I’m on the hunt for new up-and-coming talent and producers and the dudes that I’m feeling. But yeah, man, me and Primo, man, it’s just a matter of time. We’re going to get around to getting another project out there.

Does it ever take too long waiting for a mix or a song from Primo?

Well, you know, fine wine takes time. It’s definitely worth the wait. A lot of people complain that Primo takes a long time, but when that shit comes, it’s there. It’s nothing, man. You just gotta wait. That’s all. It’ll come.

“Igetitin” was one of my favorite songs of last year. What was it like putting that one together?

Oh, that was crazy. I heard that beat and I knew I had to destroy that shit. I liked that hardcore beat. I was like, ‘Oh, man, that was an easy one to do.’ I love rhyming to them hard beats like that. When I heard that I had to go in. I had to get it in!

If someone told you they were knocking off liquor stores to that, how would you feel?

(laughs) I wouldn’t be honored to hear that you’re wilding! I’d be glad that you love the song and it’s the theme music for the ‘hood and for the streets, man. You gotta have your theme music to do what you do. Just don’t say that I made you do it.

I’m a law-abiding citizen, but that song definitely takes me to a dark place.

Don’t do anything man unless you’re ready, for real!

If I get picked up, can I call you?

Let me tell you, man, let me tell you, Remember that I don’t care, let the guns blow! Ahh! I’ll send you some Newports though! I’ll send you some cigarettes! (laughs)

That means the world to me.

Nah, but I just love doing this hardcore music and that people recognize that I went in and I try to do my hardest all the time. I always like when people like what I do. Word.

This is an older question, but we haven’t talked in a while. How did the remix for “Ain’t Nuthin’ Change” come about?

MC Eiht called Premier and told him he wanted to get on that and Primo had Malay. I didn’t know those guys. They heard of me. Primo asked me if I wanted to do it with them and I told him, “Hell yeah, that’d be gangsta, from New York to Cali, let’s do it!” I did my verses and Primo mixed it up and it was a banger! Shout out to the Westside!

Have you talked to DJ Hot Day lately?

I talked to him the other day. We stay in touch. We talk almost every other day. Shout out to Hot Day! He’s doing his thing. He’s out there DJing around the U.S., spreading that hip-hop and keeping that hip-hop alive.

What would it take to get a PHD reunion?

All it would take is time. It wouldn’t take nothing. We already talked about doing a couple of joints and giving hip-hop another shot in the arm. That’s not hard to do. It’s just a matter of time. Everything comes in time, baby.

How do you feel hearing your first album Without Warning today?

Oh, man! (laughs) Without Warning, that’s my shit! I feel I’ve gotten a little better than that since then, but that was the shit right when it came out, man.

What was it like working with Cormega on “Set It Off”?

Oh, that was nothing! You know, Mega’s in the ‘hood doing his thing and I was in the ‘hood doing my thing. He was definitely on the come up and we had to do something. We did it! There wasn’t a whole lot of thought put into it or a whole lot of brain surgeries. It was me and Cormega are going to do a song and we decided let’s bang out and Hot Day was always recording anyway and he wanted to do a joint with me and Cormega and I was like, ‘Say no more, let’s do it.’

Obviously Screwball can never be the same without KL. What’s the future for Screwball music?

I’m trying to organize a little Screwball group with me and Ty Nitty. That’s Screwball’s little brother, Ty Nitty from the Infamous Mobb. And my man Skate from Boston and Kyron from the original group. We can put it together. It’s just a matter of time of getting that together and keeping it tight. Word to KL.

Would you use any of KL’s unreleased verses?

Oh, nah, man. I think there’s two joints that we have with KL. But other than that, you know, we’re not trying to exploit my man like that. But I do want people to hear his work that he did have on the come up. It’s just a matter of time before we get it all ironed out and do it correct. I just want to do it correctly.

What about Hostyle? Where’s he?

Hostyle, I don’t know what’s going on with him. He’s going through a couple of personal issues. He’s out there and he’s still doing his thing, but I’m not really in touch with him right now.

Have you talked to Marley Marl lately?

Yeah. I text Marley. We talk off and on. The last time I talked to him he told me he got a spot on Sirius Satellite now. He’s bringing his Future Flavas show to Sirius Satellite now. Marley’s still doing his thing and representing that real hip-hop and spreading the word.

What else are you focusing on in the next few months?

I’m gonna stay writing. I want this Stu Bangas project to come out. I got another project I’m working on called EBK – Everybody’s Killa. I’m trying to get all the kinks out and get shit right on that. You know, I’m just trying to always stay writing, man, and having shit to put out. Word.

Source: HHG

Must read…

Buckshot LeFonque is one of my favorite groups of the 90s, no doubt. DJ Premier knows that, I personally asked him about the rapper Uptown (who rips DJ Premier Remixes back in the days), his flow is so fucking ill… Here’s part 6 of the 8, this part is about DJ Premier… Interesting…

If you are Uptown, hit me up!! 1

Nothing we didn’t knew…

DJ Premier steps sway from a busy recording schedule to grace us with his presence, delivering a classically ‘Primo’ interview. We explore his current production work with Kanye West, his hope that Busta Rhymes will finally like one of his beats the tenth time around, his desire to work with Eminem and all of his up coming projects. Essential listening for hip hop.

Interview with Conspiracy Radio

Shout out to Conspiracy Radio!

Some sidenews, here’s Bun B answer on working with DJ Premier:

You worked with DJ Premier on your new record? Was that’s something you’d wanted to do for a while, and how did that come about?

I’ve known him for a long time — over 10 years now. He’s from Prairie View originally, and I’m from Port Arthur, so we never knew each other coming up, but we’ve got a lot of mutual friends. Every now and then you meet someone who is just like you, and that’s Primo. He’s a really down to earth, really simple dude. Neither of us are into too much extra [stuff].

When we met up, it felt like we’d known each other for years, and when we collaborated, we never let the music interfere with our friendship. We’d originally tried to work together many years ago, but everyone’s schedule was [messed] up. Pimp was gone, then he came home and Premier was busy working with Christina Aguilera and Whitney Houston. We never had the time to put something together, but finally we made the time to turn it into a real record that incorporated Pimp.

——

And some rumors from Christina Aguilera’s side, it looks like she wasn’t happy with the goings of her new album and the sales, she’s about to move to a new record company Live Nation. She’s already fully busy with her new project Burlesque which should include the unreleased Neptunes and DJ Premier tracks.

“It feels like Gang Starr is the purest group in hip-hop,” Joe declared. “They was shooting videos on the beach in the winter when the water was ice. Razor-blade music. A bunch of guys in front of the project steps. ‘Mass Appeal,’ ‘Dwyck.’ ‘Stick up kids just out to tax … ‘ It’s just so much, man. When [Guru] passed, and I’m hearing all these rumors, I just wanna kill everybody. I want to shoot the computer, ’cause I’m like, ‘No, this ain’t what we do when our legends, our icons, pass. We salute them. We don’t go for rumors; we salute these dudes.’ He was an icon, man. It’s the purest group in hip-hop, in my opinion. DJ Premier, this guy is like a god, a walking god. Guru, he put it down legendary.

“Preemo, I was waiting for Preemo to give me a ‘Ten Crack Commandments’ or a shoot ‘em up, bang bang,” he continued, recalling his expectations when he got the track for “I’m Gone.” “He sent me the beat when Guru died — the day Guru died. It was a somber … sad beat. I was like, ‘Ah, man.’ I knew where to go with it. It really troubled me and I knew Guru passed away. I knew Preemo was hurting; I been through that with Pun. I knew how it felt. I had to pay homage and salute.”

Source: MTV

R.I.P. Guru

Thanks to Brooklyn Bodega!

This Friday, June 25, 10pm, DJ Premier performs with MC Nick Javas at The Shelter.

DJ Premier, 44, widely regarded as one of the most influential producers in hip hop history, is descending on Shanghai this week, and with him he’s bringing lyricist MC Nick Javas, fresh out of New Jersey.

A pillar of East Coast hip hop with more than two decades in the industry, Premier has worked with everyone from Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Nas to Janet Jackson and Christina Aguilera. Outside producing, Premier spent years touring as one half of hip hop duo Gang Starr. Unfortunately, his partner MC Guru died in April after battling cancer for a year.

Premier took time out to answer some questions over email about his music, his life, and what it’s like working with the biggest names in the game.

How do you keep your tracks fresh?
I keep my music fresh by studying. It’s a serious thing to do what we do professionally. I will never stop being consistent. Even if I sell only one copy, I know that I am the shit. I always scratch, cut and mix on my recordings.

(I think Nick Javas)What inspires you?
Sometimes lyrics pop into my head in the middle of the night and I’ll type them into my phone and see if they still sound dope in the morning. Other times I’ll be in the shower and a melody will randomly show up. But I’d say most times, it’s a dope ass beat that puts me in a certain mood and inspires me to grab that pen and do that beat justice. At that point I just let the music guide me.
(I think Nick Javas)
Before hip hop, you were a Rutgers University football recruit. Then you injured your knee – what’s the story behind that? Did hip hop help you out of that?
The knee injury may have been the lowest I’ve ever been. That was the first time I recovered from depression. I was recruited walk-on, meaning I didn’t have to try out but I would have to earn my scholarship. After consistently proving myself in practice, I was given a shot against Buffalo. Unfortunately I tore my ACL in my first game. Bum knee + undersized wide receiver = no scholarship. This led to depression, which led to writing becoming my therapy. Long story short, those notebook pages sent me down a path that I may have never discovered.

At school, you majored in computer science, is that weird for a DJ?
Computer science isn’t weird for a DJ. They’re all related. In the new millenium we all use Serato on a laptop computer, so in reality, I was already ahead of the game. Plus, there are no classes in college that teaches DJ-ing…

Tell us about working with Notorious B.I.G.
He was a funny and creative MC with a heart of gold. So sad that he’s gone. My last memory of him was the final recording for “Ten Crack Commandments” on his Life After Death LP and then seeing him in his casket at his funeral with the white suit and the white derby on his head big poppa style…Me and Jay-Z walked into the funeral together and I remember all the paparazzi flashing camera and hundreds of people screaming like it was an awards show.

How about Jay-Z?
Jay-Z is a very calculated person. He always has a plan that seems to work no matter what. He is a true go-getter. No playin’ around. He is about his business – excellent lyricist … Jay-Z and I will always be friends. We have a relationship that’s more brotherly. I’ve been mad at him a few times in my life and I always end up putting my differences behind me because he is like a younger brother to me and I love him for many reasons and you must respect his catalog of music – very consistent – and his laugh…

Who do you think is T-painin’ too much?
First off, I think T-Pain can use autotune as much as he wants to, especially since he doesn’t rely on it to make hits. That dude is crazy talented with or without autotune.

Thoughts on the scene in general these days?
The scene now is more child related for the kids and that’s fine with me. I represent the adult scene of music whether it’s hip hop, soul, whatever. That’s why my phone still rings every day. Respect will outlast money any day and my ghetto pass will never be revoked.

Source: urbanatomy.com