From the Hip-Hop Honors to Madison Square Garden to studio time with the biggest cats in the game, a day in the life of DJ Premier is non-stop beat-down fire.
The architect of the East Coast hardcore sound is nothing short of a world-class artist; passionate, skilled and always bringing the heat. His body of work is breathtaking: Gang Starr, Rakim, nasty Nas, KRS-One, Common, Mos Def, Snoop, Ludacris, Xzibit, Janet Jackson, The Notorious B.I.G., Kanye, Jay-Z and the list goes on.
And Primo is just getting started.
He’s wrapping up the highly-anticipated collab with Detroit’s Royce Da 5’9”, scratched over one of Black Milk’s new bangin’ tracks and spewed out a whole list of artists (new school and old) and projects that any true hip-hop head better not sleep on.
Simply: his label is “called Year Round Records because I work 24/7.”
This Saturday, after checking the free Jay-Z voter registration show at Cobo, the only place to be in the D is at Plan B where Primo will be the consummate professional, taking all those years of experience and pinpointing that energy into a few hours of pure hip-hop bliss.
Metromix couldn’t resist the rare opportunity to chat it up with NYC-based master. And this humble servant of the ‘biz was all ears.
Primo, no doubt you are going to bring it to the D Saturday night. It’s an intimate club setting at Plan B and DJ Graffiti setting it up is gonna be dope; what can you share about your set?
With me, I’m always excited to play anywhere. I don’t care if it’s for five people or 5,000 people, I’m going to just do my job and represent as a true hip-hop artist and a true DJ and as an MC (as I do work the mic).
Everybody that I’ve learned from -- from Run D.M.C. to Kool Moe Dee and LL (Cool J) and just watching people at that level perform…Public Enemy, Busta; I make sure I pull out the same energy no matter what. I don’t care if I’m sick and throwing up. I’ll throw up and get right back to doing it. I’ll recuperate later.
Nice. I talked to Royce not too long ago and we were talking about the project you two are completing…
We’re working on a new album. I’m the executive producer on the project so I pick the tracks that I think work. I’m doing a happy album. I’m doing seven cuts…
We were almost complete until he went to jail so it threw off our whole schedule. We actually did a record called “Gotta Shake This” which was about his drinking problem and getting into trouble…
So the jail time did throw some timing off and I just talked to him yesterday and he’s coming out (to NYC) right now and he’s thinking about a new single, so I am gonna try to make that happen and keep everything moving forward…
Right now, I’m working some tracks for 50 Cent, they’re past due, and Luda…Our time frames kept conflicting. Luda’s track is called “MVP” and he went in -- lyrically, he smashed it. There is a lot happening in New York City for me right now.
Keeping it on the Detroit level for another minute; I understand you might have something on Black Milk’s new album?
He reached out to me to do some scratches…I just did a hook for him and sent it. He’s dope man. I like his beats. He’s got really good beat-making skills.
If I get a MP3 in the mail or see a record that says produced by Black Milk, it automatically makes me want to listen to it.
That’s what I want to also be known for – if my name is on it, it’s reliable.
As a hip-hop producer; do you create your beats based around what you are feeling -- the sound you want to convey -- or do you try to work the tracks around a specific artist?
It’s always the artist. I feel like as a DJ, we should know how to tailor the tracks to the artist; I’ve always tailored the track to the artist…
The biggest of the biggest have turned down tracks that I’ve tailored to fit them; there’s been Jay-Z tracks that he didn’t end up using but they ended up going to other artists. One way or another, they end up coming out.
Your longevity, particularly in hip-hop is truly amazing. What’s the 21st Century creative challenge facing you?
I definitely want to score a film. I’ve always wanted to score a whole movie and do the soundtrack. A lot of people do soundtracks now and they’re real sloppy. I want it to be such a solid soundtrack where you see the whole thing played like a classic album.
Obviously your experience and passion comes through in your work, but do you feel that attitude you convey and bring is maybe missing by a lot of people in hip-hop today? There’s a lot of junk out there…
That’s why I move at a different pace -- because of my passion. I want it to be top-notch. You can be in a rush as long as the quality doesn’t suffer. My quality is more important than the money; I refuse to ever violate that code.
You gotta be patient. I was patient to get my deal; but I was eager and a little persistent.
But knowing the history is what makes me have longevity. I love and respect hip-hop. Some people just claim to love it and they don’t respect. If the respect part’s not there, how far do you really expect to get in this game if you want to be a part of it?
DJ Premier with DJ Graffiti are set to hit the decks at Plan B Saturday night. Doors are at 9 p.m. and $2 drinks will be served from 9-11 p.m.
