On the 28th of February, Chris Martin will be coming to London for a
rare DJ set at Plan B in Brixton. Not to be confused with dullard rock
front men who’ve gone on to marry slightly boring actresses, this Chris
Martin is a man who needs no introductions. Well, at least when he goes
by his stage name.
So let me reintroduce living legend
DJ Premier.
Consistently ranked as one of the best hip-hop producers of all time and
most likely a huge influence on your favourite musical idols, DJ
Premier came to prominence in the 1990’s as one half of rap icons
Gang Starr, alongside
Guru (RIP).
Besides producing Gang Starr’s entire catalogue, the man has produced
beats for almost everyone in the game including Heavy D,
KRS-One, Mobb Deep and
Big Daddy Kane and his inimitable boom bap sound has graced such seminal albums as Notorious B.I.G’s
Ready to Die and Nas’s
Illmatic.
So when I found I had an opportunity to interview him, to say I was excited is an understatement.
I caught up with Premier over email a week ahead of his show to talk
about the politics of rap, his favourite producers and how the digital
age is making producers lazy.
In previous interviews you’ve talked about how the ghetto
represents the purest form of realism for you and you try to honour that
with hip-hop. Do you think mainstream hip-hop honours that reality or
do you think it exploits it?
The mainstream has always been about exploitation. That’s nothing
new. Once something grows into a larger audience, it all gets watered
down. The decision to go mainstream versus underground is the fight that
we all struggle with because we all want to
get rich from our hard work in whatever craft we do.
You’ve been consistently rated as one of the all time
greatest hip-hop producers of all time. Where would you rate yourself on
that list? Who would you rate as your all time favourite producer?
My all time favourite producer in hip-hop is Marley Marl. He made
the beats bang and he also scratched on the tracks that he produced as
well as establishing a sound. I could always tell when it was a Marley
Marl production. I followed closely in his footsteps when it comes to
that.
Is there a particular beat that you’ve produced that you’re
most proud of? Any classic beats that you wish you would have produced?
Is there a particular genre you most like to sample?
I’m proud of all of my beats. There are a few, I wish I made Eric B. For President,
Shook Ones, We Gonna Make It, P.S.K. (Schooly D), The World Is Yours, Simon Says, and
Ebonics by Big L. I sample all genres. I switch it up all of the time so it really doesn’t matter. It’s all about how you hook it up.
What kind of effect do you think the age of digital music is going to have on up and coming producers?
The digital era makes producers lazy. They don’t own any vinyl, they
don’t understand what it’s like to record to tape, and they don’t
physically go shopping for the music. Everything is one touch of a
button and they have it all instantly. That is not what made hip-hop
original and fun. If they don’t do the research, they will be limited
to moving forward with the success that we already have. The pioneers
of this music must be respected in order to open the next doors for the
future.
You’ve said previously that you ‘live in the underground but
take trips into the mainstream’. Do you think that there’s a delicate
balance between the two or do you think the mainstream is having a
beneficial impact on hip-hop?
Speaking for myself, I know how to juggle the mainstream and keep my
underground ties intact. I love commercial music when it is done right.
There is good commercial and there is bad commercial. There is good
underground and bad underground.
You’re coming to London for a show on the 28th with Statik
Selektah. What’s your take on the English off-shoot of hip-hop, aka
grime?
I have been coming to England ever since I was twenty with Guru and
Gang Starr. London Posse was the popular hardcore group back in 1990.
It has continued to grow for many years and I’m open minded to all music
as long as I can understand the language, which in most cases in Europe
is the problem since it’s so global and the different languages make it
difficult to translate. Americans have a short attention span to
learn. Otherwise I welcome it all.
What do you think it takes for someone to make it in the industry these days and has that changed since the 90s?
If you want your career to come easy, then it’s not for you. You
MUST pay dues in order to get to the level that I’m at. I don’t respect
the easy way into a career because it will be taken for granted and the
passion to keep it going won’t last.
What advice would you give up and coming producers/rappers who are trying to make in the industry right now?
Always compare yourself to everyone that you respect in the business
and create your own style to gain the respect of your peers…
What are some of the hardest lessons you had to learn when you were coming up and launching your own career?
I learned you that must pay dues in order to appreciate making it big
in any industry. A lot of doors will be slammed in your face and
friends can turn into enemies because they feel entitled to what you
have become. You lose people along the way but if you’re passionate
about your career, you will get over it and continue to kill them all
with success.
Were there any ever doubts when you were starting out that you might not have the chance to be discovered?
I have never doubted myself. I know my capabilities and I love
competition. It’s healthy and fun to stay sharp. It goes with the
territory. I knew I would eventually make it but I didn’t put a date on
it.
What can we expect from DJ Premier in 2013? What are you most excited about?
I’m excited about anything that I work on. It’s a part of why I still
do what I do. NYGz, Khaleel, Bumpy Knuckles & O.C., Lady of Rage,
Heather B,
Pete Rock –vs- Premier, M.O.P.,
Joey Bada$$, Ill Bill,
Czarface,
Kool Sphere, Immortal Technique, Ea$y Money of ST.
Words: James Cunningham
There’s still a day left to enter our competition to
win tickets to Thursday’s show. Further ticket details are available
here.
