emceein' issue one

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ISSUEONE

+ RZA x WATCH THE THRONE TOUR x COMMON x ETHER + no ads: pure beats, rhymes & life £17.02

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em·cee·in’ more than just rapping.

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ISSUEONE

08 / ETHER RON BROWZ DISCUSSES MAKING THE CLASSIC BATTLE TRACK

10 / THE DREAMER: STILL BELIEVIN’ COMMON ExpLORES COLLABORATION CHEMISTRy WITH NAS AND NO I.D. AND BREAKS DOWN LINES FROM CLASSIC SONGS

20 / INDSIDE THE 36 CHAMBERS THE RZA TALKS HEADpHONES, HOLLyWOOD, AND WORKING ON “WATCH THE THRONE”

36 / SOUL BROTHER NUMBER ONE pETE ROCK BREAKS DOWN SOME OF HIS ESSENTIALS

60 / REVIEWS CARL CHERy RATES THE NEWEST RELEASES

74 / WATCH THE THRONE A LOOK AT JAy-Z & KANyE’S TOUR

84 / GRAFFITI IN MANCHESTER TAKE A TRIp AROUND THE CITy WITH US

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PETE ROCK

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RAKIM

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ETHER

Ron Browz reveals that Jay-Z’s A&R had the “Ether” beat first and tells XXL why it’s a better instrumental than Kanye West’s “Takeover” / Carl Chery Ron Browz doesn’t get his just due. The Harlem-bred producer’s résumé reads like a who’s who list of New York notables and he’s responsible for the sonics of classic records like Big L’s “Ebonics” and Nas’s “Ether.” Still, Browz’s work yields skepticism. Over the last decade, he’s also emerged into a capable hitmaker—producing and performing on his own “Jumping Out the Window,” as well as Jim Jones’s “Pop Champagne” and Busta Rhymes’s “Arab Money.”

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Though all of Browz’s previously mentioned hits have charted higher than “Ether,” he’s still primarily known for assisting God’s Son in his scathing rebuttal to Jay-Z’s “Takeover.” Now, 10 years after the release of the classic diss song, RB reveals to XXL that Jay’s A&R, Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua, had the “Ether” instrumental first, how producing the track barred him from working with the God MC and why it’s a better beat than the Kanye West-produced, “Takeover

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I gET To THE STuDIo AND HE’S juST cHIllINg, HE wAS REAl cAlM AbouT IT. HE wASN’T AMpED. HE TolD THE ENgINEER To plAY THE REcoRD AND MY MouTH DRoppED. NAS KNEw THE EffEcT IT wAS goNNA HAvE.

When you made that beat did you have Nas in mind or was it for someone else?

No. Me, when I’m doing production I stick myself in a house, don’t go nowhere and make straight beats.

It was an awkward, hardcore beat.

I kinda played around and rapped on it, me and my friends, but it wasn’t nothing serious going. Hip Hop from Roc-A-Fella, somebody had brought him to my house and I played him that beat I played him another beat. And he actually took these two beats, but I guess it never got to the ears of Jay, but it got to the ears of Nas. When did you find out that Nas was going to go at Jay on the record?

Nas had that record at the summer time. And he held it for so long. I was like, “He ain’t gon use it.” So I forgot about it, but then Nas called me that winter, like that December.

And he was like, “Yo, I need you to come to the studio and listen to what I did to your beat. I get to the studio and he’s just chilling, he was real calm about it. He wasn’t amped.

He told the engineer to play the record and my mouth dropped. Nas knew the effect it was gonna have. I didn’t know the effect it was gonna have. And I’m like, “Wow, people gon hate me for this. I’ll never get to work with Jay as a producer. Is Jay gonna feel a way? All them ran into my mind. I got so many phone calls.

Work started coming in for me, so it ended up being a positive thing.

Lenny S. said that every time you see him you say that you producing “Ether” may have gotten in the way of you working with Jay. You know what, you hear so much then you start to believe it. Maybe he does feel some type of way. I’m gonna say he feels some type of way.

I never worked with him. I worked with the greatest. Lil’ Kim, Foxy, Nas, Fat Joe, 50 Cent, Jadakiss. I worked with a lot of the top artists. I never got a chance to work with Jay and I’m nice so I don’t get it.

Since you produced it, did you feel like you had to pick sides when the battle was happening?

I tell people, I’m a fan of hip-hop at the end of the day. I like Jay, I like Nas. Did I pick sides? At that time, you already know who won.

Once “Ether” came out, it wasn’t even picking sides, it was like which record was harder. “Ether” happened to be the harder record.

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KANYE KNOW I TRASHED HIM.

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Over the years Jay and Kanye have compared the “Ether” beat to the “Takeover” beat— Kanye know I trashed him.

So you think “Ether” is a better instrumental than “Takeover?”

Come on. I did that from scratch.

Kanye sampled it. Come on. My mother can go in the house and listen to a record, chop that, chop that and make that. You know I heard Kanye when he was saying that, “How can people compare them?” I did that from scratch, the keyboard, a drum machine, my drum patterns.

That’s me playing the keyboard with the strings and all the additional percussion. And it was hard. That’s a sample. Come on, anybody can do that. Is y’all playing? “Yo, it’s better.” Nah. I mean, I don’t know who produced [“Takeover”]. Kanye know, man. He know deep in his heart what beat is harder. And you can just do a survey.

I think we gon do that on the site and find out.

Niggas gon be like, “That ‘Ether’ was so hard. It was so awkward as a hardcore beat. It was malicious. [“Ether”] gon’ win by a landslide.

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THE DREAMER: STILL BELIEVIN’ Common explains how potential collaborative albums with Nas and Q-Tip are inspired by Jazz music, and elaborates on bold bars from “Resurrection,” “Sweet,” “The 6th Sense” and Black Star’s “Respiration.”

It’s before 7 a.m. in Los Angeles when Common calls for an interview on Saturday morning. Few emcees do press on weekends and even fewer before lunchtime. However, just like he is on records, Comm is fully focused on the moment. After all, it is a momentous season for the veteran emcee. Later this month his ninth album, The Dreamer, The Believer will release after a threeyear album hiatus while the musician further pursued acting, moved to Warner Brothers and reunited with crucial collaborator No I.D.

True to his music, Common’s mind is a balance between abstractions promoting his lived observational experiences and actual facts proving them. The re-energized rapper asserts his place at the top of “best emcee” lists, also breaks down some of the lines from yesteryear that earns him that spot. He states that The Dreamer, The Believer is “forever” music, and reveals the process that created it. When it comes to Common life, his music and his place in Hip Hop history, dreams have met reality.

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I must say, The Dreamer, The Believer after just a few days of hearing it feels like my favorite album of yours since One Day It’ll All Make Sense, which is one of my favorite albums ever.

That’s incredible to hear. For me to hear that it makes me [want] to make music. That’s 12-13 years ago, probably, One Day It’ll All Make Sense - ‘97. For me to have an album out that you feel that strong about right now is just showin’ me that things are growing and improving.

On “Sweet,” you said “A lot of y’all forget who I am.” How much did you feel from Hip Hop, where the conversation seems to move so fast, that you’d been “forgotten”?

It was one of those scenarios where I’m in the studio. When I hear people talk about the top emcees, I would never hear my name mentioned in that category. I was like, “Man, I gotta let people know that I’m one of the greatest to ever do it.” In my mind, I am the greatest. I have to announce that and bring that awareness.

When you start talkin’ about the Top 5 and look at careers and look at albums, verses, lyrics and all the diversity that creates an emcee, I feel that I know that I should be mentioned as one of those guys. That was the inspiration and motivation behind when you do a song like “Sweet”.

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You have another line, “Rap music you want to jam in traffic.” I think that’s funny, because a lot of the music - including records I like, doesn’t have that windows-down feel. It’s guilty pleasures, a long way from the days of Radio Raheem [in Do The Right Thing] scaring people off the block with Public Enemy tapes...

You interpreted it a different way than I was [meaning], but I love what you just said. I’m actually talkin’ about how the Rap game is just congested with some of the same music. I said, I’m comin’ to un-jam it from the situation. When you think of a traffic jam, it’s not really movin’. It’s movin’ slow.

[Laughs] But I would like to jam my music in traffic no matter what. What you’re talkin’ about is somethin’ that I do like - when I’m in my truck and the music, I gotta blast it. I just rhyme and sing the song, and feel like that song is speakin’ to me. Man, I love that feelin’. When I was able to drive, that’s what I’d get outta Hip Hop. I’d ride. We’d have N.W.A. [albums] and just go out and get into trouble, but it was fun, it was good. Or I’d have Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One [albums], and we’d go out and just enjoy life. It was fun. Just rappin’ to and knockin’ that music.

To flow off of what we were saying a minute ago about One Day... Some artists don’t listen to their older works when making a new album.

Because this is a reunion with No I.D. and because it feels in line with Resurrection and One Day, and that you were at work on a book, dealing with your career, I’m very curious to know if while recording The Dreamer, The Believer, you spent much time revisiting your ‘90s work?

Really, I didn’t listen a lot of my old music. I rarely listen to music that I create. I hear it in different environments when someone is playing it. But it was just, “remember what we started this music for.

Remember why we wanted to be artists in Hip Hop.” That’s all we really did was go in with that spirit.

We love the culture. We love the art of Hip Hop. I love emceeing, man!

I love when I say some raps that’s really fresh, I love the feelin’ that I get and other people get from it. I love stylin’ on beats. No I.D. loves music and loves makin’ beats. I love hearin’ those beats. I like makin’ great songs.

We just went in rememberin’ what we’re here for. [The Dreamer, The Believer] is what we were able to create and come out with.

It was very natural and organic for No I.D. and myself to make this type of album. This is just the roots of who we are. This is where we come from. This is just a comparison, but it’s not hard to be a Black dude from Chicago, because I am a Black dude from Chicago. It’s not difficult to make Hip Hop music, you just want to make it at its highest level.

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When you start talkin’ about the Top 5 and look at careers and look at albums, verses, lyrics and all the diversity that creates an emcee, I feel that I know that I should be mentioned as one of those guys.

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“Remember what what we we started started this this music music for. for.

“Remember Remember why why we we wanted wanted to to be be artists artists in in Hip Hip Hop. Hop. Remember That’s all all we we really really did did was was go go in in with with that that spirit. spirit.

That’s We love love the the culture. culture. We We love love the the art art of of Hip Hip Hop. Hop. We love emceeing, emceeing, man.” man.”

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That’s what we strive for, that’s what we do.

You said, “a Black man from Chicago.” At two different places in your career, you’ve given this image of you making these moments where you try to blend in with society to get the pulse of the people. On Black Star’s “Respiration,” you said, “Sometimes I take the bus home, just to touch home,” and on “The 6th Sense,” you said, “Some days I take the el to gel with the real world.” I love both of those lines, but you’re also in films and on AMC shows. Do those experiences really happen?

Yes. I just do my best to live amongst real life. I can’t act like I’ve been on the bus just recently, but the point is, you know, when I go home, I just go and do what I do, whether it’s walkin’ to the store with my guys or it’s hangin’ out at a certain club, bar, whatever. When you go back to your neighborhood your mother sends you on errands. [Chuckles] You do those things and naturally are able to absorb life. I used to write... I would go home to Chicago, just drive around and absorb life. It’s not like I have to, “Okay, I’ma work this nine-to-five for three days and...” That shit is like... I have enough experiences of life and every day life and just to go around it. I can see where we are and see what I need to talk about and rap about. [Also], having people close to me that work everyday jobs; my friends are not in the industry. The majority of my friends don’t know

about car service or per-diem or a publicist. They know what it is, but they don’t live that lifestyle. Even when I get around my friends it’s [about] issues and things that they have goin’ on with ‘em and things that they want to talk about just reminds me of Chicago and everyday people around the world and the blue collar life.

When “Ghetto Dreams” came out, people went crazy. Yet the collaboration makes sense in that you and Nas both made ‘94 classics, you’ve been experimented with your music since, you both came up under veteran producers on the debut albums and so forth. You come from that pre-Internet era when Chicago and Queens felt light-years apart, but did the chemistry feel so strong that it made you both look at it as if it should’ve happened sooner?

I definitely feel kindred with Nas. I think he’s a true visionary, writer, street experienced-but-cultured, profound person. He’s like somebody who can talk about Queens and drug dealin’, but in the same token but can talk about John Coltrane and tell a story backwards [in “Rewind”]. He can tell a story about him bein’ a gun [in “I Gave You Power”]. This dude makes legendary music. That’s what my vision and goal is, to do music like that. I come from a background of Southside of Chicago, where there’s gang-bangin’, hustlin’ and struggle.

At the same token, I was able to seek different things in life; I’m into John

Coltrane myself. The reason I rep for John Coltrane is ‘cause sometimes me and Nas be talkin’ about we’ll do an album the way John Coltrane was on Miles Davis’ album. These are two legends that eventually worked together - just the way musicians in Jazz and other genres would do a whole album together. That’s what we were referring to, and sometimes just sittin’ down and just buildin’.

Eventually, we did. There is some [career] parallels, but he’s still his own individual. At the end of the day, that’s definitely one of the greatest emcees to ever do it. I hold that respect for him. We definitely have a lot of things, where I feel at the core, we both have a love for Hip Hop, a love for the culture and a love for bein’ young Black men that want to put out some music that not only has the street vibe, but also inspires and moves people.

Whether it’s Kanye West and Jay-Z this year with Watch The Throne, or what you and Q-Tip have spoken about, or what you and Nas are toying with, as somebody who’s been in the game for 20 years, do you see that Jazz-spirited era of collaboration coming forward, where we’ll see stars working on full projects together?

I think it’s a great addition to Hip Hop, for artists to be able to collaborate and do albums. I think it gives the audience a nice change of somethin’ new, a new experience.

For the artist, it has to be inspiring.

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For me, it’s inspiring. I love to be able to collaborate too. That’s one of the greatest things about working on this album was No I.D. and myself, we’d build on the songs! He’d make a beat and I’d be like, “What if I did this?” or “What if you added this to it?” We’d build, and then have James Fauntleroy, who sings on a lot of the songs, and Makeba [Riddick] come and add what they wanted to add.

It just made it more of a collective of creativity. That always adds to making great art, ‘cause you’re not just held to your perspective. You’re getting all these other talents bein’ able to add on.

You said you wanted to inspire. You were talking about N.W.A. earlier too. It’s crazy that N.W.A. made music without knowing that the

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L.A. Riots would soon happen. Yet, when they did that event had a soundtrack. 2012 is an election year.

We’re in a Recession, there’s Occupy, there’s winds of change throughout the world. When I hear tracks like “The Believer” , I’m curious, do you see The Dreamer, The Believer going on to becoming an appropriate soundtrack?

Yes. When I create music it’s always inspired by life. Of course, there’s always that plus-sign, which is imagination. You use your imagination to create certain stories, songs. Life is at the core of the music I’m makin’. I’m observing and experiencing life and tellin’ that experience in this music. I believe it will provide a backdrop and a background for music in what’s

going on in 2012 and also for years and years beyond. When I make music and I make art, I look for it to be timeless. I look for it to ageless, breaking any income barrier, breaking geographic barriers. I make music that I feel like will touch the world, the universe. It will be here for good, for years, forever. When I [named my seventh album] Finding Forever, that’s what I want.

This is The Dreamer, The Believer.

One of my favorite all-time records in the Extra P remix to “Resurrection.”

On there you said, “On the rocks of reality, dreams get splashed.” It’s only fitting, 17 years later, what does that line mean to you and your career?

Aw man! That line is... that line is

just sayin’ that sometimes reality will try to interfere with your dreams.

But you have to let those dreams soar above that reality that exists right at that moment. Because really, the dream is the prize. When they say “keep your eyes on the prize,” the dream is the prize. The dream is the vision of where you’re gettin’ to.

You might not be there right at that moment, but you just have to see the dream, and you’ll get there. You just have to see it. The “rocks of reality” sometimes seem to crash the dream.

But you gotta know, on the rocks of reality, the waves gonna keep it goin’.

Don’t let it split the whole dream.

That’s basically what I would say to somebody who references that lyric now - the dream still goes on.

Dream on.

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GHOSTFACE KILLAH

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InsIde The 36 Chambers Insanul Ahmed sits down with the Abbott to discuss headphones, Hollywood and the Clan

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There are few people in hip-hop that deserve to be called an auteur (the French word for author, a title reserved for consummate creators) as much as The RZA. The de-facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, he’s more than just a legendary producer. From the earliest days of the Wu, Rzarector was their creative visionary.

He’s also a savvy businessman who helped the WuTang Clan change not just the sound of hip-hop, but the business model too. Wu was the first team to land a group record deal as well as a variety of solo deals.

With Wu Wear, he became one of the first rappers with a clothing brand. He’s also written a book (The WuTang Manual), composed and recorded original scores for movies like Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai and Kill Bill, and he even claims he helped create the technology behind Serato and Final Scratch. Oh, and he’s directing his own upcoming film, The Man With The Iron Fists. Needless to say, the man has always been at the forefront of hip-hop culture.

And now he’s got one more notch to add to his black belt in hip-hop: Headphones. Since Dr. Dre ushered in the headphone boom with his ubiquitous Beats By Dre, everyone from 50 Cent to Ludacris has been trying to get in on the action. However, unlike 50 or Luda, The Abbot actually knows a thing or two about decibels, kilohertz, and the basics of sound quality. And just like with hip-hop production in the early ‘90s, he’s one of the few people who can rival Dr. Dre’s sound with his Chambers By RZA headphones.

With the headphones going on sale on the WeSC website (they’ll become more widely available at additional retailers in the coming weeks), we sat down with The RZA to talk headphones, hip-hop, and Hollywood.

Yes, he also responded to Method Man’s claims that GZA wrote many of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s rhymes, revealed that he had to censor Raekwon and Ghostface Killah on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and claimed he recently gave away 10 beats to Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli, and Nas..

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How did you get involved with making the Chambers

by RZA headphones?

I got involved through mutual people that knew the headphone boom was happening. They was telling me to get involved but I wouldn’t get involved. I came across a company [called WeSC] that had something cool about them that resonated with me.

They said I could personally design them and make them how the fuck I want. If I wanted to put three ears on it, I could put three ears on it—well, that wouldn’t work on Earth. [Laughs.] They let me zone in and make something that I thought would be cool.

I already owned a pair of Beats [by Dre headphones]—I dug them—but my battery ran out on me. I was kind of pissed off that I paid $300 and had to fucking wait for the batteries. I said, “I’m making some shit so that will never happen.”

I did a few other things and then I just got involved in it. When I was making my film in China, a lot of the ideas for the headphones materialized. Now, here they are.

I hear you were very hands on with the project. What were some of specific ideas that you were bringing?

It’s a lot of them, but the most prominent is I wanted lights on them. We have a small meter on it, so you know if [the music is] peaking or not peaking because I know some people like to mix.

I wanted them to be able to link together. It was off my own experience from riding the plane with my wife and she’s looking at something and says, ‘Oh, look! [and has to put her headphones on my head].’ We can both sit there and watch the same thing.

You can have one iPad, and we both can watch a movie on that iPad or one iPod and we both can hear

“Theeyy ssaaiidd ii ccoouulldd personally personally design design “Th Them m aand nd m maakkee Th Them how The T he fuck fuck ii The em how wanT. iiff ii wa wanT nTeedd To To pu puTT TThree hree ears ears on on wanT. iT, ii ccoouulldd ppuT uT Th Three ree ears ears on on iiT—well, T—well, iT, ThaT w woouullddnn’T ’T w work ork on on earT earTh.” h.”

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the same song. Now that I came up with that idea, you actually can chain five of these headphones together with one equal sound resolution—actually you can chain 20 [if you wanted].

You mentioned owning a pair of Beats by Dre. How much did that influence this product?

We started this before all of that. This is a two year process. These ain’t something they made last month and then told me to put my logo on it. That’s another thing: These were made by me.

I don’t know their situation or what he did, but they are the pioneers of it. We got to respect the pioneers and I respect them doing it. I usually wouldn’t even do something somebody else did to be honest with you. I started Wu Wear, and other people started copying me!

I came with the first sneakers, other people copied me.

When it came to these headphones, the question in my head was, ‘Am I gonna do something that somebody else did?’

I decided to say yes to this one. The only way I was gonna do something that somebody already else did is if I did something different. I’m not the first guy to make a record or to make hip-hop, but I did it differently. I’m the first one that took it to the chamber I took it to and that’s where I’m going with my headphones.

There’s no lights on [Beats by Dre] headphones, you can’t plug up multiple headphones to their shit, and if you have noise cancellation with the battery and your battery runs out, you can still use mine.

When I made hip-hop, I made hip-hop. I didn’t make R&B or make it for the radio. I made beats so niggas could rhyme to it. I wanted you to rap to it. I didn’t want you to dance to it. With “Protect Ya Neck,” “Da Mystery of Chessboxin,” and “Bring The Ruckus,” you can rap to that shit. If you find a dance to it, that’s on you. You definitely can rhyme to that shit.

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Same thing with [the headphones], I made it to be the fit of style. In New York, a lot of us wear those Nikes— the Air Force Ones/Uptowns and shit. If you notice, If you had on the red and white [Air Force Ones, your headphones would match]. I like the metallic silver Benz, [so there’s] metallic silver headphones. I got a white Maserati, so I got a solid white pair of headphones.

Is that really how you based the colors—on your cars?

I based [the metallic silver and white headphones] on those two [cars]. I based the black matted headphones on my buddy Chavo. When I got the Maserati, he got him a matted black Mustang. His is the Knight Rider and my shit is the Mach 5 Speed Racer. I made these from inspirations from my life and things I like. That’s another thing that makes it cool.

That’s why I signed my name on it. That logo is my signature. Every autograph I’ve signed for any fan, they’ll know that’s that nigga’s real fucking signature. They sent me logos, but it’s just a logo. I never put that on something, besides what I gave to fans. I’m not selling that though.

We’re not selling [the headphones] because of [the signature]. This is just authenticating it. I sign autographs for free. This is authenticating the headphones. If you take the logo off the headphones, you got some headphones, but is it really mine?

Other people can take my [technical] specs and come out next year with the colors, and a daisy chain, and put 20 lights on theirs, and copy all that shit—the same way they did with clothing and beats. That’s what they do; that’s America. Shark biters. But they won’t have [my signature] on it. I have to make sure something is still pure.

That’s why people be like, “Yo, how come you make your music lo-fi?” I’m like, “Muthafucker, I got a million dollars’ worth of equipment. You don’t think I can make my shit sound [hi-fi]? No! They can’t make theirs sound like this!”

Now you can buy shit like “’90s hip-hop” or “lo-fi” drum kits. No. It don’t sound like it, kid. You don’t know what filter I’m using. You don’t know what machine I got and I won’t tell you what machine that is. In fact, you don’t know why I EQ at the kilohertz I do. You don’t know why I use hertz and you don’t have to know. Why does Ghostface sound how he sounds [on my records]?

They had to print the next 50,000 copies with a little cardboard in it that had the right numbers. They’re supposed to fix the rest of them, but who knows, I don’t print the books up. If anybody asks me the number, I’ll have to correct them personally.

They have the wrong inches of the planet in [my book].

“ThaT’s a qualiTy of me ThaT i don’T mind being. i don’T mind being in my own world, buT if i can share my world wiTh oThers, leT me share iT officially and properly on how i’d like To share iT” Right, you EQ it a certain way.

Exactly. He sounds different on other people’s records.

I have a compressor with his name on it. I found the parameters and left that forever. He come over to my house and hit the button, and it’ll always sound like you.

They don’t make those anymore but that’s me.

That’s a quality of me that I don’t mind being. I don’t mind being in my own world, but if I can share my world with others, let me share it officially and properly on how I’d like to share it. To me, that’s what I did with these headphones.

These are great but to me, there’s a small thing that’s missing that’ll be in the next [line of headphones]. I’m like, “Yeah they’re great, but hold on guys. Can I [add] this one thing?” And they’re like, “Yeah you can [add] it on the next one.” Well then I want to [add] it.

The same thing happened with my book. I had a book called The Wu-Tang Manual out and it had the wrong number! Some numbers in there are not accurate numbers. I was like, ‘Who the fuck did that?!’ I can tell you the number right now out my mouth and prove to you that it wasn’t me.

[The correct number] is 12 trillion, 478 billion, 418 million, 400 thousand square inches. But they got it wrong and I’m like, “What the fuck is that?” I know the answer, so don’t send the wrong answer out as if the RZA gave the wrong answer.

That made me realize, we read the Bible and it’s 2000 years old and we don’t think something is typed up wrong? If I’m still living right on Earth, my book dropped five years ago, and something is wrong in that shit.

Come on, man. To me, that was the living proof. I even said to my brother, “If I wrote this myself and I sent it in this way, and it came back this way, imagine what happened with Moses.” [Laughs.]

You mentioned being in China working on your film, The Man With The Iron Fists. What is the release of that looking like?

With movies you never know because it’s controlled by studios, but everybody that’s working with me seems to be really excited about it. They know when to put movies out; I don’t. That’s a science that they’ve mastered. It was a great experience for me.

I’m still in post-production. Special effects are still not

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done. It takes a long fucking time. I’m learning a lot about movie-making. Maybe I’ll tell people about it or maybe I won’t. One thing about movie-making is this: Sometimes knowing is not as good as not knowing.

For instance, I love kung-fu movies. I sample them and one of my favorite movies is Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang.

Now, I watched that movie to [the point where] I almost know the English dubbed version by heart. I’m able to cross-reference that movie to 36 Chambers, Death Chambers, Five Masters Of Death—many movies I can cross-reference to. You’ll see the white eyebrow priest pop up in many movies [like] White Lotus, and he’s in Kill Bill.

I honestly believed that because of all the movies, references, and being that it was based on a historical moment, I believed it to be historically true. It has some reality to it. I can discuss that with you and give you logic on it.

When I went to the real Wu-Tang mountains, I met [the real] Abbot and he told me it’s a book that was written.

The book is pretty old, maybe 500 or a thousans years old, but it’s not what happened. It’s just literature. It’s like us reading Shakespeare and thinking King Lear [was real]. These are stories based on a time period. It may be true that at that time there was a Black Plague or silver was the monetary system, but it’s still fiction.

People may read the Da Vinci Code years later and think that Jesus did fuck Mary. That fucked my head up a little bit. The Abbot was like, “Nah man, Shaolin vs.

Wu-Tang is a story, but it is true that Zhang Sanfeng did start as a Shaolin monk, then leave and founded his own school, but it wasn’t no kung-fu like the movie.”

With Zhang Sanfeng, out of the three histories of the temple, there’s three different potential histories. He’s one of them and is the most popular. It’s like the brother of Jesus. You have a story about him in the Quran and a story about him in the Bible. It’s different events.

Was that disheartening for you to find that out?

No. It was awakening for me, actually. It bugged me out, though. But I said, “Wait a minute?” There’s nothing like the truth. The truth sets you free. So I was free.

I told you that story, just to go back to movies, I’m seeing all the things I’ve got to do to make a movie happen. I’m seeing it’s magic.

When it’s magic, there’s a magician performing, and if you don’t know the trick, it’s magic. But if you know the trick, it’s just a trick. When you’re the director, you are a magician. So you have to dedicate yourself to that from now on.

My wife and I go to movies every Wednesday. While I’m doing my movie we continue to go, and I’m like, “But baby, I know what’s going to happen.” [Laughs] That’s how it goes. I’m starting to see the edits in this motherfucker.

So that’s what I mean, you’ve got to be careful. I’m smart enough to pull back, though. I’m smart enough to know to enjoy, but like I said, I don’t want to tell people too much about that process. I’d rather they go and enjoy the movie and enjoy the world that we’ve created.

Have you seen Star Wars? I loved it. Now that you look at Mark Hamill, you see that he’s really not a great

“one of my favorite movies is shaolin vs. Wu-tang. noW, i Watched that movie to [the point Where] i almost knoW the english dubbed version by heart.”

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actor. But you didn’t know that as a kid. As a kid, he was the greatest actor.

It’s funny what you were saying about the monks and the stories. When I was growing up listening to Rae and Ghost talk about drug-dealing, I thought all of it was real. I thought that was exactly what their life was like but it wasn’t like that.

Hell no. Hell no. It’s a song. We did live a wild... actually, I don’t rap about that. I’d rather keep it personal and shit. I mean, I had to censor that album.

They were saying worse shit than that.

producer and the captain of the team, I planned the audience. I knew Gravediggaz could fit white boys. I knew it. I said I’d get all the fucking rock and this and that. I went on tour with Biohazard just to get them, because I wanted everybody to come back to Wu-Tang on the next one.

I went out and attracted everybody, so that when WuTang Forever came out—boom. It had all those elements but there was some real important messages in there; “You can’t party your life away/Drink your life away/ Smoke your life away...Cause your seeds grow up the same way.” I wanted that to be known.

“After ‘CubAn Linx’ CAme out, i ALreAdy knew how mAny thugs And gAngsters were born And thAt it wouLd mAke. i knew how mAny peopLe wouLd be gLorified by it.”

On Only Built 4 Cuban Linx?

Yeah. I said, “You can’t say that. You can’t say that, G. You can’t say it.” They were like, “Man, come on.” I’m like, “Nah. You’re going to do that to her? Nah. See, you don’t do that.” As time went on, they started saying whatever the fuck they wanted to say, but when I was there in the studio, I wasn’t going to let just anything be said. I know the attraction power.

After Cuban Linx came out, I already knew how many thugs and gangsters were born and that it would make.

I knew how many people would be glorified by it. If I knew that when the movie Scarface came out, we all wanted to sell drugs. I knew I had the same power with that album. I didn’t want to be responsible for it, but I did want those kinds of people to listen to me.

So after Cuban Linx, I did GZA’s Liquid Swords, I did want college kids to get into it, and they did. As a

I wanted people to realize the propagation of school.

They teach us lies, and we have to grow up as adults and unlearn them. Unlearn the shit you’ve been taught to be real. I was on a mission and I succeed actually.

When Wu-Tang Forever came out, it was a number-one album. I promised number one in five years, and in five years, we were number one.

Switching gears, in a recent interview with Method Man, he talked about Cuban Linx, he mentioned that, at that time, you started working with True Master who influenced those records. And his album and ODB’s first album didn’t have True Master— No, no, no. True Master worked with Meth on his second album. True Master came in on Tical 2000: Judgement Day. He did “Fish” on Ironman and that was his first production. Then he did a lot on Judgement Day. What was Johnny saying though?

29

“Dirty always always woulD woulD get get rhymes rhymes from from me. me.

“Dirty mean, he he woulD woulD go go right right to to my my rhyme rhyme book book ii mean, anD take take aa rhyme rhyme right right out out the the book. book. anD but ii haD haD stacks stacks of of lyrics, lyrics, books books of of it.” it.” but 30

He was saying that one of the reasons there was a big growth for you as a producer—you went from the lo-fi sound of 36 Chambers to the cinematic sound of Cuban Linx—was because you were working with True Master.

Nah. I think that’s a miscalculation for him because True Master’s actually my student. What happened to me was I just got challenged by musicians. Some musicians were saying I wasn’t a musician and that I’m fucking up music because I’m sampling and using drum machines and all that shit. So I challenged myself. I went and picked up some music theory books and started going through that, and that was in ‘96-’97. Judgement Daycame out when?

After Wu-Tang Forever. It was ‘98.

Exactly. So by then, True Master was still using the same EPS-16 Plus that I used for the first album. I gave it to him, okay? And Mathematics, I gave him a whole stack of records that I used and the idea was for them to facilitate the classic Wu sound as I head to a higher level. That was a physical plan.

I signed Mathematics and True Master to my production company and I assigned them [people to work with]. I told True Master to work with Meth and Math to keep up with that grimey stuff and I’m going to move on. I don’t know if Meth knew this, because it was more of a business thing. It wasn’t like, a discussion. [Laughs.]

That’s when I did Bobby Digital and went electronic.

I went to what I call “digital orchestra.” That’s when I started learning music. Then that led to Ghost Dog, which led to Kill Bill, and I’m here now. So it was a long path.

But True Master...Nah. I mean, True Master’s always been a good producer. I’ve known him for years. We always used to swap samples and stuff like that, but if you talk to True Master, I’m the Abbot. I’m the one who schooled him and shit.

Another thing he said was that on ODB’s first album, a lot of the records were actually written by you and

by The GZA. Lyrically, yeah. Well, we were a crew. That was the first crew. So a lot of the old rhymes and the old stuff that we had, Dirty just loved saying it. He loved rapping that. I mean, he wrote a lot of his own stuff.

Don’t get it twisted. He wrote “Brooklyn Zoo,” every word of that for himself. “Hippa To Da Hoppa,” he wrote that.

GZA 50%.

ODB Dirty

wrote [some of his rhymes]. I would say maybe Some songs were definitely written by us, but wrote a lot of his own stuff. At the same time, always would get rhymes from me.

I mean, he would go right to my rhyme book and take a rhyme right out the book. But I had stacks of lyrics, books of it. But I would just say that he was like a singer though. Singers don’t write, they sing. They perform. Dirty was a performer.

You recently worked on Watch The Throne on the record “New Day.” How did you get involved with that album?

Well, it really started from Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album. I spent some time with Kanye. I took a lot of tracks down to him. He got a lot of tracks. What I’ve been doing is this: I’ve been cleaning out my machines. Meaning, I’ve got so many beats that it will never all be heard.

Simple as that. I know that. I have to accept that.

But more should be heard. [Laughs.] So Nas came to my crib and just took 10 [beats]. I don’t know what he’s going to do with it. Busta took 10 [beats]. I don’t know what he’s going to do with it. ‘Ye, I probably left him with 20. I don’t know what he’s going to do with them.

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So is the “New Day” beat from back in the day?

No. It’s not from back in the day like that. It’s from Dark Fantasy times. When I went down there I was like, “Yo, here goes a stack of joints.” “New Day,” he called me when I was in China on that one. I might have sent that one from China.

Bottom line, I’ve got 10 beat machines full of beats.

Talib Kweli just took a few too. It’s just time for them to air out. They were all saved for Wu-Tang. [Laughs.]

But they’re doing all other kinds of shit.

I never produce for other people like that. My shit was for my brothers. But now it’s like, “Yo, the world can have it. I’m making movies now. Y’all can have the music.”

I’ll just say this last thing, I’ve got a buddy named John Frusciante [who is the lead guitarist of the rock band

not.” Of course, I prefer to get paid for it, because my equipment is expensive, and I’ve got bills and shit, but since he opened my mind that helped me give away all these beats. I didn’t ask nobody for nothing. I’ve got a manager that’ll probably go back and charge these brothers and shit, but as far as I’m concerned? Help yourself.

Your famous for your five year plan of starting WuTang and getting a #1 album in five years. What’s in the next five years for The RZA? Well, I didn’t tell people this plan about directing. I just did it and completed it. So the thing is, complete the plan first. If you talk it out it becomes air. Keep that in your mind, as a young man, grow above it.

Don’t throw it in the universe as air because somebody else will breathe it in. You’ll be watching your shit somewhere else. I’ve seen that happen to myself as

“I never produce for other people lIke that.

My shIt was for My brothers. but now It’s lIke, “yo, the world can have It. I’M MakIng MovIes now. y’all can have the MusIc.” Red Hot Chili Peppers], and he said something to me that changed my whole perspective. He said, “RZA, I don’t do music for money. I do music for music. And my music belongs to the world.”

It’s like, it’s so personal. I was doing it for fun at first, when I was young. Then I started doing it for money.

I started getting paid for it. Then if you don’t pay me, you don’t get the beat. Yet, I’m still making them. If nobody’s buying them, now what’s happening? They’re accumulating and shit.

He freed my mind to be like, “Yo, it’s music, man.

It belongs to the world, whether I get paid for it or

32

well with Seratto [and the Wu-Replicator].

[My original plan] worked. It’s working right now, again. I left the East Coast to come here to be a movie director.

It took five years, but I worked on it. As a man you’ll realize because you’ve probably done the same thing in your life, you had a goal, and you reached it.

They say a wise man sees that. He sees ahead of himself, and then he walks the path to get there. The earth already knows where it’s going, buddy. [Laughs.]

You’ve just got to ride it until we get there.

“The Man With The Iron Fists” - In Cinemas Late 2012

“They say say aa wise wise man man sees sees ThaT. ThaT. “They he sees sees ahead ahead of of himself, himself, and and Then Then he he walks walks The The paTh paTh To To geT geT There.

There. he The earTh earTh already already knows knows where where iT’s iT’s going. going.

The you’ve jusT jusT goT goT To To ride ride iT iT unTil unTil we we geT geT There.”

There.” you’ve 33

GRANDMASTER FLASH

34

35

Without question, Soul Brother #1 Pete Rock is one of the most prolific, influential, and respected hip-hop producers of all-time. His catalogue is extremely revered thanks to ’90s classics such as Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.),” Redman’s “How To Roll A Blunt,” Run DMC’s “Down With The King,” and Nas’ “The World Is Yours,” as well as modern day gems like last year’s breath of fresh air, “The Joy,” with Kanye West & Jay-Z. And let’s not forget the masterful remixes he created (and at times added dope lyrics to) with iconic artists like Public Enemy, House of Pain, and Jeru The Damaja, plus, his highly regarded Soul Survivor solo projects. Yes, twenty years 36

deep, and Mount Vernon’s finest remains among the top beat makers and most heavily sought after DJs in the industry.

Following the release of his latest album Monumental with fellow New York legends Smif N’ Wessun, we chopped it up with the Chocolate Boy Wonder and got the stories behind his greatest records. From the tears shed after hearing “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” mixed for the first time, to Jam Master Jay showing up at his mother’s house unannounced to work on beats, to watching Big Pun lay his verse down for the Soul Survivor album while simultaneously eating a bag of potato chips, Pete shares all his priceless moments.

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Don’t Curse Heavy D featuring Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. rap, Grand Puba, CL smooth, Pete rock, and Q-tip Album: Peaceful Journey Label: Uptown (1991)

That’s family. That’s where I got my start. [Heavy D] is my cousin. This is where it all began, ever since I was nine, ten years old. I’ve been DJing since I learned how to scratch at seven years old. My cousin Floyd, Hev’s older brother [taught me how to scratch].

and on top at that time. He thought it was a great idea to engage them on the beat.

That was actually the first time [I rapped on a record] ever. I never used to write at all. I wrote ‘Don’t Curse’ myself, but I didn’t consider myself a rapper. I didn’t feel I did too bad of a job writing that.

sHut ‘em Down (remix)

working on the beat. I got everything I needed, did it real quick fast [at home before the session] and got the sounds down, then I got in the studio and tweaked it. I chopped it, lined it up better, and perfected it in the big house.

“I [rapped on it] on my own. I just did one version with [my verse] and one without it. They picked the one with it.

They loved it.”

Public enemy featuring Pete rock Album: Shut ‘em Down

Jazz (we’Ve Got)

(Single)

a tribe Called Quest

Label: Def Jam (1991)

Album: The Low End Theory

They had a little crew called Classy Rock Crew, and I was the youngest DJ, but you know, I couldn’t really go out to the parties they were doing late night. But you could catch me in their basement trying to turn on the equipment and practice DJing. My homie ‘Easy’ Lee Davis would help me perfect my scratching, being on time, and making sure I knew the speed [to match up the records].

It was Hev’s idea to make that type of song. He used to make those type of fun songs. We used to always play around in the house and rap. But we had perfected our craft to a point where Hev was getting signed to major labels and putting records out.

Hev came up with the concept, and it was his idea to get the people on it. He went out and got Kane, Q-Tip, all the people that were basically hot

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I had a relationship with Def Jam and at the time I was with a company called Untouchables with Eddie F. They would go out and get us work. I got a shot with Public Enemy, and then after that I had a huge relationship with Chuck D. I was a fan and I used to always see them work because we used the same studio as Keith and Hank Shocklee. I used to be in there watching them.

I saw Ice Cube’s album being produced, I saw a couple of Public Enemy joints being made. From then, I think they wanted to give me a shot because they were hearing about me on the come-up.

I made that beat in like fifteen minutes, that’s what’s ill about it. Immediately when I got the opportunity to do it, I got so excited that I just started

Label: Jive (1991)

Q-Tip came over one day and heard the beat playing and liked it. And I had the records sitting around because I had just made it, so the records were there and he saw what I used. I guess he liked it and went back and tried to re-create it and make it sound just like the way I did it. I had a few more elements in it. I had the same drums and the sample, and he actually did the beat the same way I did it. And he shouted me out [at the end of the song].

At first I was a little upset when I didn’t get the credit when I looked at the album [liner notes], but I’m way over that by now. That was so long ago. I’m on to bigger and better things. I hate talking about old, wack

situations that don’t mean nothing no more. But definitely, that was a classic.

Vamos a RapiaR main source Album: Breaking Atoms Label: Wild Pitch (1991)

I found the sample and made a beat out of it. I said to [Large Professor], ‘Yo, if you wanna use the record, do it your way.’ And he gave me coproducer credit on it. He actually made the drum programming on his album. He didn’t use my version of the beat, he did his own, which I think is a great version. We used to share samples and shit like that. I liked hanging out in his hood, and he liked hanging out in mine.

They Reminisce oVeR you (T.R.o.y.)

“When We finished the song and mixed it, i had Charlie BroWn from leaders of the neW sChool in the session, and When We listened BaCk to the reCord We just started Crying” and Salt-N-Pepa. They were playing around throwing empty garbage cans at each other on stage.

Troy was a playful person like that.

He was at the edge of the stage and it was twenty feet high, and he slipped off the edge and fell [and died]. I don’t know how I made that beat while being depressed for such a long period of time. He was really close with everyone in the neighborhood. Mount Vernon is not that big, it’s four square miles wide and long. Everybody knew him.

pete Rock & cL smooth Album: Mecca and the Soul Brother Label: Elektra (1992)

Troy was a close friend of the neighborhood that we grew up with since we were little. His older brother’s name was Gary. I wasn’t on the road when this happened, but they were on tour with Kid ‘n Play

I found the record [for the sample] when I was digging with Large Professor. I made the base of the beat at my house, and I finished the rest at his house using his SP-950. Q-Tip had nothing to do with [making the beat]. I think what happened was he liked the horn riff that he heard. I had already sampled it, but I filtered it to make the bass line. The horn was already there, but he just thought it was a good idea for me to put it

in there. I made the beat, he just suggested I put that in there.

We used to all go digging together a lot. I used to come to Queens, and they used to come to Mount Vernon, back and forth, going record shopping together, everything.

CL came up with the lyrics even before I came up with the beat. He didn’t have the beat [to write to]. He already had the song written. The beat made me emotional so I figured it would work. When the lyrics came together with the music, that was the match made in heaven. Thank God it matched the way it did. It was a great outcome.

When we finished the song and mixed it, I had Charlie Brown from Leaders Of The New School in the session, and when we listened back to the record we just started crying.

When I felt like that, I was like, ‘This is it.’ Deep in my heart I felt like this was gonna be something big.”

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“When I’m makIng beats, I’m [constructIng them usIng] Whatever Ideas I have In my head and Whatever good records I have around me.

I Was playIng WIth thIs one record, and I heard the sample and I lIked What he Was sayIng, but We Wanted to flIp It and talk about bootleggIng” 40

StRaiGhten it Out Pete Rock & CL Smooth

were clearing them. We had to get permission and clear the samples.

Album: Mecca and the

hOw tO ROLL a BLunt Redman Album: Whut? Thee Album

Soul Brother

Skinz

Label: Def Jam

Label: Elektra

Pete Rock & CL Smooth featuring Grand Puba

(1992)

(1992)

When I’m making beats, I’m [constructing them using] whatever ideas I have in my head and whatever good records I have around me. I was playing with this one record, and I heard the sample and I liked what he was saying, but we wanted to flip it and talk about bootlegging, because that was really strong around that time. Bootlegging cassettes of albums and selling them on 125th Street.

We filmed the video in Essex County Jail, in a real jail, and then from there we went down to 125th Street and did a reenactment of the bootleggers, and us destroying their stand selling our music and taking food out of our mouth. The people weren’t getting the quality sound, and [the bootleggers] were just making a quick dollar.

‘Straighten it out,’ you can take that [phrase] and apply it to any situation you may be dealing with.

If it’s between you and a friend and you guys have friction, ‘Straighten it out.’ Whatever business deal you got or beefs you got with people, ‘Straighten it out.’

We watched other people get sued [for not clearing samples], but we were on a major label so we

Album: Mecca and the Soul Brother Label: Elektra (1992)

The last record we did for the first album was ‘Skinz.’ It was the very last song. That completed the album.

We walked out of the studio and it was snowing, and we were [filming ourselves] on videotape saying we finished the album.

Grand Puba’s family. When it’s family, it’s just a meeting of the minds. Like, ‘Let me get on that!’ ‘Go ahead!’ We were labelmates on Elektra Records.

[He lived] right next door to Mount Vernon [in New Rochelle]. We used to hang out in Lincoln Park. We used to be in New Rochelle a lot, in the projects, going to the football and basketball games. I used to do parties in the New Rochelle High School gym.

I built a relationship with EPMD, and when I met them I met the whole click.

Redman, Keith Murray, everybody.

We became great friends, me and Red. He used to come to my house and just work out in the basement with me and do music. That’s my brother. I treat everyone like they’re family. I get along with everybody.

I gave him the actual disc [with the beat on it] and they loaded it up on their SP and laid it down, mixed it, and put it out. He liked the beat, used it, gave me a shout out on it, and I was happy.

Puba wrote my first two raps [after ‘Don’t Curse’]. We did ‘The Creator,’ and he wrote ‘Soul Brother #1.’ I got inspired [to write my own raps] hanging out with Grand Puba and Brand Nubian. [Puba] used to gas me up. We also did a couple demos in my house that never came out.

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Letterman K-Solo Album: Time’s Up Label: Atlantic (1992)

Once I met [the EPMD click] I started working with everybody, from EPMD down. I’m very grateful for that too.

The way K-Solo delivered, the way he would spell out the words and rhyme it, nobody was really doing that as a rapper. He was original, he didn’t sound like anybody. And that’s what attracted me to him.

I was having fun, just doing what I do best. Taking it to the next level and doing it. I would have stacks of beats, and that was just something that I picked from my stash, and we laid it down.

Jump around (pete rocK remix) House of pain Album: Jump Around (Single) Label: Tommy Boy (1992)

That happened through Tommy Boy. Shout out to Monica Lynch and Tom Silverman for giving me a lot of opportunities to work at Tommy Boy as far as producing. At the time I was doing ‘Jump Around (Pete Rock Remix),’ I was doing ‘Down With The

42

King.’ I was in the A and the B room in The Hit Factory when it used to be on 42nd Street. I would go to one room, finish up whatever I was finishing, scratches or whatever, go to the other room, lay down vocals or do whatever, just going back and forth all night, and finishing up the songs, both of them. I used to do that. The most songs I ever mixed and finished in one day was two songs, being in a studio with a budget.

[I was a fan of the original ‘Jump Around’]. The original is what I come on with first when I’m DJing at parties, and then I hit ‘em with the remix. They asked me to rap on it, if I can remember. Everlast is cool, that’s my dog. I haven’t seen him in a while. Last time I saw him was when I was on the “Rock The Bells” tour. We chit chatted back stage for a little bit.

I love Everlast and what he does.

Everything started falling in the pipeline once the ‘Shut ‘Em Down (Remix)’ came out. Everyone wanted me to remix their records. So I just seized the opportunities. Back then I used to just re-work the [song] and put in a totally different beat. Any time I was getting ready to do a remix, I would just get the tempo of the original song, and make the beat to that tempo. There’s your remix. It’s just a different beat.

down witH tHe King run dmc featuring pete rock & cL Smooth Album: Down With the King Label: Profile (1993)

That was a great opportunity. I thought I was dreaming actually, because I used to be a big fan of

Run DMC. I remember buying their records when I was only 11 years old.

When the opportunity came about, I thought it was a great idea to help get those guys back on the charts.

That’s what I did.

Jam Master Jay, R.I.P. man. He was the realest cat. He would show up at my mother’s house, unannounced, and when I would go to the front door and see it was him, I really, really, literally thought I was dreaming.

He’d be like, ‘Come on Pete, let’s go finish working on the song.’ I would hurry up and get dressed, brush my teeth, wash my face, comb my hair, and go across to the basement and start making music.

I went to [John Jay University] for a little while. I had a friend of mine that went to the school and I used to just go hang out with him on campus and stuff. And I ended up just taking a course or two, but I didn’t really do college too tough. Everything was taking off. I was in the music business, and that was more demanding. Not that it was more important, because nothing is more important than school, but it was demanding of my time. And I was having fun, so I put school on the back burner.

Blue Funk

THe WorlD Is Yours

Heavy D

nas Album: Blue Funk

Album: Illmatic

Label: Uptown

Label: Columbia

(1993)

(1994)

I remember making that beat in the basement, and Hev grooving to it. Once Hev hears something and starts grooving to it, he’s gonna make something with it. So that’s what happened, and how ‘Blue Funk’ came about.

I remember the record [I sampled], but I don’t put that type of information out, it ruins the fun. I’ll let people find it on their own. If you know it’s a sample, then find it. It’s out there for people to find. I’m not gonna just give it to you like that. No one’s really supposed to do that as a producer.

I use the SP-1200 still. It’s a dinosaur drum machine. They didn’t make any after that. I got three of them.

I met Nas through Large Professor because he was from Queens.

When I was hanging out in Queens, he would take me all over meeting different people and different rappers. Once I met Nas, he brought Nas up to my house, and we were going through music, and I played him ‘The World Is Yours’ beat.

It wasn’t nothing at the time, it was just a beat that he heard that he liked.

But it was a great piano riff, and he wanted to make the song. He had the idea of me singing in the chorus on it. He told me, ‘I want you to sing it.’

I told him, ‘Nah, I’m not singing, I’m not a singer.’ But he made me do it, and it came out the way it is now.

We never did a live show [with Run DMC], but we should have. [CL and I] were broken up at the time after ‘Down With The King.’ That next year, after The Main Ingredient dropped, we parted ways.

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Large knew that he had a jewel [in Nas]. And once I started working with him, he just had me on board. I was already convinced [of his talents] after that. The album started coming together when we started hearing each other’s work.

Once I heard ‘One Love’ I was like, ‘Wow, this is dope.’ And Premier said when he heard ‘The World Is Yours,’ he went back and made ‘Represent.’

We were all kind of in competition with the music for a great rapper.

No one will ever stop talking about Illmatic.

I Got A Love

off of that album [first], like ‘Take You There’ or something else from [The Main Ingredient]. It’s all good though, it is what it is. It’s all good music.

There’s nothing better than coming to the source and re-doing it, but I respect the fact that everybody knows what that sample is and who used it, and [Jay Electronica, Jay-Z, and TheDream] brought it back and flipped it [on ‘Shiny Suit Theory’]. That’s dope.

I like to hear stuff like that.

Prophet (Single) Label: Payday

Pete Rock & CL Smooth featuring Crystal Johnson

1994

Album: The Main Ingredient

Label: Elektra

Label: Elektra

1994

1994

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Jeru the Damaja

tAke You theRe

Album: The Main Ingredient

A close friend of ours that used to work with us suggested that we put that out as the first single. I kinda went with it, even though I felt we could have put out another single

CAn’t StoP the PRoPhet (Pete RoCk RemIx)

Album: You Can’t Stop the

Pete Rock & CL Smooth

I make beats in abundance. All the time, I used to be in the house all day, making beats from morning until it’s time to go to bed. Whatever was there, CL picked, and we made something out of it. I just added sprinkles on top of it to make it what it is, scratches and so forth, and came up with [‘I Got A Love’]. We did the video in Jamaica, so that was fun.

Crystal Johnson [who sang the hook] is actually still around doing music and doing functions, trying to get her music out there. She’s a great singer.

We never got the chance to really get it in as far as for her own solo stuff, but we’re friends on Facebook, so we’ll get something done.

I felt [‘Take You There’ was strong enough to be the first single off The Main Ingredient] at the time for what [radio] was requesting. The music was slowly, slowly starting to change, and being on a major label, they used to always stress making ‘radio records.’ So this was one of them that I felt would’ve been a good first single. But, you know, so be it.

It made sense because everyone knew the sample. It was an old classic. But no one used the part in the middle like that. O.C. used it, but no disrespect, I feel I chopped the beat a little bit better.

I just asked for the tempo, and built my own beat around that tempo. I did [remixes that way] a lot.

“I grabbed a couple excItIng sounds, put them together, mIxed them up, saw what I could use, and what I couldn’t. If I felt somethIng was too much, I took It out, left the rest, and put somethIng IntrIguIng on top.”

I had a relationship with [Jeru and DJ Premier] at that time. I had a relationship with everybody, but I wasn’t hanging with those guys.

Payday [Records] asked me to do [the remix]. [When Premier heard the remix] he loved it.

“Premier said when he heard ‘The world is Yours’ he wenT back and made ‘rePresenT.’ we were all kind of in comPeTiTion wiTh The music for a greaT raPPer.”

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Juicy (Remix) The Notorious B.i.G. Album: “Juicy” (Single) Label: Bad Boy/Arista 1994

That was a song I contributed for his album, and I ended up doing the remix. I just basically took the same elements and made my own drums and used the loop, but just the Rhodes part of it, not the beat. It turned out to be cool, because it was ill to hear him on a hip-hop version of it.

I got a chance to meet [Biggie]. I invited him to my house, and that’s my great memory of him. He was funny. I was playing beats for him, and he’d be writing constantly.

He does that. [Biggie and I once] recorded a promo for radio back in the days, where I had the drum machine hooked up at Marley Marl’s house. I had the beat playing and he started freestyling to it.

If he was still alive, he would be the king with all the money. No disrespect to anyone out there getting their paper, but [he would be on top].”

“If he was stIll alIve, he would be the king” 46

RatheR UniqUe

Gimme YoURs

aZ

aZ featuring nas Album: Doe or Die

Album: Doe or Die

Label: EMI

Label: EMI

1995

1995

I met AZ way before Nas. I was working with AZ when we both were nobodies. I met AZ through a friend of mine who was from the Bronx and moved to Mount Vernon right on my mother’s block, and we became real close and used to hang out with each other a lot.

He knew AZ, and one day he introduced me to him. We were working with him down in my basement, and we used to go out to East New York to look for him and pick him up and bring him back to the house to work with him.

‘Rather Unique’ was ill because I had it perfected, with the beat ready with all these nice little fill-ins and drum stuff going on. And the assistant engineer stepped on the plug by accident, and I didn’t save it, and I had to re-make it. I had it going better than what you hear now. It was crazy. I had it going really dope before. I just did what I could, but there were certain things I did that I couldn’t remember from when I was programming it. I was mad.

That happened the same time ‘Rather Unique’ happened. I just ended up doing two [songs with AZ]. He picked two beats. And he said ‘I’m gonna put Nas on the hook.’ They were [in the studio] together. At that point in time, people were still in the studio with each other, before this email stuff came out. We were at Greene Street studios in Manhattan. It was quiet and fun, that’s about it.

We were excited and really happy for [AZ] for his first record deal. Him and Nas developed a relationship, he got on Illmatic, made that hit record ‘Life’s A Bitch,’ and that [played a part in him getting his deal]. But I knew AZ before I met Nas.

the BitCh in Yoo Common Album: “The Bitch In Yoo” (Single) Label: Relativity 1996

I remember getting a phone call from [Common] saying how upset he was about getting disrespected by Ice Cube. I told him, ‘If you need my help, I’m here.’ He came to New York

and we hung out at a friend’s house.

I made that beat at a friend’s house with records that I had given him so he could make beats, because he made beats too. I left them over there, [so I used them] and came up with the track. I couldn’t believe that [Common] would like it. I thought I would have to go home amongst my stuff. He was right there with me when I made it.

He was cHarged up.

I felt, as a man, If you feel dIsrespected, and you feel tHat In your Heart, you fIre back. tHat’s wHat It Is. tHat’s How real men are supposed to get down. but tHIs was a wax tHIng. I tHInk common stood up as a man and told HIm How He really felt. It was memorable, man.

Very classic moment.

I think Ice Cube might have been mad at me for the beat. But I mean, I make beats. It is what it is. It doesn’t matter to me if someone wants to use me for a beat to get at somebody.

What I thought was dumb was saying if you make the beat then you have something to do with it. Nah, this is a man who’s gotta get something off his chest. If you don’t respect that, then I don’t know what to tell you.

But I don’t think Ice Cube’s thinking about that anymore. He has had a great career.

I don’t think he’s mad at me for that.

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Common put [the intro that samples The Education Of Sonny Carson]. I didn’t put that in there, they put that in there. He likes movies, so that must have came up in his head and he said, ‘I’m gonna use that part.’

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK

FAKIN’ JAX

That was actually first an interlude on The Main Ingredient. Putting beats between records, I always thought that was something nobody really did before. And The Main Ingredient, being that it was such a classic album, Sadat reached out to me and was like, ‘Yo, what’s up with that beat?’ I ended up giving him the beat and putting Deda on it. We recorded that in Greene Street, [my home base studio at that time].

InI featuring Pete Rock Album: “Fakin’ Jax” Single Label: Elektra 1996

The whole InI album was created in my basement. My younger brother [Grap Luva] was in the group, and he brought these other two members into the group, Rob-O and Rassan. I always liked the way Rob-O rapped.

We got them a deal on Elektra before the President of Elektra records, Bob Krasnow, left. Before Sylvia Rhone came into the picture.

He was the one who set me up with the deal and actually liked InI. He put us in the studio to finish the album, and do a video [for ‘Fakin Jax’], and so forth. But when Sylvia Rhone came into the picture, we didn’t see eye to eye on the project. She didn’t understand where we were coming from with that.

Sadat X featuring Deda Album: Wild Cowboys Label: Loud 1996

THE SAGA BEGINS Deda is a solo artist. He’s from Mount Vernon. I asked him to [get on the song]. But they built a relationship.

[Sadat] always liked Deda’s style, the way he rhymed and stuff. So he wanted him on the song.

IN THE WORLD Pete Rock & Large Professor Album: High School High: The Soundtrack Label: Big Beat/Atlantic 1996

We collaborated on that. I came up with the bass line and the drums, and he came up with all the other stuff you hear on it. The ‘in the world’ and the person screaming. I had a good

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feel for the beat, so I was intrigued to rhyme on it. We went back and forth.

I thought it would be a good idea to do it like that.

I did Menace II Society, Poetic Justice, and The Fan with Robert De Niro.

Atlantic Records put [High School High] out. I did some work with Atlantic, and I was pretty familiar with all the people up there, and I think that [placement] just came from me having a track record of being on soundtracks.

We never performed together a lot out there like that. We just did the song because we were having fun with the music. It was more of a hang out thing.

Rakim Album: The 18th Letter Label: Universal/MCA 1997

Rakim reached out, and we met up somewhere and I gave him a CD of beats. He put the vocals down on a half inch tape, and I ended up picking up the vocals from the studio he was working at. It had to happen like that because he was having some issues with the law, so he couldn’t really leave [to go places freely]. I always listened to cats [like Rakim] to keep myself on my toes, to help inspire me to be different. I used to hang out with him in Queens. I had family out there.

THA GAME Pete Rock featuring Raekwon, Ghostface & Prodigy Album: Soul Survivor Label: Loud/RCA/BMG 1998

[The song came together] from me being on the label, on Loud [Records], and everyone hanging up at the Loud office. Up there, there was a lot going on. Pun, Mobb Deep, WuTang was actually the best rap roster at that time. And I was grateful to be a part of that. I used to always be up at the Loud office. One day, Raekwon was up there, and we just kicked it, I played a couple of beats, and we figured out that I would use him, Prodigy, and Ghostface on the song.

There’s not really [a story behind that beat], I just heard the loop real quick and put it down. Everybody killed it, nobody more than anyone else.

That’s why the song is so historic.

Everyone is on one level. People were blown away.

STRANGE FRUIT Pete Rock featuring Tragedy, Cappadonna, & Sticky Fingaz

There were a couple of compilations that came out [around that time], but I thought it would be great to do a compilation on some Pete Rock shit.

That’s basically what I was on. And we would think of people to go and get. Cappadonna was easy because Wu-Tang was already on Loud. That was a given. Then we just went and fished for Sticky, and he was down.

And Tragedy been my man for years.

I met Tragedy back in ‘88, and we’ve been friends ever since. I wanted to make something eerie, and I always liked the song by Billie Holiday, so I thought it would be a good idea to make a beat like that and call it ‘Strange Fruit.’

VERBAL MURDER 2 Pete Rock featuring Big Punisher, Noreaga, & Common Album: Soul Survivor Label: Loud/RCA/BMG 1998

I remember Pun being in the booth, and he did everything in one take, and asked to do it again. When he did the first take, he was eating a bag of Onion and Garlic Wise potato chips at the same time.

Album: Soul Survivor Label: Loud/RCA/BMG 1998

Me and a guy named Chris LaMonica were executive producing the album.

I’ll never forget this. He was sitting in the chair. He was eating the bag of chips, started doing the verse, stopped, and then started eating the chips again. He did the verse in one take, and I was satisfied

with the one verse, but he wanted to do another take just in case I needed it for anything, back-up adlibs or whatever. He was a straight professional. Pun came in and did his verse real quick, and Nore came another day. And then Common came one day and did his verse.

IT’S A LOVE THING Pete Rock featuring CL Smooth & Denosh Album: Soul Survivor II Label: BBE/Rapstar 2004

[CL and I] weren’t together still, but I just thought it was a good idea to use him on the song. He was with it, we did the song, and went about our ways again. We did another song called ‘Back On The Block’ too.

I would just use him sporadically, but the relationship wasn’t A+.

Regardless, I would always keep him in mind and use something, and give the fans something that they missed.

At this point in time right now, I think it’s best that he be by his own solo self and just work with other people.

We discussed [doing another album the last time we were] on tour, but that was on tour. It’s a different story when we come back home. No one’s the same. I just figured, if it doesn’t work, it’s not gonna work. If it happens, everybody will be the first to know.

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G’Z UP

BE EASY

Jim Jones featuring Max B

Ghostface Killah featuring Trife

Album: Harlem: Diary of

Album: FishScale

a Summer

Label: Def Jam

Label: Diplomat/Koch

2006

2005

That was dope. I came to one of [Jim Jones’] sessions one night, and just popped in to say what’s up. And I had a couple of beats with me, and I played some. We ended up doing a song called ‘G’z Up.’ We did that first. They bodied that.

Going to the studio in Staten Island and hanging out with Ghost was great. When I started playing beats for him, he was very attentive, and that’s what I liked about him.

Everything I was playing him was fire, but he’s not too picky. He’s like, ‘I like

this, and I like this, and I like this, and I like that.’ It was easy working with Ghost.

I think [we linked up through] his manager Mike Caruso, or through hanging out in a Busta Rhymes session talking to somebody, something like that. Somewhere in the facility of what we do. I expressed to him that I’d love to work with him.

I did like five joints for Fishscale. They only used three. One of the songs that they didn’t use on Fishscale, ‘How You Like Me Baby,’ is now on the Apollo Kids album.

He’s like, ‘i like tHis, and i like tHis, and i like tHis, and i like tHat.’

It was easy workIng wIth ghost.

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R.A.G.U. Ghostface Killah featuring Raekwon

this is how you rock to this.’ And then Jim caught wind and said, ‘Oh, okay.’ And we ended up doing the song, and it turned out really dope.

Album: FishScale Label: Def Jam 2006

REMEMBER J Dilla featuring Bilal

‘R.A.G.U.’ was [a beat I made] that I would have loved to have heard him and Raekwon on. I just threw the idea out there, and they made it happen.

[When I make beats for them, I need that] griminess, guttery, New York swag with “the corner bodega with the cats outside shooting dice, playing basketball, in the park drinking brew with your homies” type of shit. I have every Wu-Tang record you could ever imagine, even unreleased ones.

I got all the albums, and all their solo albums. I like Ghost’s album, Raekwon’s album, Meth’s albums, ODB’s album, GZA’s album, when RZA was Bobby Digital, all that. I was Wu’d out for a minute.

WE ROLL Pete Rock featuring Jim Jones and Max B Album: NY’s Finest

Album: Pay Jay Label: MCA 2008

He was a great guy. We had a great relationship. Very humble and quiet.

But when something intrigued him, that’s when you’d see him start to sprout. When we met it was like , ‘Wow, wow, wow, wow!’ Like, back and forth. Q-Tip came and played me a cassette of his beats. Then I arranged my own meeting.

Someone from the Detroit side of things, I forget who, I got their number. I bought a plane ticket to Detroit and hung out with Dilla for a whole week. I spent the night at his house, he told me I could sleep down in his lab, make beats if I want, and use his records. Who does that?

I wouldn’t do that with [someone I didn’t know personally that well].

Label: Nature Sounds 2008

That was for my album [NY’s Finest].

I hit them with the beat, and Jim couldn’t really figure out how to rhyme on it, but Max B was like, ‘Yo,

His Moms told me that [he was a big fan of mine]. He kept it pretty composed, but little spurts would come out, in his smile or his giggle.

But his Moms was the one who told me the whole truth. She was like, ‘Look, my son wanted to be just like

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“I loved hIs beats more of course, but I loved the way J dIlla rapped.” you.’ I said, ‘Wow, are you serious?

Well, he learned very well! He actually took it a level higher than me!’

And that’s what you’re supposed to do if you’re the new person. Stand in your own light, and take it steps higher than the current person that’s [on top]. I felt at the time that was what he was doing. I loved it.

Immediately, he became my favorite producer. [If he was still alive] he would own it right now. He would own the title of ‘Number One HipHop Producer.’ Everyone gotta get a turn at that. [My turn started] after ‘Reminisce.’ [Laughs.] After my first album I felt like I was on top. I had a silent ego. My ego spoke through the music.

Just the way [Dilla] did his music, the way he did his beats, the way he chopped samples, the way he played live instruments, and the way he thought of bass lines. We shared a lot of that stuff, talking about how we made beats. I would play him some of my beats, he would play his, and we would make beats. It was just fun.

It was a great experience knowing him. I never knew he was sick at all.

I never knew until it started to really get detrimental. It was a shock to me man. It was crazy.

I played that ‘Remember’ beat from the SP-1200. He had it hooked up in his basement, so I brought discs with me from New York. He used the SP too. That’s what I used my whole

52

career, so after people heard I was fucking with the SP hard body like that, everyone started using it. I was playing beats on the discs, and when he heard that beat, he fell in love with it. He was like, ‘Yo, I wanna rhyme to that.’ So I laid it down right there in his house and I let him do whatever he wanted to do with it. I loved his beats more of course, but I loved the way J Dilla rapped.

I met that cat in 1994. Actually, there’s a videotape out there of him picking me up from the airport and I’m getting in his Navigator and he’s blasting Mecca and the Soul Brother as I’m walking to the car. He’s winding the window down playing ‘For Pete’s Sake’ really loud. That’s from the first time I met him. I’m playing my beats for him in his truck and he’s bugging out. [The video is] not out there, but I’m trying to get it.

Not to put on YouTube or anything, just for my own personal [collection].

IT’S LIKE THAT The Lox featuring Snipe Album: N/A Label: N/A 2008

When you think back to 1992, lots of people were [sampling] Bob James.

Always using ‘Nautilus’ ‘Mardi Gras’ ‘Tappan Zee’ and using everything

you could imagine from him. But the way you hear my beat, I had different drums to it. It was the Rap City theme song for the show on BET, and they would come on with that beat.

Then when Arsenio Hall was still on the air, I played that beat for everybody to rap to, from Q-Tip to ODB to GZA to Phife to MC Lyte.

When Arsenio was going off the air he did a big tribute with rappers, and I played on his show with the band for a week, and I was the band director.

When the rappers came on, I was playing my beats straight out the SP1200 with the band. And that was the beat that everyone was freestyling to.

You know Yonkers and Mount Vernon, it’s like right here. I used to do parties in Yonkers. I used to go to little holein-the-wall spots like Brown Eyes and so forth, and be hanging out there. Plus I used to go to the DMV out there, and do School 12 parties, which is an elementary school [in Yonkers], and doing parties with my man Earl in Slobaum. So I’m very familiar with Y.O. Those cats were around, but they were younger than me. When you’re all in the same neighborhood and place, things just happen. Sheek Louch reached out to me and said they wanted to use that [specific beat].

Then they just took a memorable beat and made it D-Block. They’re one of my favorite groups right now.

“I would play hIm some of my beats, he would play hIs, and we would make beats.

It was just fun. It was a great experIence knowIng hIm. I never knew he was sIck at all.

I never knew untIl It started to really get detrImental.

It was a shock to me man.

It was crazy.”

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STAY ON YOUR LEVEL

A-YO

SONNY’S MISSING

Charles Hamilton

Method Man & Redman featuring Saukrates

Raekwon

Album: Death Of The Mixtape Rapper

Linx... Part II

Label: N/A

Label: Def Jam

Label: Ice H2O/EMI

2008

2009

2009

I didn’t really work with him. I think he got one of my beats somehow and just made a song out of it. I met him before, but I never really worked with him like that. We never had any physical type of dealing whatsoever.

He probably just heard the beat, snatched it, and didn’t know I did it until somebody said something.

It didn’t come out on an album or nothing like that, so it’s all good. I never heard it. I know what beat it is, but I never heard him on it. I gotta check it out.

I limit emailing beats because people do steal shit and don’t want to pay. I had a situation like that. I’d rather not say the person’s name, but they’re a huge artist and they used my beat.

They knew they used my beat, but they didn’t want to pay me. They tried to act like they didn’t know it was my beat.

But the manager begged me to send them beats for the artist, and I did, and when I heard the beat on the album I flipped out. I was like, ‘Wow.’ So I quickly got on the job, got my lawyers involved and everything, and got my money and my publishing.

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Album: Only Built For Cuban Album: Blackout! 2

Redman was like, ‘Yo, I think I like that joint.’ He actually did the vocals and sent it back to me, and I listened to it, and I heard Saukrates from Toronto on the hook, and I was like, ‘Wow, that’s dope.’ Then he put Meth [on it]. I didn’t know it was going to be a Red and Meth song.

But it made sense for both of them to have it because they both sound great on it. Redman and Method Man are superheroes. [Redman and I] hit each other up still, but we don’t hang out as much as we used to. Life is reality man. When shit gets rough, you gotta buckle down and hustle.

I originally did that beat for Royal Flush [on NY’s Finest]. What happened was, I gave the beat to Raekwon [way before I used it with Royal Flush], and it was just lingering for years and years. Sometimes you can’t get to stuff right away. I didn’t think he wanted the beat anymore, so I used it for my album. Then I hear it on his album. I didn’t think nothing of it, but I wish he came and got another beat from me though, because I would have definitely laced him with some fire.

I think he [realized it], but it is what it is. It actually made sense for Raekwon to rhyme over it. The sample is from The Education of Sonny Carson soundtrack, and they actually introduced that movie to hiphop. It felt great [to be a part of Only Built For Cuban Linx II].

Raekwon is a master. I’ve been a fan since day one. I used to go to Wu sessions just to hang out. I used to tell them the same stories I’m telling you. They would want to know how I made this beat and that beat, and what I was thinking about. All due respect to the general, salute. I got beats for him, when he gets time, he’ll sit down with me and we’ll do it.

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“on ‘Runaway’ those aRe the dRums fRom ‘the Basement’ that I chopped. those dRums, the way that they’Re looped, you can’t just put the RecoRd down and get It. the patteRn, the way I put It together, Is lIke a jIgsaw puzzle.”

THE JOY Kanye West featuring Jay-Z

‘Ye and he loved it, he wanted to use it as soon as he heard it. I brought a lot of other stuff that he liked.

been trying to work with Jay, and I think he says the same thing, but we kept missing each other.

I laid down a version to ‘Dark Fantasy,’ and on ‘Runaway’ those are the drums from ‘The Basement’ that I chopped. Those drums, the way that they’re looped, you can’t just put the record down and get it. The pattern, the way I put it together, is like a jigsaw puzzle.

I’ve laid tracks down for [Watch The Throne], but I don’t think they’ve used anything. I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. I have no idea if [‘The Joy’] is going to be on Watch The Throne. I don’t want to say nothing until I know the facts. My suggestion is that it has to go somewhere. To not use it would be a travesty.

Album: G.O.O.D. Friday Series/Watch The Throne Label: G.O.O.D. Music 2010

‘The Joy’ is a beat I had since ‘96, ‘97. And I was just sitting on it, debating on who I would give it to.

First I gave it to Strong Arm Steady, and that didn’t work out, because Busta said he did something to it.

Then that didn’t work out, so I gave it to Kanye West and he did something to it and put Jay-Z on it, and that was the end all be all right there.

Kanye’s ex-bodyguard reached out to me and said he was looking for me.

I went to Hawaii, and I played it for

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He got Jay-Z on it. That’s his homie, you know. Jay-Z didn’t come to Hawaii to lay his vocals [when I was there]. I was there for a whole week, and then after I left, weeks later, Young Guru the engineer called me and said, ‘I got a surprise for you.’ He played me the song with Jay-Z on it, and I was blown away. Because for years I’ve

I thought about [rapping on ‘The Joy’], but it’s all good. I didn’t want him to outdo me on my own track either. But I would rap with Kanye, it’s not like I’m scared to do it. At that point in time, I didn’t have anything.

I have to be in a certain mode for my rhymes to sound correct.

THAT’S HARD Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun featuring Sean Price & Styles P

out of respect for Tek and Steele, the artists came forth, that’s all I can say about that. It was a beautiful thing to get all them on a track together.

Album: Monumental Label: Duck Down 2011

I think word gets out pretty quick, ‘Yo, Pete Rock’s producing an album for Tek and Steele. We should round up this person and that person.’ But

They [recorded] that on their own, and I came in one day, and they played the song with Styles on it, and I was like, ‘Wow!’ I kept rewinding the verse like, ‘This is crazy.’ I didn’t [know they were getting him].

That was a surprise to me.

Me and Dru Ha been friends for years, so we always talked about working and doing a project together, and now here it is. What we talked about doing for years is finally done. The response has been great. We had the listening party at the Ace Hotel in New York hosted by Cipha Sounds, and it turned out pretty good. I don’t want to jinx anything, but I have a pretty good lineup [for 2011]. I am actually doing a song with Nas for his new album.

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DJ PREMIER

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60

THE DREAMER/THE BELIEVER COMMON Common’s in a great place.

Initially perceived as a boisterous, 40 oz-drinking MC on his first two LPs in the early ‘90s, he evolved into the poster boy for conscious rap during the next decade. His last LP, the disappointing Universal Mind Control, was unusually stripped of substance, but fairly reflected what the Chicago MC had become—a mainstream rap star with Hollywood success.

Now, 39, Com is comfortable enough to show all facets of his personality without appearing conflicted. The Dreamer/The Believer paints the perfect picture of Rashid “Common” Lynn—the artist, the man.

He returns to his brash roots on “Sweet” and “Raw (How You Like It)”—spitting, “’You Hollywood,’ nah nigga, I’m Chicago/So I cracked his head with a muthafuckin’ bottle.”

He’s as women-friendly as ever on “Lovin’ I Lost,” “Cloth” and “Windows,” then parties up on “Celebrate.”

Don’t let the motion picture roles fool you. Com is an MC first. He flexes his lyrical muscle throughout the LP. “Lyrical gymnast, you set the bar low,” he spits on “Gold.”

Aside from chorus assistance from Makeba Riddick, James Fauntlero and John Legend, the LP’s sole rap guest appearance comes from Nas on “Ghetto Dreams.”

Com delivers a backpacker’s wet dream with the oft requested collaboration—the two previously appeared on Jadakiss’s “Why (Remix)” and Hi-Tek’s “Music for Life.”

The Dreamer/The Believer may be Com’s most digestible LP to date. His penchant for uplifting bars is still present, but the message is sprinkled across a number of songs, not a dominant theme. Don’t look for sore points, here.

There are none. Com and No I.D.’s chemistry clearly hasn’t suffered from a 14-

Label: Warner, Think Common Music Inc. Production: No I.D.

year break—the two longtime collaborators hadn’t worked together since 1997’s One Day It’ll All Make Sense. No—who mans the board on all 11 songs— matches’s Com’s moods with fittingly choice soundscapes ranging from soulful (“Gold”) to rock solid (“Sweet”) to quasi futuristic (“Blue Sky”)—allowing the Chi-Town vet to deliver a cohesive album that ranks among the best in his stellar 19year career

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TM103: HUSTLER’Z AMBITION YOUNG JEEZY With much much of of the the blogosphere blogosphere With saying he he lost lost it, it, the the streets streets saying feening for some motivation feening for some motivation and longtime longtime fans fans looking looking for for and reasons to believe again, Young reasons to believe again, Young Jeezy has has been been in in unfamiliar unfamiliar Jeezy territory for the last two years. years. territory for the last two For the the first first time time since since entering entering For the game with street classics the game with street classics Trap Or Or Die Die and and Let’s Let’s Get Get It: It: Trap Thug Motivation 101, Jizzle’s Thug Motivation 101, Jizzle’s once secure secure spot spot as as The The once People’s Champ was coming People’s Champ was coming into question. question. Fast Fast forward forward into through months of broken through months of broken release dates, dates, aa quasi-beef quasi-beef with with release a certain other Def Jam artist, a certain other Def Jam artist, and returning returning the the Real Real with with DJ DJ and Drama on two well-received Drama on two well-received mixtapes, and and Da Da Snowman Snowman mixtapes, has returned to silence talk of of has returned to silence talk demise on on the the soundtrack soundtrack aa demise to his comeback story, TM:103 TM:103 to his comeback story, Hustlerz Ambition.

Ambition.

Hustlerz The highly highly anticipated anticipated The threequel in the Thug Thug threequel in the Motivation series series finds finds Jeezy— Jeezy— Motivation confident as ever—making confident as ever—making an emphatic emphatic reemergence, reemergence, an carrying a feeling of revival revival carrying a feeling of from 2005s 2005s Let’s Let’s Get Get It, It, from sprinkled with moments of sprinkled with moments of growth and and realization. realization. growth “They waiting, waiting, they they waiting,” waiting,” “They echoes Jeez as the blaring echoes Jeez as the blaring intro (fittingly (fittingly titled titled “Waiting”) “Waiting”) intro

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cracks open open the the class. class. cracks Confident as as ever, ever, Da Da Snowman Snowman Confident reintroduces himself and reintroduces himself and brushes off off the the skeptics skeptics roaring, roaring, brushes “I made it this far, a fool with “I made it this far, a fool with my foolish foolish pride/Look pride/Look at at me, me, my what you see?

A fool and his what you see? A fool and his foolish ride/Y’all ride/Y’all know know damn damn foolish well I wouldn’t lettin’ you niggas well I wouldn’t lettin’ you niggas down/Just to to sit sit back back and and down/Just watch you led by these fuckin’ watch you led by these fuckin’ clowns/Four albums albums in, in, niggas niggas clowns/Four still talking this real shit/Three still talking this real shit/Three classics in, in, nigga, nigga, and and that’s that’s classics on some real shit.”

Produced on some real shit.” Produced by burgeoning burgeoning beatsmith, beatsmith, Lil Lil by Lody—who crafted eight tracks Lody—who crafted eight tracks on the the album—the album—the intro intro rises rises on to expectations, offering the to expectations, offering the same sort sort of of anthemic anthemic feel feel that that same consumes the openers to plenty consumes the openers to plenty of Jeezy’s Jeezy’s projects. projects. of On the the raucous raucous “Just “Just Like Like That,” That,” On Mr. 17.5 (if those numbers are Mr. 17.5 (if those numbers are still correct) correct) wears wears his his bravado bravado still on his sleeve as he flaunts on his sleeve as he flaunts his partygoer partygoer ways ways over over the the his Drumma Boy produced street Drumma Boy produced street banger, bellowing, bellowing, “I’m “I’m the the life life banger, of the party, bring the party of the party, bring the party some life/You life/You know know I’m I’m deaddeadsome ass serious/Why? Cause said ass serious/Why? Cause II said it twice/We twice/We talking talking straight straight it suicide, we taking shots to the the suicide, we taking shots to head/Must be be drinking drinking amnesia, amnesia, head/Must ’cause I forgot what I said.”

With ’cause I forgot what I said.” With the chilling chilling “OJ”—accentuated “OJ”—accentuated the

Label: Def Jam, Corporate Thugz Production: Lil’ Lody, D. Rich, Drumma Boy, Lil’ C, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Mike Dupree, Warren G, M16, Midnight Black, Mike Will

with piano piano keys—the keys—the selfselfwith assuredness is is kicked kicked up up assuredness another notch as Jeezy, along another notch as Jeezy, along with featured featured guests guests Fabolous Fabolous with and Jadakiss, flood the streetand Jadakiss, flood the streetfantasia with with coke coke braggadocio braggadocio fantasia and luxury raps. and luxury raps.

On such such an an anticipated anticipated project, project, On the Trapper-turned-Thug Trapper-turned-Thug the Motivator delivers an an appeasing appeasing Motivator delivers body of of work work that that was was indeed indeed body worth the wait.

From the worth the wait. From the chest-pumping “Nothing,” “Nothing,” to to chest-pumping the standing-on-the-couch the standing-on-the-couch

So is ‘Da Snowman’ back? It feels like he never left. club tinged tinged anthem anthem “Way “Way club Too Gone” (with Future), not Too Gone” (with Future), not to mention mention the the tranquilizing tranquilizing to “Higher Learning” (alongside “Higher Learning” (alongside Snoop Dogg Dogg and and Devin Devin the the Snoop Dude), the album offers Dude), the album offers aa cogent dose dose of of everything, everything, cogent while still managing to not not feel feel while still managing to all over over the the place. place. Longtime Longtime fans fans all may have a problem with the may have a problem with the radio-ready “Leave “Leave You You Alone” Alone” radio-ready (featuring Ne-Yo), but Jizzle (featuring Ne-Yo), but Jizzle actually sounds sounds comfortable, comfortable, actually and he makes up for any any and he makes up for transgressions on on the the insatiable insatiable transgressions “All We Do (Smoke & Fuck).”

“All We Do (Smoke & Fuck).”

Infused with with aa flurry flurry of of ardent ardent Infused go-getta beats (“Everythang”) go-getta beats (“Everythang”) and, well, well, motivation, motivation, TM:103 TM:103 and, does captures the essentia of does captures the essentia of his prior prior albums. albums. Offering Offering the the his fire of TM101, the rollick -andfire of TM101, the rollick -andcelebration of of TM102 TM102 and and the the celebration rowdiness of The Recession, the rowdiness of The Recession, the album is is more more effective effective than than album ineffective, far more energetic ineffective, far more energetic than boring. boring. than

Another highlight highlight comes comes with with Another the inspiring “Trapped” (next to the inspiring “Trapped” (next to Jill Scott)—where Scott)—where Jeezy Jeezy offers offers Jill some of the realist shit he ever some of the realist shit he ever wrote over over J.U.S.T.I.C.E J.U.S.T.I.C.E League’s League’s wrote lurching backdrop (“I’ve been lurching backdrop (“I’ve been cursed since since the the day day this this Earth Earth cursed earthed me/I been cursed since earthed me/I been cursed since the day day my my momma momma birthed birthed the me/And how did I get here in in me/And how did I get here the first first place?/Oh, place?/Oh, that’s that’s right right the the trap was my birthplace”) the trap was my birthplace”) and the the soulful soulful exuberance exuberance and cooing “I Do” featuring Jay-Z cooing “I Do” featuring Jay-Z and Andre Andre 3000.

3000. and Despite the the wealth wealth of of features, features, Despite Snow’s fourth studio album is Snow’s fourth studio album is indeed aa win. win. It’s It’s not not glutted glutted indeed with a blizzard of coke boasts with a blizzard of coke boasts like his his previous previous projects projects in in the the like TM series, and offers a little TM series, and offers a little more variety variety than than just just street street more cuts.

Rest assured, the album is is cuts. Rest assured, the album filled with with anthems anthems that’ll that’ll have have filled you riding around your hood all you riding around your hood all day with with your your gun gun shit. shit. day

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POPULATION CONTROL STATIK SELEKTAH After releasing three compilation albums and a slew of collaborative EPs and mixtapes, Statik Selektah has built a solid reputation as a producer that caters specifically to fans of 1990s East Coast hip-hop. Over his nostalgic, sample-heavy beats, the Lawrence, MA native has jam-packed his previous projects with the architects of said sound (DJ Premier, Kool G Rap, Q-Tip), as well as the like-minded purists that have spent their careers carrying on its tradition (M.O.P., Talib Kweli, Saigion, Styles P, etc). So it was a welcoming surprise to find alongside the usual suspects, Population Control also featured a slew of hip-hop’s next generation of MCs. As expected, many of XXL’s Freshman alum make appearances (Big K.R.I.T., Mac Miller and Pill all deliver stand out verses), but the disc’s most surprising moments come from the more lesser-known acts, who have yet to even make a dent on the hip-hop blogs.

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“The High Life” spotlights the shockingly comfortable flow of 15-year-old Ann Arbor, MI rapper, GameBoi. “Half Moon Part” finds underage Sacremento, CA-based rookie Chuuwee, channeling Nas circa 1993 and Grand Rapids, MI born Nitty Scott MC, makes her graceful debut, lyrically “pirouetting” all over “Black Swan.”

Population Control boasts other unexpected turns as well. A handful of the tracks feature radio-friendly hooks, sung by an array of R&B singers (Josh Xantus, Colin Munroe, Jaren Evan)—a noticeable departure from the straight up boom bap he is known for. On “Live and Let Live” Statik highlights the Christian rap stylings of Lecrae and on the bonus track, “My Friends,” the man of the hour even gets in the booth himself.

The biggest problem with the album is Statik’s need to include everyone in the party. A lot of the tracks felt too cluttered with MCs that lacked chemistry

Label: Showoff Records/Duck Down Music Inc. Production: Statik Selektah

together (“Sam Jack” and “Down”) and with 20 tracks, the LP dragged towards the middle before picking up at the end.

Luckily for listeners, Statik’s ability to flip a beat never disappoints, as he makes sure to keep heads nodding no matter whose turn it is on the mic. Hopefully, next time Statik will be a little more selective on whom he decides to include in the general population

WELL DONE ACTION BRONSON Just eight months after dropping his critically acclaimed debut, Dr. Lecter, hiphop’s second favorite culinary artist, Action Bronson, is back in the kitchen, and this time he has sous-chef Statik Selektah on grill duties, cooking up some heaters. The recipe is simple: dope rhymes over funky beats.

No more, no less.

In a moment when hip-hop radio is dominated by the dark, moody backdrops of Drake and his imitators or the 808 patterns of the South, it is refreshing to hear an album that sounds like it could have been released in the 1990s, alongside records

by East Coast greats like Gang Starr, the Beatnuts or Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

The difference is, in 2011, it’s not cool to be a rapper from New York. And Action Bronson, a proud native of Flushing, Queens, is fully New York, from his Carhart gear all the way to his Knicks cap. Utilizing his Big Apple attitude, Bronsolinio seasons Statik’s sample-heavy produce with quirky foodobsessed similes about being fly and dreams of cashing in on his talent. “I’m looking crispy like a chicken cutlet/One wish

Label: Switchblade/DCide Records Production: Statik Selektah

That pairing works perfectly over such gems as “White Silk,” “Keep off the Grass” and “Cirque De Soleil”—a track that is so in the pocket, it doesn’t even need a chorus. The only aspect that’s hard to digest as a listener is AB’s non-sequitur lyrics. Borrowing the term from Lil Wayne, he could use more “concept songs,” that differentiate one track from another. “The Rainmaker,” a high point of Well Done, showcases that Bronson has the skill to stick to one topic and ride it out. is to get rich before I kick the bucket,” he raps.

Still, once they digest this one, fans will be eager for seconds.

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CAMP CHILDISH GAMBINO It took a while, but people— listeners, media, peers—are finally realizing that Childish Gambino isn’t a joke or a shtick.

Why Gambino, the rap moniker of actor/comedian/writer Donald Glover, has to fight this rep should be no surprise. Too frequently, anyone with some semblance of spotlight tries to spit (Justin Bieber, Vinny from Jersey Shore, Spencer Pratt and too many more), and the results are usually abysmal. Combine that with the fact that Gambino’s rhymes are actually often funny, and he’s immediately fighting presumptions. As he began to do with past free releases like Culdesac and EP, Childish Gambino convincingly makes the case for respect as a rapper on his first retail offering, Camp.

Over electro leaning beats, Gambino stunts lyrical ingenuity, as he deftly tackles issues of race, class and family.

His approach is layered: the 28-year-old boasts of current philandering and self-assuredness, then he balances that cocksureness with confessions of insecurities.

It comes off as part overcompensation, part truth.

And it’s Gambino’s acceptance,

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digestion and presentation of his own truth, paired with unapologetic lyricism, that has won over many fans.

The strongest display of Gambino as a lyricist comes on the album’s lead single, “Bonfire.” It’s his “I can really rap” moment, where the NYU graduate is intent on stringing together as many witty, imaginative lines as possible, kicking bars like, “I love pussy, I love bitches, dude, I should be runnin’ PETA,” and later “This rap is child’s play, I do my name like Princess Di.” When it comes time for content and concepts, which mark the album, Gambino maintains an ability to relay the aspects of his situation that define him as an individual. On “Hold You Down,” he touches on growing up with a foster family, getting picked on at school, and not being “Black enough”—a theme that persists and continues to trouble Donald Glover. “This one kid said somethin’ that was really bad/He said I wasn’t really Black because I had a dad/I think that’s kinda sad/ Mostly cause a lot of Black kids think they should agree with that,” he spits in the song’s

Label: Glassnote Production: Donald Glover, Ludwig Göransson

second verse. “Outside,” again, deals with race, as well as his relationship with family.

On the album’s closer, “That Power,” one of a number of tracks where the all-around talent shows his singing abilities, he continues, indicting ignorance, no matter whose mouth it comes from: “Every Black ‘You’re not Black enough’ is a White ‘You’re all the same.’”

The narrative at times grows frustratingly predictable, though, akin to the zero-tohero, standing-in-line-to-bottleservice stories that many rappers use as a crutch. This

Gambino stunts lyrical ingenuity, as he deftly tackles issues of race, class and family. is typified in the final couplets of “Fire Fly,” where Gambino raps, “Girls used to tell me I ain’t cool enough/Now text me pics sayin’, ‘You could tear this up’/I don’t really like shades, big rims, or jewelry/But gettin’ time of day from a model is new to me/Bein’ me isn’t as hard as it used to be/Now everyone sing the chorus man, you do it so beautifully.”

Still, taken on the whole, Camp is full of top lyricism, honesty, uncertainty and triumph.

Gambino is on his way to becoming a real hip-hop force, heading in a direction of his own.

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BLUE SLIDE PARK MAC MILLER If Mac Miller’s ascent into stardom has faced its share of music industry woes, it’s certainly been hidden well. The 19-year-old Pittsburgh MC has been sporting a shit-eating grin ever since breaking through with his 2010 mixtape K.I.D.S.— and with good reason. It’s a peculiar time in music when artists are able to cultivate such a colossal following (check his million-plus Twitter followers and sold-out shows) without the backing of a ma jor label, radio, or even a debut album. But with such hype, come corresponding expectations, and on Blue Slide Park, Miller looks to meet them.

In ID Labs, Mac found a production team whose vibrant sonic landscapes provide the ideal backdrop for his soft, smooth flow. It’s a pairing that works great, and the fact that Big Jerm and E. Dan are on duty behind the boards for the ma jority of the album creates a singular feel throughout, helping to continue to craft a Mac Miller sound that’s been evolving throughout his mixtapes.

Inputs from the other contributing producers such as the buzzing Clams Casino, and Ritz Reynolds result in

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some of the most experimental moments of the album. The spacey intro (“English Lane”), a curious 36-second long instrumental piece (“Hole in The Pocket”) and the introspective closer (“One Last Thing”), all illustrate an inclination to go outside the box.

Lyrically, the album has its conflicting moments. On “Party on 5th Avenue,” Mac shows an appreciation for hip-hop well beyond his years, rhyming over a clever revamping of The 45 King’s 1987 “The 900 number”.

But then there are songs like “Up All Night,” an anthem for underage high school drinkers everywhere. Catchy, sure, but anyone of legal age can’t help but cringe as Mac brags about taking shots with no chaser.

Mac Miller’s image is one so closely tied to the idea of being a regular, fun loving, kid. With this, there was opportunity on Blue Slide Park to genuinely capture some real elements of youth, and the album doesn’t capitalize on the opportunity.

While “Diamonds and Gold,” is a look into struggles of female adolescence, “Missed Calls,” a story of a relationship gone sour, is familiar and cliché.

Label: Rostrum Production: I.D. Labs, Ritz Reynolds, Clams Casino, Young L, Mansions on the Moon, Mac Miller

On “Loitering,” Mac raps “I’m way too old to be chillin’ at the playground, never be too old to be chillin’ at the playground.”

In many respects, the line embodies the dichotomy of Mac Miller. On one hand, his appeal has grown out of his silly, carefree enthusiasm. On the other, there’s room to evolve.

The talent is there for him to outlast the often short shelf life of the latest White rapper, but the jury is still out whether he’ll pursue an artistic vision, or ride out the commercial appeal. Luckily, Blue Slide Park is impressive enough that listeners should want to find out.

OCCASION KIDZ N THE HALL It’s nice to take a break from the stress to kick back and have some fun. Despite the concerts, video vixens, Audemars Piguet watches, and the other things typically associated with successful rap careers, the scene can get tiring and stressful. MC-producer duo Kidz In The Hall recognized this issue, and, with Occasion, decided to craft an LP with one simple goal in mind: having fun.

Backed by an MTV2-sponsored reality show to document the process, the fourteentrack album boasts Naledge, Double-O, and friends including Marsha Ambrosius, Tabi Bonney, Bun B and David Banner creating songs that celebrate a partying lifestyle, the pursuit of young love (well, lust), and living life to the fullest. The result is tailored toward the stereotypical collegiate definition of “fun,” sounding like the soundtrack

to a keg party, rather than the “grown and sexy” interpretation of a good time.

Naledge exhibits an impressively smooth and lyrical flow and delivery, and beatsmith Double-O exercises his versatility, switching from a head-nodder to get hiphop purists’ attention (“Won’t Remember Tonight”) to some pop-sounding instrumentals (“Occasion”), and even throwing in some rock influence (“Break It Down”) for good measure.

Despite being a fine example of the artists’ strength as versatile musicians, the content and sound also prove to be Occasion’s biggest setback. The LP walks the line between pop and hip-hop, and may seem too Top 40 catered for those looking for the mortarboard style that Kidz entered the game with, but a little too hardcore for the pure pop fans.

Label: Duck Down Music Inc Production: Double O

For listeners looking for something to balance out the opulent lifestyle so frequently in radio raps these days, Occasion will prove an adequate counterweight to popping beer instead of champagne, chasing the girl next door instead of the supermodel, and taking trips in a Honda Civic rather than a private jet.

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The Roots may be best known in the mainstream for their nightly gig as the house band on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, and through the years they’ve justifiably become attached to an extrordinary live show. Now, though, they’ve returned to the studio for their latest retail release, undun, where they take a new approach: a concept album, with the storytelling in reverse order.

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Recounting the first-person tale of Redford Stephens, a hustler who didn’t make it past 25, the Philly based band begins the record with his death, and tracks the tale backward, as the album’s ill-fated protagonist faces the street life and its often inescapable woes. The crew beautifully arranges harmonic strings, gloomy keys and sturdy drums with seamlessly implemented guest spots from the likes of Big K.R.I.T., Phonte,

Dice Raw and Bilal, as questions of fate and free will persist; how much of Redford’s story was already determined due to the circumstances under which he was born?

Multiple voices converging to tell one story results in a far more interconnected listen than it probably should, but this oddity is part of what’s so great about undun. It’s a bit unorthodox but magnificent

UNDUN THE ROOTS

sonically, as well, as five of the 14 tracks don’t have vocals: the opener, as well as the last four. This allows the necessary means to ease in and out of a heavy album, giving an opportunity to soak in the trackby-track events and story as a whole.

and follows. A concept album with an equally heavy focus on musicianship and rhymes, undun fantastically transports into the tragic narrative.

Label: Def Jam Production: Ray Angry, Rick Friedrich, D.D. Jackson, Khari Mateen, Richard Nichols (exec.), James Poyser, Brent

Each song seeps smoothly into the next; most are able to stand on their own, but shine when reinforced by what precedes

“Ritz” Reynolds, Sean C & LV, Sufjan Stevens, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

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JAY-Z

KANYE WEST

WATCH THE THRONE WiTH RumOuRS Of A EuROpEAN TOuR, HENRY AdASO CAugHT ‘THE THRONE’ iN HOuSTON AS THE bOOmiNg bASS ANd SpuTTERiNg Hi-HATS Of “H.A.m.” fillEd bAlTimORE’S 1ST mARiNER ARENA lAST NigHT, KANYE WEST ANd JAY-Z ROSE 15 fEET iN THE AiR ON CubEd plATfORmS ON OppOSiTE ENdS Of THE flOOR, liKE glAdiATORS REAdY TO bATTlE. THEY TRAdEd THE bOASTful, bOOmiNg vERSES Of THE SONg – THE fiRST SiNglE fROm THE duO’S RECENT COllAbORATiON WATCH THE THRONE – AS if TRYiNg TO bEAT EACH OTHER iNTO SubmiSSiON. THAT WEST WAS WEARiNg A blACK KNEE-lENgTH TuNiC ONlY AidEd THE illuSiON.

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But as the show went on, it Became clear that after more than 11 years as co-workers and collaBorators, Jay-Z and kanye west are more like Brothers than Battlers. the dynamic persisted throughout the show: Jay as the elder, more estaBlished, restrained (and talented) performer, paired with west, the hyper, more free-spirited, colorful (and interesting) one. the wardroBe reinforced the dynamic, as Jay stuck with Black t-shirts and hoodies, while west, late in the set, augmented his tunic with a floral/fire-print emBroidered cardigan that seemed intended more as a statement of power – “i can wear whatever the fuck i want” – than one of fashion.

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the spectacle of the cuBes – the sides of which douBled as video screens showing mostly ferocious dogs and sharks – raised the show’s co-stars to a mid-arena space that seemed equidistant from the floor seats and the noseBleeds and lending an unusually intimate feel for such a large venue. they stayed there for “who gon’ stop me,” another throne track, Before uniting on one stage as the vocals of otis redding’s “try a little tenderness” presaged the coming of “otis,” the throne single that samples it. as they tore into the upBeat Jam, the duo palled around, slapping Backs and trading rhymes Before a giant american flag, echoing the easy Joy of the song’s video.

from then on, the show mostly resorted to more typical arena-show tricks like fireBalls and lasers, leaving the rappers to provide the thrills. the mcs effortlessly shared the spotlight: instead of leading distinct sets, they Just Bounced Back and forth, pulling choice hits from their ample catalogs. Jay asserted his dominance early with “Jigga what,” proving that 13 years after dropping his hyper-speed signature rhyme from hard knock life, the 41-year-old still has the chops to knock it out of the park.

“the 41-year-old still has the chops to knock it out of the park.�

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Jay seemed to enJoy the song as much as the crowd, mouthing along with the words and leading the crowd in the shout-out, “we want pre-nup!”

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“Baltimore fucks with my shit,” he improvised on the last line, Basking in a sea of “ho-va” chants and roc diamonds in the air. kanye tried to keep pace, dropping truncated versions of “can’t tell me nothing,” “flashing lights,” “Jesus walks” and “diamonds from sierra leone,” with Jigga stepping onstage for the second half of the last song, which segued nicely into his “psa.” when Jay went into “hard-knock life,” ‘ye stuck around Just to dance around and point, more homeBoy than hypeman. Jay returned the favor when west later tore into “touch the sky.” even when the camaraderie was clearly staged, the duo’s genuine friendship made it work: when Jay finished his 2000 ode to the good life, “Big pimpin’” – even rapping pimp c’s verse a cappella – west said he rememBered listening to that song, “But every time i tried to Be like that – “ and the opening vocals of “gold digger” cut him off. Jay seemed to enJoy the song as much as the crowd, mouthing along with the words and leading the crowd in the shout-out, “we want pre-nup!” when that crowdpleaser wrapped, Jay quipped, “i feel for you man, But all i can say is – “ and launched into another crowd pleaser, “99 proBlems,” with kanye performing the song’s cop dialogue. there were some inevitaBle lulls in the 38-song set, particularly when the duo sat down on stage for two of throne’s more serious, suBdued songs, “made in america” and “new

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“a Jam-packeD arena was feeling The love anD respecT emanaTing from The sTage.”

Day” (“Thanks for leTTing us share, BalTimore,” Jigga saiD aT The enD), or when kanye inDulgeD in a minihearTache seT of “runaway” inTo “hearTless” (hug The one you love so you “Don’T enD up on This lonely Box like me,” he emoTeD). BuT Things were cooking again By The Time They reacheD The encore, which incluDeD a ThirD renDiTion of Throne’s mosT recenT single, “ni**as in paris” along wiTh “encore” from Jay’s Black alBum.

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“BalTimore Blew every ciTy off The map Thus far,” Jay saiD Before his final reTreaT, DespiTe The facT ThaT iT was only The waTch The Throne Tour’s ThirD sTop. “iT’s noT even close.” (sorry, aTlanTa anD greensBoro.) iT haD The ring of you-say-ThaT-To-allThe-ciTies insinceriTy, BuT afTer The hiT-anD-energy packeD Two-anD-ahalf-hour seT, a Jam-packeD arena was feeling The love anD respecT emanaTing from The sTage.

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EDGE ST.

THOMAS ST.

GRAFFITI MANCHESTER

EDGE ST.

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NEW WAKEFIELD ST.

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PORT ST.

86

STEVENSON SQ.

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SPEAR ST.

STEVENSON SQ.

90

RED LION ST.

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Q-TIP

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RZA