There's One Major Award DJ Premier Is After
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DJ PREMIER HAS done his homework. 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, and the dual DJ/producer has made sure to keep up with the revolutionary music genre’s evolution over time. In doing so, he says it’s allowed him to be “in tune to the future of what the younger generation is doing.”
And with over three decades worth of experience in the music industry, Premier—born Christopher Edward Martin—knows a thing or two about creating a good beat no matter who he's working with.
Collaborating with someone outside the traditional hip-hop sound is never an issue (like Christina Aguilera, for instance) for him even if faced with outside criticism. That's something he says is due to being raised “from a cloth of soul, funk, new wave, rock, country, dance/disco, punk rock, heavy metal, pop and jazz.”
“It definitely shapes my range of being capable of fitting in with any artist of those categories since I am a true fan of them all,” he tells Men’s Health.
He even geared up for this year’s VMAs alongside Bacardi, a spirit brand that’s found its way into hip-hop lyrics over the decades with usage in tracks from everyone like Run-DMC (“Drunk as a skunk, you illin', punk, and in your left hand was Bacardi” to Lil Kim ("All we wanna do is party, and buy everybody at the bar Bacardi").
But what’s next for someone considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time? “Winning an Oscar for scoring a film is a goal of mine, for sure,” he says. Lofty goals indeed.
As we continue to celebrate Hip-Hop 50, Premier talked about his first steps for getting into the studio, his distinct original sound, and the genre then versus now.
Men’s Health: When you’re looking to mess around in the studio, how do you kick off a recording session? What’s the motivation that gets you there?
DJ Premier: First, I must set the mood and burn some sage incense to get rid of the negative energy floating around. Then, [I] set the mood of the lights. Then, I'm ready to rock.
What percentage of work is touch and feeling it in your body and soul, versus knowing the technology and the systems?
For me, 100% it must be felt first—the equipment can't do anything until you make it interpret your thoughts and ideas into music.
How would you define the DJ Premier sound in just a few words?
My sound is a distinct sound, based on my drum and bass approach, which are my two favorite instruments. I was taught how to play those by Travis Scott's dad and his uncle when I was younger growing up in Texas. My scratching style also is noticeable by many people—they tell me they can tell I produced a track based on immediately hearing my scratching.
What’s a piece of hip-hop history you’re responsible for that would surprise people?
Probably sequencing and mastering the Nas ILLMATIC album. It was his debut, and, as a DJ, we are very good at putting songs in the right order to make it flow from beginning to end. Mastering is also an important part of making sure the album thumps in any format, from vinyl, cassette, and CD to streaming. Salute to my mastering engineer, Tony Dawsey.
A lot of artists have tracks that are still buried down deep. Is there any unreleased music from legends like Nas or Jay-Z still locked away in your vault?
I have a couple of other versions of Nas's "Memory Lane" and "Represent" from the ILLMATIC sessions that he's aware of, but they're locked away. Whenever he needs them, they are his.
You referenced a Method Man quote in a previous interview where he says: "“F**k a rap critic; he only talks it while I live it.” Does it happen often where people doubt your decisions? And what’s the best way to prove someone wrong?
Sometimes someone may doubt me on a decision when it comes to the culture that I live 24/7, but I prove them wrong by strictly facts. I love a good debate, and I am tough to beat.
Not every big name hip-hop artist has participated in Hip-Hop 50. Why did you feel it was important to be involved in such an important historical moment?
We all are involved, whether you perform or not—just being alive to celebrate is more than enough.
Hip-hop then to hip-hop now: how would you describe it in one word?
COLOSSAL!
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