JOELL ORTIZ – PHONE
Joell Ortiz comes through with the visuals for his chilling tale about domestic issues and infidelity off of his recently released House Slippers album.
Joell Ortiz comes through with the visuals for his chilling tale about domestic issues and infidelity off of his recently released House Slippers album.
Maino joins Lil Fame and Billy Danze for the official video to “Welcome To Brooklyn” off of their recently released “Street Certified” project.
The original “Land of the Crooks” gets an upheaval courtesy of Divided Souls Ent. and DJ Pain 1. The result? A grimy thump that matches the grit of the emcees.
DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9″ interrupted Phonte’s interview with The Stashed and what transpired next is nothing short of epic.
PRhyme, also known as DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9″, made their way into the STASHED studio as we were interviewing Phonte. Rather than having them wait, the three old friends all joined in one long conversation. Among the topic discussed include their history together, being grown men in Hip-Hop, and possibly working together on a new project. If that ever happens, you can thank us for making that happening.
Check out this nearly 30 minute conversation with Phonte, DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9.” It’s worth the watch.
After nearly 25 years, the iconic D&D Studios on the fourth floor of 320 West 37th Street is shutting down. The New York Observer caught up with DJ Premier, who bought the studio in 2003 and renamed it HeadQCourterz after his late friend Kenneth “HeadQCourterz” Walker, to discuss the some of the finest moments in the studio’s quarter century history. Everything from who used to hang out in the studio, fistfights with Guru and what ever happened to the Preemo and Nas album to recording with Christina Aguilera is stuffed into this piece.
Here are some highlights from the interview…
What was it like inside the studio in the early and mid ’90s?
Back then, Black Moon and the rest of Boot Camp Clik had a big chapter in the A Room at D&D. That was a standard picture here. Jay Z too. He would book my room, the A Room and the D Room, which was a newly built studio space in the back that they later tore down. He would have them all blocked so that he could knock out three or four songs at a time. I remember when Jay and Biggie recorded “Brooklyn’s Finest” for Reasonable Doubt in here. I didn’t do that beat, but they needed a place to rock.
Who would you hang out with outside of the studio back then?
Guru and I had a house in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, for a while and we used to have wild parties there when we weren’t in the studio. It was like a fraternity house. Every time you’d go in there was noise, music, girls, drinks and food everywhere. RZA and GZA from Wu-Tang used to come by, Easy Mo Bee used to come by, Special Ed used to come by. The list goes on. I remember Cypress Hill came by the house the day they were shooting the video for “How I Could Just Kill a Man,” cause they needed a place to lamp for a minute. They came over and we smoked our asses off until they left to go meet Ice Cube for the video. A lot of Friday nights, Guru and I would go kick it with Biggie, since he was just three blocks down from us.
Earlier this year, you told Hip-Hop Wired that while you were doing a track for the movie White Men Can’t Jump, you and Guru got into a fistfight here and then started recording right after. Was it serious?
He had a couple of bandages and bruises after that. I still have his teeth marks right there [points to his fist]. That’s where he bit me and they never went away. Now I’m proud to have those teeth marks. I’m not a tough guy, but I’ll throw down just like the rest of them if I have to.
You and Nas are working on a collaborative album that’s been rumored to come out for a while. When do you think it finally will?
Whenever he’s ready. We were supposed to do it years ago, but it didn’t happen. I know he has another album under his contract with Def Jam, so he has to knock that out. As soon as he calls me about that, I’m ready.
Check out the rest here.
Bam Bam and Alchemist hit B-Real’s “The Smokehouse” to fire up some herbal pleasure and discuss everything from the wonderful world of pro wrestling, Action Bronson’s upcoming album and, of course, weed.
Joey Bada$$ releases a new track off of his upcoming album with the assistance of producer Freddie Joachim and featuring guest vocalists Maverick Sabre and Dyemond Lewis.
Nickle and Preem drop in to the NW3 show to discuss a plethora of topics including Rakim getting arrested at a show, the $2 million offer for Gang Starr to perform at Rock The Bells, Royce’s Death is Certain album and more.
We first saw the tracklist, now we get to see the full list of producers contributing to the Pro Era emcee’s upcoming album. DJ Premier, Statik Selektah and a surprise credit to J Dilla litter the album.
1. Save The Children (prod by Statik Selektah)
2. Greenbax (prod by Lee Bannon)
3. Paper Trails (prod. by DJ Premier)
4. Piece of Mine (prod by Freddie Joachim)
5. Big Dusty (prod by Kirk Knight)
6. Hazeus View (prod. by Kirk Knight)
7. Like Me ft. BJ The Chicago Kid (prod. by J Dilla & The Roots)
8. Belly Of The Beast ft. Chronixx (prod by Hit Boy)
9. No. 99 (prod. by Statik Selektah)
10. Christ Conscious (prod. by Basquiat)
11. On & On ft. Maverick Sabre & Dyemond Lewis (prod by Freddie Joachim)
12. Escape 120″ featuring Raury (prod. by Chuck Strangers)
13. Black Beatles (prod by Chuck Strangers)
14. O.C.B. (prod. by Sam I AM & The Soul Rebels)
15. Curry Chicken (prod. by Statik Selektah)
(Bonus) Run Up On Ya ft. Action Bronson & Elle Varner (prod. by Statik Selektah)
(Bonus) Teach Me How ft. Kiesza (prod by Chuck Strangers & ASTR)
From Sadat X’s upcoming album Never Left.