The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival announced today the addition of the legendary DJ Premier to the 2009 lineup.
Brooklyn, NY, May 7th, 2009 – This is DJ Premier’s second appearance at the BHF. In 2008 he headlined along with KRS ONE and Buckshot. One of the few regrets from 2008 was Premier’s shortened set. This will not be a problem in 2009 as Brooklyn Bodega, creators and producers of the Festival, jumped at the opportunity to bring back one of the greatest producers and DJ’s in Hip-Hop history.
Equally lauded as one half of Gangstarr with longtime partner Guru and as producer in his own right, Premier is a pillar of Hip-Hop culture. He has crafted classics for Notorious B.I.G. (“Unbelievable”, “Kick In The Door”), Jay Z (“Friend or Foe”, “So Ghetto”), Nas (“Nas Is Like”, “New York State of Mind”) and host of others including The Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, Christina Aguilera, Ludacris and 50 Cent. However, what has made Premier so unique is that while he has remained the go to guy for the best in the game, he has always remained true to his underground roots. MOP, Big L, Mos Def, J-Live, Common, Dilated Peoples as well as developing acts Torae, NYG’z, and Blaq Poet have all also worked with DJ Premier.
“DJ Premier is simply one of the greatest. Not only musically but professionally. Who else, producer, mc, or executive, has remained not only intensely relevant but truly dominant for this long. Let us not forget [Gangstarr’s] ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ dropped 20 years ago. Today he is still making hits for everyone from Maroon 5 to Termanology. After what Premier did for Notorious B.I.G. on ‘Ready To Die’ he became the anchor for Hip-Hop. You made your pop track for radio but you had to have your Premo track for true Hip-Hop heads,” writes Festival Executive Director Wes Jackson. “I have always admired that while Premo was working with these huge acts and making good money he never let fame, success, or finances stop him from working with who he wanted. He has always stayed true to the art. He answered calls and delivered hits for MOP and Royce [the 5’9′] just as quickly as he did for Nas and Jermaine Dupri. I want to thank Premier and his manager Phat Gary for helping us make our 5th Anniversary something for the record books.”
DJ Premier joins Pharoahe Monch, Styles P, Smif N Wessun, and J Period on the lineup. Next week Brooklyn Bodega will be announcing several more Main Stage performers as well as the first round of Second Stage performers.
The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival 2009 will take place on June 18th, 19th and 20th. Events include a retrospective photo exhibit of the first four years, a kick off party, Family Day, The Main Day, and the Official After Party.
Family Day and Main Day are June 20th at Empire Fulton Ferry State Park, 1 Main Street, in DUMBO Brooklyn from 12p.m. – 8 p.m.
Check www.brooklynbodega.com for more info.
Tickets for the Main Day are available for only $10 at brooklynbodega.com and Fat Beats New York, 406 Avenue of the Americas # 1, New York, NY 10011, and (212) 673-3883.
Patrons buying online will be able to participate in the Subscriber Partnership Program, which will entitle them to premiums from our various sponsors. Details to follow.
Brooklyn Bodega are the creators and producers of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. They are a collective of cultural programmers, marketing professionals, writers, designers and academics dedicated to the celebration and preservation of Hip-Hop culture. Their daily musings can be found at www.brooklynbodega.com.
Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival/Brooklyn Bodega
Marketing and Biz Dev
John Davis
718-408-1151 john@brooklynbodega.com
Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival/Brooklyn Bodega
Festival Coordinator
Moses Elwood
718-408-1151 moses@brooklynbodega.com
Source: Hip Hop Press