One of the most important names in hip hop thanks to his renowned production and DJ skills, DJ Premier is returning to DXB to play new hip night Dubai With Attitude on Thursday March 24. Our go-to hip hop man Lobito from Deep Crates Cartel got 5 minutes with the highly respected DJ to talk modern hip hop, dope rhymes and collaborations in the UAE…
Peace Primo, this is Lobito representing Zulu Nation out here in the Middle East, this is your second time in Dubai if I’m not mistaken, what was your first impression of the city?
It is a beautiful city and I had a good time seeing the sights. Beautiful women there also.
It’s an understatement to say I’m a fan of your work and primarily the consistency you’ve held in your output quality and production style regardless of the genres and artists you’ve worked with, are there any new projects you’re excited about creatively?
Yes I have an independent underground label called Year Round Records. I have a group called the NYGz who have been a part of the Gang Starr Foundation for many years. They are from New York and we will be releasing a new LP that I produced entirely called (Hustlaz Union: Local NYG). I am Executive Producing an album with the legend MC Eiht of Compton’s Most Wanted which I Produced 3 tracks. His album is titled (Which Way Iz West). There’s a new female artist by the name of Torii Wolf who is releasing a new project LP that you will hear from this year. She is very different and unique from anything I have produced and she will be a new sound in my production style. I produced the entire album and I co-produced 4 songs with the legendary King Of Chill (MC Lyte, Audio Two, The Family Stand). I started a new band (The Badder Band) and we are currently recording a new EP. Then there’s a DJ Premier solo LP in the works. There’s more but we will start there.
I grew up on Gang Starr which defined me in my early days as a DJ getting into the music so I have to ask you about the state of rap and hip hop culture today. You were pivotal in developing the New York sound after people like Marley Marl, so whats your opinion on where things are now for the youth and where things are going?
The sound of what the younger generation is doing is different from how I was raised in music, but their generation is made for them and I welcome it. I just prefer to stick to the purest form of how the pioneer’s taught me. There is plenty of room for everyone to do what they do and I do what I am good at which is the Boom Bap style of beats.
I also love lyricists that have something to say., although I love to party at times but I love a dope rhyme most of the time.
A local group The Recipe collaborated recently with Talib Kweli when he was here, do you look out for local collaborations when you travel?
Sometimes I do depending on my schedule. I like to dig for records in other cities and I take the time out to listen to artists as well. I’ve produced many artists from London, Poland, Korea, Germany, Japan to name a few.
What would you like to see more of and less of in the industry?
I’d like to see more respect for the pioneers from the younger generation and less disrespect for the people who opened doors for them to get into this industry. What goes up always comes down.
I’m still bumping your track “Animals” with Anderson Paak for the recent Dre album. Are there any other new artists you’re excited about or any new producers you follow?
Definitely Anderson .Paak, HXLT, Conway, Westside Gunn, O.G.ology, E.L.B., Jakk Frost…
Props to Infusion Magazine
