20 Classic Beats RZA & DJ Premier Didn’t Play During Their Battle

    dj premier rza instagram

    The Instagram Live DJ battle between DJ Premier and RZA on Saturday (April 11) cemented its place as one of the greatest moments in Hip Hop history.

    This iteration of the quarantine-induced VERZUZ style battles organized by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz made it the center of the Hip Hop community for the weekend as its viewership peaked at 850,000.

    Legions of fans and Hip Hop comtemporaries and icons, celebrities and entertainment industry executives including Drake, T.I., Method Man, Stephen Hill, Academy Award-winning actor Adrien Brody, Run The Jewels, DJ QBert and countless others tuned in for the three-hour euphoric experience.

    Premier and RZA went deep to diversify their playlists and trade backstories about the 30 hit records and fan-favorites that span nearly 30 years since their releases.

    This includes latter producer’s 24 cuts he co-created for Wu-Tang Clan and his fellow Brooklyn and Staten Island swordsmen’s solo albums. While DJ Premier comparatively finessed eight Gang Starr Foundation member-affiliated songs among his cache of underground masterpieces and radio-friendly tracks ranging from Nas, JAY-Z to Christina Aguilera, the Wu leader stuck closely to his fellow Brooklyn and Staten Island swordsmen’s solo albums.

    Because RZA and Preemo didn’t have time to play all of their classics, here are 10 extra monster tracks from each producer’s catalog that missed the turntables to give you an extra jolt of nostalgia.

    GZA f. Method Man – “Shadowboxin”

    From Liquid Swords, the GZA’s seminal sophomore album, “Shadowboxin'” is laden with RZA’s rock-solid production and layered with two of the Killa Bees in their prime.

    Gang Starr – “Full Clip”

    After Big L and Fat Joe’s “The Enemy” got some shine, Premier and RZA reminisced on their connections to the Harlem legend and his indelible mark in the rap game before his 1999 murder. Preemo’s commemorative opening lines “Big L, rest in peace” before his reverberating five-note jazzy bass loop and bluesy guitar plucks, airy crowd applause samples with punchy snares and Guru’s first verse would’ve been great to represent the memory of both late greats.

    Raekwon f. Ghostface Killah & Masta Killa – “Glaciers of Ice”

    In the midst of the battle, RZA and DJ Premier paused to pay respects to the magnanimous impact of Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, or as it is more widely regarded, The Purple Tape. “Glaciers of Ice” is backed by a sophisticated and undeniably raw RZA beat, complete with wafting sampled vocals.

    Gang Starr – “Take It Personal”

    “Take It Personal” from Gang Starr’s 1992 album Daily Operation is among Premier’s underground masterpieces. Its lead single’s rumbling opening layered drum loop and booming bass drum smacks with Guru’s tale of being jilted by an ex-lover and declared is na enduring banger among rap savants.

    Ghostface Killah f. U-God, Masta Killa, Cappadonna & Raekwon – “Winter Warz”

    “Winter Warz” is an unstoppable lyrical onslaught with Wu-Tang Clan members Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Cappadonna and Raekwon seamlessly handing off verses. The snake-charmer flute which fades in with the song highlights RZA’s diverse range of influences.

    Nas – “Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)”

    Among the three flawless tracks that Premier produced on Nas’ magnum opus Illmatic, “Memory Lane” is Preemo’s most ebullient and intimate which sports thunderous drums, heavy snare and bass drum slaps that bring a Phil Spector-like wall of sound.

    Ghostface Killah f. Method Man – “New Wu”

    The only track on this list from 2009’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2, “New Wu” contains some of RZA’s most soulful and delicate sounds. It helped usher in the new era of Raekwon and the Clan.

    Gang Starr – “Work”

    In this Gang Starr fan favorite from their Moment Of Truth released in 1998, Premier’s towering horns and thumping bass line with piercing sirens in the background sync with Guru’s resounding yet signature monotone cool about reaping the benefits of his decades of devotion to the art of MCing and achieving success in the rap industry.

    RZA – “Holocaust (Silkworm)”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKE8tQ5GSkU

    In 1998, the world was introduced to one of RZA’s alter egos, Bobby Digital. “Holocaust (Silkworm)” from Bobby Digital in Stereo, RZA’s debut solo project under the name RZA, features the super-producer’s tendencies towards grand, orchestral sounds and vibrating synths.

    Gang Starr f. K-Ci & JoJo – “Royalty”

    Premier’s New York block party dub-style bass and scintillating bells, one of 90s R&B most seminal duos and Jodeci alums K-Ci & JoJo and Guru’s smooth diatribe about their timeline of ascending to rap’s pantheon is as equally danceable for an old school Hip Hop block party and inspirational as a powerful church sermon.

    Ghostface Killah – “Stroke of Death”

    The production on “Stroke of Death” is aggressive and off-putting. The sound’s texture is jagged and the turntable scratching displays is RZA at his hardest. Ghostface’s delivery is razor sharp and the track even features a belligerent verse with Larry Johnson ramblings from RZA himself.

    Gang Starr f. Big Shug & Freddie Foxx – “The Militia”

    During the battle, Premier and RZA played the first verses of each song in their set list and “The Militia” has a laconic yet sinister opening verse from Big Shug. The battle was an important history lesson, and playing this cut from the Moment Of Truth album would’ve been a history to Gang Starr’s original member and its Boston roots.

    Wu-Tang Clan – “Uzi (Pinky Ring)”

    Wu-Tang Clan’s fourth album, Iron Flag, may have been released in 2001, eight years since the Wu’s iconic 36 Chambers, but the project sounds like a polished rendition of any number of classic Wu tracks. RZA’s inclusion of a booming brass section is the finishing touch on this track.

    Bahamadia f. K-Swift & Mecca Star – “3 The Hard Way”

    There were no tracks from female rappers played but Bahamadia’s underground classic “3 The Hard Way” featuring K-Swift and Mecca Starr from the Philadelphia-based Gang Starr Foundation affiliate’s first-rate debut album Kollage holds it down for the ladies with their dexterous wordplay over Premier’s melodic keyboards with 80s and 90s Hip Hop’s oft-sampled “The Champ” over and boom bap swing.

    A$AP Mob f. Zombie Juice, Meechy Darko, Playboi Carti, Joey Bada$$, Kirk Knight & Nyck Caution – “What Happens”

    The most contemporary track to be featured, “What Happens” is a hard-hitting collaboration between the old and new generations of New York rap. With most of Beast Coast appearing on the track (and Atlanta’s Playboi Carti), RZA is the passing of the torch to the leaders of the new New York era.

    PRhyme – “U Looz”

    Producer and jazz musician Adrian Younge made his presence felt in the comments during the battle. Younge contributed his smorgasbord of samples for frequent collaborators Royce Da 5’9″ and Preemo on their debut joint album and 2014 DX Album of the Year PRhyme, including its home run single “U Looz.”

    GZA f. RZA, Killah Priest & Ghostface Killah – “4th Chamber”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOQGhC5nzus

    A surefire way to ignite a crowd, “4th Chamber” sounds far ahead of its time. With a beat that oscillates between heavy synths and a classic boom-bap format, the listener awaits each moment of the track on the edge of their seat.

    Gang Starr – “Code Of The Streets”

    DJ Premier played Gang Starr’s biggest hit “Mass Appeal” from their fourth album Hard To Earn. The Houston native’s wormy Morse code twists in his scratches to color in the vertices for the latter song’s intro and chorus over his four-bar somber, orchestral strings and throbbing acoustic bassline sample loops on “Code Of The Streets” is Premier at the height of his powers.

    Ghostface Killah f. Cappadonna & Raekwon – “Daytona 500”

    “Daytona 500” from Ghostface Killah’s Ironman is a staple of New York Hip Hop. RZA’s beat-shattering scratches are made complete with a militant verse from Cappadonna and the iconic one-two punch that is Ghostface and Raekwon, it’s a timeless classic born from Staten Island in 1996.

    KRS-One – “Outta Here”

    The simplistic yet incendiary two-bar jazzy bass loop and opening lyric “Back in the days I knew rap would never die” on “Outta Here” from his first solo album Return Of The Boom Bap reinforces that the real winner of this battle it brought one Hip Hop nation under the ‘Gram.

    DJ Premier articles by Dana Scott. RZA entries by David Brake.

    33 thoughts on “20 Classic Beats RZA & DJ Premier Didn’t Play During Their Battle

      1. “The God’s tropical, ladies call me black fruit punch”… Ghost is CRAZY!! ???? The whole B side of OB4CL has RZA’s illest beats

    1. Two heavyweights classic catalogues – think Premier shaded it on the night but can’t think of any producer (Kanye comes close but don’t like 808s and anything post My Beautiful… Fantasy is just reaching ) to put out a run of albums of pure quality like Rza did up to and including Wu-Tang forever ( Enter, Tical, Return, Ob4Cl, Ironman Liquid Swords, Wutang forever as well killing the mic on Gravediggas Niggamortis ) In 4 years – That’s 8 albums one after the other… all different and all classics

      Wouldn’t have been surprised to see some of these included as well:

      Biscuits – Method Man
      Ex-Girl to the Next Girl – Gangstarr
      Rawhide – ODB
      Next Level – Show and A G (remix)
      Rainy Dayz – Raekwon
      Ive Committed Murder – Macy Gray (remix)
      Iron maiden – Ghostface
      Tonz o Gunz – Gangstarr
      260- Ghostface
      Clockwork – Dilated Peoples

    2. What happened to Killa Priest, La the Darkman, 9th Prince Killarmy, Sunz of Man, Killa beez to name a few…I’m an devout Wu head as I was wondering why he didn’t use any Wu affiliates?

      1. No we didn’t forget: FYI Prince Paul produced the majority of the Gravediggaz memorable debut album 6 Feet Deep and most of their hits and used his alias “Undertaker.” The RZA co-produced “Diary Of A Madman” and the first album’s title track, and much of the second album which was stellar but didn’t sell too well despite being an underrated LP. Therefore, there were no “classics” on it that RZA did, unless you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Gravediggaz fan that does the research. Check the albums’ credits. Thanks for reading the article, though.

    3. There is no flute at the begining of Winter Warz. Youre thinking of the version featured on Dont Be A Menace soundtrack that accidently has the ending of the previous song attached to the begining of Winter Warz. The actual version of Winter Warz on the Iron Man lp has no such intro or flute. And to top it off, there is nothing Wutang/Rza sounding about that flute & also its too “clean” and not grimey sounding. The clean sound of the flute matches absolutely nothing on Iron Man.

    4. RZA left Guillotine Swordz, Daytona 500, and Winter Warz On the table. RZA is credited as co-producer for Guillotine Swordz. However, the beat is so nasty that RZA could have played it during the battle anyway. Guillotine Swordz is of the top 5 illest beats ever created from the Wu Tang Clan.

    5. RZA is phenomenal, no doubt. Preem is my favorite though. They both have a unique energy that their production styles give off. I enjoy both. I’m still kinda hoping we finally get a conclusion to Afro Samurai though. Kinda left us hanging. We could get another dope soundtrack from RZA.

    6. Stop PreemO shot his load already… RZA could’ve kept it going for another hour. Only songs Preem really had left was Royalty, Outta Here and Ex to the next girl, Work (2 of those should’ve replaced other shit he played instead). While Rza had half his catalog left. Tre Leches being the number one song Rza forgot to play

    7. Remember Pun, the one you bit ya whole shit from?? The 1 with over a thousand guns!!!!

      RZA was supposed to play that right after the big L record. Only time the world gets Prodigy and Pun on the same song and the Abbott didn’t play it WTF

    8. Gravediggaz, Sunz of Man, Killarmy. I still can’t believe he didn’t play Bring da Ruckus. ?‍♂️

    9. LOL at RZA. He played GZA Liquid Swords but not Stand Up, which is top 10 in anything he’s been involved in. Crazy pianos, whistles and Charli and Ghost lit that on fire. I get GZA is a respected lyricist, but nigga, I’m not playing GZA on IG Live against Premier if I got bullets like Stand Up in the holster…it’s not the place

    10. Premo::
      Gangstarr — Militia
      Pitch Black– It’s All Real.
      Big L — Platinum Plus.
      M.o.P — Follow Instructions.
      Big Daddy Kane — Ant Type of Way.
      Termanalogy x Papoose — Watch How We Go Down

    11. what the fuck am I reading? have you all got shit for brains? premier shot his load already? ridiculous. its unbelievable that this is even a debate & I’m not gonna waste my time trying to convince anybody stupid enough to argue against the simple fact that BOTH the quality & volume of premier’s body of work straight up dwarfs rza’s. period. I love rza & that old wu shit but he proved to have very little left in the tank following the first generation of wu member solo albums. why do you think that every member of the clan followed up their debut album with a sophomore sack of shit sorry ass excuse for an album(with the obvious exception of ghostface). not shitting on rza. nobody could keep up with that workload. comparatively right around that time, premier was comfortably into his groove showing no sign of slowing down & he would continue in that fashion for a very long time. just go look at both of their production discographies, theres no comparison.

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