VladTV recently caught up with the legendary DJ Premier to talk about his production influences. During the interview, Premo talked about why Marley Marl and Rick Rubin are two of his favorite producers of all time. The Gang Starr beatmaker said that he especially connects to Marley’s music, and that in his opinion, the Juice Crew producer can do no wrong.
“Production-wise, really, it’s a tie, because I’m a Marley Marl fanatic and I really love what Rick Rubin did with Def Jam as far as production [being[ a guys that was just intrigued by the culture and knew how to make it sound like he made it sound with LL [Cool J] and the Beastie Boys, and to even have the balls to sign Public Enemy,” he said. “But Marley Marl just did it for me. It didn’t matter what he did; like when Big Daddy Kane said, if he’d fart on a record it’d still sound good. Marley could do no wrong. It didn’t matter if it was Kool G Rap’s album Road to the Riches, if it was In Control Vol. 1, I don’t care if it was MC Shan’s Down By Law, if it had ‘produced by [Marley Marl]’…Marley Marl is just the God to me.”
As the go-to selector for the Cypher series of BET’s annual Hip Hop Awards, Prem also discussed his dream line-up of emcees. Amongst names like Rakim, KRS-One, Nas and Bumpy Knuckles, Premier said that he’d like to hear Dr. Dre jump on the mic. Although he admits that he knows that Dre looks more to ghostwriters for his lyrics, Prem says the California emcee’s delivery simply kills it.
“Definitely Rakim, definitely KRS-One, even though he’s done it before, but in my ultimate cipher, definitely Chuck D. Ice Cube, even though he’s done it, but again, [this is] just excluding the whole BET thing,” he said. “I’d like Dr. Dre in a cipher. I know he doesn’t really do the writing, but he’s so dope when he delivers and he knows how to put the right attitude [on the words]. Everybody from the D.O.C. to [MC] Ren to Ice Cube, whenever they write for him, he completely turns it into Dre, where it feels like the entire lyrics are his. I like to see Jay-Z in a cipher, Nas, of course, and Bumpy Knuckles. Guru would’ve loved it, Guru loved to rhyme, so he’s automatic.”
Check out the full interview below.
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R.I.P. Guru.
RIP Keith Elam
Premo is the king producer of hip-hop. The god! Show’s up all these new school wack artists ruining hiphop.
Amen
Preemo youre the king.-
He says Justin Bieber can’t join because he wasn’t going to write his own lyrics (which was a confirmed lie) Now he’s saying he wants Dre to join when Dre’s name is almost synonymous for ghostwriter. Fucking Idiot.
the only reason he said was so he didnt hurt that bitch ass muthafukaz feelings. Premo dont want no bieber in a cypher! this is hip hop, not bullshit!
That 1st anonymous sounds like their feelings were hurt more than Justin’s.
how the fuck are you comparing beiber with dre? regardless of ghostwriters dre can rap, dre’s rapped classic verses, beiber can eat a dick.
LOL at this chump catching feelings over Justin Beiber being called out and disowned…
Man… you’s a bitch.
Lol you’re right,these other fanboys just don’t get it. Sad to see that in today’s environment people feel obliged to say certain names, either to avoid beef, brown nose or for commercial reasons. Don’t really get how Premo can mention MC Ren’s writing but talk about Dre’s delivery!? Dre’s not bad vocally but can’t touch Ren’s delivery, which is one of the hardest EVER..Even Andre said “faith is what you make it that’s the hardest shit since MC Ren”..Lyrically Ren’s not too bad either..
Drake needs to be in there…only rapper who understands the power of melody… FUCK old school boring ass hip hop… NEW SCHOOL IN THIS BITCH!!! AAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Someone is giddy that they got some dick before writing such a stupid comment.
New school can suck a dick compared to NaS rakin krs guru LL etc, there I maybe 10 good artists that are “new” n that’s slaughterhouse n yela… Dudes like termanology n Hopsin besides that naw… U need to respect real shit my dude
New school is garbage while the old school is full of knowledge. Yall young niggaz need to listen to some Rakim and Nas, Its the Original Hip Hop College
It’s people like this anonymous fucker who are completely disrespectful and piss me off. Without OLD SCHOOL there is no New School. You get that shit faggot? How can old school be boring when that time period has sent the best messages in hip hop? Best beats, lyrics… I can’t think of a true classic album coming out anytime recently, it’s been a loooooonnnng time.
What a clown. New school rappers like Drake can eat a fat dick.
he talke about the best rappers of all time, high class in hiphop. drake never can be there and lil wayne fucking noooo shitt
big respect to Premo
Marley the greatest producer ever!
ayo Prem holla at me nahsaying?
I finally wrote down my shit for the Bet cypher.
Lupe, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay Electronica
now thats a cypher!
how you didnt throw Cole in the mix? hating ass crab…..
cypher of all time^ cole is a faggot.
WEEZY,DRAKE,NICKI,BUSTA IS ALL YOU NEED FOR THE BEST CYPHER…..YOUNG MOOLAH>OLD ASS OLD SCHOOL BITCHES
Really? Are you really that ignorant?that statement makes you a bitch nigga.
Bitch nigga
Damn..Sonned AZ?
please god let nas be on the next cypher, him and dj premeir? what more could you ask for
Forget a cypher. NaS is too godly to be caught up in such petty shit. It’s like telling Jay Z to create a mixtape. Gods are too advanced for that son
My Dream Lineup:
Buckshot, Apathy, Black Thought, Mos Def, GZA, O.C., Big Pun, Guru, Scarface & KRS
Beats by Premier of course
You could also throw in INI and Jeru into that. I would definitely throw in a variety of beats, some old Pete stuff, some old Buckwild stuff.
That’s a hell of a list
ok the dream team just killed the cypher this year…i dont think there’s anyone out there that can do what Shady 2.0. did to the cypher this year…maybe lets say Hopsin,R.A.,Vinnie Paz,Immortal and Apathy…thats kinda it…
It’s nice to see that someone else (a beat-making GOD no less) recognizes Dr. Dre’s rapping.
Sure Dre’s not known as an emcee, but I always thought that he has an excellent rapping voice, definitely a good enough one to warrant him getting on the mic even if someone else writes his lyrics.
Here Here. An emcee’s voice is definitely their signature. Mos Def, Nas, Jay, Big Pun, Biggie, Pac, Kanye, Jeezy, Rakim, RA the Rugged Man; I mean the list goes on…That’s why a lot of kids these days aren’t really given the respect they deserve, because they all sound like they’re on some default setting decibel-wise and how they commonly pronounce ish…
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fuck you virgil
Your half-sister is a got damn liar!
My cypher would be sean price, pharaoh monch,Black Rob,skyzoo,buckshot ,torae, rustee Juxx and the rockness monstah duckdown records…
co-fucking-sign
buckshot???? GARBAGE!!!!!!!! he was in one already and was straight SHIT!!!
How about:
Eminem, Nas, Jay-Z, Game and Dr.Dre
how about shut the fuck up
Dre is ghostwritten by Em so you might as well just remove him, and Game can’t keep up with Em, Jay, and NaS.
it will work wonders Game won’t be able to keep up with Nas n Em but he can outspit Jay…Eat a dick hater
Preme is the GOAT!! That being said, I do have a problem with dude excluding Justin Bieber from the cipher but wanting Dre in it. The next bar that Dre writes will be his first. I could care less about your delivery. If you didn’t write it, you get no dap for it, period.
I have two dream ciphers. My OG cipher would be Rakim, G Rap, Kane, KRS and “Critical Beatdown” era Kool Keith over an old Marley Marl joint. My other cipher would be Pharoahe Monch, Ras Kass, Elzhi, Jay Electronica and Roc Marciano over Group Home’s “The Realness”.
Dream Cypher –
MF DOOM
KOOL KEITH
BIG DADDY KANE
SCHOOLLY D
RAKIM
CHUCK D
Q-TIP
Word Up
NAPPIE RASH
AUSTRALIA
Jay-Z, Nas, Rakim, KRS-One, BD Kane, GZA & Scarface should do a fucking veteran cypher
did he really say dre?
Need moar Diddy
Dr. Dre would be sick with premo!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfpvBLdkDEA
Dre over… Eminem, AZ, Pharoahe Monch, Chino XL, Crooked I, etc??? Really? Now how can you say you’d want Dre in your “dream cypher” even if he had a ghostwritten rap, if you banned justin for trying to get in the BET cypher with one. I hate Justin but come on don’t be a hypocrite…
My cypher would be Nas,Lupe,Jadakiss and Andre 3000…P.S Preem knows Dre uses ghostwriters but he banned Justin Beiber cause he didn’t write his own shit..Isn’t that a lil backwards?Not complaining cause Beiber is wack but your rule should apply to everyone…
No because the Beibs HAD someone write one, doesn’t mean Dre always uses them or would for a cypher. I’m sure if Dre was like O em wrote this he would say no to him.
If Biggie, Pun, and L didn’t die, and they made 3 cyphers, best mainstream, best underground, best old school, that would be awesome.
Cypher 1 (all not in any specific order) would have L, Biggie, GZA, etc
2 would have Eminem, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Royce Da 5’9″
3 would have Pharoahe Monch, Crooked I, Chino XL, Cannibus, etc
and then add Pun to any of these and it would be awesome.
yeah wether in a cypher..better yet if they wouldv’e made 1 song together..Notorious B.I.G, Big L, and Big Punisher..The king of Brooklyn,the king of Harlem, and the king of the Bronx..all on one track. Nasty…eminem tries to immitate them but he can’t fuck with them 3. Eminem thinks that putting together as many words that ryhmes together is all it takes. it was more then that. biggie and BIg L had crazy nice flows to go with that. Also it seemed effortless when they did it..like it flowed natural. Eminem raps he has to rap superfast to fit all those rhymes in each bar to the point where you can hardly understand what he’s saying. he has to try to hard..
The OG Bumpy Knucks! Nice one
premo is the man, straight G
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I’d put Krayzie Bone in their. His Delivery is sick plus he is the creator of that style
I love how Preme salutes the producers that he grew up listening to. Im sure alot of heads say…WTF is wrong with dude? But what Preme , PR, RZA, Dre etc are to us. These dudes that he mentioned are to him…..
If only he could get his choice of MC’s…I would love to hear KRS, Cube, Common, Tash, Redman cypher……If B.i.G. or Pun were alive….nobody would have been able to fuck with them. PUN’s wordplay was/is the best EVER and that shit he said….WOW!!!!!
The ULTIMATE SUPER DREAM CYPHER!!
JAY-Z ,
NAS,
ANDRE 3000,
EMINEM
SCARFACE
AND IM TALKING RAPPERS THAT ARE STILL ALIVE
If you feel that way DMX against 90% of the Rap industry…he is crazy as hell but most emcees cant tie his laces
No BDK with Rakim and KRS not to mention Gay Z couldnt hang with Lord Finesse and Big L on the Graveyard….Cmon Son
Masta Ace, Nas, GZA, AZ, Rakim, KRS, Immortal Technique
Out of the curioustity of seeing these guys on a cypher:
Andre 3000, MF DOOM, Jay-Z, J.Cole, Nas, Blu.
Kool G. Rap, KRS-ONE, Rakim, Nas, Cormega.
or D.I.T.C vs Boot Camp Click without O.G.C.
—> 4 HRSMN vs Laughterhouse
Never heard of Laughterhouse, if they’re anything like Slaughterhouse they must be sick
Some artists I would personally like to see spit in a cypher:
EPMD, Mobb Deep, The original Murder Inc.(DMX, Jay-Z, Ja Rule), Los, W.C., Jimmy Spicer, Mic Geronimo, Fat Joe, Mack 10, Cuban Link, Triple Seis…and another Shady 2.0 cypher…among others.
THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE I WANT TO SEE IN A CYPHER
You say Justin Bieber-I say Tupac
You say Lil Wayne-I say Biggie Smalls
You say Drake-I say Ice Cube
You say Soulja Boy-I say Big Pun
You say Gucci Mane-I say Rakim
You say New school-i say shut the fuck up
You say Pop-I scream Hip Hop!
You say Hannah Montana-i fucking punch you in the face
92% of teenagers have turned to New school and Pop.If you are part of the 8% that still listen to real music,copy and paste this message to another 5 HHDX articles. Don’t let the real rap die
We don’t care about your shit.
Cypher by Cities Still Livin
Philly
DJ: Jazzy Jeff/Cash Money/King Britt
MCs:
Black Thought
EST
P Crakk
Beans
Free
Young Chris
Cass
Schoolly D
Bahamadia
Eve
NY
DJ: Preme/Pete Rock
Nas
AZ
Rakim
Kane
G Rap
Jay
Chuck D
Q Tip
Busta
LL
Monch
Mobb Deep
De La
MOP
DITC
Jersey
DJ: Just Blaze
Mcs:
Redman
Treach
Lords of the Underground
Latifah
L Boogie
DJ: No ID
MCs:
Common
Lupe
Kanye
Twista
Feel free to add on
Sounds like the greatest cypher line up of all time, and I love that the NY cypher has the longest list of MCs. I DO THINK you need to add EPMD to the NY cypher though.