Prior to today’s release of Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre, The Fader caught up with seven producers to get their thoughts on Dre’s new album, the musician’s influence, and more.
Among the beatsmiths The Fader chopped it up with was DJ Premier, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, and IamSu!.
While speaking on Dr. Dre’s newly-released project, DJ Premier expressed his excitement at being tapped as one of the artists to work on the album.
“The most exciting thing is, for one, being a part of it,” DJ Premier said. “I’m so happy that he even asked me to get down with him. We clicked in the studio, we didn’t have any funny vibes. He was open to my opinions when I said I wanted to change something, or if I said I like this, I don’t like that. He was totally cool with it, he wasn’t hogging the session, he was totally just regular.
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“I’m also excited about all the stuff that I heard,” he added. “I love the song ‘All In A Day’s Work,’ the beat is just so hard core, and Jimmy Iovine is on it at the beginning talking about what it takes to be a powerful man in business and to remain there and what sort of focus it takes. It’s such a motivational record, and it’s a head nodder. He played me the record The Game did, that shit is hard. I was like, yo, how many songs you putting on there? He said sixteen and I only heard eight.”
TDE producer Sounwave spoke on the influence Dr. Dre had on him as an artist. As someone who grew up in Los Angeles, California in the 80s, Sounwave declared the former N.W.A member “the hugest influence I’ve ever had.”
“The real question is how has Dre not influenced me? I was born in ’85, so that era of music was all I heard my life,” Sounwave said. “The first thing I ever heard rap wise was Dre and N.W.A. Especially coming from L.A., it’s like you never even heard of anything outside of N.W.A. growing up. He’s probably the hugest influence I’ve ever had. Sonically, his influence was heavy—the way [he] would flip dirty drum beats and make it sound West Coast to his lyrics, which were about what everyone from L.A. at the time was feeling. He’s spot on in every aspect, and it’s amazing.”
For additional Dr. Dre coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
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