DJ Quik has long been established as a West Coast Hip Hop legend, but he clearly had some things to get off his chest regarding his legacy. During an Instagram Live session on Thursday (April 28), DJ Quik lit one of his Death Row Records royalty checks on fire for the camera as he bemoaned his lack of appreciation for his contributions to the culture.
“I’m not so happy,” he says in the clip. “I’m real offended by this Death Row check and this amount. As much work as I did for these sons of bitches, I feel the respect factor is crazy. There is none. So to show you how much your money means to me, Mr. Death Row Records — all the 2Pac stuff I did, help with Tha Dogg Pound project. Devil, you are a bitch. I want my real money and I want all my credits for everything that I did in this industry.
“All the songs, including ‘Hot In Here’ by Nelly and Pharrell. I want my credit for being ‘Get Nekkid.’ I want my credit from Kendrick Lamar — and this is no disrespect to Kendrick Lamar, I love TDE, you guys are awesome — but the fact y’all left my credit off ‘King Kunta’ [To Pimp A Butterfly] was crazy.”
As DJ Quik’s check begins to burn, he continues demanding credit for all of the music he’s had a hand in creating.
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“R. Kelly ‘Home Alone,’ that’s 100 percent all of my drum sounds, my music, and me playing percussion,” he says. “I want that too. All Eyez On Me, it’s my credit, I want that. ‘In Da Club,’ ‘If I Can’t,’ I helped with those records by 50 Cent. I want that too. I want all my credits. I’m starting to get to a point where I’m impatient and I feel disrespected. I’m not going to be the underdog of this music industry anymore. I am to be respected as a king and a lord that I am, a God when it comes to production. I need all of my fucking credits.”
Quik also talks about putting his life in danger for Death Row Records, adding, “I took death chances over there. I could have been killed being at that record company. I need all of my fucking credit. Give me my shit while I’m alive. Give me my roses when I can smell them.”
DJ Quik Faces Backlash For Tasteless April Fool's Day Joke: 'I Got Y'all'
DJ Quik’s relationship with former Death Row CEO Marion “Suge” Knight stretches back to 1988 when Quik was signed to his Funky Enough Records imprint. In 1990, Quik signed a deal with Profile Records, but reportedly regretted it. Eazy-E offered him a $1 million advance to sign with Ruthless Records and consequently, Profile sent a cease-and-desist letter to Ruthless.
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Over the course of Quik’s lengthy career, he’s racked up a slew of production credits beginning in 1991 with 2nd II None’s self-titled debut, AMG’s Bitch Better Have My Money, his own album Quik Is The Name and Hi-C’s Skanless. In 1996, he added 2Pac’s All Eyez On Me, Tony! Toni! Tone!’s House of Music and Shaquille O’Neal’s You Can’t Stop The Reign. Other credits include Luniz, Jermaine Dupri, Snoop Dogg, Erick Sermon and Janet Jackson.
Quik’s outrage towards the Kendrick Lamar “King Kunta” situation stems from the fact the song samples the 2000 Mausberg track featuring Quik.
Revisit it below.
