It was recently announced that Scion‘s broadband radio station Scion Radio 17 [click here] added some Hip Hop minded shows including DJ J. Period [click to read], Ninja Tune Records and the legendary New Jersey-based producer, deejay and record-maker, 45 King. Speaking with HipHopDX, the man responsible for producing Eminem’s “Stan” and Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life” explained how he got down with the car-maker’s marketing department. “Haul kind of like manages me. You could say ‘my manager’ hooked it up,” said 45 King of famed fellow deejay Haul, of the Los Angeles-based duo Haul & Mason.
According to 45 King, this was the same source that assisted in materializing a Wale remix distributed by Scion last year. “It was the same hook-up.”
Of the sets, the “900 Number” producer told DX, “It’s basically just a bunch of club records right now, that I’m puttin’ together. The only bad thing about this is that I have to type every song that I play. So that means that you have to know every song that you get – the label, the artist, whether it’s a single, and you have to type it out.” For the deejay and producer who made dozens of self-released and Tuff City Records-released projects, this comes as a challenge. “There’s a songs that I make up, sampling from here or there, and everywhere. I can’t use any of those songs. My show is basically a lot of club stuff that came out in the ’70s and early ’80s.” The sets, including the one available to stream right now, are largely compromised of Disco and Funk.
The deejay, who was a founder in Flavor Unit, added that while he’s deejayed for almost four decades, this system prevents a bit of improvision. “I know what I’m playing ahead of time. I’m looking for the longest records possible, ’cause i don’t type well. [Laughs] I can type, but the more records you play, guess what? You type.”
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The sets are updated monthly.
For 45 King, the relationship with Scion will hopefully lead to a next major step in his 20-plus year career. “Here’s what I want to do? I want to finally do a [commercial] track for Scion cars. I love Scion cars!”
For the man who helped produce for Eric B. & Rakim, Queen Latifah, Common and Diamond D, production remains a focus for 2009, despite some slow-ups. “I had a few rappers, but they’d say they’d send me their CD; I never received it. It’s kinda hard. People seem like they’re finding more reasons why not to work with you, then to work with you.” Still, the famed producer, and two-time Grammy-winner is optimistic of new projects.
The present 45 King and Scion Radio 17 set includes crate gems from Anita Ward, The Ohio Players and Kool & The Gang. [Click here] to listen.
