Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen aren’t names you typically hear in Hip Hop. That is because the Norwegian duo known as Stargate are just making their way into the genre after adding a few pop hits to their resume (Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable,” Rihanna’s “What’s My Name,” and Katy Perry’s “Firework” to name a few). After producing Wiz Khalifa’s double-platinum single “Black & Yellow” and his latest “Roll Up,” expect that to change.
The duo spoke to Complex about how “Black & Yellow” went down and fielding requests from none other than Jay-Z.
“We first heard about him from [our manager] Tim. I don’t know where Tim heard about him, but one day Tim came in and played us some mixtape stuff,” Hermansen said. “We were just blown away by his flow, and also his musicality. I think we heard instantly that he had a melodic sense in his approach to writing music, but also in the tracks he chose, and that they had some movement in them.”
“Tim was talking about Wiz way back, at least a year before we actually worked together, Eriksen added. “‘Black And Yellow’ was the second song we wrote. Even back then, just listening to the hook and the beat, we could tell that this was something great from the beginning.”
“He came with his crew, and they all had a blast,” Hermansen continued. “The whole Taylor Gang…He stayed here all night and finished up his verses. We stayed, and made sure that the hook was 100 percent. We worked three or four days I think. We did probably about three or four songs the first session, and then two or three others the second session. ‘Black And Yellow’ took probably about a day. 12 hours. He wasn’t in the booth for 12 hours. He wrote everything here, but who knows. He may have had that idea, and just waited for the right track. I think he did the hook on that one first actually. And we kind of went back and forth a little bit, on the structure, but it was all him pretty much in one go. And he did his verses. I don’t think he even went back and re-recorded anything. What you hear is what he did.”
The Norwegians have produced for Nas in the past (“America” and “Not Going Back”), and may move on to his former rival and boss. “We have people coming to us all the time now. Jay-Z actually came up to me the other day and said ‘I need one of those ‘Black and Yellow’ beats for J. Cole.’ [Laughs.] And then he said, ‘Shit, I need one of those ‘Black and Yellow’ beats for myself.’ So we were like ‘You know where to find us.’”
4 Cole really, J. Cole makes his own beats??. Really Jay?
You make it seem like J. Cole produced EVERY beat he EVER rapped on.
“I need one of those ‘Black and Yellow’ beats for J. Cole.’ [Laughs.] And then he said, ‘Shit, I need one of those ‘Black and Yellow’ beats for myself.”
And THAT is why J. Cole will not REALLY hit big until AFTER he get off RocNation. Imagine if Clive Davis was solicited beats for himself AND Whitney Houston, LOL. Thats a LACK OF PRIORITY in J. Cole, in my opinion. In fact, Im gonna go out on a limb and say that there HAS to be some creative rift there if Jigga think’s Cole needs a song like B&Y. Thats not even hi flavor, fam! Come on, Jay!
How so? He asked for J.Cole first and then asked for himself. For all you know he said that to emphasize how hot he thought black and yellow was.
Word up ya niggaz sound like hatin ass niggaz man, Jay is makin his artist independent thats why Jay Elec went to Rocnation and not anybody else stop feelin bitter about suttin ya niggaz cant do, let me see you manage artist and get them what they need to make money and put their name out before ya talk shit about another person not doin it, cause ya niggas dont kno diddly shit iight…
Jay-z is a dickriding faggot, J.Cole will never blow up fucking around with an egotistical nigga like Jay. Jay is so damn busy trying to stay relevant himself by riding all the trends…Give it up Jay, you lost!!!
L-Boogie drinks monkey dicks for breakfast.
Always some fool trying to find a way to diss Jay no matter what the topic,, do you realise Jay’s last album went platinum?? at 40? J. Cole is the next.. jay doesnt want him to be Nas.. Nas is well respected but this is a business at the end of the day..and Nas doesnt sell,. never has ,. his only huge recognisable hit what with Lauryn Hill. so give it a rest with the Jay hate. Jay has given Cole a huge platform to work on , Jay aint Baby , trying to breast feed his artists, Jay knows what will sell, and he wants cole to have a huge hit to really really put him on the map.. Cole is like that dude that we all waiting for ,. like Drake’s “best i eevr had” that track put Drake on the map .
rofl, except that nas has sold around 15mill copies worldwide, yeah he hasnt sold for shit, dumbass.
But J-Cole is a Nas type if u aint notice. Substance over style first. Low-key with Creative, poetic and introspective lyrics. Nas lies in the middle of mainstream and underground. Critical and commercial success. J-Cole would be lucky to have a Nas career. No point trying to model him like a Jay if he aint built that way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_GKPPSqj_o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwui-MVu1-4
J COLE WTF GAY SHIT IS THAT
SOUND LIKE A R&B DICK SUCKIN NIGGA. GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE TAYLOR GANG OVER SOME DUMB ASS CRACK ROCK NATION ILLUMINATI BULLSHIT
Fuck Cheeze Whiz and his whole taylor gang crew , and all you little crack heads that worship dis dude,.
Cosign.
I don’t think he meant he wants a black and yellow for J Cole like that.. I think he might just be sayin he wants a big record for Cole.. Not necessarily that poppy but a banger. Jay-Z is still one of the best in the game right now and if he wants a beat what the hell is wrong wit dat? like he said on reasonable doubt “Can I Live”
Agreed. Nobody reads the whole articles here. They just read the headlines and blow gaskets off of that.
So these are the dudes gaying up the hiphop beats lately?
co sign
jay z wanna see J cole have a smash hit like black and yellow thats wussup but knowing jay z ass he prolly take the best ones for himself then give the rest to j cole
if your tired of pop rap wit abc rhymes check out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X68IQy2dD7w
real lyrics real music
You guys do know that Stargate has had their own imprint under Roc Nation called StarRoc since 2008 right?
THANK YOU…somebody who studies the game…Jay has been working with Stargate for yeas now….if anything, HipHopDX is late reporting this…It was jay who introduced Stargate to the US market…the reason hip-hop (and R&B for that matter) is dying is because we have a fickle fanbase….
Star Roc with ne-yo….This is why rap sucks..Jay Cole makes fat beats…and I HATE WHEN CATS SAY GIVE ME A BEAT LIKE SO AND SO…REMEMBER WHEN EVERYTHING SOUNDED LIKE THE NEPTUNES…WACKNESS
thats why BMF sounds like MC hammer, sounds like H.A.M., that lex luther fool makign everything sound the same,.. you notice how kanye shit doesnt sound like anything similar.
Jay or J. Cole rapping a Black & Yellow type beat? C’mon Hov. Always chasing what’s hot right now. I’ll pass.
Jcole may need something thats soft so he can kill on man, because he has no swag man, but the boi is da best rapper right now, but swag, you have to have it right now, Nas was a great rapper he had swag but the guy got boring, Cole need pharell beatz or suttin man..Jay-z needed beatz like that to break out the Underground shadow and he neva looked back..
NUFF SAID I GET THE PICTURE.
okkkkkk
dont miss this is funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X68IQy2dD7w
Jay-z is eating the cream out of Beyonce’s pussy lips with those big camel lips and swallowing her cum and falling asleep with his face in that wet pussy.
Jay-z is eating the cream out of Beyonce’s pussy lips with those big camel lips and swallowing her cum and falling asleep with his lips in that wet pussy juice.
like
Dear HipHopDX.com….that pic at the end of each article (link below)…..please get rid of it….its kinda tired right now….
https://hiphopdx.com/index/editorials/id.1633/title.the-2010-hiphopdx-year-end-awards
get off of Jay-z and J. cole nuts haters at the end of the day don’t matter
i thought JAY-Z and STARGATE were doing business, anyway….to form STARROC, under ROC NATION?