While speaking with WHO?MAG TV, Queens, New York rapper N.O.R.E. shared the details of how his “Banned From TV” record came about. Among the artists featured on the N.O.R.E. record was Big Pun, and according to N.O.R.E., Pun’s appearance on the record wasn’t one that was originally planned.
N.O.R.E. revealed that he was in the studio with Swizz Beatz when Big Pun showed up. After Pun arrived, N.O.R.E. took a short break from the studio and upon returning to the studio he found that Pun recorded a verse to “Banned From TV” while he was gone.
He explained that when Pun asked if he was going to delete his verse, he responded with “hell yeah,” but ultimately chose not to delete the rapper’s verse.
“I hooked up with this young producer at the time that nobody really knew of,” N.O.R.E. said. “His name was Kasseem Dean, Swizz Beatz…So, I put Nature on the record. And Pun just comes to the studio. And he’s just there, chill. I think I took a [break] to go downstairs and smoke a cigarette, something like that. And Pun just lays his verse. So, I’m like—I’m flipping on the engineer. I’m like ‘Yo, why would you just let this guy just go?’ And you know Pun’s like this. The engineer was like ‘What the fuck am I gonna tell this guy? You want me to tell him no’…So, he like ‘Yo, you gonna erase my verse?’ I’m like ‘Hell yeah, I’mma erase your verse. The minute you leave I’m gonna erase your verse.’”
Prior to sharing his “Banned From TV” story involving Pun, N.O.R.E. revealed that he’s currently looking for Trackmasters, the production duo he worked with heavily at the start of his music career. The New York City wordsmith later recalled the moment he approached the pair about creating a commercial record for him.
“I’m looking for Tone and Poke from Trackmasters,” he said. “I need to find them. I want to kind of recreate that energy. I don’t know where they at. I know they rich. [They] probably own a piece of an island in the Dominican Republic somewhere, but I’m sure they have internet. So, if anybody can find them, N.O.R.E. is looking for the Trackmasters…One of the best stories I have with Trackmasters is I wanted them to give me a single…Give me something I can play on the radio. And I remember they said to me—They said ‘The world blamed Nas for going commercial on Trackmasters. So, the world won’t blame Trackmasters for making N.O.R.E. commercial.’ So, they never gave me a commercial record at all…I feel like I’ve never properly credited Trackmasters for my success.”
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i wouldn’t exactly call N.O.R.E. “a wordsmith!”, l.o.l.
Hennessy Straight …with tomato juice
Rather have N.O.R.E. be called a “wordsmith” instead of Bobby Shmurda. Right, Danielle?
This ninja crazy!. Pun had the illest verse on that joint
Great interview. Nore has always been one of my favorite MC’s. Funny story about Big Pun. I wonder what the Trackmasters will say after seeing this.
Yo! I hope he hooks up with Trackmasters again. THAT WOULD BE DOPE!!!
Song woundnt have been the same without Big Pun. Where R the Trackmasters now?
The song wouldn’t be the same with Cameron.
just put cam’ron, big pun and jada/styles p’s verses on one track and call that shit a day coz all four of them made that song.
i tune out during nature’s verse and hit next track once nore starts rapping.
I think Nat had the best verse on that joint, “Chokin Niggas like Im Sprewell/Golden State/Holdin your fate/In the palm of my hands/shuttin you down like its part of the plan.”
Nature had a ill verse my fav was Jada n Styles tho
‘I wake up gripping the air wishing to hear that shit that they kick in ya ear when ya soul drift in the air / My gift is half rotten when I spit its a tear / that shit el drop down my eye im too tired to cry / n I aint never met a nigga that’s too live to die’
For slow niggas jada talking bout he wish niggas would talk to him n tell him the shit show the love people be saying to the corpse in the funeral home.N styles Gift is half rotten is talkin bout the gift of wisdom his wisdom tooth be rotten hurts to rhyme……..Tell da truth took me a while to really understand that verse LOX be lyrical beasts
DANIELLE HARLING CAN EAT SHIT AND DIE REAL SLOW
I think one drives a taxi and the other ones a club promoter. So much for trackmasters
everybody knew about swizz beatz before this record came out, you fuckin’ clown.