The Hip Hop Chronicle UK’s Sumit recently caught up with famed Roc engineer Young Guru to discuss his early career with the Madd Rapper and Roc-A-Fella Records. During the interview, Guru spoke on his friends and frequent collaborators Jay-Z and Kanye West’s recent project Watch the Throne. The storied engineer said that the RZA co-produced track “New Day” 
perfectly excapsulates the importance of the album to Hip Hop music, as the two emcees contemplate the futures of their unborn sons.
“[It’s] a new day [with Watch the Throne],” he exclaimed. “Incredible, man. You’ve never heard two rappers talk about unborn children, and the persective that they come with it [on the song ‘New Day’] is so personal to them that it makes a great record. Kanye is basically coming and saying, ‘I’m going to make sure that my son doesn’t make the same mistakes that I do,’ so that’s the references to, ‘I’m trying to find love in the strip club’…Jay is coming from the perspective of, ‘Well, I didn’t have my father [around growing up], so I’m going to make sure that my son, I’m going be there for him.’ I say this to Jay all the time, that, How did the [number of records sold] work out so easy for him? It seems like it’s magic, but in [his] mind, it’s like, ‘Okay, my first album came out when I was 26, so then, that’s…when I became a man. That’s my job to cut that [check] in half for him so that at 13, I [can] eat a black bar mitzvah.”
Young Guru also spoke on the recent Spike Jonze-directed music video for Jay and ‘Ye’s single “Otis.” He said that the video feels like a throwback to the early era of Hip Hop in that the two emcees appear to have enormous fun in shooting the video, particularly while chopping up the Maybach featured in the video.
“My mind is always going to analyze [a song or video]. I’m looking to see what the the stars on the flag,” he said. “But when I look at [the ‘Otis’ video] overall, it just looks fun. It looks like it goes back to that real early Hip Hop [style]. You see Jay’s got his arm around Kanye, they’re smiling, they’re having a great time. There’s not this super [style to it], like, let’s change the scene a million times. They break down the [Maybach] car, and they have a ball.”
Check out the full interview to see Guru speak on his days at Bad Boy and much more.
RELATED: Jay-Z & Kanye West’s “Watch The Throne” Breaks iTunes Sales Record
This man always speaks the truth. Preach brother!!!
Everytime some tight with Jay or Kanye speak about WTT they say it’s good and different and it’s deep. But you kinda get the impression that there really thinking man this isn’t really that good. Cuz guess what it’s average at best.
I don’t get that impression at all. But it seems you do. You can’t speak on behalf of people
shut the fuck up. open your ears
Why dont you listen dumb ass,. ? what you think they just mumbling all album , listen to the topics and subject matter.you lost kid.
“You’ve never heard two rappers talk about unborn children”….. Umm didnt 2pac make a song called a letter to my unborn son?
Key word: Two. Two rappers. 2pac is not two people if thats what you’ve thought all your life.
Organized Konfusion did it the best
Uhhhh im pretty sure he meant I.E. black bar mitzvah.
I always like to check out any news or articles on Young Guru, he always drops gems & is a very introspective dude. All that talk about Tracy Lee, D.Dot & dem was my era at Howard and it’s interesting how he still remembers all that w/such sentiment.
Someone needs to listen to “INVETRO” by Organized Konfusion!!!
Invetro is sick ,. but still for these 2 personalities to analyze themselves and their own lives it has something personal and intriguing about it after their storied careers,
Article is okay, video is definitely better. check that out.
People like you think Gucci mane and waka flocka talking bout real shit huh..
Umm…how about Pac letter to my unborn…same concept, do your homework guru
he said “you never heard 2 rappers”
there are plenty of other examples, so im sure he knew what he was thinking when he said what he said
Both these guys gonna have daughters in 2020
I don’t believe in the Illuminati BUT after seeing all the art in Watch the Thrown and symbolism im really starting to second geuss these two….We all know Jay Z is willing to sacrifice his artistic craft for money(listen too moment of clarity), why not his soul?…man I sound kinda crazy but fuck it I cant ignore all the symbolism in that album, and all the other signs I have been overlooking the past few years. People can make anything and call it art and its acceptable. If the Illuminati did exist the best medium to push out there message WOULD BE ART, and what art is more influential then MUSIC? and what MUSIC IS MORE INFLUENTIAL THAN HIPHOP? Especially too our generation….I could be completely wrong and they might be doing this whole Illuminati image just as a gimmick or to seem youthful, “were apart of the modern counter culture were young and cool were not like your uncles”, that sorta attitude. OR maybe just Maybe these are some Illuminati devil worshiping niggas who sold there soul for money (half of WTT is about money)
Kanye is trying too hard to be a trend setter and appear to be an artistic genius. When he came into the game all he wore was jeans and polos now he is wearing some out this world type shit. He is a really dope producer and a descent rapper but is FAR FROM AN ARTISTIC GENIUS OR VISIONARY. And I wish Jay Z would act his age, There is a way to be 41 and still be cool, but its not by acting like your 20….With that being said WTT was a dope album. And before The Kanye and Jay dickriders hope on this comment and say im “hating” I can tell you now that im not. this is just my opinion. To me some modern Artistic Geniuses are J.Dilla, Rakim, Banksy.
+1
if theres 1 thing i will say, ye’s taste for instrumentals is amazing, his productions are incredible no doubt i like the beats kanye choses for the albums and shit, but watch the throne wasnt kinda weak if u take away the instrumentals and listen to the lyrics. new day, murder to excellence, why i love you, no church in the wild and primetime. thats it for me rest i didnt like lyrically, just the same shit. and jayz was a joke on otis.. seriously.. jayz talkin bout swag and snapbacks cmon lookin like a fool in the video. act ur age son
it’s funny to hear the comments about ‘jay should be acting his age’..I am not a big jay fan, but in all honesty…if this mother fucker wanted to jump around in a pink elephant costume all day..it’s his life, as long as the mofo happy, isn’t that all that matters?
+1 – too much hate in this world….amen brother.
shit most of the rappers that people argue over are 30+ nas 38
Well said.
If someone does something that’s not cool or irritating or offensive or asshole’ish (yes I made up a word) its ok to speak your mind or comment on it. If your black and see someone white wearing a confederate flag shirt you have the right to point it out and ridicule it. Just how you say if he wants to jump around in a “pink elephant costume” its his life. Let ME point out how I think its uncool that a rapper is jumping around in a pink elephant costume. and let me point out how I think its un cool for a rapper thats 41 to act like hes 20. Cus its my “life”. And speaking my mind and stating my opinion makes me HAPPY even if its over something small like how a rapper acts…. Isn’t that all that matters? What your saying is you never state your opinions because you think people should live how they want? yeah right. but how is me stating my opinion stopping him in any way? Jay Z is 40 and acts 20 and that’s not cool too me if any 40 year old acts 20 its not cool to me I will say it over and over you mad bro?
41* not 40…not that it matters…..
@Mado – It’s all good if it makes you happy, but the difference is that your bringing negativity with it. When you’re criticizing such minor things you may be offensive even though it’s not a big deal of course. While, if Jay is wearing a stupid outfit and having fun, he isn’t “hurting” anyone.
I don’t know how im bringing negativity with it. I just have opinions and some of them can be perceived as negative and some can be perceived as positive. HipHops true essence is self expression I would think you as a fan would know that. You think Eminem or Jay Z was worried about who they offend or if somethings negative or positive? Naa they make there songs to get shit off there chest, so when its in song form its ight too you but when its on a comment its negative and unnecessary? everyone has there own perception and opinions on how things should be and what people should say or not say, that’s why there’s no point in being like you shouldn’t point out this or that. Cus who are you to decide whats worth mentioning or not? At the end of the day I said Watch the Thrown is dope that overshadows how I feel about how Jay Z acts/dresses given his age. Cus Jay Z is a artist and all he has to offer you or I is music. You shouldn’t be trippin about how I feel about how he acts its irrelevant. Bringing negativity is when people are on here saying “gay Z” and shit of that nature. Just because something isnt “”hurting”” (lol double quote) someone doesn’t mean its not worth mentioning by the way. Like the only time its relevant to discuss a rappers actions or behavior is when someone is being hurt? lol. We can just agree to disagree just know people will always point out what they want to and your opinion doesn’t determine whats “negative” or not. Nothings negative over here homie im getting ready to roll a blunt. PEACE.
I see were both yall comin from @Mado there aint no point in pointin out somethin so small. den again like you said you can point out anything you want. i can respect dat. Also yeah niggas shouldnt be worried about who dey offend all the real niggas arnt (Tupac). And shit who still smokes blunts, rolling papers all day.
@Mado – I didn’t have a problem with what you said, I was just trying to answer your question (what is and isn’t ok to say…) in the way of giving you a possible reason (and hence me adding that it’s all good and that it’s not a big deal since I wasn’t really concerned with what you said). And as Willie said, this is kinda paradoxical so we’re both right I guess. Or actually, yes, you absolutely do have the right to say whatever you want so I wasn’t saying that it is wrong that you said it, but I was saying what is (possibly) wrong with what you said.
Excuse the eventual lack of coherence in my post, I’m in a hurry. Peace!
One more point to make myself a bit more clear. If you asked me how would I rob a bank and I told you so, it wouldn’t mean that I like and plan to do it, but how would I do it in a hypothetical situation.
Ok, f it, lol. My main point is that while you do have the right to say that, I don’t think that you should because it’s a meaningless thing. And if you disagree with that than it’s all good because as you said it’s all opinions. As for rappers saying other negative things, it’s all individual i.e. I may with agree with one thing and disagree with another.