Single: Royce Da 5'9", Phonte & Stat Quo - Homage To Premier (prod. by Focus)

DJ Premier is one of the greatest Hip-Hop producer's of all time bar none. Many would even put him right there at the top spot (myself included). I mean, when I was coming up, reading the production credits for the tapes and CD's I was coppin', there was always a sorted few names I checked for: DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Domingo, Marley Marl, DJ Muggs, Ski, No I.D., Dr. Dre and The Beatnuts. I was a definite hound for Premo more than any of them though. Preme just had that knack for highlighting a particuliar artist's best skills as an emcee, utilizing his head nodding programmed drums, grimy sample selection and of course his trademark cuts on the chorus. Many of his collab's are just the stuff of Hip-Hop lore' and legend. From "Unbelievable", "Downtown Swinga", "NY State Of Mind", "When I B on the Mic", "A Million and One Questions", "Nas Is Like", "Peer Pressure", "D'Evils" and countless others, Premier has time and again, just straight up and down laced so many cats. His spot in the hall of fame is already ready, just sitting there waiting on him to call it quits, something that I can only selfishly hope doesn't ever happen. [Insert recurring plea for Premier to finally do that long awaited solo album here].

In the same spirit of my admiration and recognition, three of the more legitimately talented emcee's of recent times have stepped up to the plate and decided to pay respect where respect is due. Royce Da 5'9", Phonte and Stat Quo all get together and drop some dope 16's filled with references and salutes to the man who came out east from Texas so many years ago and helped define the entire sound scape of New York Hip-Hop. I find it kinda interesting that these three guys who hail from Detroit, North Khack a lacki and the ATL, respectively, are the ones who are making the dope tribute records to NY production legend's......Damn New York City. At any rate, I guess it's the thought that counts and not where it comes from. Besides,....the fact that these cats were raised where they were and are Premier fans (and in Royce's case, close collaborator) themselves, only further proves the point of Premo's greatness. I have no doubt that one day college kids from across the globe will be studying him and writing thesis papers on his great work. I digress... ...this joint made my weekend and I'm happy that people are honoring a timeless career. And while it's not produced by Preme himself, west coast upstart Focus does his best Premier impression on this track, right down to the cutting and scratching. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anticipating a Premier remix for this though, lol.

-BIG D O





http://www.zshare.net/audio/546171315f29d63b/