DJ Premier on Gang Starr, Jay-Z, Biggie, and Becoming One of Music’s Biggest Producers

On this week's episode of IDEA GENERATION, legendary producer DJ Premier takes us on a journey from his early days as part of the duo Gang Starr, to producing for then up-and-coming rapper Jay-Z and helping to shape his sound, to carving his own lane and becoming one of the greatest producers in hip hop history. And it all started with one idea.

0:00 - DJ Premier's Journey in Hip-Hop
1:10 - Parents' Careers and Early Creative Exposure
3:02 - Relationship with Travis Scott's Father
4:37 - DJ Premier's Perspective on Music Evolution
6:27 - From Aretha Franklin to Jackson 5
8:01 - Fresh Fest and the Birth of a Passion
9:48 - LL Cool J, Run DMC, Chuck D, and more
10:55 - From Blending to Scratching
12:01 - Choosing DJ Premiere as a name
13:04 - Pursuing Computer Science and Discovering Passion for Music
13:55 - Support from Parents and Working at a Record Store
16:00 - Making a Demo and Getting Noticed
20:06 - Joining Gang Starr and Developing a Sound
21:11 - Living and Working Together
23:03 - Defying Genre Labels
24:51 - Staying ahead of the trends
25:39 - Meeting Biggie Smalls
26:48 - Discovering Lady of Rage and Dr. Dre
27:12 - His evolution and collaborations with iconic artists
27:50 - Dynamic within Gang Starr
29:06 - The struggles of managing Guru
30:03 - A significant incident that impacted their relationship
31:25 - The story behind a classic song fight with Guru
32:14 - Overcoming creative block
33:02 - Unlocking the signature sound
33:07 - Making of "Mass Appeal"
33:57 - Collaboration with Biggie Smalls
34:27 - Impact of their music
36:12 - Personal Qualities and Humility
37:01 - Influence on Classic Albums
38:25 - Consistency and Evolution in Music
39:28 - Collaboration with Christina Aguilera
39:54 - Trusting His Instincts
40:13 - Coping with Guru's Passing
43:56 - Rebuilding with Royce da 5'9"
46:48 - Conclusion and Future Outlook
47:48 - Change in Beat Sound with Adrian Young Music
49:11 - Becoming Aware of Travis Scott's Musical Ambitions
50:32 - Scoring Movies and Creating a Cartoon
52:05 - Potential Collaborative Albums and Artists
54:40 - Embracing the Streaming Era and Rediscovering Joy and Passion