How 9th Wonder Made Jay-Z's Threat, Linked Kendrick Lamar & Built Jamla's Roster | Roc

Memphis Bleek sits down with legendary producer 9th Wonder on the ROC Solid Podcast for a conversation about his career, from the beginning to where he is today.

9th shares how Little Brother came together, how he met his longtime friend Young Guru, and how Guru introduced him to JAY-Z. He takes us inside the legendary Baseline Studios session where he played 29 beats for JAY-Z and created the beat for “Threat” on his IBM ThinkPad. The track became one of the standout records on The Black Album.

9th also talks about producing “DUCKWORTH.” for Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN., working with Destiny’s Child, and the stories behind some of hip hop’s most memorable records. He explains why he started Jamla Records, the vision behind the label, its current roster, and what’s next.

If you love hip-hop production, Rocafella history, and the behind the scenes making of classic records, this is a must watch conversation between two people who lived it.

00:00 Intro
01:01 Memphis Bleek Introduces 9th Wonder
01:56 9th Wonder’s Early Life and First Love of Hip-Hop
04:47 How Little Brother Came Together
05:15 Young Guru Discovers Little Brother
06:00 Little Brother’s Reach and 9th Wonder’s Signature Sound
09:21 How 9th Wonder Got the Call to Work with Jay-Z
12:24 Playing 29 Beats for Jay-Z at Baseline
14:15 Making “Threat” on an IBM ThinkPad
16:22 Hearing Jay-Z Play Songs from The Black Album
18:41 Working with Destiny’s Child and Other Major Artists
22:01 How 9th Wonder Linked with Kendrick Lamar
23:19 The Story Behind Kendrick Lamar’s “DUCKWORTH.”
25:42 Artist Development and the Soul Council
28:11 Sampling, Technology and AI in Hip-Hop Production
30:25 Teaching Hip-Hop History at Universities
31:56 Streaming, Virality and the MC-Producer Relationship
33:55 Mentorship and 9th Wonder’s Work with NBA Players
39:16 The Future of Jamla Records
42:18 New Artists and Upcoming Projects
46:08 Where 9th Wonder Belongs Among Hip-Hop’s Greatest Producers
50:51 Lessons from the Music Business
52:06 How 9th Wonder Wants to Be Remembered
53:14 Closing