Contrary to popular belief, he did not found nor even co-found Gang Starr.
He was introduced to DJing while attending school at Prairie View A&M in Houston, Texas. DJ Premier's original stage name was Waxmaster C, the "C" taken from his first name, Chris, although he had already changed it to DJ Premier at the time he joined Gang Starr.
Considered by many fans to be one of the greatest hip hop producers, DJ Premier has produced countless tracks, for many groups and solo artists since the early 1990s. These include notable tracks for artists such as Jay-Z ("D'Evils", "So Ghetto"), Big L ("The Enemy"), The Notorious B.I.G. ("Unbelievable", "Kick In The Door", "Ten Crack Commandments"), Nas ("N.Y. State of Mind", "Nas Is Like"), Pitch Black ("It's All Real"), M.O.P. ("Downtown Swinga"), Jeru the Damaja ("Come Clean", "My Mind Spray"), KRS-One ("MC's Act Like They Don't Know"), Mos Def ("Mathematics"), Non Phixion ("Rockstars"), and Royce da 5'9" ("Boom").(Full list: djpremiertrackology.8kilo.com)
Collaborations
Outside of Gang Starr, some of Premier's most lauded work is his collaborations with Jeru the Damaja and Group Home. With the former, Premier crafted one of the East Coast's landmark albums in the form of The Sun Rises in the East, released in 1994. Their follow up to this, 1996's Wrath of the Math, was regarded as a solid effort but not on par with its predecessor, although it did contain Jeru's biggest hit to date, "Ya Playin' Yaself". Group Home's Livin' Proof (1995), although greatly overlooked at the time of its release, has eventually come to be critically acclaimed.
In 1994, DJ Premier collaborated extensively with jazz musician Branford Marsalis's experimental group, Buckshot Lefonque, for their debut album. During the making of music video director, Hype Williams' 1998 film, Belly, DJ Premier collaborated with neo soul leader D'Angelo for a song called "Devil's Pie", which was originally intended only for the film's accompanying soundtrack. However D'Angelo soon changed his mind and decided to include the song on his sophomore album Voodoo (2000) In 2006 he co-produced Christina Aguilera's Back To Basics album.
Samples
DJ Premier's style of production epitomises the New York sound from his earlier peers. He is known for sampling jazz, funk, and soul artists, as well as sampling an artist's past work, when he is creating a new track for that same artist. In addition, his photographic memory of rap lyrics allows him to distinctively "speak with his hands" by scratching in lyrics from several different songs to construct new phrases [1]. Premier's non-Gang Starr collaborations are well-known for his often-imitated signature of combining short vocal samples, often from multiple artists, to create a chorus. For example, for the chorus of Mos Def's "Mathematics", Premier cuts, in quick succession:
"The Mighty Mos Def..." (from Mos Def's "Body Rock"),
"It's simple mathematics" (from Fat Joe's "John Blaze"),
"I revolve around science..." (from Ghostface Killah's verse on Raekwon's "Criminology"),
"What are we talking about here..." (unknown origin),
"Do your math.." (from Erykah Badu's "On & On"), and
"One, two, three, four" (from James Brown's "Funky Drummer")
On certain artists' work the vocal samples will all be vocal samples of the artist from the artists' past work; "Nas Is Like" and "2nd Childhood" with Nas are two well-known examples of this.
On Jeru the Damaja's "Physical Stamina," however, Premier sampled and chopped up recordings of seminal electro-acoustic music from the 1960s.
Melodies
Premier usually creates a two-bar melody that repeats itself throughout the song. The aim of this is to showcase the MC's skills by bringing focus away from the beat, while creating the song's mood and a solid backdrop. Premier often changes speeds, filters and chops his breaks and adds scope to the melody with chimes and strings.
He has also shown innovation by playing rarely-used elements into a rap song (such as the xylophones on Biggie's "Kick in the Door" or the ambient nature sounds on Nas' "Nas is Like"), and his wide range of instruments (the piano loop on Jay-Z's "D'Evils" versus the strings on Rakim's "New York (Ya Out There?") and production techniques (he played the melody backwards during the second half of Jay-Z's "A Million and One Questions (Rhyme No More)").
Drums
Premier's drums have been known for complimenting his melodies. For example, during Nas' "NY State of Mind", two bars have a simple round of kicks and snares; in the following two, a complementing second set of drums plays out. This is repeated throughout.
Label ownership and future projects
DJ Premier currently owns two record labels. "Year Round Records" was founded in 2002 and has so far released several DJ Premier mixtapes as well as two 12" vinyl singles for NYG'z and Blaq Poet. "Works Of Mart", which is also the name of his publishing company, was founded in mid 2006 and released 12" vinyl singles for artists Tef (aka Teflon) and F.A.B.I.D. (H. Stax and Mike Rone).
Since 2001, DJ Premier mentioned several times the plan to release a solo album entitled "A Man Of Few Words", which has yet to be released. Other confirmed upcoming projects are a full-length colaboration with Nas, Blaq Poet's long delayed album "The Best That Never Did It", Tef's (aka Teflon) long announced album "Contraband" and last but not least protegés NYG'z long delayed debut album "Pros and Cons".
Headlines
DJ Premier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah
You know what's up, nigga
(My team) living this American dream
Not a fucking game, nigga
Machine, bitch, Griselda, DJ Premier
(Yuh nuh know this, yuh nuh know this) look
I ain't shooting five with a nigga, I gotta smoke you
My dog said his box just landed, he got his load through (he got his load)
Drive by music, this shit he can pop his toast to (facts)
His chopper smoke and it adios you
My buzz bi-coastal, took the game over like I'm supposed to (ha)
I'm in position you cannot get close to
I got shot in my throat, still got four classics at my disposal
And the bitches admire my ways
I was wilding inside of a cage, now I set fire to stage
Every verse recited is wave
And I ain't writing a page, hardest nigga out 'til I lie in my grave (uh-huh)
Cook the white up in the microwave
You at work tryna get holiday pay, I'm on an island for days
Getting money like Big Meech '06
This Griselda, DJ Preemo shit, motherfucker
Ayo, rich Lord, poor Lord, read the Headlines
'04, me and 'Chine Gun was packing dimes
Coke spot, I had at least 100 and a line
Sell another brick and we copping twin fives (skrrt)
Ayo, out in Daytona, Rolex Daytona
Fiend hit it once, fell out into a coma (ah)
John Elliot, MAC-10s out the Rover
Might shoot it 32 times for the culture
Niggas bagging boy, rocking loverboy (ah)
Undercover neighbor, turn the oven on
It only had two bodies, I put another on (boom, boom, boom, boom, boom)
We sold a thousand bricks after summer gone
Drive-in, the forty-five with the potato lie in the right hand
Dyin' first them burglars flew on the high end
The prices won't drop unless you buy ten
Hopped out the Lamborghini Urus like Guy Fish
In my cell reminiscing when I used to dime pitch
The rhyme sick, K in the 'Vette, Wang trench
"How you doing, Flygod?", Same shit, bigger bag
Cocaine killin' it with the dealer tag (skrrt)
Ayo, rich Lord, poor Lord, read the Headlines (uh huh)
'04, me and 'Chine Gun was packing dimes (yeah)
Coke spot, I had at least 100 and a line (uh)
Sell another brick and (yo) we copping twin fives
I skip town with the money, my bitch the accountant
You ever try to board a plane with a brick in your outfit?
You know I work hands on, had to sit in them houses (personally)
Learned from real drug dealers, not from internet browsing
Who cooked the food in the kitchen that they filling they mouth with? (Me)
Then headed West like Deion when he split with the Falcons
Look at me and see a vision of Malcolm (yeah), slightly grinning
But long as we keep winning, I can live with the outcome, uh
Drake had Rihanna (uh-huh), Mike had Madonna (what else?)
But I drove a few bricks through the Carolinas (woo)
It's true that they underestimate you when you're modest
So I'm fronting on 'em every chance I get, to be honest (nigga)
Ask about Griselda, they tell you that we the hottest
Flip whatever I can sell ya 'cause failure won't be an option (nah)
Yeah, I sowed a block together like a seamstress (like a seamstress)
And I lived to rap about it on some Preem shit, let's go
Ayo, rich Lord, poor Lord, read the Headlines
'04, me and 'Chine Gun was packing dimes
Coke spot, I had at least 100 and a line
Sell another brick and we copping twin fives (skrrt)
The lyrics of DJ Premier's song Headlines are a reflection of the rappers' lives and the situations that they have encountered. The lyrics are brimming with intricate wordplay and vivid descriptions of drug trafficking and street violence. The song starts with the artist's proclamation of his team living the American dream, which is not a game. The lyrics showcase the rapper's lifestyle, talking about how he is not someone who would start beef on the internet but instead would approach them in person to settle issues. He also talks about how writing rhymes comes naturally to him, and he keeps recording hits even at times when he is lying on his death bed.
The second verse of the song takes on a different perspective and talks about the artist's past life. They reminisce about the early 2000s when they were selling drugs and packing dimes. The artist talks about how they ventured into the drug world, sold thousands of bricks and made a name for themselves. The lyrics describe the artist's run-ins with the law and how he used to cook food in the kitchen that people fill their mouth with. The lyrics also talk about the artist's ability to lead and inspire others with his work, just like Malcolm X did.
Overall, the lyrics of this song are a reflection of the experiences of the artists, their lifestyle, and the impacts of drug trafficking.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't beef on the internet, I approach you
I don't engage in fake online arguments, I speak to you directly
I ain't shooting five with a nigga, I gotta smoke you
I'm not interested in small talk, I need to eliminate you
My dog said his box just landed, he got his load through (he got his load)
My friend just received his shipment and has his drugs ready to sell
Drive by music, this shit he can pop his toast to (facts)
This type of music is perfect for drive-bys and violent encounters
His chopper smoke and it adios you
His gun will take you out for good
My buzz bi-coastal, took the game over like I'm supposed to (ha)
My success is national and influential, it's exactly what I expected to happen
I'm in position you cannot get close to
I achieved a level of power and wealth that is unattainable for most
I got shot in my throat, still got four classics at my disposal
I survived a gunshot wound and still have four great albums available to release
And the bitches admire my ways
Women are impressed with my lifestyle and personality
I was wilding inside of a cage, now I set fire to stage
I used to be in prison, now I'm a successful musician who always delivers great performances
Every verse recited is wave
Every lyric I rap is golden and creates positive reactions
And I ain't writing a page, hardest nigga out 'til I lie in my grave (uh-huh)
I don't need to write down my rhymes, I'm naturally gifted and will be the toughest person around until I die
Cook the white up in the microwave
I make drugs quickly and easily using household appliances
You at work tryna get holiday pay, I'm on an island for days
You're at work trying to make extra money for holidays, I'm relaxing on an island for days with my wealth
'04, me and 'Chine Gun was packing dimes
In 2004, me and my friend were selling drugs by the gram
Coke spot, I had at least 100 and a line
In my drug-selling location, I always had at least one hundred grams ready to distribute
Sell another brick and we copping twin fives (skrrt)
If we sell another kilo of drugs, we can buy two high-powered guns
You know I work hands on, had to sit in them houses (personally)
I personally oversee my drug operations and had to spend time inside drug houses
Ask about Griselda, they tell you that we the hottest
If you ask about Griselda, people will tell you that we're the most successful and popular group in the music industry
Flip whatever I can sell ya 'cause failure won't be an option (nah)
I'll always find a way to make money by selling whatever I can because I can't afford to fail
I sowed a block together like a seamstress
I created a tight community of people and businesses in my city
And I lived to rap about it on some Preem shit, let's go
I survived and thrived in this difficult environment, and now I'm rapping about it with the legendary DJ Premier
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alvin Worthy, Christopher Martin, Clarence Scarborough, Demond Price, Jeremie Pennick
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nate Lund
Can Premier do a whole album with these dudes? Damn
Shady Shady
James Schultz *Est.1982 have you been looking around? They still dropping their projects lol. West dropped twice early. BSF, Con, Boldy and Armani just dropped. Benny and West coming some time soon. Dunno if they got stovegod on the roster but he’s coming
NIMMHATV Rap Beats
@Shady Shady yo westsidegunn already dropped 4 projects this year!!!
Game Station
@Shady Shady Gunn only got one more project before he retires HWH8 and Con doing God Don’t Make Mistakes in feb 2021 then he done too 🤧
jascha schaub
Would be wicked.. 💎💎💎
jascha schaub
@Game Station hell no.. Please let this be a lie 🙏
Gr33k Fr3ak
Thank you DJ Premier for bringing back old school vibes. It’s almost as if we can’t have talented rappers anymore!
chrisbreezeable
I highly appreciate Benny and the butcher, Westside gun and Conway. They keep the hardcore 90s style alive while establishing their own style and being innovative. This is exactly what the game needed
Nigel Asipa
Preme was flexin. A rite of passage for any respectable mc to jump on a Preemo beat. One of the rare producers who's sound has remained consistent their entire career. Griselda sound mighty comfortable on vintage sounds such as this, all of them brought it on this.
Cory Blank
Way comfortable, Buffalo ain't ever put down the 90s bro you can still here Infamous coming out stereos