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