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DJ Premier: "I Don't Have a Top 5, But If I Had To, This Would Definitely Be in It"

DJ Premier: "I Don't Have a Top 5, But If I Had To, This Would Definitely Be in It"

Published Tue, February 14, 2023 at 9:24 AM EST

On the latest episode of DJ Premier's So Wassup, he details the making of Gang Starr's "You Know My Steez" from their first gold album, Moment of Truth.

"People always ask what my top 5 Gang Starr songs are," Preemo said. "I don't really have a top 5, but if I had to have a top 5 this is definitely gonna be in it," he said of the lead single from their fifth album.

Premier reminds us that Gang Starr released an album every year from 89-93, and then took a hiatus of four years while he produced other artists and Guru released Jazzmatazz and other solo projects. He then stresses the risk of taking such a long break, especially in Hip-Hop.

"Our fanbase stayed loyal and hungry for what we brought," he said, "but we knew that the first single had to be a banger."

quotes
When Guru told me the title of the song, first thing that came to my mind scratch-wise was Method Man's verse on "Shadow Boxing."

- DJ Premier

When speaking of the song's iconic video, Premier explains that Das EFX, Flavor Flav, and Chuck D made cameo appearances because he used snippets of their vocals in the hook. He also revealed that the video was directed by Terry Heller, who was Jerry Heller of Ruthless Records' nephew.

Heller based the visuals around a 1971 film called THX 1138 which was directed by Star Wars creator and director George Lucas. The video was based on an underground city where people were medically controlled. Guru and Premier shaved their heads bald in an effort to reenact the movie. Check out the episode above.

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