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DJ Premier Breaks Down Jay-Z's "D'Evils"

DJ Premier Breaks Down Jay-Z's "D'Evils"

Published Mon, February 20, 2023 at 5:00 PM EST

On the 50th episode of DJ Premier's So Wassup, he breaks down the making of Jay-Z's "D'evils" from Jay's debut album Reasonable Doubt.

After ensuring that the floppy disks used on the show are the original disks from the songs that he produced, Preemo states he knew Jay-Z because he ran with fellow Marcy resident, The Jaz, who shared the same distribution as Gang Starr. Preemo then shares the importance of Reasonable Doubt and one of its producers Ski of Original Flavor, who was at one time his neighbor. Preemo recalls the time that Jay-Z called him with the idea for "D'evils."

"He told me what it was about and then he did the rhyme, at least the first verse over the phone," he said. "He also included the scratch ideas [Snoop and Prodigy]."

quotes
We met at D&D and I started to tailor the beat. That's what Guru called me — a beat tailor.

- DJ Premier

Although Reasonable Doubt was certified Platinum, Premier shares that he didn't receive a plaque.

"Ten years later, Jay- a did a ten-year anniversary of the album at Radio City Music Hall where he found the original Lexus that he used to drive to D&D studios and brought it on stage," Premier said. After the show, Jay-Z invited all of the album's producers to an after-party where they received their platinum plaques. When Reasonable Doubt reached 25, Preemo says that the producers received iced-out Roc-a-Fella medallions with "RD 96" engraved in diamonds.

Peep the episode above.

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