by J-23
posted December 06, 2010
hiphopdx.com
DJ
Premier talks about the original Black Album plans and working with Eminem
While making his rounds doing press for his new album (Year Round Records Presents
Get Used To Us, out tomorrow), DJ Premier has revealed a lot of interesting
things. His sit down with TheWellVersed was no exception, where he spoke about
Jay-Z original plans for the The Black Album and on working with Eminem.
"I’ll give you a funny story. Jay-Z reached out to me when he was
going to do The Black Album — this was years before he put it out because
he postponed it, ended up working on other stuff, and then he came out with
the album and decided to retire. Way prior to that he called me and said he
was going to do an album and that he wanted me to do the whole thing. But he
said, “I know how busy you are, Premo, but I want you to not have anything
to do with anybody for the whole time we make this album. I need like a two
week window, and we just do it.” And I understood where he was coming
from, because he knows it had to be that deep of a situation to get it to be
right and to call it The Black Album. Prince already made The Black Album. If
you’re going to make one, it better be top notch. There’s a lot
that goes along with that. So to approach me about that? That’s the same
way I look at the Cold Crush, Fantastic, Kool Moe D, all that. LL and I have
tried two or three times to work on stuff. He’s somebody you gotta sit
down with and really focus on because he deserves that type of attention. And
I’m proud to give him that type of attention. I wouldn’t want to
do a quick little rush job. And then you have ones like Termanology that can
do a one night thing because they’re the new hungry artists that are ready
to just write on the spot and get it over with. You know Jay always just writes
on the spot off his head, and then he leaves the work up to me. A project like
that is just that delicate. I treat my stuff based on the level of what it’s
going to take to really make a masterpiece. I’m proud of all my work,
but there are certain artists that just deserve a whole different special attention."
He also spoke about the Eminem collaboration that was supposed to happen in
2008 when Slim was making Relapse. "Me and Eminem spoke about a year ago
when he did the ciphers with BET and we finally got to kick it face to face,"
Prem said. "We had a good conversation. There’s a uniqueness about
certain artists, so with him? I have to put certain things aside to work with
him, and I gotta be realistic with what my schedule already allows me to have
going on. I knew if I was going to work on Eminem tracks, I can’t be working
on anything else. Strictly Eminem. That’s how much I want to give him
the illest, what-the-fuck-is-that type shit, where everybody is like “yo,
did you hear the Eminem and Premier shit?!” I know it will be great. But
he’s still alive, I’m still alive, and hopefully I will keep breathing,
and in that time frame we’ll get around to that."
"