From Big Shug’s Triple OGzus hitting 3-17-15. Tracklist below.

1.) “I Am Somebody” (produced by DJ Premier)
2.) “I Bleed For This” (produced by DJ Premier)
3.) “The Reason” (produced by Gem Crates)
4.) “Days Go By” (produced by Big Shug)
5.) “Never Change” (produced by Reel Drama)
6.) “Not A Fan” f/ Reks & Termanology (produced by Kid Called Quest)
7.) “Triple OGzus” (produced by Kid Called Quest)
8.) “Make That Body Do” (produced by Reel Drama)
9.) “Off Rip” f/ Termanology & Singapore Kane (produced by DJ Premier)
10.) “2 Good” f/ Trumayne (produced by Kid Called Quest)
11.) “All In” (produced by Kid Called Quest)
12.) “Showtime” f/ M-Dot (produced by DJ Brans) cuts by DJ Djaz
13.) “Make Moves, Get Money” (produced by Moss)
14.) “Get It” f/ Singapore Kane (produced by Reel Drama)
15.) “Relationships” (produced by Reel Drama)
16.) “Chase Then Ball” (produced by Kid Called Quest)
17.) “Soldiers It’s War Out Here” (produced by Kid Called Quest)
18.) “In The Rain” (produced by Charles Roane for C.R.E.A.M.I.N.C.)

Double dose of new tracks from EFN’s upcoming project, Another Time, hitting March 3rd. Digging that album cover.

The Barrel Brothers chime in for DJ Premier’s Bars In The Booth series.

As DJ Premier finishes all the last minute tasks, taking down the soundproofing, in-wall speakers and moving the last bit of his equipment, furniture and hundreds of vinyl records, it’s certainly a hectic time in his life—but it does not mean there isn’t time to reflect on one of the cornerstones of his legacy.

On January 7th, 2015, after nearly twenty-five years, the iconic D&D Studios on the fourth floor of 320 West 37th Street shut its doors. Premier first set up shop at D&D in 1991 to record Gang Starr’s third album, Daily Operation, and ever since it has been both a home and a conduit for artists of all genre’s to attach their lyrics to Preemo’s complex rhythm of the streets.

There have been innumerable sessions with hundreds of established and emerging artists, a veritable slew of classic recordings and even more stories created at D&D Studios, as Premier set up camp to put his stamp on timeless music from Gang Starr, Rakim, KRS-One, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, Christina Aguilera, D’Angelo, Janet Jackson, Mos Def, Common, Jeru The Damaja, Bumpy Knuckles, The Game, M.O.P., Snoop Dogg, Cee-Lo, Mac Miller, Kanye West, Slaughterhouse, Mack Wilds and many more, to his recently released collaborative project, PRhyme, with Royce Da 5’9″, to still unheard and recent recordings with Miguel, Wale, Scarface, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes and Joey Bada$$; all of which were birthed at the legendary Studio.

Twelve years after Premier first set foot in D&D, he bought the studio from its founders, Douglas Grama and David Lotwin, in 2003 and renamed it ‘HeadQcourterz’ after his late friend Kenneth “HeadQcourterz” Walker. While Premier knows the end of D&D closes the book on a major chapter of Hip-Hop history, he also realizes it’s the start of a new phase of his career. “The building was sold in order to change it from commercial business to residential and our leases would not be renewed, so basically that means Everybody Out! It is tough to accept after so many years making that much history there, but life is good and I will continue to make hot music. Passion never leaves your soul and I have a lot of it so I’m ready to continue on.” says Premier.

With Premier’s relocation of the “HeadQcourterz” to KAS Music And Sound at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Astoria complete, the three-time Grammy Award winner pushes ahead with an active label (Year Round Records), which Premier will release his debut album, Last Session @320, on in 2015 (a debut album that includes major guest stars) his independent album projects (NYGz, MC Eiht, Lady Of Rage, Khaleel) and begin to heavily focus on stepping into the film and television scoring worlds and use the new “HeadQcourterz” live space to work on a large live show, replete with his own band to tour and play his greatest hits—with so many hits to choose from, the hard part will be coming up with a set list!

It seems like ever since we lost Guru, DJ Premier has pulled back on the amount of beats he’s producing for folks. It’s hard to imagine there was a time when Preem would produce entire LP’s for people – not just Gang Starr, but also affiliated acts like Jeru The Damaja and Group Home. Of course those albums laid the blueprint for the second stage of Premier’s career as a producer, which would find him being the go-to-guy for bigger rappers when they wanted that one “underground” cut for their albums. But he never turned his back on the actual underground; one such collaboration would bring us to this moment now, teaming with Royce Da 5’9 for 1999′s “Boom” single on Jonathan Shecter’s Game Records.

PRyhme is not the first album Premier has produced for one rapper since Gang Starr’s final LP, 2002′s The Ownerz, as there was The Kolexxxion with Bumpy Knuckles in 2012. However this does feel like the first chapter in perhaps a long new volume in both the careers of Royce and Preemo, as it succeeds on many levels. The sound here is different than what we may be used to from Preem, as he has used one sample source – the music of Adrian Younge – for the entirety of the LP. This gives the album a very unified sound that is very much an amalgamation of both producers’ respective styles. While Premier has said that he would like to use Younge again on another PRhyme LP, the question remains if it would start to bleed into too familiar territory with beats built around sounds that Souls of Mischief and Ghostface already rapped over. But as arguably the greatest producer of all time, Preem can likely easily avoid that.

But Royce makes it clear that he’s not really looking to fill the void left by Gang Starr’s departure, stating “And this is for the real hip-hop niggas who will never ever ever ask me am I here to replace Guru” on “U Looz.” He always been one to pull the curtain back and speak on the uncomfortable subjects, much like his Bad Meets Evil partner, Eminem. He addresses a newfound sobriety on the title track, where he reveals “Marshall said that I’d be a problem if I get my shit right / That if is probably the biggest ‘if’ I ever live by / Which is why I’m known as an underachiever, I just skip by / I needed to be inebriated to prevent me from getting shy.”

Royce plays with language in a way that sounds better in your ear than it reads off the printed page, as songs like “You Should Know” (featuring Dwele) and “Courtesy” just feature him flexing his lyrical muscles. The bar is raised high, as he enlists plenty of like-minded individuals to compete on these Preemo tracks, and most everybody brings their A game. Jay Electronica absolutely destroys his verse on “To Me, To You,” while Killer Mike and Schoolboy Q spar with Royce for the top spot on “Underground Kings.” The evolving “Wishin’” with Common also shines, as Royce and Com adapt to Preem’s sporadic tempo changes. There’s also “Microphone Preem,” with Slaughterhouse, the title a nod to Eric B. & Rakim’s “Microphone Fiend,” from which it takes its drums (so along with the cuts, maybe Adrian isn’t the only sample source.)

The guest verses are mostly all great and help jam pack this LP with memorable moments, but it does feel like the inclusion of these guests was in part to help finish the album quickly and stay away from heavier topical songs. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if there is a downside to PRhyme, it is that it is too short. While it would be hard to take an entire album of lyrical miracles, Royce knows when to open up, it’s just too bad there isn’t a little bit more of that here. No matter, the group has already announced an expanded edition of the album with 3 to 5 new tracks, one to feature MF Doom.

That being said, Royce and Preem have put together a very solid opening salvo to what hopefully is a much longer career as a group. Both members are equally yoked in terms of their respective talents, so them linking for a project like this is simply a no-brainer. Hopefully PRyme continues far into the future, with consecutive albums digging deeper into the groove found here.

We dig the PRhyme album (review coming shortly), but did feel it was a little bit too short. No matter, DJ Premier has revealed in an interview with the New York Observer that an expanded deluxe edition of the album is coming, with three to five new songs on it, including a collaboration with MF Doom.

“The album’s doing really good. We’re shooting a video for every song on it and Royce and I are hitting the road in February. We’re also getting ready to release the deluxe version with three to five new cuts on it. I can’t name all of the artists on it, but we’ve got MF Doom on one. We’re putting that out on 45-inch box set and digital,” said Preem.

As far as the other artists, one of those could be Eminem, as rumor was floating around the industry last year that “Wishin’” was to feature both Em and Common, before the original album was officially released. That didn’t pan out, obviously, but perhaps it will this time around? Time will tell.

A special Boiler Room set in celebration of DJ Premier and Royce da 5’9′s PRhyme project, along with Adrian Younge, who provided samples for the album,

PRhyme Boiler Room New York Live Set by brtvofficial

Adrian Younge Boiler Room New York DJ Set by brtvofficial

One more from that PRhyme LP, available now.

Part four of Royce Da 5’9 and DJ Premier’s PRhyme documentary, Raiders Of The Lost Art. Their self-titled album is available on PRhyme Records.

Part three of your behind-the-scenes look at DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9′s PRhyme album, which is in stores this week.

DJ Premier stars in this Funny Or Die sketch, where he plays new beats for Royce Da 5’9, Lady Of Rage, and Miguel.

DJ Premier and Royce da 5’9′s hotly anticipatd PRhyme will land December 9th. Today, NPR comes through with the stream a full 8 days early. Thoughts?

In part 2 of Complex’s Raiders Of The Lost Art documentary, DJ Premier and Royce da 5’9″ give fans an inside look of their upcoming album.

Another from Royce and Preem’s PHRYME project.

Premo and Royce share the visuals for the title-track off PRhyme.