llll) l l( w DJ PREMIER Freakmoves, Glasgow School of Art, Thu 18 Nov
He may not have the platinum plaques of Dr Dre or the celebrity star profile of Pharrell Williams, but DJ Premier is probably hip hop’s best producer. A true pioneer of the 905 east coast sound, he was mining obscure jazz and soul records for samples when others were still Xeroxing primitive James Brown beats.
Ironically, the Texas-born boardsman’s dusty underground sound captures the mood of New York's gritty, grimy streets like none other, and it’s this authentic, no-nonsense approach that has made him one of the most in-demand producers of the past decade. From big name stars such as Nas, Jay-Z and Notorious BIG to underground faves like Dilated Peoples and Jeru Tha Damaja, anyone who’s anyone in the rap universe has been laced with a Primo production. Yet it’s his major role in Gang Starr for
hell is he?
I
which he's best known. With Premier behind the turntables and rapper Guru clutching the microphone, the legendary New York-based duo form the most devastating and consistently brilliant partnership in hip hop, having put out seven sure-shot albums since emerging back in 1988.
As well as deejay and producer, you can also add ‘label head’ to DJ Premier‘s CV. He recently launched Year Round Records, a NYC-based independent imprint that‘s already dropped a couple of must-have singles. Factor in the imminent release of A Man of Few Words, his long-awaited full-length debut LP, and it‘s clear Primo’s not one for the quiet life. Yet, as evidenced by the razor-sharp cuts and scratches that score his music, he‘s still a deejay at heart, and his appearance at Freakmoves, the renowned Glasgow hip hop spot run by local turntable tag-team Dema and Nice, is easily the most anticipated show of the year amongst the Scottish hip hop cognoscenti. Unmissable. (Hugh Leask)
"W; ~;~; .: ’l..
Beginning 3 whole new chapter in French dance music, the vaguely kitsch late 705 references of Daft Punk and Air have, of late, been replaced by the altogether darker rhythms of Vitalic, Agoria, the Hacker and the Youngsters. To that list we can add Oxia. But who the
flllllé LINES WITH ALAN OLDHAM
The Sub Club. Fri 5 Nov
r'i
'1 THE LIST 37