The word legend is bandied around too much these days, but it’s with genuine insistence (and a literal smidgen of awe) that we place it on the next incumbent of the soup’s interviews, DJ Premier. As the DJ and producer behind immortal hip-hop group Gang Starr his input on Hip-Hop would be enough to secure legendary status, but as a producer he’s worked with every leading light in the b-boy sphere and beyond, never failing to make them sound anything other than musically phenomenonal (even Craig David looked good singing over one of his beats).

We hooked up with him to catch up on those rumours with him and Nas working together on a full length album, the response to all the Preemo haters and the ultimate question in Hip-Hop.

"First things first, you’re scheduled to play at Liverpool club Chibuku soon, which is part of a new wave of British clubs that have embraced an ever eclectic music policy. What are your views on this convergence of differing musical genres and what’s your experience of playing in clubs over here?"

My experience of playing clubs anywhere is different every time, but my main goal is to display good music for the people that already love me for what I have done to contribute to the world. Whether they like it or not, I’m gonna give it to ‘em RAW! I don’t really care what they think about my style, I create style and I will forever play my music to the people in its purest form.

"Your dj sets have been known to encompass old school breaks, rare funk, jazz licks as well as the underground hip-hop bangers that you’ve become known for since you started out. What can the city expect from you when you come down to play?"

They can expect the same various styles of those types, including some rock and roll. I was raised on the original beginnings of the early 60’s and 70’s music as a child, and I have such a great respect for the bands that inspired me to continue to do what I do. In my sets I like to extend the life of the history that these artists have laid down for me in order to continue to be such a great Producer and DJ.

"You’ve worked with the cream of hip-hop over the years, people like KRS, Biggie, Nas, Rakim and many more. Who in your mind is the finest emcee to ever do it in hip-hop?"

Definitely KRS-ONE, he keeps it Street, and brings consciousness to the minds of all people, especially Black People. We still do not respect ourselves and our self esteem is mad low, He instils positive energy and still cares about our Hip Hop Culture as a whole. You can’t take that away from Kris, he’s all the way live.

"Is there any one you haven’t had the chance to work with that you wish you’d had?"

I’d love to do some work for Busta Rhymes, he’s one of the best entertainers of our era, and he’s so original. He’s another innovator of style and his showmanship is unmatched by many Hip Hop artists who sell way more records that he does. But when it comes to live performance, He’ll Pac Man all these new artists to shame. Bussa Buss, Gotta give ‘em his propers.

"There have been albums in the past from artists where the only real good point of the set has been your productions. Nas’ albums pre-ether and post illmatic were pretty much like this and Rakim’s ‘The Master’ also an example. With some rumours circulating at the minute that you might be handling Nas’ next album, are you looking to do more on artist albums, particularly now you and Guru are leaving Gang Starr for a while?"

Definitely, me and Nas just did the new Scratch cover together at my studio, HeadQcourterz (yes that’s how you spell it) and I told him, yo let’s do this. Jay-Z told me back in January that he thinks that me and Nas have some of the best chemistry in the studio, and I firmly agree with him on that. When I was in LA working with Christina Aguilera, Nas was there in the other room finishing Kelis’s album and I made a sort of start the album track while I was out there just to set the tone of how the album should sound. Believe me, it’s on tha one, I’m mad excited to get it poppin’.

"There has been criticism in the past of your productions being too samey and formulaic, but for many that is the beauty and appeal in knowing instantly that you’re the producer behind the track. And it certainly hasn’t stopped the legions of rappers desperate to add some underground kudos to their albums calling you up over the years. What would be your response to this assessment of your style?"

Anyone who feels that way about me can continue to feel that way. It doesn’t bother me. They have never lived in my shoes and most of them that criticize me for that are definitely not in the Top 3 of the greatest Producers to ever touch a drum machine, let alone play any instruments in which I play several from guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and a few others. Shit, I was taught how to stay funky by James Brown, Prince, George Clinton, Rick Rubin, Dr. Dre, Larry Smith, Marley Marl, Howie Tee, Full Force, Malcom McLaren, Brian Eno, Steve Lillywhite and Rober John “Mutt” Lange. I’m always gonna have that signature sound, just like a vocalist has a distinctive voice. You never forget that voice. My sounds and my structure are mandatory to establish my name. So anybody who feels that way as a critic does not live music, so fuck em. Need I Say more?

"As far as Hip-Hop producers go you and Dre are rightfully considered to be the best there is. Would you ever like to work with him and is there a mutual respect for each other’s output?"

Hell yeah!!!! He’s one of the illest!!! No one out now can really come close to Dre at all. I can, and of course I mean that in a competitive way and in an actual fact way. We both know how to create albums from intro to outro and our ears are fine tuned to sound. We have a sonic connection to the waves that music vibrations give off and most producers don’t have that ear. I will always love Dre for his contributions and his cocky attitude when he rhymes, another innovator of style. I can tell that we think alike in many instances when it comes to what a Producers role is supposed to be. We arrange, voice coach, mixdown, program, and perform with our work to get it poppin’ tha right way. He’s a Master.

"Who else in the production world are you really feeling? And what artists are inspiring you still on a day-today basis?"

As far as production today, I’m not feeling too many producers right now, but I gotta say I love Kanye West for bringing back sampling. Most of today’s Producers do not sample and that’s okay, but if they are gonna play instruments to make Hip Hop tracks, make ‘em fonky, You see I spelled it? That’s the way it’s supposed to sound. Hip Hop is a sound, and if you can’t create it to sound like the culture, don’t call it Hip Hop just because someone is rapping on it. All you’re doing is confusing people and that’s what’s happening right now, but it will be fixed. As far as other Producers that are currently out, I like Just Blaze, Nottz from Teamstaz, Pete Rock, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Alchemist, DJ Scratch, and 9th Wonder.

"With Hip-hop being slowly and surely consumed by the corporate money-making machine, are you a little disgruntled that what hip-hop was all about being distorted by the bling and MTV culture? And why has it taken a natural disaster and a racist regime for mainstream hip-hop to finally carry Chuck D’s political torch back into the limelight?"

I’m not disgruntled in the way of where I’m frustrated, I just don’t like how our Hip Hop culture is being governed. How the fuck are we the only genre of music that is being told that when you reach the age of 30 or more, you are no longer relevant to the culture? Rock and Roll keeps going, you got The Rolling Stones on tour selling out stadiums and they are in their 60’s, and you have R&B artists like The O’Jays, Al Green, Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire still rocking shows and making’ albums. If a Hip Hop artist still wants to rock in that arena, then we need true and pure record company A&R’s that know what they are doing instead of just collecting a cheque and killing us off. Believe me their time will come where they wished they had done the right thing.

"You’ve bought D&D studios, the legendary place where hip-hop history has been created time after time. What’s it like being the boss of such a joint?"

It’s a lot of hard work and it can be very stressful at times, but I like pressure because I work well in that mode. I don’t let things stress me out anyway like other people do, I know how to control my emotions and not be a little bitch. It’s the motivation of the history that D&D has had that made me wanna take it back home, and plus to name it after my friend HeadQcourterz who had left this planet, I am totally motivated by the whole outcome of music that I complete everyday. I never lost my swagger anyway although the industry has tried to tell us that our style is played out. It all boils down to integrity and passion for your sport, and I will continue to extend that passion to others that I know for a fact is starving for some good music again.

"And finally, is Freddie Foxxx’s verse on the Militia the hardest thing ever committed to wax?"

Freddie Foxxx He’s a beast!!! He is a lyrical slaughterhouse put to music, and The Militia was just icing on the many cakes that he cooks up… Love that dude for LIFE!!!!!!!