14 Deadly Secrets
The stories behind hip-hop classics
By Chase Hoffberger, 11:22AM, Thu. Sep. 4, 2008
DJ Derezon and Illfated Tre have this new jam out on the Soundscan Mixshow called 14 Deadly Secrets. The Berlin-based DJ and his right-hand man bring in guest producers for the stories behind some of their deepest cuts. Part one included a 36-minute session with DJ Premier, and week two reeled in the RZA for a study in Wu lexicon. He also digs up the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Long Kiss Goodnight Remix” and Cypress Hill’s “Killer Hill,” plus you get to hear RZA and Primo reminisce about how the tracks came about. A sampling after the jump.
DJ Premier on KRS-1’s “MCs Act Like They Don’t Know”: “It was another record I had in my basement. It was really dirty and had a lot of stains on it where it couldn’t really be played, but that part of the sample played right at the beginning.”
On M.O.P.’s “New Jack City”: “I didn’t even think they’d like it.”
On the “Big L Rest in Peace” tag that opens Gangstarr’s “Full Clip”: “It was one of the most sentimental beats of my entire career.”
RZA on “C.R.E.A.M”: “It was originally called “Lifestyle of the Mega Rich,” but once Meth added the hook on it, it was “C.R.E.A.M.”
On Meth’s “All I Need,” Tical’s first journey into the world of love songs: “Meth didn’t wanna do a love song. He only agreed to it when Def Jam promised to buy him a Lexus.”
On Raekwon’s “Ice Cream”: “I had this idea in my mind to describe women’s breasts. They was like two scoops of ice cream.” (Check Method Man’s jaw-dropping opener: “Watch these rap niggas get all up in yo guts. French vanilla, pecan, chocolate deluxe. Even caramel sundaes is getting touched. They scooped in my ice cream truck.”
If you’re looking for a director’s cut mixtape from the architects behind the work of Gangstarr, KRS-1, Nas, and the Wu, go here. Commentary included.
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Thomas Fawcett, Nov. 8, 2015
Nov. 16, 2018
DJ Premier, RZA, DJ Derezon, Illfated Tre