Nas & DJ Premier - Define My Name (new single out now, album releasing later this year)

[Dylmatic]

 

[Ukbrotha]

 

[Piff Perkins]

I sincerely hope Premo doesn’t put TOO much pressure on himself. When you hear the stories of most of their collabs they were very organic, with Premo already having an idea of what Nas wanted/needed and Nas cooking up his lyrics right there on the spot. Memory Lane is the only Nas collab that I believe Premo said he felt pressure once he heard One Love and The World Is Yours.

I know there are otherwordly expectations for the two of them but I don’t think they should feed into it. Neither of them are going to mail in this album or give less than their best. I don’t want Premo to overthink it.

I think he simply recognizes that this can't just be an album people spin a few times, say "cool" and move on to the next hot thing. A Nas/Premo album in the 90s or early 00s would likely be viewed as one of the greatest rap albums in ages. The anticipation and assumption of greatness is tough to live up to but I don't think it will be crippling. End of the day Premo is one of those guys who understands the Nas formula is pretty simple: get him over hard drums, preferably a beat break, eerie samples/piano loops etc and he's gonna knock it out the park. It's like Jay rapping over horns: he can't miss.

And I def think the Common/Pete Rock album plays a role here too. I figured it would be good based off the leaks and singles but I didn't expect it to be THAT good. Same with the LL/Tip album. There's a bit of a renaissance right now and I'm sure Premo doesn't want to be the first one to miss the mark.

 

[HNIC973]

I think he simply recognizes that this can't just be an album people spin a few times, say "cool" and move on to the next hot thing. A Nas/Premo album in the 90s or early 00s would likely be viewed as one of the greatest rap albums in ages. The anticipation and assumption of greatness is tough to live up to but I don't think it will be crippling. End of the day Premo is one of those guys who understands the Nas formula is pretty simple: get him over hard drums, preferably a beat break, eerie samples/piano loops etc and he's gonna knock it out the park. It's like Jay rapping over horns: he can't miss.

And I def think the Common/Pete Rock album plays a role here too. I figured it would be good based off the leaks and singles but I didn't expect it to be THAT good. Same with the LL/Tip album. There's a bit of a renaissance right now and I'm sure Premo doesn't want to be the first one to miss the mark.

I still don't hear what y'all do with the PR/Common album

 

[Supa]

I think he simply recognizes that this can't just be an album people spin a few times, say "cool" and move on to the next hot thing. A Nas/Premo album in the 90s or early 00s would likely be viewed as one of the greatest rap albums in ages. The anticipation and assumption of greatness is tough to live up to but I don't think it will be crippling. End of the day Premo is one of those guys who understands the Nas formula is pretty simple: get him over hard drums, preferably a beat break, eerie samples/piano loops etc and he's gonna knock it out the park. It's like Jay rapping over horns: he can't miss.

And I def think the Common/Pete Rock album plays a role here too. I figured it would be good based off the leaks and singles but I didn't expect it to be THAT good. Same with the LL/Tip album. There's a bit of a renaissance right now and I'm sure Premo doesn't want to be the first one to miss the mark.

This is why I'm not worried about Premier. The drums alone will have Nas sounding good so it's just a matter of getting the right samples and melodics over them. Better that he takes his time to get that right but it's still a simple formula.

They both understand the importance of this album. They won't release it til it's ready.

 

[Woodrow]

I think he simply recognizes that this can't just be an album people spin a few times, say "cool" and move on to the next hot thing. A Nas/Premo album in the 90s or early 00s would likely be viewed as one of the greatest rap albums in ages. The anticipation and assumption of greatness is tough to live up to but I don't think it will be crippling. End of the day Premo is one of those guys who understands the Nas formula is pretty simple: get him over hard drums, preferably a beat break, eerie samples/piano loops etc and he's gonna knock it out the park. It's like Jay rapping over horns: he can't miss.

And I def think the Common/Pete Rock album plays a role here too. I figured it would be good based off the leaks and singles but I didn't expect it to be THAT good. Same with the LL/Tip album. There's a bit of a renaissance right now and I'm sure Premo doesn't want to be the first one to miss the mark.

amen. i also think premo appreciates the run nas just came off of with hitboy (i personally hold magic 1 among nas' best albums, period). i think he knows he's at least gotta match the best moments from their collaborations or the fans are gonna have a field day.

 

[Ziggiy]

I still don't hear what y'all do with the PR/Common album

You serious breh!??!!


You telling me THIS don’t move you

 

[HNIC973]

You serious breh!??!!


You telling me THIS don’t move you

when the majority of the album sounds just like it no

 

[Ziggiy]

when the majority of the album sounds just like it no

 

[Awesome Wells]

And I def think the Common/Pete Rock album plays a role here too. I figured it would be good based off the leaks and singles but I didn't expect it to be THAT good. Same with the LL/Tip album. There's a bit of a renaissance right now and I'm sure Premo doesn't want to be the first one to miss the mark.

Only thing is, unlike Pete and Tip, Preme ain't exactly been dropping dope sh*t for years.

He's been quietly dropping a lot of weak sh*t for awhile. He's been phoning it in since Guru passed.

Pete and Tip were pretty consistent before these new projects they did. So Premier should really just dig in the floppy's and give Nas some older sh*t he did, so we can get that feeling back. Nas is gonna be Nas, so I don’t think anybody is worried about him. But Primo is the one I'm kinda shaky on right now.

 

[HNIC973]

maybe I am I know quite a few people who feel the same way. My girl told me she was driving had to cut the album off cause it was making her sleepy . IDK I liked the LL a lot more. Pete can do better

 

[Cladyclad]

Just listened again

This shyt is so mid

This shyt aint better than any song on his first 8 albums

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

Just listened again

This shyt is so mid

This shyt aint better than any song on his first 8 albums

It didn't grab my attention at all either. Just a generic 'premier type beat'... hopefully this is the worst song on there.

I'll keep it a buck...in 2025 I'd rather hear a Nas x Alchemist album than a premier album.

 

[Dylmatic]

 

[Dylmatic]

Primo's manager.