Reinventing the Nas Remix: Pt. 2

Allhiphop: Ok, Doom, talk to me about what Nas an artist means to you, and why you ran to his album? MF Doom: Yeah, no question. Nas is an MC the way that he approaches the joints that he do. If you think about it, all of us get the beats plain. Then for whatever […]

Allhiphop: Ok, Doom, talk to me about what Nas an artist means to you, and why

you ran to his album?

MF Doom: Yeah, no question. Nas is an MC the way that he approaches the joints

that he do. If you think about it, all of us get the beats plain. Then for whatever

the beat inspires you, that’s what you put it there. I’m like, just listening

to the choice of beats from Nas’ early stuff, and the choice of lyrics that

he put on there – he came with that s###, like everytime. [He] never ceased

to amaze me. He is a real ill writer.

9th Wonder: Big is a great story-teller, and Tupac is most influential. But

Nas is probably the most prolific writer that hip-hop has ever seen. Illmatic,

arguably, is probably the best record that hip-hop ever heard. He started the

new revolution. I always been a fan of Nas. I just haven’t been a fan of Nas

recent work as far as his choice of beats. Because, he’s not a club dude. Because

he doesn’t have the swagger of a Jay-Z or a Biggie. He’s a street champion.

But you can still grow as a lyricist, which he did. If you listen to God’s

Son, and I listened to it [while remixing] and I was like, "Wow, he

has really grown from Illmatic to now." But you can’t tell that with the

beats that he had. The beats really killed the mood. So what I tried to do was

give each song its own personality to make it sound like an album. That’s what

Illmatic was.

Allhiphop: History question for Doom. I know when you were in KMD you was producing

for 3rd Bass back in the early 90’s. And MC Serch was a cat who really was big

in getting Nas a deal and whatnot. Was Nas around for your sessions back then,

or you ever cross paths?

MF Doom: Nah, I didn’t get a chance to meet that brother. I think I met him

once, just briefly in passing. But I never really sit down and kick it.

Allhiphop: What was your response to God’s Son, as a cat who really understand

hip-hop?

MF Doom: Lost Tapes was f##### rugged as a m###########! The God’s

Son [though], there’s some joints on there! That was the one with "My

Book of Rhymes" on there? That n#### came ill! Let a cat who trying to

discredit any MC, try to do the same s###. Nas’ll eat any n#### who like, "I

didn’t like this album, like that album." Every album you ever come out

with is gonna be different. I think a lot of people set high expectations and

expect it to be the same as an Illmatic. I’m like this yo, I know from

a rhymer point of view, and Nas is like a n#### when he sets the standard so

high for himself, that a lot of people are probably gonna say lil’ things like

that. If I had them beats and that kinda pressure to stay on top with the battle

back-and-forth s###, the way that he came with that God’s Son s###? Pssh! To

me, he took that s### with that s###. He got the crown right there.

Allhiphop: The "Second Childhood" remix is mouth-dropping. To remix

a Preemo track is something that rarely happens in itself. To work around the

scratch-chorus and a track that you can’t forget to begin with, how did you

go about presenting such a formidable remix?

Soul Supreme: Basically, I knew I would never be able to make a better similar

beat, so instead I tried to make a beat that brought a different feel to the

song. I wanted the remix to sound a bit darker and more desperate. I knew that

the sample to the song had been used a couple of times before, but I felt that

it was worth it using it again.

Allhiphop: You dig it then?

MF Doom: Yeah, I was wondering how it was gonna sound. Then he sent it to me,

and I had a chance to vibe off it and s### is kinda ill. Each joint caught me

off guard. Snap, like the joint he used – "Bang, Bang", that s###

fit on there crazy ill. I was impressed with what he did.

Allhiphop: Then let’s talk about one you yourself did. Last year you remixed

"One Love" which was amazing.

MF Doom: Yeah, I hooked that up on a special recipe promotional type of thing.

Allhiphop: 9th, what’s going on with Little Brother right now?

9th Wonder: We’re [about to be] on MTV2. We’re trying to graduate to the big

leagues, get on a major [label]. If you want the type of music you love, and

you grew up on played on radio, and you want everybody to feel what you feel

when you listen to Mos or Comm, or whoever, you gotta get on a major. I’m not

displeased with ABB at all. ABB been good to us, but it’s time to move on.

Allhiphop: Soul – while we talking, tell us about how you and O.C. tried to

recraft the ambience behind his first two LP’s?

Soul Supreme: Well, I have not been in the studio with O.C. [yet], but I think

that my production style fits him pretty well, since I’ve always been listening

to mainly New Yorkesque hiphop. From what I’ve heard of the upcoming album,

it will be more thoughtfull and reflecting than "Bon Apetit." That,

by the way is mad under-rated, and perhaps a little more soulfull than his first

two albums [in terms of beats].

Allhiphop: Doom, everybody’s talking about your Mad Villain project with

Madlib. What’s this album gonna be like?

MF Doom: Basically the same old rec yo! Madlib, he’s the type of producer that

just comes with those beats that are just like a canvas. But the canvas that

he be givin’ me, them s#### be like ill. Like I said, the beat is what inspires

the thought to put the rhyme to it. It’s a pleasure working with that cat. He’s

mad nasty with his. The way I’m comin’ on this joint that makes it different

from a traditional Doom album, is that I’m just like, "Alright, I don’t

have to be the producer." It kinda makes it easier for me to look at the

beat like it’s a new beat. I catch the wreck that needs to be caught. I came

on it on some unorthodox Doom s###. This s### is like raw. I’m having mad fun.

Allhiphop: The big cheezeball question. Have you heard anything from Nas on

it?

9th Wonder: No. From what I understand, Nas has the record. Kelis has the record.

A lot of people have gotten this record. Maybe he’s letting all this anticipation

build up and I’m on his next record or something. I really can’t call it.

Soul Supreme: No. So if you read this Mr. Jones, holla at ya boy!

Go pick up God’s Step Son, Soulmatic, and Nastradoomus.