DJ Premier Recalls How Nas Recorded "N.Y. State of Mind" In One Take

DJ Premier: He had just written it, and I remember Showbiz from D.I.T.C. was there,
and we were just like, man I can't wait to hear what he does with this beat, because
it was my second time.
"Represent" was the first record I did, but "N.Y. State Of Mind," we found that sample
together.
Nas was just like, "Let's just thumb through records, and if we feel a vibe..."
You know most artists I work with, they'll just let me do my thing.
He was like, "Can we just play records and just find stuff."
That's how Large used to do it.
And I was like, "Cool."
So when we heard that piano sample, we both looked up at the same time when we heard that
melody, and he was like, "Can you hook that up?"
I was like, "Done."
Hooked it up.
And then when he goes in the booth, he brought like 20 people with him, and they're all in
the booth with him, and I'm like, "Yo y'all gotta be quiet, you can't be talking."
And they're in there doing, "Yo dunn, pass that dunn!"
"Yo pass the henny, dunn!"
And I'm like, "Yo y'all gotta be quiet, you know what I'm saying?"
That's what's going on.
"Yo pass that weed."
Rob Markman: That sounds like Jungle, that sound like a Jungle impression.
Oh Jungle was definitely there, Jungle was definitely.
Shout out to Jung man.
So all of that's going on in the booth, and I'm constantly saying, "Just be quiet."
So Grand Wiz, who was from-
Rob Markman: Bravehearts.
DJ Premier: Bravehearts.
He said, "Yo I want you to talk with me at the beginning before the piano comes in."
And so they're standing there kinda just freestyling it, so he looks down at the papers, says,
"I don't know how to start this." I'm like, it's coming.
So I'm counting him like this, and he just happens to look up and goes, "Yo" and then
just starts kicking the verse.
And did it in one take.
And then I remember when he did the whole take, he goes, "Well how was that, was that cool?
All shy and everything.
"Was that cool?"
We were like, "Dude, we about to, New York's about to go crazy."
And that was one, still to this day, one of the biggest records of both of our careers.
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DJ Premier Recalls How Nas Recorded "N.Y. State of Mind" In One Take | Genius Level

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