BY THUTO 'THE REAL DEAL' MALI
When I heard that hip hop production heavy weights Just Blaze and The Alchemist were not only coming to the UK, but were actually preparing to go head to head, it took me back one of my all time favourite films Juice (1992). It conjured up images of that iconic scene in which a disused warehouse becomes an arena style battle ground, with Queen Latifah as master of ceremonies and Omar Epps emerging as the victor of the wheels of steel.
Ahead of any great bout there is of course the press conference, where each contender flexes their verbal muscles before stepping into the ring. Let’s just say that I was afforded more of the dressing room experience, as I went along to the ultra chic bar of the Hoxton Hotel on the eve of round one of the ultimate battle in the basement, in the form of the Just Blaze vs. The Alchemist tour. Each opposing challenger sat side by side at one end of the glass table, Spin Doctor of The Doctor’s Orders and I at the other - it was show time. The only way to appropriately ring the bell on the first three rounds was to find out what they had in store for London Town, what could we expect?
The Alchemist: “They should wear waterproof clothing, fire proof attire, make sure then care of. Expect a lot of explosives, mixed with soul, mixed with electricity”.
Just Blaze: “The way I like to approach things like this is to keep it real organic. All I would say is if you like music and you like hip hop – expect a good time and come ready to rock!”
The Real Deal: I see that DJ Premier is also joining the tour in Paris. With the recent passing of hip hop legend Guru, what is you’re earliest memory of encountering Guru and Gang Starr?
The Alchemist: "I remember before I even knew them I met him in a club in LA when I was like 14 at some hip hop event and I remember hawking him like Yo man (as a fan). Then years later when I moved to New York I became really good friends with premier, he was like my idol, if you’re an actor, it is like hanging out with Robert De Niro - that is how I looked at it. Gang Starr’s first album I remember distinctly is one of the album’s that I bought the cassette, lost it and bought it again.
“The Manifest video I remember seeing Guru and he looked like Malcolm X in one of the parts and he had this certain monotone flow, and was really influential on me and all my friends growing up – it had an impact on us. I used to go to D&D and just hang out with him [premier], and I was lucky enough to be around during the ‘moment of truth’ album, I got to be around when they were making "You Know My Steez" – all the classic songs on that album.
“Once I got to meet him [Guru] and hang in the studio with Premier, it was so dope and just blew me away seeing how they worked together. Guru would be like, ‘Old man still got it Outskie’, he would come out the booth and be like, and I still got it for an old man. I would be like, what are you talking about, he was a legend to me - it is definitely whack that he is gone”.
Just Blaze: “My earliest memory for sure was the Manifest video on Video Music Box. The first time I saw Guru and Gang Starr was the manifest video, the thing that tripped me out was the way he cuts, he has two turntables next to each other, and then the mixer, opposed to having the mixer in between, so I thought that was the way that we were meant to do it. Actually, I should start doing that right now as I cut much better with my left hand than with my right”.
It is difficult to call in the first round, but The Alchemist may have just taken it on this occasion. Can and will Just Blaze pull it back? More will be revealed in the next round...
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