What happened to Primo? Or us?

[mannybolone]

So I'm listening to the new Big Shug CD (downloaded off the internet in case you're vaguely interested) and Premier does about 2/3rds of the production on here. Now, keep in mind...up until a few years ago, Primo was basically god-like in my book. Dude could not do wrong and I've felt like that since the early '90s, ok? But most of what I've heard from Preem these last few years, since the last Gang Starr album (where I liked a good # of the tracks) sounds really flat, uninspired and boring to me.To put it in other terms: Primo now sounds like a parody of himself, like he studied some DVD on "How to Make Beats Like Primo" and basically has worn a once fruitful sound into a barren shell of its former self. Now, let's keep in mind: Big Shug rhyming over the hottest track could probably dead that shit but hell, I've heard some weak MCs over fuggin' hot Just Blaze and Neptunes songs and the beats still knock so I don't know if I can blame Shug on this one.Is it Primo? Is it me? Seriously, I get so much more pleasure out of something like, "Heard 'Em Say" than I do on anything here but I can't figure out what's happened. I know Primo's style plateued years ago and he hasn't really done anything new but I was down with that sound for such a long time, it's weird to me that I just can't hang with it now.

 

[Grafwritah]

To put it in other terms: Primo now sounds like a parody of himself, like he studied some DVD on "How to Make Beats Like Primo" and basically has worn a once fruitful sound into a barren shell of its former self.

I know Primo's style plateued years ago and he hasn't really done anything new but I was down with that sound for such a long time, it's weird to me that I just can't hang with it now.

He probably knows this, too.

He's probably depressed.

He's a Christian soldier in an unholy war called MIKE JONES, UHHHH MIKE JONESSSSS!!!!

 

[Delay]

dude is having trouble changing w/ the times. if you heard another beat that sounded like "i'm the man" you'd be disapointed too.

 

[Grafwritah]

dude is having trouble changing w/ the times. if you heard another beat that sounded like "i'm the man" you'd be disapointed too.

I agree.

sometimes it's just time to hang it up. If he could carry on I think that would be great, but it seems like most can't do that. Instead of ending on a low note, just hang the shit up early like Seinfeld on go out riding high.

Of course, I think Primo already fucked that up.

 

[PEK]

dude is having trouble changing w/ the times. if you heard another beat that sounded like "i'm the man" you'd be disapointed too.

I agree.

sometimes it's just time to hang it up. If he could carry on I think that would be great, but it seems like most can't do that. Instead of ending on a low note, just hang the shit up early like Seinfeld on go out riding high.

Of course, I think Primo already fucked that up.
Pete Rock's confronted w/ the same dilemma as well to a certain extent - it's as if both are seemingly lost in the current state of hip-hop... This doesn't discount either's (vast) contribution, especially in the early '90s, but their current bag of tricks resembles that of an aged boxer, whose talents are clearly on the wane, trying to hold on for one last meager shot of glory; better to burnish the legacy by retiring @ this juncture as opposed to releasing material that's subpar and doing a disservice to said legacy... This creative arc pretty much holds true in a lot of the arts - look @ Kurosawa in his prime versus his output from the mid-'80s until his death... Or Fellini...

 

[mannybolone]

Or Showbiz. I also listened to his new CD tonight. It's hard to reconcile how Freestyle Professors goes for hundreds just b/c Show's name's on it and then listen to what he's doing now.

 

[PEK]

Or Showbiz. I also listened to his new CD tonight. It's hard to reconcile how Freestyle Professors goes for hundreds just b/c Show's name's on it and then listen to what he's doing now.

This was a topic I wanted to broach w/ Jeff (Chang) a few weeks back; the accelerated pace of hip-hop really makes a postdated expiration date far more of an issue than previous/other genres (from what I can gather/see) - the continual and pivotal focus on the new/novel is what grabs the public 's imagination... And it's not a recent phenomenon either - I remember everyone checking for the next back in the '80s...

Premier's had a great run - no disputing that, but sometimes it's the most difficult/hardest for the person in question to acknowledge the writing on the wall...

 

[Kinetic]

Pete Rock's confronted w/ the same dilemma as well to a certain extent

Soooo co-sign.

I find the same thing with pete Rock's new shit that you're saying about Preem now.

 

[Mongo_Slade]

That's a good-ass question, but I think it boils down to: hip hop has progressed a lot in the last few years, Premier hasn't.

 

[Grafwritah]

That's a good-ass question, but I think it boils down to: hip hop has regressed a lot in the last few years, Premier hasn't.

 

[youngEINSTEIN]

the only songs he's ever sounded different on to me were the first album and half the arena album everything since then has been pretty blueprint primo with the exeption of come clean. but i still think hes the most consistent producer in the history of hip hop and i really wish he produced the new guru album. peace, stein. . .

 

[Olski]

but i still think dre is the most consistent producer in the history of hip hop but even he would not have able to make the guru album any better. peace, olski. . .

 

[kenny]

nah nah nah!!

you guys should wait for the new Blaq Poet album...

i think thats gonna be the next big Primo project.

 

[Bsides]

You guys arent being fair. What do you want primo to sound like? Just blaze? I think just blaze has that covered.


Primo beats are tied to an era where the mc was expected to be the one dropping science. They're not complicated. Its just some boom bap shit for an mc to explode on.

I feel like these days the beat is basicly expected to carry most, if not all of the song. It makes for some great production, and its true that few people really care about lyricism anymore, but you cant listen to primo shit with that same standard.

Now I will certainly agree that he is probably past his prime. But c'mon! He had a good run. Id bet hes more focussed now on his family and shit. The big shug album was probably just a very old promise that he had to finally deliver on.

And by the way, Big Shug? Possibly the worst rapper Ive heard all year. Hearing his old ass trying to flip some pimp shit over some gutter primo beat is about the most inapropriate thing you could think of.


Old primo shit is still amazing to me. Even on moment of truth. Tracks like "better luck next time" and the shit with scarface? So hard.

Primo is legendary. And judging him on the basis of the big shug album is like Judging the rolling stones on the basis of that mick jagger and lenny krapitz tragedy.

Anyway, im tired of people talking about legendary producers like they are scrubs trying to get a placement on the new jim jones record or something. Just because you dont hear pete rock on the radio every day on some new ciara track doesnt mean hes wack now.

Nothing these dudes do now is ever going to take away from the fact that they are some of the best that ever did it.

 

[kenny]

yea I think he's just trying to bring back many of his old promises with the Foundation.

well, AZ's "The Come Up" is surprisingly good imo. I actually thought it might probably be one of his older beats that he want to give to AZ, cuz he hasn't made that type of beats in a long time.

 

[Phill_Most]

This is a good question to ponder, Oliver. Primo really hasn't changed much at all. If he dropped what in 1994 would have been considered a classic Primo beat today, do you really think the rap fans of today would make that "oh shit!" face like they did back then? They wouldn't. Times have changed, that's all. The majority of rap fans of today get excited over a whole different kind of sound that DEFINITELY would not have flown with the "real hip hop" afficianados of 1994.
This is not to say that Primo is exactly the same dude as he was in 1994... I do think he's dropping more

beats now than he did back then (I was as disappointed with that last Gangstarr album as most people were). But over the past five or so years I've heard some stuff by Premier that I thought was hot to death too, and most people were still like

. Ultimately I think the listeners have changed a lot more than Primo has- whether it's for the better or for the worse is debatable, but clearly people are on some other schitt these days.
And for those who think that Primo should switch up his sound, do you have any suggestions on how he should change? Should he try to make beats more like (insert the name of your favorite producer of the moment)? Should he just reinvent himself with a brand new unheard-of hip hop style that's totally different from that classic Primo choppy sample style? More handclaps? More live instrumentation? Bring in Jon Brion as his sidekick, maybe?

 

[Kinetic]

Pete Rock's confronted w/ the same dilemma as well to a certain extent

Soooo co-sign.

I find the same thing with pete Rock's new shit that you're saying about Preem now.

I dont really get how people hate on Pete Rock.
I don't do hate.

I just don't 'like.'

 

[Socrates]

Preem will always be my fav. I think every LP should have at least 1 preem track.





I definetly don't think he should hang his hat up tho like some other cats are posting. He just needs to dig deep down inside.





It's funny, i feel about Primo how some kid in the 50's-60's probably felt about Mickey Mantle. Mickey Mantle "God Like"..... Mickey goes thru hitting slump. It's like the end of the world for the kid.





Maybe he should smoke a blunt, drink a 40, and get laid, then open a restaurant?????

~Crates

 

[Grope]

Preem will always be my fav. I think every LP should have at least 1 preem track.

 

[mcdee]

With a topic like this I thought it would be a whole different Premo subject. Maybe you guys havent heard yet - but Premo is gonna produce a few tracks (yes a few, not just one) for Christina Aguleras Album!

But anyways, I really think this topic applies more to Pete Rock than Premo. Premo actually dropped a few really dope beats the last few years. And Pete Rock is the one that really turned into a comedy of himself IMO. And with Pete Rock I think it happend allready in the late 90s as opposed to Premo who lasted atleast a little bit longer... Almost a decade more?

The last thing I want is Premo switching styles...

Have you guys heard the beat he did for Tony Touch? I LOVE that beat, cant wait for the 12" to drop to get the instrumental.