DJ Premier takes it to “Our Streets” with A$AP Ferg.
The soulful collaboration features Premier’s trademark scratches and allows A$AP Mob’s Trap Lord to live out his dream.
“Preemo put the soul in it, I make the track hot,” he raps. “This thing, forever, got the game in a padlock / I just want something real, I’m tired of the ass shots / Don’t wanna go to the club, I’m tired of them trap spots.”
This was an important collaboration for Ferg, who sends out a rest in peace shoutout to the late Guru. “It’s a dream to be able to work with the legendary DJ Premier on this record,” he said. “Preemo has worked with all the NYC hip-hop icons and greats — Nas, Biggie, Guru, Hov, KRS-one, and The Lox. Just knowing I was working with him pushed me as an MC.”
Premier shared in Ferg’s excitement. “With Ferg, or anybody I work with, they already know my history so they know that I come from the ’90s era,” he said. “Ferg just automatically said, ‘Don’t do what I’ve been doing on my albums — I want you to do a Preemo style and let me show I can rap to that,’ so I was like, ‘Let’s do it.'”
The collaboration, which was crafted in one day, is the first to come from the relaunched Payday Records, a label that once housed JAY-Z, Jeru the Damaja, Showbiz & A.G., Group Home, Guru, WC and the Maad Circle, and more. The imprint is back in business after a hiatus.