A Joe Budden return to music is in the future. Speaking on the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, the rapper-turned-broadcaster revealed he hit up iconic producer Just Blaze for a beat.
“I called Just Blaze the other day,” Budden said. “I’m done talking about these rappers. Imma do it myself. I’ll do it myself. Imma listen to what Just Blaze has in there that might make somebody wanna rap.”
Joe Budden calmed fan anticipation by stating he has a “real job” and would get around to it, but it will carry a nice price tag.
“I’m laying a 15-minute record for sale for $20,” Budden said. “Might be an EP but you get this first track for $20. Whenever that is I don’t want to hype fans up to think that’s coming soon. Me and Just Blaze have real jobs.”
Joe Budden hints at coming out of retirement to rap again
“I called Just Blaze the other day, I’m done talking about these rappers, Imma do it myself” pic.twitter.com/oQAKV7bVIn
Slaughterhouse has one of the biggest cult followings in Hip-Hop history, and their fans continue to look for any ray of light that could lead to a reunion and new music.
As far as fans are privy to, the tough news is still a dividing line between two sides putting Joell Ortiz and Kxng Crooked on one side of the aisle and Joe Budden and Royce Da 5’9″ on another. Then add in that Joe is quite happy podding.
Enter Just Blaze who gave fans the best shot they have at new music. Hitting Twitter, Just Blaze shared two unreleased singles. “I just found the slaughterhouse album,” Blaze wrote. “Jesus this is great. I might do the lords work.”
In light of the death of DJ Mark The 45 King, more music can be on the way.
You can see the messages from Just Blaze and hear the music below.
45 king didn’t die for us to hold on to a bunch of Music. More to come eventually.
A couple of years back, Ice Cube shared some of his storytelling inspirations with Uproxx for People’s Party With Talib Kweli. He popped back into Uproxx Studios in LA recently, this time, to sit down with Just Blaze and Katty Customs for Fresh Pair, and once again talked storytelling in hip-hop. This time around, he shared his five favorite narrative rap songs, which he called “the best hip-hop ever.”
Of course, Ice Cube himself wrote what has long been considered to be one of hip-hop’s top storytelling raps in his 1992 hit single “It Was A Good Day.” The second single from his third solo album, The Predator, “It Was A Good Day” peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and has been the subject of a running joke in internet culture of people trying to determine just which day Cube describes in the song (he maintains he had no particular day in mind, but that hasn’t stopped online sleuths from trying). It was also recently reproduced by Logic, drawing mixed reactions from fans — although the original artist liked it.
Somehow, Cube’s list of the best five storytelling songs does not include his own rap staple, but does have some old-school classics. Among them: Timeless, foundational hip-hop hits from Slick Rick, Dana Dane, Boogie Down Productions, and at least one left field take (it’s not really much of a story, after all).
You can find out which songs Ice Cube picked in the preview clip above; the full episode drops Wednesday, 7/26 at 3pmET / 12pmPT.
In the return of Uproxx’s Fresh Pair, Port Arthur, Texas rapper (and secret Swiftie) Bun B breaks down his career for hosts Just Blaze and Katty Customs as they break down the custom sneakers they made for him based on that career. One funny anecdote involves the filming of the video for “Big Pimpin’” and Bun’s reaction to receiving a personal phone call from Jay-Z.
Near the 11:30 mark in the episode, Just recalls his reaction to listening to “Big Pimpin’” for the first time, Bun recounts how he and his UGK partner-in-rhyme Pimp C were tapped to appear on the record.
“I thought the call was a prank,” he admits. “It was a blocked number. I was like, ‘Who’s this?’ He was like, ‘It’s Jay-Z,’ and I was like, ‘Yo, stop playing on my phone,’ and I hung up.”
However, Bun picked up when Jay called back and thanks to Jay’s distinctive voice, recognized that it really was the superstar rapper. It’s a great story about how the early rap business still had a personal touch.
Bun also recalls Pimp C’s initial skepticism about the song, the surprise of its success after a prior single flopped, and Pimp’s hilarious reaction to being told to take off his mink coat during the video shoot in Trinidad & Tobago.
UPROXX, the popular youth culture and music platform, has announced the highly anticipated launch of season two of its original series, Fresh Pair. The first episode is now available for streaming on YouTube.com/UPROXX Video and Uproxx.com, with future availability on WMX Hip-Hop on The Roku Channel (Ch. 1137). Hosted by Grammy Award-winning hip-hop producer Just Blaze and renowned sneaker customizer Katty Customs, Fresh Pair season two offers captivating interviews with some of the biggest names in culture, including hip-hop icons Bun B, Ice Cube, Rick Ross, and more.
Continuing the format that fans adore, each episode revolves around a unique “script” provided by a one-of-a-kind pair of sneakers. Katty and Just collaborate to design custom shoes inspired by the featured guest. The reveal of the customized sneakers sparks engaging discussions about the guests’ careers, personal journeys, and their deep connection to sneaker culture and streetwear style.
“One of the most compelling things about hip-hop as a genre is the sense of walking in an artist’s shoes through their storytelling and art,” says Just Blaze. “Fresh Pair goes the extra mile in its second season to deliver what fans look for across culture in that regard – emphasizing the music, the style and the stories of some of the biggest names in the game.”
Katty Customs added, “Fresh Pair challenges us in the very best way. We take every element of the design very seriously and dive deep into the culture to conceptualize, design and create personal classics for our guests. It’s the best feeling when they resonate and you get to hear their reaction. Then to get to hear the fan response – that takes it to the next level for me, as a creative.”
The greatest Hip-Hop artists could always associate themselves with a signature sound. Tupac Shakur defined West Coast rap, layering his vocals amidst alpha West Coast beats. The Notorious B.I.G did the same on the East Coast, acting as a rallying cry for New York’s rap scene. For artists like Kanye West, that defining sound would be discovered in a different lane. Spearheading the Roc-A-Fella era of the late ’90s to early ’00s, The Blueprint‘s influence lay in Chipmunk Soul‘s innovation.
It’s 2002, and Hip-Hop is being overrun by oversized pants and lavish jewelry. Rappers were filming music videos in crowded streets, seeking to mirror the chaotic life of their upbringing. Beats were heavy and menacing at their core, spearheaded by mainstream artists such as Tupac or DMX. In the underground, artists sought to counteract these menacing ominous soundscapes with a world that delivered simplicity and happiness. Consequently, this new sound would present itself as Chipmunk Soul. The production technique sampled Soul and R&B songs from the ’70s to the ’80s, speeding up the pitch of samples to create a squeaky effect.
“Chipmunk Soul” Encouraged Vulnerability In Hip-Hop
The largely accredited pioneer of the sound is de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA. RZA wasn’t the one to drive the sound to the top of hip-hop. However, he inspired the likes of Kanye West to experiment with the sound. RZA has acted as a hip-hop trailblazer throughout his career. With Wu-Tang’s Enter The Wu-Tang, the Staten Island group delivered a sound that curated a unique world between Soul and Kung Fu films. The group’s fascination with martial arts, Eastern philosophy, and urban street life proved that a less traditional subject matter could still appeal to hip-hop fans. The point is that Chipmunk Soul’s trend-setting era had its roots in more experimental records coming out of the early ’90s.
The Chipmunk Soul era of sound was derived from an innate desire to curate an aesthetic that better blended with the vulnerable sides of hip-hop. West wasn’t interested in rapping about his deep bank account or a desire to physically intimidate the people around him. Enamored with the worlds of anime and Haruki Murakami as a child, he searched for a sound that better complimented his personality’s light and dark sides. The College Dropout takes the listener into the darkest corners of his mind. By closing track “Last Call,” he’s rapping about “the night I almost killed myself in Lexus.” By implementing Chipmunk Soul, he could better reflect these emotions with the sonic direction of the record.
The College Dropout Is The Subgenre’s Biggest Album
Like any new artistic trend, the Chipmunk Soul style was met with initial hesitations from the music industry. In 2002 West walked into Roc-A-Fella Records with a CD containing “All Falls Down.” Without hesitation, he began blasting the song throughout the office. While the track would achieve immediate critical acclaim, Ye was met with sullen stares from everyone at the Roc-A-Fella label office. However, The College Dropout quelled any doubters of the movement, debuting at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200. The sound had been relevant for a few years before The College Dropout. Producers West and Just Blaze were in the basement with Jay-Z, curating the sound with various classic hip-hop albums.
Roc-A-Fella lived large in the early 2000s under the soundscapes of West and Blaze. The record label had dramatically gone from a small operation to arguably the biggest thing in rap, catapulted by The Blueprint and Purple Haze. The office that had scoffed at The College Dropout was all of a sudden head over heels for Ye, who’d contributed to the curation of the most popular subgenre of hip-hop along with Just Blaze. Many hip-hop heads had gone from icy hardcore raps to the sun-induced feel of Chipmunk Soul. By 2004, blasting Jay-Z’s “Song Cry” on a warm summer day had become the norm.
Chipmunk Soul Revived ’70s & ’80s Music
Chipmunk Soul did more than solely usher in a new era of sound in hip-hop. In addition, it delivered a newfound appreciation for the Soul and R&B of old. Hip-hop heads were hearing sampled loops of Aretha Franklin while driving home from school with their friends. Kids were returning to the music their parents likely listened to. It’s permanently impacted the genre, popularizing Soul sampling into the mainstream. Producers such as Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, and The Alchemist continue to contribute to chipmunk soul’s legacy to this day. The unique production technique represents one of the defining moments of hip-hop’s history.
With 2023’s SXSW events officially behind us, it’s time to look back on all the madness, chaos, and (above all) fun that went down in Austin, Texas last week. And no shortage of those memorable moments came via Fresh Pair co-host and all-around icon, Just Blaze. Backed by Twelve Rivers Realty and the video game company he cofounded, Brass Lion, Just went all-in this year with a four-day, three-night takeover of Native Hostel, including a live taping of UPROXX’s Fresh Pair with co-host Katty Customs and Texas hip-hop legend Bun B, sponsored by our partners Los Siete Misterios mezcal, STEPN, and WAGMI Beach.
Night one of the takeover opened with Just Blaze throwing a party in the Native Hostel ballroom which quickly turned into one of those nights that feels like it only happens in the movies. Over the course of more than seven hours (!!!), the superproducer was joined on stage by DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli, Bun B, Redman, Jadakiss, Freeway, Beanie Seigel, and eventually even Dave Chappelle.
I mean… just look at this scene:
Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be there that night? Who wouldn’t have been geeked when Dave Chappelle pushed away his (incredibly tough-looking bodyguards) and waded into the crowd for photos? Or when Redman came out spitting absolute fire with the same intensity and speed he had on his fastball in ’99?
Steve Bramucci
The next day, Native Hostel, Brass Lion, and Twelve Rivers hosted Fresh Pair for their first on-the-road live taping, sponsored by Los Siete Misterios mezcal and STEPN. Katty Customs brought some killer fits to present to Bun B while he opened up about everything from his early hits to working with Jay-Z. That taping was followed by a cocktail party hosted by Los Siete Misterios who also set up a tasting table to sample their full line of mezcals while DJ Buck Rodgers spun and scratched, the crowd danced, and tacos circulated.
On the latest episode of the Idea Generation podcast, superproducer (and Uproxx’s friend of the site) Just Blaze delves into his impressive musical resume, from crafting the so-called Roc-A-Fella sound in the early 2000s to becoming one of the biggest hitmakers of the past 20 years. Among the stories he shares with host Noah Callahan-Bever is the explanation of just how Jay-Z ended up with one of the more recognizable songs from his game-changing 2001 album The Blueprint. It’s a story he’s told before, but it never gets old.
“‘U Don’t Know’” was at one point going to be Busta [Rhymes] and Prodigy,” Just says. “A lot of people don’t know, me and P used to hang out a lot. I still don’t have a lot of rap friends, right? He was one of the few people actually to come to the house. It was wild because then [The Alchemist] ended up moving around the corner from me.”
After that bit of scene setting, Just explained why the song ended up with the home team instead of one of the other two rappers, who were — at the time — considered bigger stars. “Prodigy hears ‘U Don’t Know,’” he recalls, “Then Busta [Rhymes] hears ‘U Don’t Know.’ Yo, the worst thing ever was knowing that I have Jay ready for me but Busta’s doing this Busta Rhymes [style] on the ‘U Don’t Know’ beat. I’m like, ‘Yo, this is real dope.’ I’m torn. I’m a kid at the time, and I’m torn.”
Fortunately for Justin, he didn’t have to choose. “Luckily, Busta didn’t record to it,” he exults. “I go back to Soundtrack [Studios], where Mobb Deep was recording. Prodigy hears the beat; I play it off of a cassette. He starts rhyming to it. Some drama ended up happening; he had to leave. I go around the corner [to Baseline Studios]. I play it for Jay. [This is] all in that same weekend. Then, all of a sudden, Jay was like, ‘Yo, lay that right now.’”
The rest is, as they say, history. “U Don’t Know,” which was never released as a single, has become one of the most enduring songs in Jay’s catalog; it’s a club staple whose lyrics fans have debated for two decades (that is, until Jay cleared it up himself last year). You can check out the full interview above.
August 11, 2023, will mark the 50th anniversary of the house party largely credited with the creation of hip-hop. Although the various elements of what we’ve come to know as the world’s most popular and influential cultures were already taking root in the streets of New York City, the birthday party that Cindy and Clive Campbell (aka DJ Kool Herc) threw in the rec room of their apartment building became the widely accepted inception point of hip-hop in the history books.
Now, 50 years later, the musical innovations that grew out of that soiree and the block parties that followed it have become the foundation of a global phenomenon with branches on nearly every continent. Hip-hop, once thought to be a trend that would go the way of disco, has instead flourished, changing the way the world acts, dresses, and talks through multiple generations of musical evolution.
But it all started with the DJ, the one who played the breaks back-to-back to form the beats that all rap music, from early electro to G-Funk to trap and cloud rap, is built upon. So, who better to talk about the history of rap than one of its most prolific DJs (and producers), Just Blaze, whose experiences span nearly the breadth of hip-hop’s history? His memory for all things hip-hop is darn near photographic – or should I say “phonographic” (sorry) – and he’s got an ear for details that makes picking his brain a treasure hunt that always bears fruit.
“This is an art form that is truly organic, truly natural,” he says via Zoom. “It came from a place of struggle, as do many things in our community. And for something that we created from a place of struggle and not having, for it to be as lucrative… The money aspect is great, but to be as lucrative, but also just as influential, as it has become worldwide, it’s truly an astonishing thing to see.”
Just’s earliest memories of hip-hop stem all the way back to the early ‘80s when the first rap records were first finding their way to radio stations throughout the Tri-State area. The New Jersey-bred producer fell in love at first listen. “I remember my younger days when I was a literal kid, like six, seven years old, and discovering this music, only to be told by my elders, ‘Well, when we were kids, we thought Motown was going to last forever. And trust me, in 10 years it’ll be something else.” And that was 40 years ago, and we’re still here and stronger than ever and more powerful than ever.
But obviously, hip-hop has changed a lot in the decades since. Where once, all you needed was a four-track drum machine and a microphone, there’s a lot more technology involved in crafting a hit. While Sylvia Robinson brought in a session band to replay the riff from Chic’s “Good Times” on “Rapper’s Delight,” today’s producers have a wide array of samples to choose from, pulling liberally from any genre that strikes their fancy. Whether breakbeats or 808s, jazz samples, or pre-produced loops, there is any number of permutations the music can take.
Likewise, rappers themselves look vastly different from their forebears. Adidas tracksuits are a thing of the past; now, you might see a rapper from Atlanta decked out like a rock star, or one from Compton dressed like a vision of the far future. “Everything that’s old will be new again, everything that’s new will eventually get old,” Just says of the rapid evolution. “The first round of records were kind of emulations or recreations of what was happening in the parks. But then you enter that second generation of it being put on record, starting with ‘The Message’ or whatever. And then you fast-forward only three years later, two, three years later, and it’s Run DMC. All black. It looked like dudes from the streets as opposed to the previous generation that looked like dudes dressing like P-Funk.”
When he looks at where hip-hop is now, he very much recognizes tinges of records that he had a hand in himself. “Over the past two years, I’ve cleared so many samples of my records from the early 2000s,” he beams. “There’s kids rhyming over flips of Fabolous’ ‘Can’t Let You Go.’ There’s kids rhyming off of [Cam’ron’s] “Oh Boy.” I shouldn’t call them kids respectfully, but younger people rhyming off of records that I created in the early 2000s. You got R&B records that are flipping all the R&B records from the late ‘90s and early 2000s as well. So it’s all a cycle, right?”
And despite the new technologies that bring the music to the audience, he still sees a place for the original purveyors of the sound, the DJs. While Spotify rolls out algorithmic playlists and TikTok presages the breakaway hits of the future, Just Blaze knows that there’s just no replacing the living, breathing, person behind the turntables. Sometimes, someone just has to be able to feel the vibe.
“It started out where the DJ was at the forefront,” he recalls. “The emcees were kind of just the backup. They kept the party going. And those routines evolved to eventually provide the early building blocks for songs. Over time, that focus changed in certain genres. So obviously in hip hop, the focus remained on or started to shift towards the emcee for various reasons that are too long to get into here.”
“I look at other genres that have spawned out of similar traditions that hip-hop did, like house music today, which kind of traveled a similar parallel to hip-hop in terms of where it came from. It came from a place of struggle and not having much. A lot of times in that world, the DJ’s still the star of the show. You can have a number one record in the world, nobody knows who the singer is. They know who the producer/DJ was.”
But, he says, “You can never completely take the DJ out of the equation because hip-hop is still very much a street-level culture in many ways. Even though radio plays a different role than it did before the advent of streaming, many records were broken on the radio by DJs. A lot of records still break in the club. Who was running the club? DJs. Remove the DJ from the equation, a lot of these records don’t get the legs that they end up with to allow them to enjoy success…. You could never fully remove the DJ from the equation because like I said, it starts with the DJ.”
So, where does hip-hop go in the next 50 years? It’s proven its staying power. It’s driven ad campaigns, and fashion trends, and even formed the innovative backbone of many industries like tech – just look at AI, NFTs, streaming, and virtual rappers. Just, despite being a fountain of insight, doesn’t want to hazard a guess and end up looking like the elders who told him that hip-hop was just a fad.
“I’m not going to purport to know where hip hop goes in 50 years,” he demurs. “What I will say is, what I hope to see is a return to a bit more of balance. I have nothing against the music that the younger generation is making because I’m cognizant that I’m not the target audience. And one thing that I strongly dislike is when folks from previous generations, whether they be consumers or creators, try to downplay the music that the younger generations are making. It’s like, this music isn’t for you.”
Like a health-conscious person eating more nutritious food, getting more rest, and still occasionally indulging in a sweet treat, the folks who make up this culture are going to need to be more intentional about their choices. “I would like to see a return to balance when you could hear in one day, or in a two-hour span whether it was on TV or on the radio, you might catch Public Enemy, X-Clan, MC Hammer, De La Soul, Pharcyde, some local groups that were making noise,” Just advocates. “You would catch all that and then still hear the super popular… You might still catch Vanilla Ice on the radio too, for better or worse.”
This, he posits, is the key to ensuring that hip-hop sees its 100 birthday, which isn’t as far away as it might seem. After all, 1979 turned out to not be all that long ago. Time flies when you’re having fun – and at its core, that’s what hip-hop is all about. Happy birthday to the culture – and many more.
