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.
