DJ Premier

DJ Premier, born Christopher Edward Martin, is one of hip-hop's most legendary and influential producers, widely regarded as an architect of the East Coast boom-bap sound. As one half of the iconic duo Gang Starr with the late *Guru*, he defined an era with his signature style of hard-hitting drums, meticulously chopped samples from jazz, funk, and soul records, and his innovative use of scratched vocal samples for hooks. His production on seminal albums like *Nas*' 'Illmatic' and *The Notorious B.I.G.*'s 'Ready to Die' cemented his status. He has also worked with a vast array of artists from *Jay-Z* to *Christina Aguilera*, and continues to shape hip-hop through his label #Year Round Records# and projects like PRhyme with *Royce da 5'9"*.