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Dive into hip-hop history like never before with DJ Scratch and Planet Asia on Sway In The Morning! In this exclusive interview, the legendary DJ Scratch shares untold stories from his iconic career, including his time with EPMD, collaborating with RZA, and curating tours for Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep. Planet Asia opens up about the creative process behind his new album "Kings Dominion" and the return of the true MC era. Don’t miss this powerful conversation filled with insights, milestones, and a celebration of hip-hop culture. Subscribe now for more exclusive interviews and legendary moments from Sway’s Universe!
#caliagents #hip-hophistory #hip-hopstories #turntablism #planetasia
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
01:33 - Planet Asia Early Days & DJ Scratch
05:51 - DJ Scratch Current Tour Raekwon Mobb Deep
07:25 - DJ Scratch Getting His Flowers
15:02 - Produce Section
21:15 - DJ Scratch Planet Asia Sway in the Morning
22:19 - Importance of Producers in Music
29:05 - Aaron from Cali
31:10 - Knowledge is Power in Hip Hop
33:35 - DJ Scratch & Planet Asia Discussion
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0:00
The legendary DJ Scratch,
0:03
the legendary Planet Asia. We got them
0:06
both in the building right now. Come on,
0:08
man. Round of applause.
0:11
>> Wow.
0:12
>> Wow, man. That that that right there
0:15
sounds amazing.
0:16
>> Sound like hip-hop.
0:17
>> Sound like hip-hop.
0:18
>> Sound like hip-hop.
0:19
>> Come on, man. What we have right here is
0:22
a true grandmaster. New music seminar
0:24
battle for world superior superiority DJ
0:28
champion. Master of the mix, champion.
0:31
Global spin awards turntableist of the
0:33
year champion. Superior producer, a
0:37
champion. Uh uh sup superior physical
0:40
physicality. Heaven be [laughter] a
0:42
champion. Scratch vision. The huge
0:45
platform that I had a chance to go to
0:47
his house and be a part of a champion.
0:50
What you have over here is one of
0:52
California's one of the world's
0:54
greatest, most successful, most
0:56
consistent rappers to ever pick up a
0:58
mic. He's a champion representing the
1:01
swamps all across the globe. He's a
1:04
champion celebrating I want to say
1:07
>> 49.
1:08
>> 49.
1:09
>> That's what your birthday.
1:10
>> Yeah.
1:11
>> 49. Really,
1:12
>> dude? You still LOOK LIKE YOU 29
1:15
CHAMPION.
1:15
>> WOW. Happy birthday.
1:16
>> We We dropped the album on his birthday.
1:19
>> Oh, wow. Wow.
1:20
>> We got Planet Asia and DJ Scratch are
1:23
here. Give them a big round of applause.
1:26
>> Wow, man. I didn't
1:28
>> Long time swag.
1:29
>> Long time, man.
1:30
>> I was 19 when you met me.
1:31
>> Yo, that's crazy.
1:33
>> Yeah, I was I was on 19. Yeah.
1:36
>> At 19.
1:37
>> Yeah.
1:37
>> So,
1:38
>> Cali Agents
1:39
>> came out 2000.
1:41
>> In 2000.
1:42
>> I came out 97.
1:44
>> Yes. And then Cali 98.
1:46
>> 90.
1:46
>> Rasco came out 97. when I came out 98
1:48
cuz I was hype man for him. That's how I
1:50
ended up on your show.
1:51
>> Really?
1:52
>> Yeah. I was his hype man first.
1:54
>> Uh-huh. For Rasco.
1:55
>> For Rasco when he had the unassisted.
1:57
>> Uh-huh.
1:57
>> Y'all was
2:01
banging. Yeah.
2:02
>> Back and forth, right?
2:03
>> Yeah. That was a DJ's battle record. You
2:05
know what I mean? Ha. They used to kill
2:08
that all the time.
2:09
>> Used to kill that all the time. 25 years
2:12
anniversary of Cali Agents. Yo, we
2:15
making real monumental milestones right
2:17
now, right? I'm I'm giving Scratches
2:19
information. You look at Scratch, he
2:21
look like he 29, too, right?
2:24
>> 57,
2:24
>> man. Give it up for DJ Scratch, man. God
2:27
bless this man. [applause] That's what
2:28
hip hop is right now.
2:30
>> So, what you saying?
2:31
>> What you saying? [laughter]
2:34
>> This album that you guys, this album is
2:37
available right now, right? Yes. Where
2:39
did you come up with the title,
2:41
>> man? I just wanted to um
2:45
something that something that sounded
2:47
royal, something that sounded
2:49
>> just epic, you know what I mean? But but
2:51
not the typical hip-hop titles and and
2:54
that just came to me like that.
2:55
>> Kings Dominion. Yeah.
2:57
>> Right. Um when how did this combination
3:01
scratch and Asia like how did where did
3:04
y'all even meet? Like
3:05
>> we ran we ran into each other at uh A3C.
3:08
Okay. Okay.
3:08
>> This is like back what was that like
3:10
2000
3:10
>> Mhm.
3:11
>> Uhhuh.
3:12
>> 20.
3:12
>> That's a seminar that used to take place
3:14
in um in Atlanta for independent
3:16
artists. Really? Yeah. Yeah.
3:17
>> I still got the photo was I got a photo.
3:19
It's me, him, and YZ.
3:20
>> Uh-huh. Yeah. Y Z.
3:22
>> Tower with Power. [laughter]
3:24
>> Yeah. So, he he was uh I ran into him
3:26
down there. He was like, "Yo, man, we
3:28
should do an album together." I'm like,
3:29
"I'm with that."
3:30
>> We swap numbers and I'm like, "I'm going
3:31
to be in contact." But at that time, I
3:33
was I was busy working on projects and
3:35
and just life at that time. So
3:37
>> I'm like, I'm going to get back with you
3:38
though,
3:39
>> you know, and I just stayed in contact
3:41
with him
3:42
>> and then boom, the time is right now. So
3:44
here we go.
3:46
>> So this all took place um precoid,
3:49
[clears throat] right? Pre pre when we
3:51
had to shut down, you know, this is when
3:55
the curfew was here. You know, the world
3:57
was in shambles.
3:59
>> Y'all completed the project but decided
4:01
not to release it,
4:02
>> right? Cuz we we didn't want to release
4:03
in in the middle of that chaos. Uh-huh.
4:05
>> And at that time we we didn't know if we
4:07
was going to live or die. You know what
4:08
I mean? Like literally like
4:10
>> Yeah.
4:10
>> It was weird outside.
4:11
>> Yeah.
4:12
>> Right. And so what kind of enhancements
4:16
did you make from then to now to get it
4:18
to sound like this?
4:19
>> Nothing.
4:20
>> This is what it was.
4:21
>> Yes.
4:22
>> True indeed.
4:23
>> That's it.
4:24
>> Wow. Man,
4:25
>> you know what's crazy? I actually when
4:28
we first I think after the first song I
4:31
might have that's when I I think we had
4:32
breakfast.
4:33
>> Yeah. And we sat and this I don't know
4:35
about the project. Yeah. Scratch don't
4:36
even know you, [laughter] you know. This
4:38
is we sat and had breakfast and you was
4:41
telling me all the different things you
4:42
were doing, right?
4:43
>> Yeah. Yeah. And I was like, yo, if this
4:45
DJ Scratch thing didn't go down, this
4:46
this it for me. Like for me, it's it's
4:49
bigger than than just even like, you
4:52
know, a rapper getting with a known
4:54
producer. It's a difference when you
4:56
grow up off somebody. It's like, yo,
4:58
this is my tree. Like, I feel like I'm
5:00
rhyming over what I'm supposed to be
5:01
rhyming over finally. You know what I
5:03
mean? Like I grew up off of RunMC, LL,
5:05
CoolJ, EPMBB. I'm a baby of Def Jam.
5:08
>> Yeah.
5:08
>> So for me it's like this is the closest
5:10
thing to being like
5:12
>> connected to Run DMC.
5:14
>> You know what I'm saying? Connected to
5:15
L. You know what I'm saying? Like this
5:17
this cuz he's a direct from JMJ.
5:21
>> Yeah.
5:21
>> You know this like this is my whole
5:24
thing right here. It could have anybody
5:26
else.
5:26
>> Uhhuh.
5:27
>> This is the one.
5:28
>> This is the one. DJ Scratch, man. I know
5:30
you done flooded this man with all kind
5:32
of questions like [laughter]
5:34
about the past about projects. Yeah.
5:36
>> I don't have I just listen to what you
5:38
know I just he once he started talking
5:40
I'm like why like what happened in 19 89
5:45
what shootout you had in Texas.
5:47
[laughter]
5:48
>> Amen.
5:49
>> Man there there's this is an interesting
5:51
time right now. DJ Scratch you on the
5:53
road right with um Mob Deep and Ray
5:55
Klein. Yes. Right. And and and how did
5:57
that come about? I and I know because I
6:00
saw you I feel like I saw you on the
6:01
role with the Wuang.
6:02
>> Yes.
6:03
>> Right. And I
6:04
>> It was an opening act for them.
6:05
>> You was on the opening act.
6:06
>> Yeah.
6:06
>> Rizza has Does Rizza has anything to do
6:10
with this with the Raycoin Mob Deep
6:12
tour?
6:12
>> Yes.
6:12
>> Okay. Talk about that.
6:14
>> Yeah. So, you know, um me and Rizza did
6:16
an album together
6:18
>> in uh 2022 and and we just been
6:21
connected ever since then, you know what
6:22
I mean? And then um so once the uh that
6:26
tour happened, he was like, "Yo, come
6:27
out, you know, come out on the tour.
6:29
Open up for us." And then we did the uh
6:31
New York State of Mind part one and part
6:33
two.
6:34
>> Then we did the Vegas residency, the
6:36
Wuang Vegas residency.
6:38
>> And you know, it's just been a
6:39
connection since then. And um and once
6:42
they announced this tour, I saw the
6:44
announcement. I'm like, "That's a dope
6:45
that's a dope tour." Mob Deep and
6:48
Raycoin. And then um maybe like a few
6:51
weeks later they reached out. They was
6:53
like and I didn't even know that that
6:55
they reached out to Rizza to reach out
6:57
to me to curate the tour for them.
7:02
>> Wow.
7:03
>> RZ is the Abbott. You know what I mean?
7:05
>> Definitely the Oracle, right?
7:06
>> Yeah.
7:06
>> Yeah.
7:07
>> Yeah. So they reached out to Rizza was
7:08
like, "Yo, you think Scratch will um you
7:11
know will come come out on the tour with
7:13
us?"
7:14
>> He's like, "I'll talk to him." So when
7:15
he called me, I'm like, "Of course."
7:16
Right. You know,
7:17
>> it's Mob Deep. is is Rayquan and I've
7:20
worked with both of them before, you
7:21
know what I mean? So, yeah. So, that was
7:23
really it.
7:23
>> I wanted to ask you about that scratch
7:25
because we were having a conversation
7:27
this morning about something that Sway
7:28
and King Tech does called for the
7:30
Culture and they're just honoring, you
7:32
know, u the elements of hip hop and
7:34
>> December 14th at the region Theater
7:37
Club. Okay. We're [laughter] going to be
7:38
honoring
7:39
Cass Supernatural,
7:42
>> King Crooked.
7:43
>> Oh, you took it there. Lawrence
7:44
Professor and Prince Ken Swift from the
7:47
original Rock Steady Crew.
7:49
>> Where's this at?
7:50
>> Region here in downtown LA. You there,
7:52
man. December 14th.
7:53
>> December 14th.
7:54
>> And Heather, before you quit, I just
7:56
want to just say it's great to see you.
7:57
>> You too.
7:58
>> Great to see you.
7:59
>> Thank you. Thank you. I thought about
8:01
you this morning when Sway was talking
8:02
about that cuz I was asking them about
8:04
their how they select, you know, people
8:06
who they want to honor and he broke that
8:08
down. But I thought about you
8:09
specifically because your name DJ
8:12
Scratch, you are synonymous with DJing.
8:15
Everybody knows your accolades.
8:16
Everybody from our our history in
8:18
hip-hop when we grew up loving it. But
8:20
you're also a producer. Yes.
8:22
>> And I I feel like your name doesn't come
8:24
up enough when they talk about
8:26
producers. Um how do you I mean as a fan
8:30
I for me I can say that but how do you
8:32
personally feel about that? Because when
8:34
you hear DJ Scratch, you automatically
8:36
ready to, you know, watch you do your
8:38
thing. But then when you hear his music,
8:40
it's like, damn, this is dope. Oh, who
8:42
produced that? At Scratch, who produced
8:44
that? But, you know, Buster, everybody
8:46
you worked with.
8:47
>> How do you feel about that?
8:48
>> I I really don't feel a way about it,
8:50
but you know, certain things you got to
8:52
let the spans the fans speak for you.
8:54
Okay.
8:55
>> I hear it all the time like, "Yo, you're
8:56
underrated. You're underrated." As long
8:58
as my name is on them credits,
9:00
>> right,
9:01
>> and on the publishing checks and all of
9:03
that.
9:03
>> Yeah.
9:04
>> You know, I'm I'm cool with that. And
9:05
you know, unfortunately,
9:07
you know, you don't get your your your
9:09
flowers until you die,
9:11
>> you know. Unfortunately, hopefully we
9:13
can turn that that type of thing around.
9:15
But um you know, I'm going just continue
9:17
to just do my part and and hopefully the
9:19
the uh the people that appreciate the
9:22
music keep, you know, preaching and and
9:24
speaking the gospel about appreciating
9:27
the work that I've been putting out
9:29
>> over the past four decades.
9:31
>> Yeah. You know what I'm saying?
9:32
>> Yeah. No, it's just interesting because
9:34
DJ Premiere has DJ Premiere in front of
9:36
his name,
9:37
>> but he's known for production,
9:39
>> but DJ Scratch has DJ Scratch in front
9:41
of his name. And you known for D. It's
9:42
just weird how it works. Yeah. How it
9:45
how it works. And
9:46
>> I think I think because I think because
9:49
the the DJ work was so dominant like I
9:52
came in as a world champion, the
9:53
greatest the best DJ in the world,
9:55
>> right?
9:56
>> You know, so so that's going to stick
9:58
>> stick.
9:58
>> And then um when I was producing and you
10:02
know I started I started at a young age.
10:04
So when I was producing a lot of work
10:05
that I that I did I didn't get credit
10:07
for back then. Can you
10:09
>> you know we were all getting jerked.
10:10
>> Yeah. But like what what are some songs
10:12
you could
10:12
>> like EPMD's Rampage?
10:14
>> You did Rampage?
10:15
>> Yes. I did I did half of that album.
10:18
>> Okay.
10:19
>> But I got credit for one. I got credit
10:21
for Funky Piano.
10:23
>> But I produced Brothers on My Jock
10:25
Rampage.
10:26
>> Uh For My People,
10:28
>> Funky Piano,
10:30
>> uh damn, I can't even think of the rest
10:32
of the the songs. But but I did six
10:34
songs on that album.
10:35
>> Uhhuh. and and you know and back then
10:39
if you don't if your name ain't on the
10:40
credits you get somebody else is going
10:42
to get the the the credit for it. You
10:44
know what I mean? So
10:44
>> yeah.
10:45
>> And they get the money too. The the the
10:47
residuals
10:48
>> and and we worked that right. All of
10:50
that.
10:50
>> Yeah.
10:51
>> All of that.
10:51
>> But you worked that out. You you
10:53
>> Yeah, that's worked out now. Yeah. All
10:54
that's on my publishing statements now.
10:56
>> But I think I think it's because of that
10:58
like the DJ work was so dominant
11:00
>> and then back then I was producing a lot
11:02
of stuff stuff and wasn't getting the
11:04
credit for it. And then also back then,
11:06
me and Havoc was just talking about this
11:08
>> cuz Havoc said the same thing. I'm like,
11:09
"Yo, you they don't bring your name up
11:12
>> in these conversations. You're one of
11:13
the greatest producers of all time."
11:16
>> I think Shook Ones might be the greatest
11:18
hip-hop song ever.
11:19
>> You'd be it'd be hard to argue that.
11:21
>> You know what [laughter] I'm saying?
11:22
It's hard to argue.
11:23
>> Yeah. Right.
11:24
>> But they don't mention him. You know
11:25
what I mean? And I'm like, and and and
11:27
this is what he said. He said, "Yo,
11:28
Scratch, we didn't we didn't put
11:30
producer tags on our records." I'm like,
11:32
"You're right. It started like right
11:35
after that.
11:36
>> Who was the first? Was it Track Masters
11:38
or who was the first? You really I think
11:40
it was Swiss Swiss Beast.
11:42
>> Yeah, I think I think it was
11:44
>> Track Masters maybe.
11:45
>> They to put the producer tag.
11:47
>> Yeah, I think it was Swiss.
11:49
>> Wow.
11:50
>> You You know what it was? Not Not even
11:52
just the producer tag, the artist
11:54
shouting out the producer.
11:56
>> That's what it was.
11:57
>> Uhhuh.
11:58
>> Yeah. Because you can be like track
12:00
masters and the the the people that's
12:03
listening, they just think it's a part
12:04
of the song,
12:05
>> but when the artist say Swiss on the
12:07
beat and then just blade, you know what
12:10
I mean?
12:10
>> It gives it a different gives it a
12:12
different that made me think of like
12:14
Prince Paul or something like you don't
12:15
like you get screamed out like that.
12:18
>> So you don't never really hear.
12:19
>> Can you imagine if we was doing those
12:20
tags back back in the 80s?
12:22
>> You didn't even think to do it like
12:24
Yeah.
12:25
>> And Prince Paul is like havoc. one of
12:27
those people they don't mention cuz they
12:29
don't know.
12:30
>> But you know what it was too and we
12:31
talked about this earlier. We read so
12:33
much more back then. We read every
12:36
single like part of it all. We knew you
12:38
were producing. We knew you did the
12:40
cuts. We we cuz we had to read those
12:42
liner notes in order to find out things.
12:43
I think now they have to shout it out
12:45
because a is not that many hard copies
12:48
of things and then people just don't
12:49
freaking read like nobody wants. every
12:52
now, you know, on on my Instagram every
12:54
now and then, you know, like maybe like
12:55
two, three times a year, I'll post
12:58
>> songs that I produce. And and you'll see
13:00
in the comments, you I did not know you
13:02
did Give Me Some More.
13:03
>> Mhm. You did Give Me Some More. Crazy.
13:05
>> I knew that. Yeah.
13:06
>> I didn't know you did this. I didn't
13:07
know you did El Bomb. I didn't know you
13:09
did the scratches on Maxwell's whole
13:11
album. I didn't I didn't know any You
13:13
know, you have to
13:14
>> You have to keep Yeah, you have people.
13:17
You got to keep reminding people. Bomb
13:18
was crazy. Yo, I was I was coming down
13:22
125th. You know what made me like that
13:23
song? I'm coming down 125th Street. Some
13:27
old lady this one during co you know the
13:30
big Bluetooth speakers.
13:32
>> I I always knew about that song but the
13:34
way I heard it this particular
13:35
[laughter] day I just stopped. It was
13:37
LIKE YO I I SLEPT OH. And I listen to
13:41
that song at least twice a week now. But
13:43
it was an old lady playing it. She was
13:45
sitting on the corner like she had to be
13:47
like 60 bro.
13:48
>> Uhhuh. I was like, I'm looking at her.
13:49
>> [ __ ] we about 60. THAT'S HER ERROR.
13:51
[laughter]
13:53
>> You know what I'm saying?
13:53
>> But she didn't look like us. SHE
13:57
used to look when we was coming up.
14:00
>> That old [laughter] 60.
14:02
That Bluetooth speaker was hitting L
14:04
jumped on that one, too. He jumped on
14:06
it. He went crazy.
14:07
>> You know what I like? Uh, first of all,
14:10
just like Scratch, DJ Scratch, the
14:12
Grandmaster,
14:14
Planet Asia is one of those people.
14:16
Yeah.
14:16
>> That the world don't realize and
14:18
recognize a lot either.
14:20
>> How many projects you've done, how many
14:22
features you've done,
14:24
>> right?
14:24
>> Planet Asia, you catch him on any part
14:26
of the world rocking a stage.
14:30
>> In the same
14:32
>> lineage as I put a black thought,
14:34
>> right?
14:34
>> Right. a very dense lyrical gym
14:38
gymnastic, you know, acrobatic MC who
14:42
never falls off, you know, and I want to
14:45
say salute to you
14:46
>> cuz this project is incredible.
14:49
>> This is my brother, so it's hard
14:50
sometimes. We we have conversations and
14:53
it's when we on the radio, it's like,
14:55
oh, I got to be sway, you know what I
14:56
mean?
14:58
>> [laughter]
15:00
>> Same with Scratch, you know, and you
15:02
know, your style is um so unique to me.
15:05
I want to ask you about this song called
15:07
Produce a Seed Through You.
15:08
>> Oh, yeah.
15:09
>> Right. Where when you hear that title,
15:11
what you think he talking about?
15:13
>> Producing a seed through you.
15:15
>> You
15:17
sound It sound like he's talking about
15:19
impregnating a woman.
15:20
>> Right. Right.
15:21
>> Oh, seed.
15:22
>> Seed. But when you peel the layers back
15:24
and you break down the the what it's all
15:27
about,
15:28
>> tell them what it's about.
15:30
>> It's about the different stages in my
15:32
life and different types of weed. So
15:36
>> So at the Take it back to the chocolate.
15:38
Yeah. At the [laughter] beginning at the
15:40
beginning I had No, at the beginning it
15:41
was Mexican brick weed.
15:43
>> And it's funny cuz kind of parallel my
15:45
little first date as a kid I had a
15:46
little Mexican girlfriend. Boom. Then my
15:49
[laughter]
15:49
and then you know what I'm saying? It
15:51
switches up. I get the the uh by the
15:53
time I get to like ninth grade, I got
15:55
the Ethiopian girl, which would be like
15:56
the Durban poison. That would be like
15:58
the cush. Okay.
15:58
>> You know what I'm saying? And [laughter]
16:00
so it's like it's taking you through
16:01
different stages of the weird thing. And
16:03
I'm like,
16:04
>> you be careful what be careful with her
16:06
cuz she like women too. So,
16:09
>> you know what I mean? [laughter]
16:11
Don't leave her around your girl too
16:12
long.
16:13
>> You got to listen to the whole song and
16:14
understand he's not talking about women.
16:16
>> Right. Right.
16:18
>> But that process though,
16:20
>> crazy
16:20
>> creative writing.
16:22
creative writing. And I I dare say like
16:25
when I think about all the albums that
16:26
have been coming out lately with um Big
16:28
L, Ghost, you know, Rayquin, Slick Rick,
16:32
all these diff different albums that's
16:34
coming out
16:35
>> and people not really giving a damn now.
16:37
We not trying to play the game. We just
16:40
being who we are. Let's just make music.
16:43
>> I feel like the era of the true MC is
16:46
back.
16:46
>> It is. Absolutely.
16:48
>> What What are you seeing when you out
16:49
there?
16:49
>> It definitely is. I feel like everybody
16:51
tapped back into that childhood energy.
16:54
>> Okay,
16:54
>> you gota you got I was saying this the
16:56
other day, you have to
16:57
>> make music with the same intent that you
16:59
know what made you excited when you was
17:01
young when you used to slapping those
17:03
VHS tapes and be watching videos eating
17:05
cereal like I'm doing this doing that.
17:08
You got to still have that same
17:10
>> I don't think he'll be cutting and
17:11
making up all these different I seen him
17:12
do some [ __ ] the other day. I'm like,
17:14
damn, dude. I didn't think you could I
17:16
didn't think there was nothing else you
17:17
can really do. [laughter]
17:19
Like that's all the tricks.
17:21
>> You just gonna bite your fingers on
17:22
[laughter] my elbows.
17:25
Like
17:26
>> so it's being able to come up with new
17:27
stuff still,
17:29
>> you know, at this age. It's like I like
17:30
it cuz it's not it's not a contact
17:32
sport. It's a mental sport.
17:33
>> It's a mental sport. What do you mean by
17:34
that?
17:35
>> We not getting banged up every day. I
17:37
mean, I I do a little bit cuz I perform
17:39
kind of hard, but you're not we're not
17:40
bumping into each other and you know,
17:42
breaking wrist and ankles unless you got
17:44
a weak ankle like so and so, but you
17:46
know what I mean?
17:46
>> Yeah. Yeah.
17:47
>> Like so.
17:48
>> So, I caught [laughter] that.
17:51
>> But does it take the right
17:55
>> play like a player coach situation? Like
17:57
the adult player still needs the right
18:00
coach. Does it take is it the same
18:01
dynamic you as an MC artist? Does it
18:04
take the right producer to keep that
18:06
energy in you? It does. Okay.
18:08
>> Absolutely. Yes, it does. And we we had
18:10
a conversation earlier
18:12
>> and he was like, "Yo, um, he said, I I
18:14
love Planet Asia, but I never heard him
18:16
rap like this." I said I said, "This
18:18
might be
18:19
>> the first time that he's actually like
18:21
been produced. Like you can rap over
18:23
beats,
18:23
>> right?
18:24
>> And then you can be produced like like
18:26
like a Quincy Jones. You know what I'm
18:28
saying? Mhm.
18:28
>> So this album you can hear
18:31
>> the production like vocal production.
18:34
>> That's what it was.
18:35
>> Um music production, bridges,
18:38
breakdowns, you know what I mean,
18:39
>> right?
18:40
>> I felt like it really cuz King Tekk and
18:43
I've always championed Asia like he he's
18:45
been our sniper, our sharpshooter
18:48
>> for decades, right? [laughter]
18:50
>> You know, and I love his music. But I
18:52
what I heard in this album was
18:55
>> I did can hear the
18:57
>> the cohesiveness
18:59
>> between what the two of you were doing
19:02
and those magical punchlines that you
19:04
always have like you got to really
19:07
listen to Asia.
19:08
>> It wasn't hard to hear.
19:10
>> Right. Right. The thing I I love him for
19:12
though is
19:14
>> I didn't really have to do too much. It
19:16
was kind of like already laid out, you
19:18
know. Uh, some producers they they they
19:21
they too interested in being beat makers
19:23
instead of producers. It's a difference
19:25
between a beat maker and a producer
19:27
>> cuz he being that he's already
19:29
experienced, he kind of knows
19:31
>> where the MC is supposed to rhyme at.
19:33
So, it's not confusing to where when you
19:35
when
19:35
>> I could do a track with somebody and
19:37
they'll send it back and the lyrics is
19:39
off or what they trying to do something
19:40
new to the not the same thing,
19:43
>> right?
19:43
>> We didn't really change the food from
19:45
its original way it was cooked. just
19:47
amplified it when by the time y'all got
19:50
to it, it was like mixed well. But as
19:52
far he didn't have to move my lyrics
19:53
around and do none of that goofy stuff.
19:55
>> You you Asia, you say, and I'mma read
19:58
this, my attribute has nothing to do
20:00
with entertaining, but you could say I'm
20:02
where the game is headed,
20:04
>> right?
20:04
>> Break that down for me.
20:06
>> Planet Asia, my name is uh Powerful
20:08
Jabar, right? And the game is going back
20:11
to having knowledge itself.
20:12
>> Okay?
20:12
>> You know what I'm saying? Uh knowledge,
20:14
having knowledge of self is actually
20:16
fly, man. It's nothing's nothing cool
20:18
about not having information. How you
20:20
gonna be an MC and you don't have no
20:21
information.
20:22
>> You know what I mean? Coming up, like
20:24
you said, we used to read the credits.
20:26
It was all about reading because you
20:27
know,
20:28
>> you might run into somebody like me.
20:30
>> Yep.
20:31
>> And I mean, think about it, man. Imagine
20:33
running into somebody like cannabis and
20:35
you calling yourself a rapper.
20:37
>> I mean, you know, cannabis at his prime.
20:39
You know what I mean? Like, imagine
20:40
running into somebody like that. You got
20:42
to be prepared for that.
20:43
>> Absolutely.
20:44
>> You know what I mean? I grew up off of L
20:45
and Ram, right?
20:47
>> That ain't stupid rap. [laughter]
20:49
>> You know what I'm saying? Right.
20:50
>> So, you have to you have to know
20:51
something yourself.
20:52
>> Yeah. So, it's getting back to that
20:54
because it I mean
20:55
>> the strings and all this. It's all about
20:58
>> the the having substance. You know what
21:01
I mean?
21:01
>> Having a vocabulary, not just getting on
21:04
a mic and just putting words together,
21:05
>> right?
21:06
>> Mumbling and
21:07
>> and carrying on as my grandmother used
21:09
to say. [laughter]
21:11
>> Oh, man.
21:12
>> Hooting and holling. Holling.
21:14
carry it on.
21:15
>> We got DJ Scratch is here. We got Planet
21:17
Asia is here as well. Um, give him a
21:20
round of applause. Let me take a couple
21:21
callers, too, man. Let's do it.
21:22
>> Let's get it. Let's go to line one.
21:24
Kimmo's on the line from the ATL. Chemo,
21:26
what up, KO?
21:29
>> Chemo.
21:31
>> Cheer theapy.
21:32
>> He has us on mute probably.
21:33
>> There you go. There you go, brother. Go
21:34
ahead. What's your word? What's on your
21:36
mind?
21:36
>> Yeah, man. Hey, man. Hey, man. This
21:39
collaboration is crazy to me. Like, um,
21:41
>> yeah. PA, you PA actually knows me as
21:45
Fatal. I was one of Mars producers.
21:48
>> Oh, okay.
21:49
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, I just
21:51
>> Yeah.
21:54
>> What up?
21:54
>> Yeah. Yeah.
21:55
>> Yeah.
21:56
>> Congratulate y'all.
21:58
>> Yeah, man. I just want to congratulate
22:00
y'all guys. Like, this is like Voltron
22:02
forming together. PA, you still spin
22:04
like you sp 20 years ago.
22:07
>> So, yeah, man. That's all I want to call
22:09
and say. Congratulations to you guys,
22:11
man. That [ __ ] is dope.
22:12
>> Thank you. Thank you.
22:14
>> Uh yeah, thanks for your call, Kimo. You
22:16
a super citizen, man.
22:17
>> In the morning.
22:18
>> Um yeah, man. PA, I ain't never heard
22:20
that. They PA, that's what they call you
22:22
out here. [laughter]
22:24
>> Huh? They call you F. All right, Bobby,
22:26
go talk to us, man. What's on your mind?
22:28
>> What up, B?
22:29
>> What's happening? No, I wanted to touch
22:30
on what y'all talking about about the
22:32
producers earlier, the scratch. And
22:33
correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't
22:36
think um I think that the reason a lot
22:38
of producers that we came up on aren't
22:40
as known is because of they weren't an
22:43
artist and they didn't have the PR to
22:45
push their name forward like some of the
22:47
other producers. A lot of producers we
22:48
came up on were also artists such as
22:51
Dre, Eric, uh Quick, you know, so on and
22:54
so forth. So, they were able to their
22:56
name was able to reach more people
22:58
through their artistry as well as having
23:00
PR behind them.
23:01
>> N [ __ ] I was an artist, too. I was a
23:03
member of EPMD. [laughter]
23:05
>> Well, I mean I meant I meant as far as
23:07
like lyrically and like vocally and what
23:09
have you.
23:11
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. But mo
23:13
most most you know
23:16
with EP like for EPMD for an example,
23:18
right? We were the only group in in
23:20
hip-hop history at that time. We
23:23
produced our own music. We didn't know
23:24
that you supposed to hire a producer,
23:26
>> right?
23:27
>> So we had to figure we figured out how
23:28
to make beats. Uh, we didn't know that
23:31
you hire a producer, you know, Marley
23:33
Maul, you know?
23:34
>> Yeah.
23:35
>> So on and so forth, you know what I
23:36
mean? So
23:37
>> we we were producers by default. That's
23:39
how we thought all albums were made.
23:41
>> I can't let him leave without telling
23:42
y'all this. I don't know if y'all know
23:43
this. What was what was what was EPMD
23:46
performing off of before you got with
23:47
him?
23:48
>> A real
23:49
>> on live
23:50
>> at the show.
23:52
>> Yeah.
23:52
>> Oh my gosh.
23:54
That's
23:56
[laughter]
23:57
>> explain to folks what a real the real is
23:59
as opposed to turntables that a real to
24:02
real tape you know like like you know it
24:04
look like looks like old movie tapes
24:06
like that. So so they they had uh
24:09
>> their first single was uh it's my thing
24:14
>> they had a DJ and then
24:16
>> something happened with with him.
24:18
>> Uhhuh.
24:19
>> Um second single you guys should chill.
24:22
They had their their next DJ
24:25
and then something happened with him.
24:27
>> Mhm.
24:29
>> So by the time me and Jam Master Jay saw
24:32
EPMD cuz I was touring with Run DMC
24:34
>> before I got with EPMD. So we saw them
24:36
in Europe
24:37
>> and they was on stage with a real real
24:39
and their bodyguard was hitting start
24:41
and stop.
24:42
>> Oh my god. Who run DMC or EPMD? Oh my
24:46
gosh.
24:47
>> So me and J Master J looking like yo
24:49
that [ __ ] is whack. What happened to
24:51
their DJ? You know what I mean?
24:52
Whatever. You know, so fast forward, you
24:55
know, we we you know, I'm on the Run DMC
24:57
tour.
24:57
>> Uhhuh.
24:58
>> All over Europe, Australia, New Zealand,
25:00
Japan. We come home off a tour and a
25:04
week later, Jam Master J called me and
25:06
go, "Yo, you want to go to EPMD show in
25:07
Jersey?" I'm like, "Hell yeah." He picks
25:10
me up, come to the projects, picks me
25:12
up. We go to the show in Jersey, and
25:15
same thing, the DJ, I mean, the the uh
25:17
the bodyguard is hitting start and stop.
25:21
That's Yo, that's so dope.
25:23
>> So they do like strictly [laughter]
25:24
business.
25:25
>> Well, there's a will, there's a way.
25:26
>> They do like strictly business and then
25:27
go to the bodyguard like, "All right,
25:29
stop. Stop it." And then I hit hit play.
25:32
And then he was mess up and hit rewind.
25:35
>> Oh my god.
25:36
>> Then they got a fat for it. Yeah. Like
25:38
it was crazy.
25:40
>> So after the show, Jay was like, "Yo
25:42
man, that real real [ __ ] is whack. Y'all
25:45
should take my man on tour." like he
25:46
just won the the world the new music
25:48
seminar battle for world supremacy
25:51
just toured with us and they was like
25:53
nah Paris was like nah
25:55
>> nah we good on DJs
25:58
>> and I didn't we didn't we didn't
25:59
understand why
26:00
>> he didn't want they didn't want another
26:02
DJ but they had went
26:03
>> they had problems
26:04
>> they had problems so Jay was like look
26:08
>> as a favor for me take him out on the
26:10
road for a week if you don't like him
26:11
you can send him home and they couldn't
26:13
say no to Jay because on the US part of
26:15
that that runs house tour, they let EPMD
26:19
ride on their tour bus cuz they didn't
26:21
have a tour bus at that time. They
26:22
didn't have a budget,
26:23
>> so they had to say yes to at least that,
26:26
you know what I mean? And um J's like,
26:27
"All right,
26:28
>> on, you know, on Tuesday, come, you
26:30
know, meet us at the airport." That's
26:31
back when you can go straight to the
26:32
gate without a ticket.
26:33
>> Right.
26:34
>> Right. [laughter]
26:35
>> Back then?
26:36
>> Yeah.
26:36
>> You remember those days? Yeah. I used to
26:38
get on the plane with a library card.
26:39
You know what I'm saying?
26:41
>> Right.
26:41
>> With my name on it.
26:42
>> So I met them at the gate. So I met him
26:44
at Guad airport at the gate [laughter]
26:46
>> and um so we did the first show. They
26:49
was like so so what you going to do
26:51
that's so special? They like they wasn't
26:54
[ __ ] with me. They was not [ __ ]
26:56
>> both of them or just they was like yo so
26:59
what you going to do that's so special?
27:00
I'm like I'm like in the middle of the
27:01
show just stop the tape cuz they still
27:03
had the tape.
27:04
>> Uhhuh.
27:05
>> I'm like stop the tape in the middle of
27:06
the show. You know I'mma cut [ __ ] up.
27:08
They like no but what what are you going
27:09
to do? I'm like, "All right, I'mma climb
27:12
up on the turntables. I'mma cut with my
27:14
feet. I'mma take my I'mma take my shirt
27:17
off. I'mma strip. I'mma do this, do
27:18
that." And they thought I was being
27:19
sarcastic at that point. They was like,
27:20
"All right, whatever." So, showtime.
27:24
They stopped the tape. They didn't give
27:26
me no introduction or nothing. They was
27:27
just like, "Yeah, yeah, scratch." And
27:30
started shaking hands with the people in
27:32
the front row and all that. And then
27:34
they noticed that the crowd is scream.
27:35
They didn't even listen to what I was
27:37
doing, but they seen the crowd
27:39
screaming, but looking past them. And
27:41
when they turned around, they seen I was
27:43
doing everything that I said.
27:44
>> Shirt off, stand on the table.
27:46
[laughter]
27:47
>> Yeah, THAT'S HOW DJ GET HIM. GET HIM.
27:49
GET HIM. GET HIM.
27:53
>> So after that show,
27:54
>> I don't got to ask you no questions. So
27:56
after that show Yeah. After that show,
27:59
>> it's like, "Yo, so you want to stay?"
28:01
I'm like, "Let me I'll think about it."
28:02
[laughter]
28:04
I WAS LIKE, "HELL YEAH, I'm staying."
28:06
You know what I'm saying? The rest was
28:07
history.
28:07
>> One of the greatest groups of all time,
28:09
EPMD, [applause] man. I love hearing
28:11
that, man.
28:11
>> We got a We We did a We did a new
28:13
record, too.
28:14
>> What?
28:14
>> Yeah.
28:14
>> I was going to ask you.
28:16
>> Yeah, I produced it. Yeah.
28:19
>> There's a new M EPMD album.
28:21
>> No, not this. There's a new EPMD in DJ
28:24
Scratch song.
28:25
>> Song?
28:26
>> Yeah.
28:27
>> Taking Baby Steps.
28:28
>> Taking Baby Steps. But what would it be
28:30
like to get M
28:32
>> both squads back together.
28:35
>> I I think [snorts] it'll happen.
28:37
>> You think is it happening or you think
28:39
it can happen?
28:40
>> It can it can happen. It can happen.
28:42
>> Hit squad, death squad, everybody. They
28:44
they could come
28:45
>> all together. Yeah, I think it can
28:46
happen.
28:47
>> Oo, you hear that, Bobby? You hear that?
28:50
>> I sure,
28:51
>> you know, but it starts it starts at the
28:52
top. So, it got to be it got to be EPMD
28:55
before anything.
28:56
>> Yeah. Yeah, man. So, yeah. Uh, man, you
28:59
heard it here first, man. EPMD on their
29:02
way, man. Bobby, you're a super citizen.
29:04
Thank you, brother. Aaron is on the line
29:06
from Cali. What's on your mind, Aaron?
29:07
>> Aaron.
29:08
>> Yo, what up, Sway? WHAT UP, SWAY? GOOD
29:12
[laughter] MORNING.
29:13
>> YO,
29:14
>> HI. WHAT UP, AARON?
29:17
>> I'm such a big fan, man. It's my first
29:19
time calling Sway. I've been listening
29:21
to you since 1997, man.
29:25
>> Since
29:26
man.
29:27
>> Hey.
29:28
>> Hey. Asia.
29:30
Yes, sir.
29:31
>> Yo, Planet Asia, DJ Scratch, man. Y'all
29:34
are legends, man. Y'all are legends. I
29:36
love I love I love this hip-hop [ __ ]
29:38
man. You guys are doing it. You've been
29:40
doing it. Keep doing it, man. I I love
29:42
it, man. We all love it.
29:44
>> Thank you. Thank you, man. You get the
29:46
album yet?
29:48
>> I just downloaded it as I was driving to
29:50
work, my man.
29:51
>> All right. All right, man. That's That's
29:54
amazing.
29:54
>> I do I do have a question for Planet
29:56
Asia, though. I do have a question for
29:57
Planet Asia. Yes, sir.
30:00
>> On the uh on the How the West Was One
30:03
album,
30:04
>> the the intro skit? [laughter]
30:07
>> Where where the hell did that come from?
30:09
That is the funniest [ __ ] in hip hop
30:11
history. Skits, man.
30:13
>> That's my guy Protest, man. If you ever
30:16
in the airport, you flying JetBlue, go
30:18
to the bar. He right there. He He got a
30:20
book out right now. Fire. [laughter]
30:23
>> Protest.
30:24
>> That is crazy. HE SAID SAD BOY HUFFY
30:27
COMBUFF COMB. [laughter]
30:31
>> You know how it come through. Oh, lick
30:33
it up. [laughter]
30:34
>> Oh, look it up the whiskey.
30:38
>> YO, THAT'S FUNNY AS MY MAN. I LOVED IT,
30:41
MAN. I love that whole album.
30:44
>> Thank you.
30:44
>> Hey, Aaron, check it out. We doing a uh
30:46
wakeup shows during the forest culture
30:48
event December 14th at the Region
30:50
Theater here in LA. We honoring Ken
30:53
Swift. We're honoring Cook King,
30:56
Crooked, Supernatural, Raz Cass, and
30:59
Large Professor. Come out. You can get
31:01
You can get in free. All you got to do
31:02
is get a t-shirt at swaysuniverse.com.
31:04
Buy one of those t-shirts. We going to
31:06
let the first 500 people in for free if
31:08
you wear that t-shirt.
31:09
>> All right. Remember?
31:11
>> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I'm already on it.
31:12
Sway. I got to go to the website and get
31:14
them t-shirts, brother.
31:15
>> Get that t-shirt.
31:16
>> Get that, brother. Suedesuniverse.com.
31:18
You should have said that.
31:19
>> That was a great battle. Uh,
31:21
Supernatural. Shout out to Super
31:23
>> and he's he's amazing. Um, and we're
31:27
honored to be honoring
31:28
>> all of these people. Planet Asia is one
31:30
of these people who will be honored
31:32
>> at some point with this for the culture
31:34
series. Uh, cuz you guys are in the DNA
31:37
of our legacy as well as we are in
31:39
yours,
31:40
>> right? Um, one of the things you say I
31:43
think in knowledge is power.
31:45
>> Um, the interlude scratch, you talk
31:47
about the importance of being in tune
31:49
with your fans, right? And you talk
31:51
about knowing data and and emailing and
31:54
all of those different things. And are
31:57
fans able to cash app you guys money for
32:00
the project? Is it something? Talk about
32:01
that. Yo, it's like right now um
32:05
>> even on like let's say you're you're an
32:07
artist
32:08
>> and you have title
32:10
>> and Spotify title and Spotify right now
32:13
allows you to set set up your cash app
32:16
right on the homepage
32:18
>> so fans want to support you. So they
32:20
could just directly support you.
32:22
>> Yes.
32:23
>> Oh, that's amazing.
32:24
>> Title started it first.
32:26
>> Uhhuh.
32:26
>> Shout shout out to Jay-Z. He he started
32:29
it first
32:29
>> because he he understands that,
32:32
>> you know, these streaming these streams
32:33
ain't no money. You know what I'm
32:34
saying?
32:35
>> Yeah.
32:35
>> So
32:36
>> he he put it where people can actually
32:39
support the artist directly. Mhm.
32:41
>> So he set up that that had that uh cash
32:44
app
32:46
>> option set up right on the homepage of
32:48
uh of title
32:50
>> and then Spotify later followed and did
32:52
it as well.
32:54
>> Salute to that man. And I don't know
32:55
Rock Nation got a new distribution
32:57
platform that absolutely that they're
32:59
bringing front and center. And I say
33:00
this because when you see Salt and
33:02
Pepper
33:03
>> at the Rock and Roll indu induction
33:06
>> Yeah.
33:08
Talk about the fact that still to this
33:10
day they're fighting to get the rights
33:11
to their own music.
33:13
>> That's crazy,
33:14
>> right? You know, and I know you talked
33:16
about how streaming has been a detriment
33:18
to the to the
33:20
>> art of this industry.
33:22
>> That's a shame. De La Soul, we're going
33:24
to see them tonight. Yeah.
33:25
>> You know, you know, they came on the
33:26
show when we first revealed that they
33:28
couldn't get rights to their own music.
33:31
>> Yes.
33:32
>> That's an option, right? Um,
33:34
congratulations to you all on this
33:36
project, man. Give it up for DJ Scratch.
33:38
>> It's available now. Kings Dominion.
33:41
>> Sounds good.
33:42
>> Give it up for my brother Planet Asia.
33:44
>> Um, I know you got a show tonight,
33:46
right?
33:47
>> At the at the wheel turn.
33:48
>> At the Wheelturn. And that's going to be
33:50
with
33:53
>> Iron Rick [laughter] and Mob D.
33:57
>> And congratulations to them. Um because
34:00
these guys, Cuban Links, um the infamous
34:02
albums, these these are legendary
34:05
projects. What's it like for you
34:07
performing with them,
34:08
>> man? It's it's like it's like you back
34:10
in 1995, man.
34:12
>> And they're celebrating the 30th
34:13
anniversary of both of the albums. Yeah.
34:15
>> The Purple Tape, Cuban Links,
34:18
>> and the Infamous.
34:19
>> The show is crazy. It's like a mixtape.
34:21
>> It's like if you had a mixtape between
34:23
Cuban Link and the Infamous Well, Cuban
34:25
Link and Mob D.
34:26
>> Yeah.
34:27
>> Well, yeah. a lot of Rayquan joints.
34:28
Let's just say Rayquin just because he
34:30
not just only doing Cuban link joints,
34:31
but like imagine just like a mixtape, a
34:33
fly mixtape of Rayquin and Mob Deep.
34:36
>> Yeah.
34:36
>> Because it's like at some point of the
34:38
show I forget
34:40
>> that we on the same song. I mean that
34:42
it's not the same song. You go for one,
34:44
it'll go from one Rayquin verse and
34:46
it'll have the same BPM. I'm like, "Oh
34:48
[ __ ] I never realized them joints go
34:50
together like that."
34:51
>> Yeah. Yeah. Like I'm I'm curating it
34:52
like like a like if I'm doing a tribute
34:55
mix, but the artists are actually there
34:56
to perform it.
34:57
>> It's crazy. If you haven't seen it, you
34:59
got to see cuz you know you we've been
35:01
to a bunch of Wu Tang shows throughout
35:03
the years. This one is different.
35:05
>> It's different.
35:06
>> I don't know if you seen the uh when we
35:08
did the Hit Squad reunion tour back in
35:10
like 2016 maybe.
35:12
>> That's so insulting.
35:14
>> [laughter]
35:15
>> Do you remember how
35:17
how like I I like I had like word play,
35:21
you know what I mean? So,
35:22
>> um and I didn't want to do the typical
35:24
each artist go do their own individual
35:27
sets. I wanted everybody to go on
35:28
together. So, so like for example, I had
35:30
um
35:31
>> do Effects on stage doing microphone
35:33
checkup.
35:34
>> So, as they're doing that, when they got
35:35
to the last chorus,
35:37
>> I was blending in Red Man's Tonight's
35:39
Tonight.
35:39
>> Yeah. So you hear it blending in and as
35:42
it's blending in, Red Man is coming out
35:44
on stage and the first words he say is
35:47
microphone checker.
35:49
>> Oh my took a deep Come on, man.
35:51
[laughter]
35:52
>> You can't fake that. You got to be that
35:55
in order to do that.
35:56
>> Hip-hop. It's called hip hop,
35:57
>> man. Get him a round of applause, man.
36:00
>> Not no CDJ.
36:01
>> King Dominion.
36:03
>> Kings Dominion. Um, [cheering]
36:07
I kind of want to play you all know
36:09
again. Is that all right?
36:10
>> Yeah, man.
36:11
>> We going we going to end with that
36:12
banging.
36:12
>> Let's end with that.
36:13
>> Let's get it.
36:14
>> That [ __ ] go hard.
36:15
>> Love y'all, man.
36:16
>> I love y'all, too, man. Thank you for
36:17
coming by. I thank you for getting up.
#Arts & Entertainment