DJ Premier

Name: DJ Premier (Christopher Edward Martin)
Date of Birth: March 21, 1966
City: Houston (raised in Prairie View)
Country: United States
Genre: Hip-Hop, Boom Bap, Jazz Rap
Band/Group Members: Solo producer/DJ (formerly one-half of Gang Starr with Guru)
Roles: Record producer, DJ, composer

Bio:
Growing up in the wide-open heat of Houston, with Prairie View's small-town rhythm shaping his early days, DJ Premier found his way to Brooklyn's buzzing streets as a teen, trading Texas skies for subway grinds and the pull of hip-hop's raw edge. It's that blend of Southern soul and East Coast grit that seeps into every beat he crafts, sampling jazz horns and funk breaks like he's unearthing old letters from a forgotten drawer. He built his name with Gang Starr alongside Guru, dropping gems like No More Mr. Nice Guy in '89 that fused conscious bars with scratches that hit like a heartbeat, turning heads and setting the blueprint for jazz-rap's quiet revolution.

But Premier's magic really unfolds in the shadows of other artists' stories—lacing Nas's "N.Y. State of Mind" with piano keys that echo the city's lonely hum, or giving Biggie's "Ten Crack Commandments" that unbreakable spine of vinyl crackle. Tracks for Jay-Z, Common, Rakim, even newer voices like Joey Bada$$ carry his touch: precise, layered, like he's building cathedrals from dusty records. Losing Guru in 2010 left a scar that still echoes in his work, a reminder of time's sharp cut, yet he keeps pushing, collaborating with Royce da 5'9" on PRhyme or curating beats for Run the Jewels that feel both timeless and urgent. In an era chasing trends, Premier's sound is that steady anchor, pulling you back to the essence of what makes a track stick in your chest. If you're sifting through your own mix of losses and drive, his catalog waits like a trusted playlist—hit play, and let it ground you.