9th Wonder to Salute Legendary Beatmakers, DJ Premier and Pete Rock

Every time I hear 9th Wonder’s name, I can’t help but think about how kind and generous he was to me. When I went to North Carolina last spring to interview 9th, he greeted me with the utmost respect, and afforded me the time, cooperation, and understanding necessary to generate a magnificent interview for The BeatTips Manual, 5th Edition. Moreover, while I was there, he invited me to a couple of his True School events, a roller skate rink party for which he DJ’d, and a special screening of Spike Lee’s classic film School Daze. Both the party and the screening (and subsequent discussion held afterword) helped further strengthen my commitment to my work in the field hip hop/rap studies. These events also deepened my appreciation for the tireless efforts that 9th Wonder is making in the same broad educational discipline.

Hence, 9th Wonder’s upcoming salute to legendary beatmakers, DJ Premier and Pete Rock, is nothing short of the sort of thing that I’ve come to expect from him. DJ Premier and Pete Rock have both seen their fare share of acknowledgments. However, I am certain that with 9th Wonder behind this event, there will be a strong educational context. And since hip hop education is one of my areas of focus, I will certainly be making my way down to North Carolina to experience this well-warranted salute to two of beatmaking’s most pivotal pioneers.
-Sa’id