BeatTips Pick of the Week: DJ Premier, Just Blaze, and the Alchemist Rock Paris

Three of Beatmaking’s Most Revered Names Play to Enthusiastic Paris Crowd

This past March, beatmaking giants DJ Premier, Just Blaze, and the Alchemist got together to serve Paris, France with a show like no other I’ve ever attended. In front of an absolutely beaming and energetic crowd, each beatmaker (rocked) the stage, trading many of their most recognizable bangers. The video drop in this post includes great footage of these beatmasters as they drive the audience into a frenzy. And aside from seeing these vets receive the honor and applause they so well deserve, it is the fans themselves at this event that bring me the greatest joy from this video.

For sometime now, I’ve been kind of discouraged about going to hip hop/rap shows. It’s not that there isn’t any quality hip hop/rap acts worth seeing—there are—, it’s just that personally I’ve found that over the past couple of years or so something seems to be missing from the shows. I didn’t know what that was into I saw this video. It’s the sheer love and admiration for the art form, the beatmaking craft, and the acclaimed beatmakers (producers) who contribute to hip hop culture and the hip hop/rap music tradition.

Side note: This past week, I passed up the chance to go check out Talib Kweli and Jean Grae live at Brooklyn Bowl. I’ve been told by a number of people that Talib and Jean’s performances were fantastic (apparently Jean Grae even brought out her mom to sing, and she brought the house down). So yeah, I essentially missed perhaps a great show, simply because I wrongly assumed that something would be “missing” from the event. And although I can’t speak on the feeling of that show, I know very well that what I’ve been looking for in a show was certainly present at the Paris venue that DJ Premier, Just Blaze, and the Alchemist rocked…power to the beatmakers. Right on!

For educational purposes…

DJ Premier & Nick Javas, Just Blaze & The Alchemist @ Paris, France

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The BeatTips Manual by Sa’id.
“The most trusted source for information on beatmaking and hip hop/rap music education.”