Active since 1987, the year he debuted behind Guru as one-half of Gang Starr, DJ Premier is one of the most crucial figures in hip-hop. No more than three producers (Dr. Dre, RZA, and Prince Paul) can test Premier’s status as the most important trackmaster of the ’90s, and no style is more distinctive. Aggressive and raw, a Premier track is an instantly recognizable soundclash of battling loops and heavy scratching — all of them perfectly timed — that evokes the sound of Brooklyn better than anyone.
Common is an artist, actor, and activist. Most recently, Common is making his broadway debut in Between Riverside and Crazy. With a storied career spanning three decades, his work has been recognized with numerous GRAMMY® Awards, as well as an Emmy® and an Academy® Award for the song “Glory (From the Motion Picture Selma),” which he co-wrote and performed with John Legend. In the fall of 2020 and 2021, he released his 2-part album: A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 1 &