News

DJ Clark Kent Tells All: The Stories Behind His Classic Records pt.1

blame it on Meka November 11, 2011

What more can be said about Clark Kent that isn’t stated on his the Twitter bio: deejay, sneaker head, producer, the list goes on an on. The hip-hop renaissance man responsible for introducing Jay-Z to The Notorious B.I.G. sat down with ‘Plex Row to speak on just a small portion of his extensive musical catalog…

On Jay-Z’s “Brooklyn’s Finest” with The Notorious B.I.G.:

“I go upstairs, and I record the track. And Jay goes in, and he does his verses. I remember the name of the record originally being ‘Once We Get Started.’ Jay says it was ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy,’ but he remembers the words ‘once we get started’ involved in it. I think that was what the record was supposed to be called.

“So he records it, and he comes out of the booth, and I go, ‘Yo, maybe you should put B.I.G. on it.’ And he’s looking at me like I’m dumb, like, ‘Why didn’t I say that from the beginning?’ But his reaction was also like, ‘I don’t know homie, so how am I going to put him on the record?’

“But then Dame is like, ‘We don’t know him, and I’m not paying Puff. Fuck that nigga.’ And I’m like, ‘You know I’m DJ’ing for him, you know he’s my man, you know what time it is.’ So Dame’s like, ‘Well, if you can get him, and he’ll do it for free, it’s all good. But if not, we ain’t paying Puff no money, fuck Puff.’ So I’m like, ‘Yo, I gotta go to the bathroom.’

“I go downstairs, and I bring B.I.G. up. I’m like, ‘B.I.G., Jay. Jay, B.I.G.’ And everyone in the studio is looking at me like, ‘Oh, you’s a funny nigga. How you got the dude downstairs waiting?’ But I knew Jay would be quick in the booth, so I knew he wouldn’t be waiting long.

READ: DJ Clark Kent Tells All: The Stories Behind His Classic Records pt.1