Gang Starr

(...) Guru has more of a presence than he has ever had, and DJ Premier's production has an unparalleled edge here. He created the minimalist opening track, "The Place Where We Dwell," out of a two-second drum-solo sample and some scratching, but is also able to turn around and create something as lush and melodic as the jazz-tinged "No Shame in My Game" without ever seeming to be out of his element, making every track of the same sonic mind. Every song has some attribute that stamps it indelibly into the listener's head, and it marks the album as one of the finest of the decade, rap or otherwise. (amg)

(1992) Daily Operation / V0

Jeru the Damaja

DJ Premier's first album-length production outside of Gang Starr was his best by far. Of course, the star of the show was Jeru the Damaja, a cocksure young rapper who brought the dozens from the streets to a metaphysical battleground where he did battle with all manner of foe. His flow and delivery were natural, his themes were impressive, and he was able to make funky rhymes out of intellectual hyperbole. The Sun Rises in the East stands alongside Nas' Illmatic (released the same year, and also boasting the work of Premier) as one of the quintessential East Coast records. (amg)

(1994) The Sun Rises in the East / V0