So Wassup? Episode 33 | Jeru The Damaja - "Ya Playin Yaself"

[@Igotcha05]

We need another Jeru and Premo album.

[@southjerseysfinest]

Facts

[@titanjake8640]

All day. But on some Sun rises in the east or Group home type vibe. I'm sorry to say Wrath of the math was a no go for me

[@harrypool71]

Absolutely

[@elijah7525]

Mad overdue

[@Challenge818]

Very long over due, i love Jeru but not without Premier!

[@TheReal_E.IRIZARRY]

Jeru was ahead of his time on his sophomore joint: He talked about radical 3rd and 4th wave Feminism, girl's trips, girls living their best life going raw, the Juice and their mastermind controling ways, BET being sold to VIACOM, "disgusting" intellectual CD, a masterpiece., Black American CEOs ruining their artists (before Bad Boy Ent, Harrell's Motown post Jheryl Busby, and Uptown had subsided)

[@JuniorPolancoLaCoalicion]

Wrath of the Math eradicated the whole sophomore jinx myth. Brilliant from beginning to end. Premier is the heart of Hip-Hop.

[@davidcampbell215]

Ppl slept on that album

[@JuniorPolancoLaCoalicion]

@@davidcampbell215 Actually back then it was a big hit here in the underground community in the Dominican Republic, we played it endlessly, I had a radio show in 88 5 FM and played most tracks regularly, as well as in every party we would hold, but probably you mean commercially speaking, then again I do remember the video for Playing Ya Self on Mtv and all so it did get its fair share of play. To paraphrase Frederick Douglass, good musical taste is a road seldom travelled by the multitude lol. The masses are distraught most of the time

[@nuttinbuttdafonk]

Preem, Pete & 9th - the triad.

[@jowhit226]

@@JuniorPolancoLaCoalicion I loved that album too back in the day. As well as his first one. Who do you guys like now as far as hip hop goes?

[@p-jaywade1333]

Did it really (eradicate the whole sophomore jinx) because the album sells on Wrath of the Math didn't do as well as The Sun Rises in the East that year.

[@AQuestionofCharacter]

One of the most genius reworkings of a beat ever. Completely changed the dynamics of sample chopping.

[@shawncharles6077]

Say it louder the idiots in the back please.

[@dj_jazzywhut]

Everything Jeru speaks on is unfortunately all that pollutes the industry these days. One of Preem's illest beats ever.

[@doderiolarkisso4038]

>illest beats ever really tho..lol. I could name a few on "moment of truth" that are more creative and sound better than this beat

[@OBDPVCR]

#JeruWasRight

[@shottashabazz6721]

I agree with you player.. Brotha Jeru dropped Science and Knowledge on both albums.

[@dj_jazzywhut]

@@doderiolarkisso4038 I said ONE of...learn to read bro.

[@doderiolarkisso4038]

@@dj_jazzywhut i can read quite perfectly, thank you. My reply still stands though lmao

[@zncuentertainment712]

One of my favorite Jeru songs and one that's even more applicable today than in the 90's. The second verse should be listened to by 99.9% of the female rappers these days.

[@titanjake8640]

I agree the lyrics...

[@dantegood2195]

Why do they need to listen to Jeru, when Jeru never really sold any records, while todays current stars are making millions? It’s called the music BUSINESS for a reason.

[@zncuentertainment712]

@@dantegood2195 that mindset is part of the problem.

[@dantegood2195]

@@zncuentertainment712 - What mindset? You’re aging now. You’re not supposed to understand the music today’s teenagers like. Just like your dad, mom, and grandparents didn’t understand the rap you loved when you were a teenager.. When people age they need to maintain perspective from when they were young.

[@jowhit226]

@@dantegood2195 "Jeru never really sold any records, while todays current stars are making millions." But Jeru still has a reputation for creating one of the best hip hop albums of all time "The Sun Rises in the East." The album peaked at #36 on the US Billboard 200 and #5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. "Wrath of the Math" peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Those are great numbers! I honestly don't know if these albums went gold in the states, but they most likely have by now. I'm sure it went silver and gold over seas. And besides, record sales do not reflect whether an artist is great or not. If that were the case DJ Premier's albums and singles would be multi-platinum and diamond several times over. The masses do not always know what great art is. That is obvious by the garbage that is popular in the mainstream. "You’re not supposed to understand the music today’s teenagers like." But certain music is timeless. And 90's hip hop has more of that timeless quality than today's hip hop which is why a lot of people still listen to it and would even agree that it's some of the best hip hop ever created. Many of these people are teenagers born after the 90's and they love it as if it was just released!

[@williamcapone5457]

i would like to see "Afu Ra - Defeat" next, that beat was serious too!!

[@RASS_CL]

Dj PREMIER 🇨🇱🇨🇱💯🎤🏧

[@JuniorPolancoLaCoalicion]

That is one of my all time faves from Preem no doubt

[@titanjake8640]

Ohhhhhhhhh yes. Wirlwind through cities remix

[@volcomfreak111]

word one of the first preemo beats i heard and i still get goosebumps hearing it today!

[@audirs84]

Voodoo child ( premier remix ) !

[@unclelorrierg4986]

I can't believe after listening to both tracks for almost 30 years I didn't realise they used the same sample 😅 shame on me

[@leod8489]

Same😆

[@rcole718]

Laaaaaaaate.

[@joshuabrower2648]

Yeah man, same here.

[@stephenheath8465]

almost the same when Buckwild and Pete Rock using that same kenny burke sample back in 94

[@FreshFruit12]

I can listen to Premier tell stories all damn day. Please don't ever stop making these.

[@BigAngryPhil]

Always liked how the sample was chopped in this song as opposed to a straight loop. Preem is like hip hop's uncle, just endless stories about how these dope tracks came to fruition. Props!

[@sheltonalexander6785]

The humbleness and detail that Premo breaks down his own catalog is like watching Hip-Hop PBS.

[@glorifiedrhymes8338]

Afu-Ra the body of the life force album is massively slept on! 505 representative

[@hakan3217]

its cool how Afu is talking with Premiers voice in the video of the song

[@MonkeyMagicMonk]

The best Wu Tang video WuTang never did.

[@dannybx78]

"Player's Anthem" by Junior Mafia & "Ya Playin' Yaself" by Jeru The Damaja are both classics.

[@dantegood2195]

I’ll be honest. Im glad junior mafia and biggie got a hold of that sample before Jeru did.

[@DuckAlertBeats]

@@dantegood2195 You might be on your own with that one :)

[@dantegood2195]

@@DuckAlertBeats - Junior Mafia created a classic anthem with it. Ya played yourself was coo, but it was just a regular old underground type song.

[@mutedmutiny9542]

@@dantegood2195 but you have no idea what their song could have been had it used that sample. I mean yeah, jeru wasn’t really mainstream and it’s not likely that it would have been a huge hit like players anthem was, but it still could have been another unsung street classic like some of his other tracks. I agree players anthem is a classic but you never know what could have been had another scenario played out. You can’t go back and see what might have been, but who’s to say / maybe it would have been the song that blew Jeru up so everyone knew who he was and he had a huge hit. You never know.

[@dantegood2195]

@@mutedmutiny9542 - I think I have a pretty good idea since the song was always going to be “ya played yourself”. There’s no indication the concept would have been any different if premo used the original sample. The song was always going to be the same.

[@think3632]

Could you please do "One Day"...that IS still my joint! This is another classic What's Up!👏🏽

[@thecunninlynguist]

One of my fave Jeru songs

[@DirtyInc.]

I swear it's such a blessing to have Premo take the time to tell us these stories week after week, being the legend that he is, such an important figure in hip hop culture. S/o to anyone and everyone who makes these videos possible, and of course to DJ Premier himself. Salute and Thank you! 🙏

[@DuckAlertBeats]

Yep

[@rogermoore27]

That album was something else!

[@RASS_CL]

DJ PREMIER IS LEYEND 🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱💯💥💥🔥🔥🔥🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱 CHILE

[@RASS_CL]

Aprendí a crear mis primeros beat escuchando a dj premier 💪🏧

[@dom2er]

Knowledge wisdom understanding is the key to wealth💯👑wether on vinyl, cassette or cd this song has been on my play lists for over 2 1/2 decades

[@eafloe]

The sample flip, the video, the concept....Superb. You had to be there!

[@pmidaz]

Jeru was the truth back then 💯

[@adamq4234]

"We'll see if Puff knows what's up, cuz he's the one getting him drunk and fucking his mind up." Still one of my favourite albums

[@danielrobinofficial]

I am a producer from the 90s based in Germany. The way you tell the stories, it‘s easy to understand the culture and relationships. Bless you and keep making those episodes.

[@jdnwritingmachine]

This is one of the illest beats ever

[@griffizler]

I didn't realise these used the same sample! Great stories, classic jams 🔥🔥🔥

[@badnewzscubasteve]

This time period was the BEGINNING of the shift of Hip Hop from street corner rap to lavish rap.. to what it is today... this song is relevant to this day

[@wilsvgaddiction4456]

Premo is one of the, if not THE greatest hip hop producer ever. It is incredible to hear the stories behind the music that formed the soundtrack of my youth. Love this series!

[@travellinman7374]

That "Now.." at 11:48 is perfectly placed..

[@stefanbogdanovic590]

This song was the first song I've played in my new apartment! GangStarr Foundation forever! GangStarr forever!

[@geblokkeerd]

That beat in the background goes hard!

[@elliottmatenge2128]

This is the only channel where i hit 'like' before every episode, it goes without saying!!!

[@marcusgarrison6511]

M.O.P.....Handle Your Business....Because that beat in a baseline that DJ premiere did .... Straight 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚒🔥🚒🚒🚒🚒🔥🔥🔥

[@badnewsproduction01]

Thank you so much for talking about the actual sample. Such an integral part of the whole song. Much respect

[@frankkoler1949]

I've been bumping wrath of the math past 2 weeks staright I still got the original cd almost 30 years of play. black cowboys beat is ridiculous!!! no one better then premier period

[@Drewbrowne]

DJ Premier is one of the dopest producers of all time. Salute to you.

[@JayFingers]

YES!! I see you, Primo! Washington between Greene & Lafayette. Clinton Hill represent! I was a block over on St. James Place - Biggie’s old street! I miss Brooklyn! 😭😭

[@blackmist1981]

As the weeks go by and these keep going, all I can think is classic after classic after classic after classic…

[@bruthajaydee5187]

Jeru is definitely one of my favorite emcees of all time. And it was both a pleasure and an honor type meet and hangout with him, Afu and Big Shug back in ‘96 when he was on the road promoting Wrath of the Math. He was telling me he and Afu trained for 3 weeks in Hong Kong prior to shooting this video. They did their own stunts and all. It blew my mind when I saw it afterwards.

[@rogermoore27]

Jeru's album is solid and timeless

[@gabrieletaccioli9763]

Jeru's flow on this track Is One of the illest thing ever created, everytime the second verse starts I just melt. God bless Premiere for this series, keep It real man ❤️

[@simeonveselinov7819]

Great story behind that joint Thats a hip hop history masterclass

[@kas6345]

one of my 10 ten tracks.

[@munganduchivubwe]

Preemo is a genius

[@gtizzle7606]

I see that Sine album behind him. Big respect Primo

[@posajnejkwahb]

Would like to shoutout the supreme editing where Preem says 'now' just as Jeru is opening the verse by saying that!

[@ninshaiTV]

Thought Preemo was gonna continue with “… I don’t push a Lex!…”

[@posajnejkwahb]

@@ninshaiTV haha that would have been it! 😆

[@MarkHayes-ue7hs]

One Day. Love that song.

[@SKEEZOTHEREALSKEEZO]

The fact that both camp's had dope detailed videos is what I miss the most about that era. I don't even watch videos anymore because they are all the same. Kung Fu inspired vids was always dope to me. Sample was on point. Premo killed it

[@DL212]

Now we gotta get the backstory on "Kick In The Door".

[@UndergroundRap4eva]

Gotta thank Preemo for making us witnesses to history. So many greats have come and gone without us knowing the story behind the music. So thanks for that Preemo.

[@ceromundo]

I remember this time so vividly and had an idea of the history. Thank you for sharing

[@apexone5502]

Back when I had first found out that the sample used was the same one Junior Mafia had used (years ago), my mind was blown. It shocked me how Preemo had made it sound completely different from the source.

[@housinauthority5258]

Preemo's beat is so much better!

[@jasomeister]

"Scientifical Madness" was dope too

[@dogsandyoga1743]

Man, I can literally can listen to these all day. Premo is a hip hop national treasure. Not only has he blessed us with countless tracks, the soundtrack to my life, he now hit us with the back stories

[@FlameBlue9016]

What a time to be alive musically.

[@ejgomes8311]

Jeru flow...is 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Diwani_Spark14]

So Wassup? Another great episode of classic beat one of my favorite Preemo and Jeru joints. The way Preemo flipped that to make it unique to the Junior Mafia version is genius. When Ya Playin Ya’self came out I didn’t even put two and two together with the sample being used in Player’s Anthem. I just knew it was Fyah and Jeru dropped serious jewels on that joint Salute 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@rashaanlemell7974]

Me either and it was only a year apart.

[@haydenprince8360]

this gotta be one of my favourite series on youtube period! Love hearing these stories preemo keep them coming!

[@RanceRob]

I watched this video every time it came on. Jeru killed that record man.

[@GotDamBoi]

always loved this track and Tha Bullshit off this record

[@illwisdom98]

yesss been waiting on this one! would love to see an episode on B.E.P Empire by Back Eyed Peas, back when they were good haha big up Premo loving the series!

[@MetZelRio]

Both songs are absolutely epic. What a coincidence though.

[@elohkayee]

I always thought at the time, Jeru was like the last stand against the tide of commercialism in lyrics and image or corporation which Bad Boy helped make popular. Players and thuglife led to what we have today, a mass dilution of the art, knowledge wisdom and understanding. 1

[@stephenheath8465]

Jeru will always be a Underground Icon😎😎

[@UrbanNoizeMusic]

The BIG back story added so much more nuance and I love it. Because it gives us a picture and feel of the era. Which was like no other. On top of that your flip was so dope and clean, that I kind of appreciate it more. As always thank you for sharing Preemo.

[@DJ563]

Please give us a breakdown of Paula Perry’s ‘Extra Extra’

[@derr3alex]

video title - ya playin ya self, mentions Conspiracy and Players Anthem, then I put the 2 together before he explains it. the flip was too good. didn't even catch it umpteen years ago

[@dmd1anddmd2]

the funny part of that song is the scratch at the end where it goes - "I Don'T Play"

[@DuckAlertBeats]

De La Soul

[@Agza]

Shout out to Premier. With this So Wassup series, he's basically come to the fore as a modern incarnation of a village griot, an important role in the documentation and curation of hip-hop culture.

[@sms130official]

One of my favorite songs ever. My jam! Salute to Jeru and Premo

[@gunniellottjr483]

I remember that like it was yesterday. Good story behind the beat and growing up in D.C. and moving to ATLANTA circa 1990. I rocked with both beats. Salute to GM and of course Jeru.

[@nitomutan4593]

With all respect due to Primo, ‘One Day’ was on the B-Side of ‘Ya Playin Yaself’ (in Europe at least). Was on the same album, so it might have been recorded first, maybe it got pulled out on radio or on mixtape though. But even if, as Premier said, Jeru was about his word as far as naming directly the ones he’s aiming, Big ‘nem can’ t be excluded from the people that were dissed in ‘Playin Yaself’, it’s just a bigger picture. Shoutout to Clark Kent too, cause them chords he put on the Junior Mafia weren’t from the original sample.

[@JesterBeats]

I still listen to jeru and afura

[@blackkid9498]

Song still go crazy😤😤😤

[@CPTMorada]

If Primo ever turned a blind eye it would be here. Everything about this track seems directed at Puffy's style and camp. What drove that sentiment on that album were lyrics like :" Let's see if Puff knows what's up, cause he's the one getting him drunk (hip hop) and fu∞¢ing his mind up." lol. Great tracks all around though!

[@triplezs6307]

yep he's speaking garbage here now that he's a made man

[@Soldierboy39]

👍

[@lexblaise1082]

I like that beat in the background when your talking 🔥🔥🔥 keep it up with the dope stuff

[@michalmazur997]

I could watch these all day.

[@JesterBeats]

Thank you for being you preem

[@crobrains1610]

Dj premier version was the best as always hes a beast !! Best dj evaaaa!!!! And producer !!!

[@snaggletooth1881]

The video for this track is the shyt!!!! ,👊

[@twocents6951]

One sample two classic hip hop records 🔥🔥🔥🔥💥☄️

[@eddiethetruhead]

I was nuts for this track back in my high school days when it dropped. Love the dope martial arts style video too. Fascinating story Primo. I prefer the way you improvised and flipped the sample differently. Absolutely genius choppin.💾🔥 I love Wrath of the Math almost as much as Sun rises in the East. Mad props to Jeru and Premier for blessing us with this certified classic.🔥🎤🔥💾🔥 Respect the Floppy Y’all. Peace.🔥💾🔥

[@leighsavage3073]

Classic !!! I remember seeing Jeru back in 97

[@tonespliff]

🫡💾 CLASSIC!

[@StreetsDisciple01]

Scientifical Madness is one of the best songs

[@ghettoninja82]

Best episode so far

[@ruairi_]

best series on youtube. love love love these stories.

[@lesbridges3040]

Much love to puff daddy goodman, and the NFL out East is looking really good this year.

[@lyfestile7]

Classic material. Thank you Preemo

[@roblepper8418]

I never realized it was the same loop as the Junior Mafia track. Preme flipped that nice.

[@hlahla9479]

Do what we do

[@thejoojooman6538]

1 of the best tracks from the 90's. ALL props 2 Premo 4 this series, fantastic work.

[@karazishibotan9451]

MASTER☮︎PEACE

[@rogermoore27]

Every element of the back story was interesting.

[@AxeMan808]

Oh that one was SUPER interesting. I mean I've enjoyed all of them; I never knew all this back story. Now I can't unhear that reverse bass with the attack at the end.

[@3000isreal]

Man that scratch im thr beginning to set it off, gets me everytime (you you you you you have nothing to worry about)💪💪💪 I stil play this song to this day

[@ReasonNRhyme]

Imagine how much used bangers the guy has that hasn't been used yet..... respect OG

[@ihaddox1199]

Premier's one of the best storytellers I've ever heard

[@drnockaable]

Both jamming

[@xamphoa]

These episodes never disappoint. I love all the back stories and history. Respect!