We are less than one week away from PRhyme (December 9), the self-titled project by the newly-formed group of Royce Da 5’9″, DJ Premier, and Adrian Younge. Late last month, in HeadQCourterz Studios, Nickel and Premo sat down with AFH TV to discuss, at length, the album.

In the nearly 30-minute interview (almost as long as the EP), Royce and Preem place PRhyme into some legendary company, open up about the guests, and shoot down a few rumors surrounding the benchmark in the lives and music of these two longtime collaborators:

Here’s a breakdown of what’s covered:

1:00-4:30: DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9″ discuss living up to the impact of “Boom,” and picking up on a progression of a la carte collaborations over the last 15 years. Premo reveals some additional work in the cannon, while Royce expounds on being one of the primary MCs in recent years to use gritty, Premier-produced tracks as his album singles. The pair discusses their chemistry in the studio, including some of young Royce’s suggestions back in 1999 for making the “Boom” beat even bigger.

4:30-5:30: DJ Premier ranks where PRhyme stands as a ranked album in his catalog. Preme claims “top 5,” while giving credence to Gang Starr’s Moment Of Truth and Daily Operation albums, in addition to Jeru The Damaja’s 1994 debut, Sun Rises In The East. Along the way, the DJ/producer explains how remixing a track for Lord Finesse, at the request of Showbiz, landed him into D&D Studios, which is now his HeadQCourterz.

5:30-7:45: Royce Da 5’9″ explains the inclusion of MCs like Ab-Soul and Mac Miller in upholding the PRhyme sound, claiming they are products of “Golden Era” styles and approaches.

8:00-14:30: Royce Da 5’9″ compares his journey to sobriety to that of Joell Ortiz and Joe Budden, noting that while they are Slaughterhouse band mates, they had different reasons and impetuses in going sober. DJ Premier discusses his own addiction, which he claims is junk-food. The Gang Starr icon explains his own desires to get in better shape, and stay athletic.

15:45-19:00: The pair explains the reasoning behind making a nine-song, 35 minute LP, versus a longer project. Originally, the effort was planned to be five songs. However, Royce Da 5’9″ elaborates on PRhyme’s desire to change the way people currently listen to music.

19:00-21:00: DJ Premier confirms that every drum sample, from Adrian Younge’s catalog, on PRhyme is something that he has never used before. The producer expounds on experimenting against his usual approach.

21:00-22:50: Royce Da 5’9″ reacts to rumors that Eminem, Paul Rosenberg and Shady Records are really behind PRhyme.

23:00-24:00: Royce Da 5’9″ claims that Common’s “Soul By The Pound” was, at one time, the soundtrack to his life. He also goes in on a powerful conversation he had with Comm’ in the mid-2000s at J Dilla’s house.

24:00-25:30: In looking at Detroit, Michigan’s musical legacy, DJ Premier champions the skills and approach of both Big Sean and Trick-Trick.

25:30-28:00: DJ Premier explains validating a project against the feeling he gets, as a Head, when Eric B. & Rakim or Public Enemy released an album. Royce Da 5’9″ steps in to weigh fan acclaim against gold and platinum plaques, two experiences he can relate to. Both artists weigh in on where PRhyme enters that equation.

Support PRhyme.

Related: Royce Da 5’9″, DJ Premier & Adrian Younge Are In Their PRhyme (Album Review)