Lost Ones: Common & Eminem Recorded Tracks For DJ Jazzy Jeff’s LP. Why Didn’t Sony Release It? (Video)

In a new interview with Polish Hip-Hop outlet Popkiller, DJ Jazzy Jeff shares details about much of his career, including history into his solo debut (2002’s The Magnificent), his early work with Eminem, his role as the face of Starter jackets and hats, his definition of a real DJ, the importance of J Dilla, and more. The Grammy-winning veteran and one of the masterminds behind the traveling-DJ webseries “Vinyl Destination” took time out of his global touring schedule to sit down for the insightful conversation, disclosing information that may be news for many Heads.

In a particularly revealing segment of the nearly 25-minute interview (1:10), the Philadelphia DJ and producer (known best for his work with Will Smith, a/k/a the Fresh Prince, both on television and in music) reveals the back-story behind his perpetually shelved release with Sony Music, dating back to a 1998 album. When asked why it was never released, Jeff shared “they kept wanting me to do a song with Will [Smith]…not that I didn’t want it, I just didn’t want that to be the reason why I did it.” In fact, the album had a lot of star power behind it, and he shares that Common, Masta Ace, and Eminem had all been in the studio to record contributing tracks. “They [the label] were just kinda like ‘eh, whatever,’ and…I just kinda stopped recording for a minute,” he says. “And then Em blew up, and all of a sudden I got a call,” he continues. But, at the end of the day, the album was never made but, as Jeff divulges, he still has those records.

Check out the full interview below.

#Bonus Beat: Philly MC Dayne Jordan just released a video for “In Progress,” from his forthcoming Jazzy-Jeff produced album, The Memoirs of Dayne Jordan.

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