Today (August 19), Diamond D released his latest album, THE REAR VIEW. The 15-song collection (embedded below) finds the veteran MC/producer flexing his MC chops while playing double duty behind the boards as producer. It features Westside Gunn, De La Soul’s Posdnuos, and Diamond’s latest protege, Ashtin Martin. The Bronx, New York native recently spoke to Ambrosia For Heads‘ What’s The Headline podcast about the LP (embedded below), which was released through D’s Dymond Mine Records imprint (and is available on CD and vinyl).

There are interludes from Fat Joe and Chris Rock on the album too. Using Rock’s Top Five as a theme, Diamond is asked to name his Top 5 producers at the 22:50 mark.

Diamond D Speaks About His New Album & Spending A Day With Dr. Dre

“Aight, I’m gonna name five; they’re not in no order. They’re special though,” begins Diamond. “You can’t really only name five. At this moment—today—’cause you could ask me tomorrow and I’ll give you another five. But today I would put [Dr.] Dre on that list. I would put Nottz on that list. I would put [J] Dilla on that list—even though some say it might not be fair because he’d been dead a number of years.” In closing out the list, the artist listed “Battlecat. Nah, Battlecat’s the illest. The illest—with the chops, with the musicianship.” He ended “Pete Rock, I’ll put Pete in there.”

In addition to THE REAR VIEW‘s title track, Nottz has produced handfuls of songs for Busta Rhymes, and worked on acclaimed albums by M.O.P., Scarface, Kanye West, and Little Brother. The Norfolk, Virginia native and Diamond previously linked on The Huge Hefner and The Diam Piece. Last year, the Grammy-nominated Nottz partnered with Blu and Mickey Factz for The Narrative.

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Battlecat has produced for WC, Tha Eastsidaz, Xzibit, and Kam. The Los Angeles, California native worked extensively with Snoop Dogg on this year’s B.O.D.R. (Bacc On Death Row) album.

Pete Rock is the famed production half of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth. He has produced full albums for InI, Smif-N-Wessun, Camp Lo, and others, along with acclaimed work for Nas, AZ, Heavy D & The Boyz, and Run-D.M.C. Diamond D and Pete Rock worked together on Hatred, Passion, and Infidelity and The Diam Piece video single “Only Way 2 Go.”

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Last year, Diamond and Dr. Dre linked at the Compton, California’s producer’s home studio. In the interview, Diamond described their first time meeting. Diamond played Dre some tracks from The Rear View.

J Dilla and Diamond previously worked together on “We Gangstas,” a song that also featured Nottz and was produced by the V-A artist. That song, comprised of three MC/producers, released ahead of Dilla’s 2006 passing. A decade, Diamond and D.I.T.C. brother A.G. participated in 2016’s Dilla Weekend in Miami, Florida.

Large Professor, Diamond D, Nottz & Black Milk Rework Diamond District’s LP (Album Stream)

In the interview, Diamond also details producing songs for Brand Nubian, OutKast, Open Mike Eagle, as well as various songs from his new album.

Various selections from THE REAR VIEW are currently included on the official AFH playlist.

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Photograph by Ambrosia For Heads.

#BonusBeat: A recent episode of What’s The Headline podcast that analyzes more than 30 “Top 5 MCs” lists from some of the best to do it: