DJ Premier is one of hip-hop's most influential producers. One half of Gang Starr alongside Guru, Premier was instrumental to the hip-hop/jazz fusion in the late '80s and early '90s. Though originally from Texas, Primo's widely regarded as the architect of the New York sound of the '90s—he's synonymous with boom bap. His work with Gang Starr set the foundation for him to produce key tracks on three seminal hip-hop debuts—Nas' Illmatic and the Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die in 1994, as well as JAY Z's Reasonable Doubt in 1996. Preme would become hip-hop's most sought after producer for the rest of the '90s—there once was a one-year waiting list to get a Primo track. He's also produced for pop royalty Janet Jackson, Madonna and Christina Aguilera, but never ceased to supply underground MCs with his beats."