Diamond D Interview for the People’s Party

In this episode of People’s Party With Talib Kweli, Kweli & Jasmin Leigh sit down with Grammy-winning producer, emcee, and one of the founding members of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew – Diamond D.

During this interview, the longtime friends discuss Diamond D‘s deep contributions to the annals of hip-hop history. They get rolling by talking about Diamond D‘s early days — growing up in the “Boogie Down” Bronx. Next, he discusses learning to DJ under the tutelage of Jazzy Jay. They go on to explore how the D.I.T.C. collective came together, the legacies of Big L & Fat Joe, Diamond‘s classic album Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop, the producers that embodied the 90’s golden era sound, as well as the lost art of beat digging and the new art of ‘e-digging’. Later, Diamond gets into his connections and the work he’s done with groups like Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, The Fugees, and more. He goes on to talk about his more recent work in the Diam Piece album series, and the trio evaluates the best years of hip-hop and the albums that defined them.