Just Blaze is easily one of my favorite producers. The man is simply a BEAST when it comes to making beats! His style is so unique, that sometimes you don’t realize it’s a Jus’ beat until you hear his signature “JUST BLAAAAAAZE”. From heavy hitting club bangers, to soulfully sweet chill tracks, Justin Smith is a true talent.
I’ve been wanting to dedicate a Producer’s Spotlight to Jus’ for quite some time. The problem was that he’s got so many songs that I love! I mean the work he’s done with Roc-A-Fella artists Freeway, Memphis Bleek, and Jay-Z alone spans across multiple CDs. That’s when I decided I can’t include them all in this spotlight. I’ll put in the best of the best from the Roc, but I gotta highlight some of his other work; from Busta Rhymes, to Talib Kweli, T.I., and The Game. Seems like Just Blaze has worked with everyone! I tried to keep it to 20 tracks, but had to push it up to 30. I couldn’t totally exclude the Roc, cuz that’s where his work shines. Trust me it was tough picking my favorite Jus’ & Jay track. Interestingly enough I would have to say my favorite Just Blaze beat is the “PSA Interlude” he did for Jay’s Black Album. That track is pure heat; should have been a full song.
Anyway, you all know who Just Blaze is! This here is his best work, in my opinion. You’ll need two CDs if you plan on compiling this one yourself!
- Memphis Bleek - Just Blaze, Bleek, and Free (feat. Freeway) (from 2003’s M.A.D.E.) Listen
- Freeway - What We Do (feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) (from 2003’s Philadelphia Freeway) Listen
- Sample Credit: Creative Source’s “I Just Can’t See Myself Without You”
- Kanye West - Touch The Sky (feat. Lupe Fiasco) (from 2005’s Late Registration) Listen
- Sample Credit: Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up”
- Jay-Z - Allure (Just Blaze Remix) (from 2004’s S. Carter: The Re-Mix Mixtape) Listen
- Sample Credit: The Independents’ “In The Valley of My World”
- Joe Budden - Pump It Up (from 2003’s Joe Budden) Listen
- Sample Credit: Kool & The Gang’s “Soul Vibrations”
- T.I. - King Back (from 2006’s King) Listen
- Sample Credit: Ray Davies’ “Sting of the Serpent”
- Fat Joe - Safe 2 Say (Incredible) (from 2005’s All or Nothing) Listen
- Sample Credit: I Marc 4’s “Distortion Mind”
- Sample Credit: Public Enemy’s “Bring Tha Noise” (vocal sample)
- Keith Murray - Yeah Yeah U Know It (from 2003’s He’s Keith Murray) Listen
- Saigon - Come On (Remix feat Jay-Z) (from 2008’s The Greatest Story Never Told) Listen
- Sample Credit: J. Geils Band’s “Southside Shuffle”
- Cam’ron - Oh Boy (from 2002’s Come Home With Me) Listen
- Sample Credit: Rose Royce’s “I’m Going Down”
- Talib Kweli - Never Been In Love (from 2004’s The Beautiful Struggle) Listen
- Sample Credit: The Imaginations’ “Because I Love You”
- Jay-Z - Girls, Girls, Girls (from 2001’s The Blueprint) Listen
- Sample Credit: Tom Brock’s “There’s Nothing in this World That Can Stop Me From Loving You”
- Usher - Throwback (Remix feat. Jadakiss) (from 2004’s Confessions: Special Edition) Listen
- Sample Credit: Dionne Warwick’s “You’re Gonna Need Me”
- Eve & Jadakiss - Let Go (Hit The Dance Floor) (from 2003’s Bringing Down The House Soundtrack) Listen
- Sample Credit: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly’s “Before I Let Go”
- Freeway - Flipside (feat. Peedi Crakk) (from 2003’s Philadelphia Freeway) Listen
- Snoop Dogg - Lollipop (feat. Jay-Z) (from 2002’s Paid Tha Cost To Be Tha Boss) Listen
- Beanie Sigel - Mom Praying (feat. Scarface) (from 2001’s The Reason) Listen
- Sample Credit: The Dramatics’ “It Ain’t Rainin’ On Nobody’s House But Mine”
- Memphis Bleek - Round Here (feat. T.I. & Trick Daddy) (from 2003’s M.A.D.E.) Listen
- Jay-Z - Public Service Announcement (from 2003’s The Black Album) Listen
- Sample Credit: Little Boy Blues’ “Seed of Love”
- The Game - Church For Thugs (from 2005’s The Documentary) Listen
- Fabolous - Breathe (from 2004’s Real Talk) Listen
- Sample Credit: Supertramp’s “Crime of the Century”
- Busta Rhymes - Shorty (Put It On The Floot) (feat. Chingy, Fat Joe, & Nick Cannon) (from 2003’s Love Don’t Cost A Thing Soundtrack) Listen
- Joe Budden - Fire (feat. Busta Rhymes) (from 2003’s Joe Budden) Listen
- Rah Digga - Party & Bullshit (from 2003’s unreleased Everything Is A Story) Listen
- Erick Sermon - React (feat. Redman) (from 2002’s React) Listen
- SampleCredit: Asha Bhosle, Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey, and Meena Kapoor’s “Chandi Ka Badan”
- Freeway & Beanie Sigel - Roc The Mic (from 2002’s State Property Soundtrack) Listen
- Cam’ron - Welcome To New York City (feat. Jay-Z) (from 2002’s Come Home With Me) Listen
- Talib Kweli - Hostile Gospel, Part 1 (Deliver Us) (from 2007’s Ear Drum) Listen
- Sample Credit: Space’s “Deliverance”
- Jay-Z - Dear Summer (from Memphis Bleek’s 2005’s 534) Listen
- Sample Credit: Weldon Irvine’s “Morning Sunrise”
- The Game - Why You Hate The Game (feat. Nas) (from 2006’s Doctor’s Advocate) Listen
- Sample Credit: The Main Ingredient’s “With You”
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13 Comments
Damn Kevin, this producers spotlight is one for the ages! Gotta get this out to masses. Listen for my shout out to KevinNottingham.com on my radio show tonight.
Thanks man, I’m gonna try to check out your show online!
Great spotlight thread again. Where’s “song Cry”?lol
lol… I knew someone was gonna ask that question! It was a toss-up between “Song Cry” and “Girls Girls Girls”. I couldn’t include both… there’s enough Jay on here as it is. Anyway, I’ve always be more partial to “Girls Girls Girls”… so there you have it!
I don’t get it. Throwback (Remix Feat Jadakiss) is the same beat as Dilla’s Stop on Donuts. I mean its slightly different, but he even took Dilla’s idea of having jada on it? Shouldn’t this be Dilla’s credit?
Dave - good question! Actually, Jus’ used the sample first. Usher’s “Throwback” came out in 2004, a couple years before Donuts was released. They both sound similar, cuz the sample ain’t much different from the Dionne Warwick original. I’m gonna post that up in the Just Blaze sample collection I’m working on, but read this quote I found from Just Blaze posted on The Fader:
“I’d used Dionne Warwick’s “You’re Gonna Need Me” for Usher’s “Throwback,” Dilla used it for “Stop” on Donuts. When that song first leaked, right before he died, people were asking, “Is he trying to jack you?” No. And I don’t care. If you listen to the OG song, there are so many breaks you could take any part of that record. It’s hip-hop, this happens. He may have heard the Usher version, maybe not.” — Just Blaze
so Kanye didn’t produce “Touch the Sky”?
Nope, a lot of people think Kanye did “Touch Th Sky”. And why wouldn’t they? He produced everything else on his album and “Touch The Sky” is a sample-driven beat. But Just Blaze got full credit for that beat. Just Blaaaaaaze! LOL
what sample did just use in “Church for Thugs”?
so kev what happened to ‘Oh My God’? jus’ came too hard on that
Very true AG… when I put this compilation together last year, it was def tough to pick out my fav Jus beats. I already had 4 Jay-Z tracks on here (all which I feel are better than Oh My God). But that’s all this really was, was a comp of my fav Jus’ beats. But we’re gonna revamp the producer spotlight and bring all the Just Blaze samples to the table soon!
“Kingdome Come” jay-Z?
“Don’t do that” Saigon
“Letter P” Saigon.
Your blog is cool I like it.
“Just Blaze, Bleek, and Free” sounds like it used “Pretty Brown Skin” by Roy Ayers. What do you think?