Young Guru Shares Riveting Backstory Of JAY-Z’s Verse On Drake Collab “Talk Up”
Young Guru has provided context regarding JAY-Z‘s appearance on Drake‘s 2018 release “Talk Up,” which the renowned engineer reveals was delivered under pressing circumstances.
On Wednesday (Aug. 7), the tenured boardsman responded to a social media post by journalist Elliott Wilson sharing a video clip of Drake and his OVO team discussing their anticipation of Hov’s guest verse on Drake’s Scorpion album. In the footage, Drizzy, producer Noah ’40’ Shebib, and others await the incoming files with a mix of excitement and apprehension amid a looming deadline.
In the comments, Young Guru gives his recollection of the chain of events that led to the blockbuster collaboration between Drake and JAY-Z. “We are on [the On the Run II Tour],” the Roc-A-Fella alum wrote of the setting and time period the verse was recorded.
Shawn Carter attends the Los Angeles premiere of “The Harder They Fall” at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on October 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
Rich Fury/Getty Images
“Remember I’m the DJ. Hov hit me and simply said, ‘Set up a studio in the venue.’ I’m like, “What?” But, of course, I get it done.” Young Guru says that he manned the boards while Hov gave a two-hour performance before heading directly back into the studio to knock out the verse.
“We go out and do a two-hour show. Mind you, he has to remember every verse from every album. No backing tracks. I’m DJing, I can’t miss a cue or [musical director Omar Edwards] would kill me. We finish the show.”
However, the Howard University album was in a race against time, as he was already booked for a DJ gig at a club months prior. “We go back in the room to finish the verse, but the problem is I have an afterparty. I can’t [remember] what city or country in Europe, but understand, my parties have been set up months before the tour.”
Gimel “Young Guru” Keaton attends “The Loudness War Is Over (If You Want It)” Panel at AES on October 16, 2019 in New York City.
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A slight hiccup occured when Young Guru was left without wired internet access, leaving him to use his cell phone as a hotspot in order to get the files to Drake’s team. “The promotor waited in [the] parking lot for two hours and I can’t tell him why I’m late,” he remembers. “By the time Hov finished, the Internet that we set up from Live Nation is gone. Everyone is gone. I had to tether my phone to my computer to send the session to [Drake’s producer Noah “40” Shebib]. I made it to the club just in time for my set.”
Young Guru continued, expressing his hope that his story helps fans appreciate he and his fellow creatives efforts in delivering music to the public. “When y’all hear this work I sometimes wonder if you understand how much goes into it!!!! Classic Nights!!!! And I killed my set lol.”
See Elliott Wilson’s Instagram post below.