Just Blaze vs. David Dallas

When playing in Auckland in November 2010, U2 were supported by Jay-Z - rap's biggest name and arguably the genre's greatest lyricist. While hip hop music doesn't always translate to big venues - better suited to clubs and block parties - Jay-Z's catalogue is full of immaculately picked beats from names like Rick Rubin, Dr Dre and Kanye West geared up to the stadiums. One of Jay's most important beat partnerships is with New York producer, Just Blaze, a sample-based beat maker famed for his work for Jay-Z's former label, Roc-A-Fella Records. New Zealand rapper David Dallas is a big fan of Just Blaze's work, so we asked Dave to pick his brains for Music 101 - a conversation about legendary producers and gear porn ensued.