Metal Lungies

It takes a lot to get my lazy ass out of the house. A DJ Premier set and free french fries constitutes a lot.

Re:Generation is a documentary in which five DJs collaborate with artists well outside their respective genres. DJ Premier worked with Nas on a song with the Berklee School of Music Orchestra, Pretty Lights worked with Leann Rimes and Ralph Stanley, the Crystal Method worked with Martha Reeves on an R&B song, and Mark Ronson went to New Orleans to record a jazz song with the Dap Kings, Trombone Shorty, Erykah Badu, and Mos Def.

Director Amir Bar-Lev and DJ Premier appeared at an event last night in New York to debut the trailer, an extended version of the one that’s already online. There was booze and hors d’oeuvres (mini-burgers and boxes of fries from Pop Burger) and Bar-Lev and Premo participated in a Q&A where they talked about how making the movie increased their appreciation of music of all genres.

In the spirit of the night’s eclecticism, Premier played a set spanning Ann Peebles, Paul Simon, and A Tribe Called Quest. He played an unfinished version of the song he made for the movie. Often, when rappers do projects like these, they put on airs because they’re in the same room as a cellist. But the track still sounded Premo-ish and not too self-important. A wave of content hit the crowd when Premo dropped “Unbelievable” and went into some of his classics. A fun night, if a little bougie.

Oh, and Pete Rock showed up.