With over 50 years in the game, DJ Premier–born Christopher Martin–is rightfully regarded as a legend in the world of hip-hop production. The veteran is perhaps best known for producing all of Gang Starr’s music, of which he was a part alongside the late rapper Keith Edward Elan A.K.A Guru. His work, known for its creative use of sampling, has seen him produce beats for a multitude of artists, from Janet Jackson and Jay-Z to The Notorious B.I.G. and Christina Aguilera.

Although many associate DJ Premier with New York due to his involvement in Gang Starr, Premier was actually born in the Fifth Ward of Houston, Texas, and raised in Prairie View, just 40 minutes away. He moved to New York when he was a teenager. Later, he would attend Prairie View A&M University, landing himself as the campus’s official DJ and performing with the Marching Storm band on occasion.

Some of DJ Premier’s most iconic beats include Jay-Z’s “So Ghetto” (1993), Gangstarr’s “Code of the Streets” (1993), Notorious B.I.G.’s “Kick in The Door” (1997), Nas’ “N.Y. State of Mind” (1994), and The LOX’s “Recognize” (2000). Of course, many more gems stud his vast repertoire, and the longtime DJ doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon. In his own words: “I’ll be 90 and making boom-bap!”