Episode 183: Salaam Remi

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Salaam is a producer who is behind some of the most popular hip-hop, r&b, pop, and dancehall songs of the past several decades. His work with icons like Nas, Amy Winehouse, and The Fugees has been on the airwaves and on the charts consistently since the 1990s.

Salaam is the son of a musician, and got his start early, working on songs with the likes of Kurtis Blow as a teenager in the mid-1980s. By the early 90s, he was already producing hip-hop and dancehall. He did some remixes for an under-appreciated rap group called The Fugees whose first album was on the verge of flopping, and that quickly led to him producing the song “Fu-gee-la” on their monster hit follow up album The Score.

But it was in the early 2000s that Salaam really hit his commercial stride, as he began working closely with Nas on, including many others, the iconic single “Made You Look.” And Remi began working closely with a young singer from London named Amy Winehouse on her 2003 debut Frank, and also produced five songs on her smash hit follow up Back to Black. Miraculously, that’s only the beginning of Salaam’s track record as a producer, musician, composer, and executive.

Tracks featured in this episode:

1. Kurtis Blow, “Magilla Gorilla”
2. Fat Boys, “Boys Will Be Boys”
3. Boo-Dah Bliss Crew, “Pass the Boo-Dah”
4. Doug E. Fresh, “Original Human Beatbox”
5. John Coltrane, “A Love Supreme, Pt. III - Pursuance”
6. Joe Tex, “Papa Was Too”
7. Chuck Chillout Mix Show Intro - 98.7 Kiss FM WRKS New York - 1988
8. The Honeydrippers, “Impeach the President
9. Bob James, “Take Me to the Mardi Gras”
10. Biz Markie, “Young Girl Bluez”
11. Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh - La Di Da Di (Full Version)
12. Biz Markie, “Young Girl Bluez”
13. Zhigge, “Toss It Up”
14. Patra f/Lyn Collins, “Think (About It)”
15. Lyn Collins, “Think (About It)
16. Patra f/Lyn Collins, “Think (About It)”
17. DISCO TWINS IT BEGAN IN ASTORIA 1973
18. Run-DMC, “Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1)”
19. Run-DMC, “Russell & Larry Running At The Mouth”
20. Nas, “What Goes Around”
21. Yellowman, “I’m Getting Married”
22. Super Cat, “Ghetto Red Hot (Hip Hop Mix)”
23. Bobby Konders & Massive Sounds f/ Mikey Jarrett, “Mack Daddy”
24. Dennis Brown, “Africa”
25. Chaka Demus & Pliers, Murder She Wrote (Original Mix) f/ Sly & Robbie
26. Fugees, “Fu-Gee-La - Sly & Robbie Mix”
27. Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Exodus”
28. Dennis Brown, “Money In My Pocket”
29. Fugees, “Nappy Heads - Remix”
30. Fugees, “Vocab - Salaam’s Remix”
31. Fugees, “Recharge”
32. A Tribe Called Quest, “Bonita Applebum - includes ‘Can I Kick It’ Intro”
33. Fugees, “Killing Me Softly with His Song”
34. Mobb Deep, “Give Up the Goods (Just Step) f. Big Noyd”
35. The Fugees, “Fu-Gee-La”
36. Wyclef Jean, “What’s Clef”
37. Wyclef Jean, “What’s Clef”
38. Wyclef Jean, “What’s Clef”
39. Wyclef Jean, “What’s Clef”
40. Amy Winehouse, “Just Friends”
41. Amy Winehouse, “Addicted”
42. Amy Winehouse, “Me and Mr Jones”
43. Amy Winehouse, “Fuck Me Pumps”
44. The DL: Amy Winehouse Interview - Kelly Osbourne
45. Amy Winehouse, “Rehab”
46. Ini Kamoze, “Here Comes the Hotstepper - Heartical Mix”
47. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”
48. Amy Winehouse, “Tears Dry On Their Own”
49. Mack Wilds, “Cold”
50. Mack Wilds, “Own It”
51. Mack Wilds, “MaGic!!!”
52. Mack Wilds f/Raekwon & Doug E. Fresh, “U Can Cry to Me”
53. Mobb Deep f/Big Noyd, “The Learning (Burn)”
54. Mack Wilds, “Henny”
55. Mack Wilds, “Remember the Time”
56. Nas Dissin hot 97
57. Nas, “Made You Look”
58. Public Enemy, “Rebel Without a Pause”
59. Run-D.M.C.,”Run’s House”
60. Boogie Down Productions,”My Philosophy”
61. Eric B. and Rakim,”I Ain’t no Joke”
62. Nas, “I Can”
63. Nas f/Alicia Keys, “Warrior Song”
64. Alicia Keys Fur Elise
65. Nas f/Bravehearts, “Zone Out”
66. Nas, “Get Down”
67. Nas f/Kelis & Claudette Ortiz, “Hey Nas”
68. Nas f/Jadakiss & Ludacris, “Made You Look (Remix)”
69. Kurupt, “Take Off”
70. Ja Rule, “Loose Change”
71. Incredible Bongo Band, “Apache”
72. Nas, “Made You Look”
73. Nas f/Scarlett, “Sekou Story”
74. Nas, “Who Killed It?”
75. Bessie Smith, “Nobody Knows You when You’re Down and OUt
76. Miles Davis, “Bitches Brew”
77. Nas, “Talk of New York”
78. Jurassic 5, “Radio”
79. Nas, “U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography Of Rakim)”
80. Eric B. & Rakim, “My Melody”
81. Lalo Schifrin f/Salaam Remi, “Main Title - Rush Hour Theme”
82. Salaam Remi, “Praguenosis”
83. Nas, “A Queens Story”
84. Salaam Remi, “Queens Story”
85. Nas, “Where Y’All At”
86. Nas, “A Queens Story”
87. Nas, “I’m A Villain”
88. Nas, “Represent”
89. Nas, “Bye Baby”
90. Jazmine Sullivan, “Lions, Tigers & Bears”
91. Jazmine Sullivan, “Bust Your Windows”
92. Salaam Remi f/ Miguel, “Come Through and Chill”

Show notes:

1. Do It For The Culture