Joey Bada$$, Statik Selektah Recall Creating "Don't Front"

In recent visit to Torae’s The Tor Guide on Sirius XM’s Hip Hop Nation, Statik Selektah and Joey Bada$$ recalled the first time the two collaborated. During the conversation, Statik reveals that Cinematic Music Group-founder, Jonny Shipes, asked him to provide scratches for Joey Bada$$’ debut mixtape, 1999.

“It’s real simple,” Statik Selektah says. “Jonny Shipes reached out like, ‘This new kid that I’m working with got that sound you do. Let’s work.’ I was supposed to just do scratches on [1999]. He came through and I was like, ‘Guess what,’ and locked the door like a mobster, ‘You’re not leaving here until you rap on my beats.’ Him and [CJ Fly] did ‘Don’t Front,’ which I think it was the last joint done for ‘99. It was one of them.”

Joey Bada$$’ adds, “We literally did that joint like two days before it came out.”

“The rest is history, man,” Statik continues. “They started coming through the old Brooklyn basement. Since then, we’ve probably done over 400 shows. Me and Joey very rarely argue. We’ve probably argued once or twice ever.”