DJ Clark Kent Recalls Introducing Jay-Z To Biggie In Resurfaced Clip As Fans Mourn The Producer

BYGabriel Bras Nevares833 Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Sizzla at Hot 97.1 FM - July 19, 2005
DJ Clark Kent during Sizzla at Hot 97.1 FM - July 19, 2005 at Hot 97.1 FM in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images)
Rodolfo Franklin's impact cannot be overstated.

DJ Clark Kent tragically passed away earlier this week following a private three-year battle with colon cancer, and the hip-hop world is paying tribute to his indelible legacy. Fans and rap peers everywhere took to social media and beyond to share their heartfelt sympathies, memories, and thoughts on the legendary producer, real name Rodolfo Franklin. In addition, he also introduced Biggie Smalls to Jay-Z, a moment he previously recalled during an appearance on Math Hoffa's My Expert Opinion podcast. Franklin produced their "Brooklyn's Finest" collab and also performed the hook on it.

"So, Biggie's going crazy about this beat and this other beat," DJ Clark Kent recalled. "I'm like, 'Yo, come to the studio and wait outside.' You got to trust me to go to the studio and wait outside when you Biggie and you on fire. I go upstairs, I track the beat, [Jay-Z] goes in, he does a record in, like, 15 minutes. When he comes out the studio... I was like, 'Yo, you need to put Big on this, man.' He was like, 'I don't know that n***a.' And [Dame Dash] was like, 'Nah, f**k that, we ain't giving Puff no money.' [...] I go down in the elevator, I bring Big back up. We walk in the studio, I'm like, 'Hi, guys!' And Big and Jay did not say a word. They just started laughing. [...] But the day that they met, they became friends in 1.1 seconds."

DJ Clark Kent's Biggie & Jay-Z Story

In addition, DJ Clark Kent explained how he respected Dame Dash and Jay-Z's initial aversion, but he trusted that he could create fireworks with this link-up. He pretended to go to the bathroom and brought Big up. Then, Franklin recalled how Biggie and Hov sat down and listened to the track that would eventually become "Brooklyn's Finest." Kent recalled how Jay went in the booth and recorded the performance we know today with all-new rhymes compared to the version he already recorded.

Hilariously, DJ Clark Kent shared that Jay-Z asked Biggie Smalls if he was ready to record right after. Big was floored by how quickly Jay put it all together without writing rhymes, and ended up taking the record home with him. Smalls' verse ended up appearing two months later, the night before they mastered the track. It's one of many examples of Kent's intuitive choices that ended up giving hip-hop so much.
Rest In Peace DJ Clark Kent.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
...