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Mtume landed a smash hit in 1983 with the track “Juicy Fruit,” forever immortalized by Notorious B.I.G.‘s “Juicy” which used samples from the original track. In conjunction with the Red Bull Music Academy Festival: New York, Mtume’s hit gets the remix treatment from DJ Evil Dee for the beat:repeat NYC video series.

James Mtume, a former collaborator with Miles Davis, is featured in the clip and gives details on developing the track using the LinnDrum machine and even shares his love of boxing. Mtume credits later acts who sampled his hit track for taking his music and reinventing the sound. For the beat:repeat NYC series, Da Beatminzers’ and Black Moon fixture DJ Evil Dee tackles “Juicy Fruit” using the classic Hip-Hop sampling and drum machine tool, the SP-1200.

“It was one of those things were everything just came together, the moment was just there” said Mtume of creating his song.

“It just immediately grabbed everybody, everybody started rocking,” said Evil Dee after hearing “Juicy Fruit” for the first time at a block party. And just like the original, Biggie’s version still sparks a two-step marathon no matter where or when it’s played.

Mtume was appreciative that Notorious B.I.G.’s single touched the masses, and has a great attitude towards Hip-Hop producers and sampling.

“Music isn’t to be possessed. It’s to be shared,” said Mtume.

Check out the Mtume/DJ Evil Dee beat:repeat NYC clip below.

Photo: RMBA/YouTube