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.
