After the England football team ignominiously crashed out of the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Argentina, Danny and Larry were summoned at short notice by the FA and the Prime Minister to carry out an emergency hip-hop podcast to lift the mood of the nation.

So with heavy hearts and an overwhelming sense of responsibility we stepped into the breach with one simple instruction from the FA – discover the very best DJ Quik production.

Few producers have shaped the sound of West Coast hip hop like DJ Quik. Emerging from Compton in the early 1990s, Quik built a reputation as a gifted rapper, producer and engineer, blending G-funk with live instrumentation, funk, soul and jazz into a rich, unmistakable sound.

Beyond his own acclaimed albums, his production work has influenced generations of artists across hip hop and R&B, cementing his reputation as one of the genre's greatest musical minds.

In this special tournament episode, we dive deep into Quik's catalogue as 16 of his finest productions battle for the trophy. Drawn from the hat and pitted against each other in a series of one-on-one ties, they fight their way through the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals before one track is crowned champion.

There’s no Steve for this one, but as ever we're joined by our celebrity VAR panel to scrutinise our hottest takes and make sure every decision is Safe + Sound. Hit play now!

TRACKS

1. DJ Quik – Tonite
2. DJ Quik – Born and Raised In Compton
3. DJ Quik – Jus Lyke Compton
4. DJ Quik – Get At Me
5. DJ Quik – Safe + Sound
6. DJ Quik – Somethin’ 4 Tha Mood
7. DJ Quik – Dollaz + Sense
8. DJ Quik – Let You Havit
9. DJ Quik – I Useta Know Her
10. DJ Quik & Problem feat Dom Kennedy, Boogie & Bad Lucc – Bad Azz
11. DJ Quik & Problem feat Shy Carter – A New Nite / Rosecrans Groove
12. 2nd II None – More Than A Player
13. Hi-C – Bullshit
14. Hi-C – Do You Wanna See
15. Penthouse Players Clique – Trust No Bitch
16. Kam – That’s My Nigga

SHOOTOUT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (DJ Quik):

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7w2rsuZBQUNtTqQNlQ8k7s?si=LjbA27C2TjS8VgEXYuZOKQ

WEBSITE:

https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com

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⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup⁠⁠

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Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632⁠⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK⁠⁠

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Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: ⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978