Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Murder to Excellence” wasn’t just a standout track on Watch the Throne—it was a dual narrative of trauma and triumph, a sonic requiem for Black America and a proclamation of generational power. In this episode of BackTrak, Grammy-winning producer S1 (Symbolyc One) takes us into the architecture of one of his most emotionally layered productions. From sourcing the chilling choral sample that opens the track, to constructing the sharp transition into a victorious, synth-driven second half, S1 reveals how this beat was designed to feel like two different worlds colliding—because that’s exactly what it was.

He reflects on the call from Kanye that changed everything, the spiritual weight he carried while producing the song, and how Jay and Ye each approached the duality of the record with different emotional perspectives. This isn’t just a beat remake—it’s a walk through the DNA of a modern protest anthem. A creative act of reverence, resistance, and resilience.

This is Murder to Excellence—rebuilt from the ground up.

0:00 Intro

1:39 Show Introduction: Backtrack with Don Cannon & S-1

3:00 Family Foundation in Waco, Texas

5:27 The Power of Music in the Church

7:13 Hip Hop Awakening: Discovering Underground Music

11:07 Symbolic Elements: From Rapper to Producer

14:44 First Production Gear: The Alesis SR-16 Drum Machine

16:17 Strange Fruit Project & Early Co-signs (Erykah Badu, Questlove, Dilla)

18:31 Producer Influences: Dilla, Premier, Hi-Tek, Pete Rock

21:56 Discipline and Focus: How Early Parenthood Fueled Success

23:39 The "Power" Story Begins

25:17 Kanye's Text: "He's About to Change Your Life"

26:33 Hearing the First Version of "Power" in Hawaii

33:36 Post-"Power" Production Growth

36:27 Drum Kits & Non-Selfish Approach

41:15 Landing the Beyoncé Placement

45:13 S-1's Formula: Breakbeat, Chant, and Dope Progression

1:02:03 From Reason 6 to Ableton

1:05:57 Merging "Black on Black Murder" & "Black Excellence"

1:07:52 MTE Breakdown: Laying the Breakbeat and Modern Drums

1:14:10 MTE Breakdown: Sampling The Color Purple

1:19:23 MTE Breakdown: Piano, Organ, and Bassline Progression

1:28:23 Closing Remarks

Follow S1

📸 https://instagram.com/symbolycone

Follow us for more insights into hip hop history and music production:

📸 https://instagram.com/tmronetwork

📸 https://instagram.com/Doncannon

🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/

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