Interview: StarGate Talks Producing Wiz Khalifa's "Black And Yellow" And "Roll Up"

(Interview from www.complex.com)

A Norwegian production duo probably isn’t the first guess that would come to mind when trying to figure out who did one of the biggest rap anthems of 2010. Not because Stargate (Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen) aren’t known.

But more because they’re known for producing pop smashes like Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable,”Rihanna’s “What’s My Name,” and Katy Perry’s “Firework.” However, for Pittsburgh’s Wiz Khalifa, they made perfect sense when it came time to find his first single. Linking up in New York last spring, they ended up working on seven songs (four of which will be on his major label debut, Rolling Papers dropping March 29) including his top five Pittsburgh Steelers-reppin’ smash, “Black And Yellow,” as well as his second single, “Roll Up.”

We caught up with Stargate earlier this week at Roc the Mic studios in Manhattan to talk about the process of working with Wiz and why they haven’t worked with more rappers in the past.