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- Metro Boomin. 1,916 votes. From his explosive entry into the music scene, Metro Boomin has carved a niche for himself in the world of hip hop production. Collaborating with some of the biggest names in the industry like 21 Savage, Future, and Migos, this St. Louis native's masterful skill in crafting memorable beats has amassed him a loyal fan base.
- Kanye West. 1,569 votes. Since his humble beginnings as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, Kanye West has evolved into one of the most influential figures in modern hip hop.
- DJ Premier. 260 votes. One of the founding fathers of modern hip hop production, DJ Premier's contributions to the genre are simply undeniable. As one half of the iconic duo Gang Starr, Premier's distinctive sampling technique and unrelenting drum patterns have laid the foundation for countless hip hop hits.
- Dr. Dre. 637 votes. A true pioneer in hip hop production, Dr. Dre's legendary career spans over three decades and includes an impressive list of accomplishments.
Mar 22, 2024 · From J Dilla to Madlib, Dr. Dre to DJ Premier, Metro Boomin to Hit-Boy, here are the 50 greatest hip hop producers of all time. 1. Dr. Dre. Associated rappers: N.W.A., Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game, Kendrick Lamar. Top 10 Dr. Dre productions: “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” “Still D.R.E.” “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)” “California Love”
- Carl Lamarre
- Organized Noize. Rico Wade, Ray Murray, and Sleepy Brown’s work as the Organized Noize production team established the group as pillars of the Atlanta hip-hop and R&B scene in the ‘90s.
- 9th Wonder. 9th Wonder caught the rap world’s attention with his collection of unofficial remixes to Nas’ God’s Son album, which he fittingly titled God’s Stepson.
- The Bomb Squad. The Bomb Squad, captained by Hank Shocklee, Keith Shocklee, Eric “Vietnam” Sadler, Chuck D, Gary G-Wiz and Bill Stephney, changed hip-hop’s sonic landscape with their revolutionary sound, which served as the backdrop for the legendary rap group Public Enemy.
- Larry Smith. A bass player from Queens, Larry Smith would link with Russell Simmons and help his artist Kurtis Blow make the first gold-certified rap record, “The Breaks.”
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- Marley Marl
- Stoupe The Enemy of Mankind
- The Alchemist
- Rza
- Just Blaze
- Kanye West
- The Medicine Men
- Rick Rubin
- Timbaland
- Dr. Dre
Top Strength: Innovation
Marley Marl is a legendary hip-hop producer known for his pioneering use of sampling techniques. He helped to popularize the use of drum machines and samples in the burgeoning genre, imbuing it with what would become its defining characteristics. Marl’s beats regularly feature hard-hitting drums, funky basslines, and clever use of samples from a wide range of sources. He was one of the first producers to sample James Brown, and his use of the “Apache” break on the song “The Bridge” helped to...
Top Strength: Obscure Samples
You may not have heard of Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind yet, but you’ve probably heard of Jedi Mind Tricks, the group he’s rising with. He’s becoming the go-to guy around Philadelphia and is another master of sampling. His choices are so obscure, ranging from classical music to ancient foreign songs that you’ll never recognize them. The album he produced for Canibus is an all-time great in the rap industry. Interestingly, Canibus recorded all of the vocals to a click track first, acapella, and...
Top Strength: East Coast Style
Strangely enough, The Alchemist is from the West Coast but became an East Coast style production legend. Many top hits you’ve heard over the years feature his production, though he’s only recently begun tagging his beats with a musical signature to gain a larger name for himself with the fan base. His style is quintessential East Coast, often with boom-bap style drums forming the basis for other interesting arrangements and orchestration. He’s become a go-to producer for many large artists fo...
Top Strength: Sampling & Time Stretching
The RZA launched himself into the big time as the lead artist and producer of the Wu-Tang Clan, going on to produce all of their solo records as well. He’s a veteran of the Horrorcore sub-genre as well due to his work with the Gravediggaz. He’s since enhanced his skills to the point that he’s been scoring films, TV shows, and video games as well, such as the Kill Bill movies and many more. His orchestration skills grew out of his masterful sampling of soul songs and martial arts movie soundtr...
Top Strength: Innovation
While Just Blaze is best known for his multi-album production run with Jay-Z, he’s made beats for so many artists they can’t even be listed in one place. His skills have extended to composing soundtracks for video games and even led to him receiving the key to the city of Paterson. His instrumentals deliver hard-hitting beats and are often used for anthem singles by artists looking to make a big splash on the radio. In times when rap finds itself in a creativity rut, you can count on Just Bla...
Top Strength: Midwest STyle & Flipping Samples
Kanye West grinded and connected his way to the top of the industry, not only as a producer but as a rapper. His work with Jay-Z and other Roc-A-Fella Records artists solidified him in the game. His style is quintessential Midwest but it’s his clever use of samples that set him apart. He gives a lot of credit to the RZA for this influence. Interestingly as of late Kanye doesn’t rap over his own beats, but when he did it was pure magic. His style is so unique that when you hear it on any other...
Top Strength: Sound Selection
You’re probably thinking “who?” because The Medicine Men used to be called Beats By The Pound. This is the four-person beat production team responsible for the unbelievable run of No Limit Records. They cranked out some of the hardest southern beats you ever heard. What was so special about them, besides the raw skill, was the sound fonts and one-shots they used in their instrumentals. They brought a completely unique set of sounds to the mainstream that nobody was used to hearing.
Top Strength: 80’s Boom-Bap
These days, having a Rick Rubin instrumental is a guaranteed hit. Rubin is easily one of the most influential people in hip-hop, having founded Def Jam Records and produced some of the most iconic beats in the 80’s and even in the current era. You probably remember semi-recent songs like Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” and Eminem’s “Bezerk,” or old ones like Public Enemy’s “Public Enemy No. 1.” That’s all Rubin’s work. Hit singles over and over again. His style is still entirely 1980’s boom-bap with 80...
Top Strength: Throwback Synth
Timbaland busted on the scene and climbed fast with hit single after hit single for big artists. Even in the past he had his own unique style, but in the 2010’s he re-invented his style to include a lot of 80’s influenced synth hits and melodies. From there it was all history as he cemented his slot in the top 10. Very few producers have a truly unique style that took them to the top. Even among this list, Timbaland is the only who’s carved out his own niche. There was a period of time where...
Top Strength: West Coast Style
Few producers have had such an illustrious career as Dr. Dre. His style started out as what we might call G-Funk, then quickly moved into gangsta rap and continued to evolve with the new wave of West Coast artists like Xzibit and The Game. The pressure has become so high for him to continue to change the game that his next album has been scrapped and restarted many times and likely will never see the light of day. Thankfully the best tracks of each potential album end up being released as sin...
- Dr. Dre. Dr. Dre is one of the most influential producers in hip-hop history. After making a name for himself with N.W.A., Dre produced some of the most iconic beats in hip-hop history.
- J Dilla. J Dilla is often considered one of the most innovative producers ever. His use of sampling and his ability to craft a unique sound made him an instant legend in the hip-hop community.
- Pete Rock. Rock is another hip-hop legend crafting beats since the early ’90s. His work with CL Smooth is considered some of the best in the genre, and he’s helped shape the sound of hip-hop throughout his career.
- The RZA. The R.Z.A. is one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan and has produced some of the most iconic beats in hip-hop history. His use of soul samples and kung-fu soundbites helped create the Wu-Tang sound, inspiring countless producers over the years.
Aug 29, 2019 · While the past 19 years have been filled with wonderful rap music, and some dramatic stylistic shifts within, the following 45 producers have put in the greatest and most influential work...
May 1, 2021 · #RunTheCulture. Producers are the backbone of hip-hop. Rappers get most of the shine but producers provide soundtrack for The Culture’s storytellers. The best producers changed the sound, inspired those who came after them, and generally helped to push hip-hop forward.
