Best Producers

Blisterman

I've only recently gotten into hip-hop, so I'm no expert, but I've begun to realise that, in my opinion, producers are much more important than MCs. The music, is what makes the song, for me.

So I thought I'd start a thread about who people thought were the best hip-hop producers out there.

Personally, my tastes are pretty mainstream.
I like The Neptunes, especially their NERD stuff. Great for making dancable club tunes. I like the way they use live instruments as well as synths, gives them a uniques sound.

Kanye West's stuff is usually very good, sometimes excellent. I like the way, he manipulates samples, speeding them up, slowing them down, looping them etc. so that, while they are immediatly recognisable, they're also completely different.

Dr Dre's earlier stuff was superb. Hasn't released much that good in recent years though.

I hate the Black Eyed Peas, but I must say, that, from what I've heard, WIll I Am's production for other artists, has been very good. I especially like the production on the new Estelle song- "American Boy" and "I want You" by Common.

I love Soundtrakk's production on Lupe Fiasco's albums, but haven't heard anything else by them/him.

So, who do people like around here?

DarkJager

Just Blaze is one of the best at the moment, just listen to the masterpiece that is "Why you hate the Game" on Doctors Advocate - The Game. One of the best beats I've heard in a few years and an awesome way to close out the album.

2-ShortDa5foot5

In my opinion there are a number of legendary producers in the history of hip-hop, and they are the following;

• Marley Marl
• DJ Premier
• DJ Premier (Twice cos he's THAT good!)
• RZA
• Dr. Dre
• Erick Sermon
• Pete Rock
• Easy Mo Bee
• DJ Quik
• Just Blaze
• Timbaland
• Scott Storch
• Heatmakerz
• N.E.R.D.
• Clark Kent
  DJ Kaygee (Naughty By Nature)
• Ali Shaheed Muhammed (A Tribe Called Quest)

In my humble opinion!

garth-marenghi

Rick Rubin? Worked with Beastie Boys, Run-dmc, LL Cool J, to name but a few, will probably go down as one of the best producers considering the extremley diverse range of artists and genres he has worked with

Orizio

The producers are undoubtedly on their game in the way MC's aren't these days.

Organized Noise, with 'help' from Andre and Big Boi, are possibly my fave producers. They produced class album after classic album for OutKast and Goodie Mob in the 90's.

Just Blaze is over rated.

DarkJager

Orizio wrote: »

The producers are undoubtedly on their game in the way MC's aren't these days.

Organized Noise, with 'help' from Andre and Big Boi, are possibly my fave producers. They produced class album after classic album for OutKast and Goodie Mob in the 90's.

Just Blaze is over rated.

Ya think so? Just Blaze seems to be trying something a bit different with his producing style which can't be said for others like Timbaland (then again Timbaland fell off the wagon altogether so we can't count him )

Blisterman

Orizio wrote: »

The producers are undoubtedly on their game in the way MC's aren't these days.

Organized Noise, with 'help' from Andre and Big Boi, are possibly my fave producers. They produced class album after classic album for OutKast and Goodie Mob in the 90's.

Just Blaze is over rated.

I agree with you there. Outkast have always had great production, throughout their career. Always, completely different to everything else out there.

2-ShortDa5foot5

DarkJager wrote: »

(then again Timbaland fell off the wagon altogether so we can't count him )

You can't say he 'Fell off the wagon' just because he's had a few commercial hits! Come on! And even if u don't like his new stuff, u can't simply disregard him with the body of work he's put out. I'm talking about ALL of Missy's career, his own stuff (From da basement) and his stuff as Timbaland & Magoo. Not to mention all the production he's done for solo artists!

tdc

Dr. Dre, no question. Some of the recent 50 Cent stuff is not my style but I thought his work on Game's first album was brilliant (Higher, How We Do, etc.). Hope he works with Game again for the upcoming L.A.X album. Dre's solo albums, The Chronic and 2001, are both masterpieces and his new one, Detox, will follow suit.

Scott Storch is good for club stuff. Timbaland is a pop producer (Madonna?!)

tdc

2-ShortDa5foot5 wrote: »

I'm talking about ALL of Missy's career

Missy Elliot - are you serious? That alone is reason enough to disregard Timbaland.

Boom_Bap

Timbaland is a genius.

Addmitedly there have one one or 2 beats lately that have been shakey but he is an incredible track record.

But of the greatest producers of all time that hasn't been mentioned is DJ Quik

Makaveli

J Dilla was one of the greatest producers of all time.

9th Wonder is decent, not as good as he was. El-P is consistently good. Madlib, Ant, MF DOOM and Kno.

Orizio

Dilla was definetly the best this decade. Very distinct sound, and produced a couple of masterpieces with Common and Slum Village. Even better is his influence, his 'proteges' like Black Milk, Oh No and Flying Lotus are the best young producers around right now and don't just follow trends.

Of all time? Not so sure. I have a hard time putting him up there with people like Pete Rock, RZA or even Ali Shaheed.

Kno is cool as well, although Dirty Acres was a step backwards imo.

Orizio

DarkJager wrote: »

Ya think so? Just Blaze seems to be trying something a bit different with his producing style which can't be said for others like Timbaland (then again Timbaland fell off the wagon altogether so we can't count him )

He seems pretty inconsistent. I can't remember the last time he put out a good beat, which is another thing, he is not exactly the hardest worker out there. Producers like Madlib and Doom are putting out nice stuff every few months, that Saigon/Just Blaze album on the other hand...

Raekwon

Makaveli wrote:

J Dilla was one of the greatest producers of all time.

9th Wonder is decent, not as good as he was. El-P is consistenly good. Madlib, Ant, MF DOOM and Kno.

+1

All the producers you have mentioned are top class (apart from maybe Madlib, who I think is slighty over-rated).

I really like producers like The Alchemist, Hi-Tek, RJD2, Rockwilder, Danger Mouse, Stoupe (of Jedi Mind Tricks) and to a lesser extent Krysis, Nottz, Kwamé, Ayatollah & DJ Scratch.

Makaveli

Orizio wrote: »

Dilla was definetly the best this decade. Very distinct sound, and produced a couple of masterpieces with Common and Slum Village. Even better is his influence, his 'proteges' like Black Milk, Oh No and Flying Lotus are the best young producers around right now and don't just follow trends.

Of all time? Not so sure. I have a hard time putting him up there with people like Pete Rock, RZA or even Ali Shaheed.

Kno is cool as well, although Dirty Acres was a step backwards imo.

I think it's unfair to not take into account his work pre 2000. He did a lot of good stuff then, particularly his work with Pharcyde. Of the not old enough to be old school and not new enough to be new school he's one of the best imo.

RZA, Premier and Pete Rock are in a class of their own. Dr Dre I suppose too.



Timbaland and Neptunes have done a lot of great stuff but saturate the market and it makes listening to them tiresome. When they branched into pop it was a bit overkill. Timbaland has the ability to turn peoples careers though, which is testament to how good he is.

Hi-Tek has some really good work too but he lacks consistency.

DJ Paul and Juicy J deserve some credit too, they make interesting music. A lot of the more commercial Southern stuff tends to be quite trite but Three 6 Mafia, although not known for very serious lyrics, are pretty good producers.

Orizio

My point was that Dilla was better then anyone else this decade, unsuprising considering how heavily the likes of Pete Rock fell off. He made plenty of good stuff before 2000, like the Stakes Is High, but his original distinct sound was perfected, in my opinion, on Fantastic Vol. 2 and I'm inclined to think the 00's will be remembered as Dilla's decade.

2-ShortDa5foot5

tdc wrote: »

Missy Elliot - are you serious? That alone is reason enough to disregard Timbaland.

Missy Elliott is one of the most original artists of the decade. Her original flow over Timbaland beats doesn't warrant a dismissal! I'd refer u to "Da real World" her 1999 effort if u have any doubts.

I wouldn't dismiss Missy on the basis of her chart hits and recently found popularity, she's better than that!

BTW, Dilla, Alchemist and VERY MUCH SO Ayatollah, are some of the best producers ever in hip-hop.

Examples: Common's "The light", Dilated Peoples "Worst comes to worst", and Mos Def's "Ms. Fat booty" & Styles P's "My Life" produced by Dilla, Alchemist & Ayatollah respectively.

Jay Ru

Dilla
Just Blaze
Premo
Large Pro
No i.d.
Kev Brown
9th Wonder
Madlib
The Rza
Easy Mo Bee
Dre
Marco Polo
Kanye
Dungeon Family
Pete Rock
Danger Mouse
Diddys Hitmen (not puff himself but his crew of producers who worked heavily on Big's first 2 albums and most recently American Gangster)
Erick Sermon
Nicolay
Ali Saheed Muhammad

Beefeater

STOUPE!!!! havent heard a bad beat from him, ever.

Primo, Kno, Kanye West, Dilla, Ant, Danger Mouse' stuff for Gnarls Barkley is sweet, Insight (underrated), RZA, El-P

Pen1987

Ant is overrated as **** IMO... the new album is a bit better than the older stuff, but even on God Loves Ugly his snares were too sharp and beats to bland for me.

El-P is a killer producer, the stuff on Ill sleep when youre dead is SO in-depth is ridiculous, about 40 layers on each track, you hear a new effect ever time you listen, its amazing, Run The Numbers and No Kings both had me in AWE on the first listen, pure originality, not just hiphop either. The stuff he did with Company Flow and Cannibal Ox is class aswell.

Dilla is best pure hiphop producer this decade no question.

Premier/9th Wonder/Kanye, all bring the hits, cant argue with that. Although Kanyes constant re-working of WELL-KNOWN samples irks me, I've nothing against sampling, but I dont like them being so recognisable.

Reanimator is my favorite up-coming producer, I've got to get my hands his latest album with Prolyphic.

Our own The Expert, from Messiah J and The Expert, I'd put his best up against any of the producers mentioned heres best and he wouldnt come off badly at all.

Blisterman

Actually looking at the Neptunes Discography on Wikipedia, I've noticed a distinct drop in quality, of the stuff they've done the last 3 years or so, which is a shame, because between 2000-2004, noone could get a crowd on the dancefloor, like them.

Raekwon

Pen1987 wrote: »

Ant is overrated as **** IMO... the new album is a bit better than the older stuff, but even on God Loves Ugly his snares were too sharp and beats to bland for me.

I don't think Ant is over-rated at all, his production on some of Atmosphere and Brother Ali's albums has been nothing short of brilliant.

If any producer is over-rated then it is Madlib........I've heard loads of his beats and I really don't see what the big fuss is about, even on an excellent album like Madvillain the beats are nothing mind blowing. I think his little brother Oh No has way more potential.

Executive Steve

premier = hip hop

2-ShortDa5foot5

[cm]tyranny wrote: »

premier = hip hop

+1

Pen1987

Raekwon wrote: »

I don't think Ant is over-rated at all, his production on some of Atmosphere and Brother Ali's albums has been nothing short of brilliant.

If any producer is over-rated then it is Madlib........I've heard loads of his beats and I really don't see what the big fuss is about, even on an excellent album like Madvillain the beats are nothing mind blowing. I think his little brother Oh No has way more potential.

Some of his stuff is great [Ant]. Some is awful. Some sounds like he made it conciously simple, ok . Some sounds like he made it using ejay-hiphop pack 2.1 ... The new album is solid overall. I can give or take him most of the time, and love him once every so often [Forest Whitiker from Brother Alis Undisputed Truth]

Fresh Breath

J Dilla = Best hip hop producer of all time!!

Ive heard tons of hip hop like im a major hip hop fan but he's got such a musical talent that he puts into hip hop that ive never heard before!!!

Kold

Madlib, J Dilla and Metal Fingers ftw.

speedboatchase

Right now: Danja, Polow the Don

Ever: Dre

CorkMan

2-ShortDa5foot5 wrote: »

In my opinion there are a number of legendary producers in the history of hip-hop, and they are the following;

• Marley Marl
• DJ Premier
• DJ Premier (Twice cos he's THAT good!)
• RZA
• Dr. Dre
• Erick Sermon
• Pete Rock
• Easy Mo Bee
• DJ Quik
• Just Blaze
• Timbaland
• Scott Storch
• Heatmakerz
• N.E.R.D.
• Clark Kent
  DJ Kaygee (Naughty By Nature)
• Ali Shaheed Muhammed (A Tribe Called Quest)

In my humble opinion!

Yep! Marley Marl, Premo and RZA are the magic trio!

Affable

speedboatchase wrote: »

Ever: Dre

Agreed, he turned records he touched to gold.

HalloweenJack

Dr. Dre, André 3000, J-Dilla, Neptunes, Kanye West, Just Blaze, The RZA.

Boom_Bap

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Dr. Dre, André 3000, J-Dilla, Neptunes, Kanye West, Just Blaze, The RZA.

André 3000? I haven't heard is solo album but as far as i know Organized Noise done pretty much everything else he's been on. Did he do any of the love below?

I've been listening to alot...and i mean ALOT of DOOMTREE stuff lately, and they have a producer called LazerBeak, he is amazing, not saying he's the best of all time because he needs a bit more longevity, but he's one to watch.

Raekwon

Boom_Bap wrote: »

André 3000? I haven't heard is solo album but as far as i know Organized Noise done pretty much everything else he's been on. Did he do any of the love below?

He produced every track on The Love Below apart from 'Roses' (which was produced by Dojo5). André 3000 is actually a member of a producer group called Earthtone III (which also consistes of Big Boi & Mr. DJ) and they have produced a load of tracks together as you can see here.

Ev0

9th Wonder
Alchemist
Premo

phundamentalz

Just Blaze - some of his recent tracks include:
Jay - z/show me what you got
Juelz Santana/Second Coming
Ghostface/The Champ

Orizio

Right now?

Black Milk is the best, miles above everyone else. Dudes drums are just incredible.

Blisterman

I'm going to have to check out some of these people.

Another producer, I'm discoving at the moment is Pete Rock. He produced "The World is Yours" by Nas, one of my all time favourite hip hop tracks. The other stuff i've heard is great too.

Orizio

Pete Rock you say? Never heard of him...

You need Pete Rock & CL Smooth's 'Mecca and the Soul Brother'. One of the best produced albums ever, and has the best Hip-Hop track ever (T.R.O.Y.).

Klimseven

^^What he said.

Parrish_Crooks

The Main Ingredient and Soul Survivor Vol. I ain't bad either

Makaveli

Pete Rock on a bad day is better than a lot of producers on a good day. He's lost some of the spark he used to have but his influence is massive.

Abstract Prude

dunno if i have anything new to add to this list, but some of my fave producers include:
DJ Paul
Juicy J
DJ Quik
Kanye West
Pete Rock
RZA
J Dilla
Madlib
MF Doom
Timbaland
El P
Lil Jon
Neptunes
Just Blaze
9th Wonder
Ali Shaheed Mohammed
Q Tip
Eazy Mo Bee
Dj Premier
Dr Dre
The Bluez Brothers

thesoulfulldude

lads ERIC B

Poccington

Jay Dee..... Nobody could chop a sample the way he does.

I've loved RZA since I first heard Enter The Wu-Tang. Premo and Pete Rock of course are up there.

A year or 2 ago I would've said 9th was pretty damn good but it's as if his sound is becoming stagnant.

Madlib is damn good, same for Doom. Madvillainy is just :eek: Dangermouse is nice with it too.

Black Milk is dope as hell though, Khrysis is showing a lot of promise too.

ItsNugget

thesoulfulldude wrote: »

lads ERIC B

Fact, eric b never produced a song in his life. He was rakims dj on tour all the credit he got for production was never deserved. Rakim admitted in interviews in recent years.

Premo is my favourite prdoucer by a mile.

eamonhonda

premo
9th wonder
exile
dre

Parrish_Crooks

ItsNugget wrote: »

Fact, eric b never produced a song in his life. He was rakims dj on tour all the credit he got for production was never deserved. Rakim admitted in interviews in recent years.

Premo is my favourite prdoucer by a mile.

Premo is da king, nobody will ever touch him really. Love his Jeru Da Damaja stuff in particular.

If Eric B didn't handle production so, who did? Marley Marl?

ItsNugget

Rakim didnt actually say in the interview. Probably did it himself or else unknowns.

Gdep

what about mr. bangladesh??he has had some classic songs. whats your fantasy and block lock down by Luda, you dont want drama and dont make by 8Ball and MJG and of course most recently A Milli by Lil Wayne...all have amazing beats!

Orizio

How many albums has Bangladesh produced again?