Best Up & Coming Producers

Raekwon · 08-12-2012 5:00am #1

Production is obviously a major ingredient in any great hip hop track and as we all know some hip hop producers are as famous as the artists that they work with, which is fairly unique to the genre.

The likes of The Alchemist, The Neptunes, Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Timbaland, Kanye West, etc have been creating beats for well over a decade in most cases, but who, in your opinion, are the best up and coming producers in hip hop right now?

My choices would include:

Harry Fraud: As soon as I hear "La Musica De Harry Fraud" at the start of a track I know it's going to be something special and it usually is. Hopefully he starts to gain more notoriety and gets to work with some really big artists over the next while. I'm absolutely dying to hear his collaboration with Action Bronson on "Saab Stories" which will be released early next year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ohbKidZLiA

Clams Casino: I really love the spacey almost hypnotic tracks that this dude produces. His work so far with Mac Miller and A$AP Rocky has been really impressive and his instrumentals mixtapes are getting rave reviews on sites like Pitchfork. I'm hoping to hear alot more from him in the future and will definitely be keeping an eye out for him on up coming albums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6I2Ek_j_Xc

T-Minus: I've only recently taken notice of this guy as he usually produces for artists that I don't really listen too (Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne, etc) but he seems to be blowing up right now and has produced some really nice beats for the likes of Kendrick Lamar, T.I., Slaughterhouse and is working on upcoming projects with Jay-Z, Pusha T & A$AP Rocky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-ejyHzz3XE

Seaneh · 08-12-2012 12:47pm

J57.
Dude can rap his ass off too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j9bYv8naCo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W7P0l_ul_A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-6vyNMhRwo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW-dwivUhqU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNBZYgNXUAo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtv9r2uWPIw

PrettyBoy · 08-12-2012 11:20pm

Hit-Boy is definitely my favorite at the moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOrLNHbEzMg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38UiJJx9ipE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulJeF56Le5Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1WAFFJ-cIo

Raekwon · 08-12-2012 11:50pm

PrettyBoy wrote: »

Hit-Boy is definitely my favorite at the moment.

Good call. His mixtape "HITstory" is really good.

PrettyBoy · 08-12-2012 11:56pm

Raekwon wrote: »

Good call. His mixtape "HITstory" is really good.

Yeah I was going to mention that in my post but felt it was a bit off-topic as we're just talking about production. The mixtape is well worth a listen though

Boom_Bap · 13-12-2012 12:23pm

Hit-Boy sounds like he is going to be something great. Looking forward to more from him.

Harry Fraud is a name being touted around alot these days, but his production just doesn't click with me.

Some that we should be on the lookout for are Gensu Dean, Apollo Brown, Oddisee (although pretty established at this stage), J57, Small Profressor, Zilla Rocca, Big Cats, Infameezy, D-Rock, Scanz, R2, Diwon...

Mickolution · 13-12-2012 4:31pm

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Hit-Boy sounds like he is going to be something great. Looking forward to more from him.

Absolutely. I've only really heard his stuff on Cruel Summer and Niggas in Paris as well as a couple of bits and pieces here and there, but they've all been top class. Being in with GOOD Music should get him some good exposure too.

Boom_Bap · 13-12-2012 4:48pm

Mickolution wrote: »

Absolutely. I've only really heard his stuff on Cruel Summer and Niggas in Paris as well as a couple of bits and pieces here and there, but they've all been top class. Being in with GOOD Music should get him some good exposure too.

It was his HIT-story mixtape that really showed me what he was about.

LUPE · 13-12-2012 5:11pm

J.Cole by a distance

Bobby Baccala · 13-12-2012 7:34pm

Mickolution wrote: »

Absolutely. I've only really heard his stuff on Cruel Summer and Niggas in Paris as well as a couple of bits and pieces here and there, but they've all been top class. Being in with GOOD Music should get him some good exposure too.

The niggas in paris beat is absolutely shocking

Mickolution · 13-12-2012 10:37pm

Boom_Bap wrote: »

It was his HIT-story mixtape that really showed me what he was about.

Nice one, downloading it now.

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

The niggas in paris beat is absolutely shocking

Really? I thought it was one of the better ones on that album. Maybe it's to do with how good it was live. His three on Cruel Summer (Clique, Cold and Higher) are all great, imo, though I seem to like that album a lot more than most.

conor.hogan.2 · 13-12-2012 11:33pm

The beat is great, the song is meh.

Boi-1da has been around for a while but liking him, loving childish Gambinos production even if he is doing a Kanye and keeping it to himself.

mufcboy1999 · 13-12-2012 11:55pm

j cole is one to watch out.. production skills deserve some credit

his latest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzyU0joZeAk

Mr. Rager · 14-12-2012 12:51am

Yeah CG has had some really nice production, very different to the norm.

Hit-Boy and J.Cole of course would be two of the best atm

conor.hogan.2 · 14-12-2012 1:04am

Would J Cole be up and coming though? I would say he has made it? Didn't he sign to rocafella a few years ago?

Boom_Bap · 14-12-2012 11:33am

I cant stand the synth on the N's In Paris beat, but the drums got a whole lot of stonk to them! It's a confusing listen for me.

Bobby Baccala · 14-12-2012 2:07pm

Mickolution wrote: »

Really? I thought it was one of the better ones on that album. Maybe it's to do with how good it was live. His three on Cruel Summer (Clique, Cold and Higher) are all great, imo, though I seem to like that album a lot more than most.

Nah was never into that beat, i hate the whole song to be honest, was loving it when i saw it live like 4 times in a row but that's only because of the atmosphere, in reality i despise it

mufcboy1999 · 14-12-2012 2:37pm

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

Would J Cole be up and coming though? I would say he has made it? Didn't he sign to rocafella a few years ago?

true but hes only one album in and isnt really an established producer imo well at least he doesnt get as much credit as he deserves as far as production goes... hii power etc all top notch beats.

he's talented as f*ck all round.

NIP grew on me, when i first heard it i really wasnt mad on it. After a few listens during my workouts it really grew on me, love that WTT album period defo one of the best albums released the past few years. Id recommend everyone to download the WTT gig, someone posted a link here a while back of one of the gigs in Paris, unreal atmosphere, great listen.

Blisterman · 14-12-2012 3:12pm

On the poppier side of things, I'm really loving Noah "40" Shebib. Really atmospheric and dark.

He's produced most of Drake's stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAMDVkK9nUE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTOMmxbHczM

And coproduced this with Salaam Remi, another producer I love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1f4R3owxkI

PrettyBoy · 15-12-2012 1:50am

Blisterman wrote: »

On the poppier side of things, I'm really loving Noah "40" Shebib. Really atmospheric and dark.

Forgot about 40, has he worked with any other artists besides Drake and The Weeknd though?

Raekwon · 15-12-2012 4:43am

I.D. Labs (E. Dan & Big Jerm) are a team of producers work checking out.

They've mainly worked with Pittsburgh artist's like Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa but I've been really impressed with what I've heard from them so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb5M3S2AkT8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ19PJ7-SWc

horsebox09 · 15-12-2012 2:08pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9_3Sbii-vk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szyNgyELXWg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yFD9qhJp0Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnm0ySdb5ZY

Jimmy Iovine · 16-12-2012 5:05pm

That "Rob Me ..." beat is a beast. Never knew K.R.I.T. did it at all. He definitely deserves to be on this list. He has some amazing songs. Love to see someone who can produce and rap on the same song with equal skill, just like J Cole.