Hip Hop Producers – The Masterminds Behind The Tracks

The masterminds behind the hot tracks that you hear everyday plastered all over the radio and the internet day-in and day-out are the true unsung heroes of hip-hop.

These cats orchestrate the success of a track. Though it is a fact that if the MC has no skills, the record will be ignored or talked bad about, the producer is the key ingredient that makes the marriage of rapper & producer work.

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Hot Producers in the Game

Without question, Kanye is at the top of the list. This cat is everywhere. Recently, he has been collaborating with a few hot chick artists, producing that fire as always.

Remember that track “Money on My Mind” on Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter II?

It was produced by The Runners and DJ Nasty. That track was an instant classic that never made the radio playlist. Wayne always uses a host of different producers that I classify at the top of the list because Weezy always releases that fire.

Fireman? Produced by Doo Boys. Another blazing track. Hustler Muzik?

Produced by Trina and Batman. I know what you’re thinking. Trina? Yep. Trina fa’ sho. Many artists are trying their hands at the production game. One last track from Tha Carter II and I will move on, I promise. Shooter, which was produced by Robin Thicke, yo. Robin Thicke! He sung the hook and everything man. That kid got some skills.

Another blazing hot producer is T-Pain. This dude keeps churning out hitz month after month. All of them HOT. It’s like he can do no wrong in the studio.

A few honorable mentions because of the heat they have released over the years:

Timbaland and Missy Elliot
The Neptunes
The Heatmakers
Dr. Dre

My Fantasy Producer League

My franchise draft picks would have to be

Any producer associated with lil Wayne, T.I. or Jay-Z
Kanye and Just Blaze
T-Pain
Skateboard Pete from the Neptunes
DJ Drama, creator of the Gangsta Grillz mixtapes

With this lineup we would take the championship every year. Undefeated. No competition.

Becoming a Student of Hip Hop

As you can see, I’m one of those dudes who actually reads the liner notes in a CD. That’s where all the important information can be found: Who produced each track. Who played what instrument on each track. What samples were used, etc.

As a continual student of hip-hop, I need to know all of that stuff. My good friend Juan always says (with a Spanish accent) “You must set yourself to learn something new everyday, my friend. That’s how you will become successful.”

If I can somehow remain in the college of hip-hop for life, I can guarantee that I will………