Top Ten Hip Hop Producers

I'm supposed to be giving my greatest producers in a list on Facebook because my main black from way back Derrick challenged me to. But since I have a blog, a cool way to present my list, all the while forcing my friends to actually read what I say is excellent because I'm a bit of a loud mouth. But so is every other blogger ever, so no shots fired, it's all good.

I love hip hop music and I take it seriously, I guess. My love for hip hop is serious. But he just dropped a challenge on short notice, and I can't just let anyone put me on the spot. My 10 top producers and why? That's killer. But I'll save the book for later, my response is going to be long enough. On to the rest of the list.

10 Dr. Dre - I have to be honest. Dre gets knocked down because I've been waiting for Detox for YEARS and no reasonable person should have to wait this long for an album that either will never come out or will come out and SUCK massively. That's what my inner-hater is telling me right now. I just thought you should know. However, Andre Young has been supplying heat since I was like 4. 20+ years of fire. Like the Chronic LP. Classic.

09 Deric "D-dot" Angelettie - This one is short, the reason you still like Bad Boy. I love Diddy, but this dude was the music genius behind Bad Boy, and if you still like Bad Boy, he's the actual producer of all the songs you love. He has done beats for Outkast, Salt N Pepa, Mase, the Lox. The list goes on. And if you didn't know by now, he's also the Madd Rapper. T-t-t-t-tell em why you mad son! I know why. He gets no respect, and hopefully, Diddy at least kept him paid while he was supposedly [sigh] stealing money from the rest of his employees.

08 RZA - Um, Wu-Tang Clan...36 Chambers....and a style that you couldn't imitate if you tried. One of my pre-requisites for being on this list is having a unique style. While everyone on this list can be imitated and trust, people have tried, NO one on Earth can bite this Wu Abbott's style. Point blank period and I defy anyone to prove me wrong.

07 DJ Quik - While Dre might be the most famous West Coast producer, DJ Quik is the ultimate West Coast sound provider. Chances are, you love this man's work. Just like number one, he doesn't really live in front of the cameras, but he's crafted heat all the same. The man flat out gets busy.

06 Hi-Tek - One half of Reflection Eternal, Tekzilla provided a return to boom bap during the shiny suit era of hip hop. His style is unique, but keeps the main elements of true school hip hop alive. The creator of the Rawkus era sound, he has already crafted classics, such as Mos Def's Black on Both Sides and a glut of Black Star production. His Hi-Teknology album series also showcases the fire that this man produces.

Here's a sample. The man produces some serious knock, so turn it up!

05 Large Professor - Since some of you aren't quite aware, all you get is a list. Then you judge if he deserves to be on here....Eric B & Rakim. Biz Markie's 'All Samples Cleared'. Pete Rock & CL Smooth's 'Mecca and the Soul Brother'. Nas's 'Illmatic' and 'Stillmatic'. Diamond D's 'Stunts, Blunts & Hip-hop'. Kool G Rap. Big Daddy Kane. A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders. Rob Swift. The Beastie Boys. Roxanne Shante. Gang Starr. Main Source.

Get the drift? If hip hop does ever die[and it won't], this guy is probably in the will.

04 Erick Sermon - E-Double gets on my list because he's the creator of the Def Squad sound. After holding down classic EPMD production, he moved on to form the group with Keith Murray and Redman. Sermon crafted classics joints like "Whateva Man," "The Most Beautifulist Thing In This World," "4,3,2,1," and my personal favorite, Redman's "Tonight's Da Night." All straight FIRE. I know the boards will be buzzing after this one.

03 9th Wonder - If you don't know who this is by now, then you are missing the link from '94 until now. 9th Wonderful Tunes was the producer portion of Little Brother and is the architect of two underground classics with them. "The Listening" album is a throwback to A Tribe Called Quest's "Midnight Marauders," drawing comparisons with the legendary group, with most of that credit is due to the soul resurrecting sounds of 9th Wonder. And when I listen to his music, the beats leave me nodding yes and no at the same time.

02a Pete Rock - Just his remixes alone puts him in the hall of fame. Soul Brotha Number One has been in the game for eons, making nothing but dopeness and classics. I had a hard time putting PR third, rather than first, because when it comes to dynamic melodies, even number one can't hang with the Chocolate Boy Wonder. So he's tied with the other number two because I just can't decide.

02b DJ Premier - It almost hurts my feelings not to put him number one. And I would. I probably should, because he's my favorite producer when it comes to my favorite type of hip hop. This Houston native is the King of the New York sound. He has set the bar for pure ruggedness, that grimy, project sound. One half of Gang Starr, this man has created classics such as "Ex Girl to Next Girl, "You Know My Steez," plus he's the number one sought after remix producer, at least when it comes to hip hop. He's held down Guru, M.O.P., to Christina Aguilera and Limp Bizkit. And probably top 5 beat of all time....is another blog. Premier is the greatest living producer.

Don't ask me to choose between the two, it has hard enough to choose number one. You wanna know who wins? Judge for yourself. Check this.





01 J Dilla - Your favorite producer's favorite producer. He's the best ever. Point blank period. He came up with fire while dying of Lupus. It's a shame to lose a legend. It's a travesty to lose Dilla. Beyond legend status, he holds the title of God Producer, a spin off of God emcee. And now he holds court with Lord. If heaven is what I think it's like, it has music legends wall to wall, but now it finally has the King of Production. No one flipped samples like this man. No one had a clever understanding of melodies, beat measures, distortions

Stick this in your ear hole and love ever single minute of it, because he did this while dying. And he did it for you. Do not download any of his work. Go buy it. It's worth your money, I promise. While these all aren't my FAVORITE Dilla beats, I love every single one. And I might eventually give you my favorite Dilla beats. Check the page for full track list.

Here's a list of producers I just didn't have room for, but definitely belong here: Beatminerz, Evil Dee, Madlib, Rick Rubin, Organized Noize [I really wanted to include them], Battlecat [West Coast boogie at its' finest], Just Blaze and Lord Finesse [DITC].

Emcee Must See Part I - Termanology

So I normally don't drop music but this is the first in my emcee you must see series. Termanology. Repping Beantown all day. This dude is in the legacy of Big Pun as one of the great Puerto Rican rappers. Practicing the art of the beat jack. For all those who don't know, that means he's rhyming over other people's production! Boriqua pour vida [I'm not even Rican]!

Get this mixtape here!

http://www.zshare.net/download/593825829ce268a1/

Did 50 vs. Kanye Start The Hipster Movement?

Before I handle business on here, I have to say rest in peace Stephen Mbidzo. Lost another good one, but learning that this is what life has to offer. Some good, some bad, and death. What we have is a chance to celebrate someone's life and all the good things until it is our time. You will be missed.

So let's take it back to happier things and the summer of 2007. Kanye West announces that his third studio album, "Graduation," was moving up a week for its release. Instead of September 18, the CD would drop on the 11th, same day as another hip hop mega-star, 50 Cent. The move spurred a Kanye vs. 50 battle, which began with 50's statement that he would quit his solo-recording career if Graduation sold more than his album, "Curtis."

Now without getting into the whole ordeal, whether the competition was just a way to spur sales for both artists, whether the "beef" was fake or not, the results of the competition garnered a shift in hip hop music and a new sub-genre was formed.

50 Cent represented the old way of doing things in the music industry. 50's hardcore image and thug sensibilities made him easy to market. It was the same pattern of mainstream hip hop, too hard to be contained, too reckless not to be a factor, the whole selling of the thug image, the money making blueprint for consumer driven rap. Generally, 50 Cent was the final word in rap, using beefs to generate publicity to sell his albums.

Yeezy countered as the aptly-called "Louis Vuitton Don" approach. Fancy, expensive clothing replacing baggy jeans and Timberland boots. Now, it's Louis this, Gucci that, Mavado this, that and the third. Adding to the flash was clothing that regular hip hop heads would view as metro sexual [to put it nicely], but it was the anti-thug. Everyone who didn't fit into the "goon" category found their niche in hip hop.

Of course, I don't think the industry was paying attention, until the first week numbers came out. Because we in the media never stop [go us!], our constant 50 vs. Kanye coverage, along with 50's egotistic wager, launched a war of cultures for the soul of hip hop. Fans and media outlets alike chose sides, the streets or the strip. When Kanye outsold 50, Kanye sold more than records. Kanye, without knowing it, sold a change of direction to the music industry. While the street image is alive, it's fading fast with the legends of hip hop. It's becoming harder for the industry to make anymore "super gangsters," where the stories of mass drug trafficing and mass murder are no longer the public's main desire.

The industry is starting to look at the alternative hip hop, or "backpack rap." With major label signings like Wale, Charles Hamilton, Kid CuDi and Asher Roth, the industry is starting to look for the next thing to sell to the masses. Anyone in Kanye's image, the anti-gangsta, is getting a real look. Hopefully, the industry will find someone with the Kanye work ethic and talent, not just the image.

All the aformentioned artists are in the same vein as Mr. West. CuDi, is actually signed to Kanye's label, the G.O.O.D. Music Group. The old guard of music is changing. The old process needed someone to bring you to the label. These days, bloggers and websites are starting to have some say. All the previous artists, plus some already popular stars owe their success to the internet. The land of the hipsters.

Because real thugs don't use computers....

So until they do, I guess I'm going to keep bringing you "hipster rap" with a little street sensibility on the side.

I hate the word hipster.

So maybe we should call it what it is.

Reality rap. Broadcasting live and direct in the year 2 A.G. [After Gangsta].

I got some free CuDi if you want some. Dat Kid From Cleveland mixtape, get it here - - ->>http://www.mediafire.com/?wqez2lagfnk

Rhymefest vs. Big Daddy Kane? New beef?

Psych! No new beef. Just a creative way to bridge the gap. Two lyrical giants, respect shown. God bless and good night!

Bravado vs. Humility

So while I take a break from my music duties to actually write, considering that's what I do, I got a chance to do a little news digging. One of the stories that captivated me and the rest of the nation is the ongoing problem of pirates. Yes. Pirates.

First of all, I'd like to remember this little moment in time. When is the last time you've heard anything serious in regards to PIRATES?

Apparently, pirates do exist in reality, and it seems to be a problem, especially near unstable regions such as Somalia. This most recent US involvement with this dilema arose when a group of 4 Somali pirates boarded a US-based ship and took the Captain hostage. By now, we all know the results, a win for the US, as Navy SEAL tactical squad took out three pirates and recovered the hostage.

What we didn't get a chance to go in depth with was the response given by the US military, captained by President Obama. The original response by the White House represented the true change of the guard. This change was most evident in the response and its delievery.

The response by the White House was muted and subdued at the VERY least. It seemed as if White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was reading a grocery list to the assembled media when addressing the pirate situation. President Obama also downplayed his role in the decision-making process, ultimately serving one purpose; decifering the situation and issues surrounding the problem and green-lighted the solution. From a media standpoint, his response was laissez-faire and even called inappropriate for the gravity of the situation.

In reality, his response turned out to be the best for the situation. Dealing with multiple and much more important issues, President Obama handled the problem with top-notch efficiency. The result was a quick, measured action. So what is the problem?

The last 8 years has established a central policy for the US to deal with adversity. The bravado and swagger of George W. Bush represented an arrogance that Americans have been consistantly pigeon-holed with; that Americans are simple, cocky, and heavy handed, using our power to grandstand. That perception was upheld post 9-11, when many Americans' exhibition of patroitism became an exhibition of jingoism.

So instead of the idoitic "Mission Accomplished" grandstand, this response is a fresh view of what is supposed to happen. A classy response. Thank the military. Say something about protecting the US and its' citizens. Off to the next problem. No need to fly to some aircarrier in military gear, knowing that you dodged out of that same outfit some 30 years ago.

The question is, why is this difference a positive? For me, there's a time for swagger and grandstanding, but it is not in the face of an on-going problem that you most likely aren't going to solve. The "Mission Accomplsihed" debacle was an awkward spectacle that turned into an international symbol of the lack of accountability and efficiency that was evident in the last administration....at least before the crashing of US financial strength. This response seems to be a definite change of the way we do business and it represents what I can only view as evidence that President Obama has learned exactly how to navigate through our defense problems. At least the positive outcome of the situation should give some sort of solice to our worried military about the state of our government's stance in protecting the nation, foreign and abroad.

In a 24-7 news world, the immediate response is en vogue, but there is still a need for measured, thoughtful insight and action. In the end, after three days of media scrutiny, the situation was handled and the best case scenario took place, no American causualties and recovery of the American hostage without great damage to US property. I can only hope to look forward to further such humility from the White House in handling national defense and other such issues. Gold star for you, Brotha Barack. Keep up the good work. Remember, bravado works when competency can abound. Bravado without competency is more of the same.

Rock The Bells 2009 Line-Up

Guerilla Union/Myspace: Rock The Bells 2009 Lineup Freestyle


So after hearing the line up in a way only true hip hop heads could hear it [shout out to Supernatural], I'm extremely geeked about this year's line-up. The Roots, Raekwon, Nas, Slum Village, Pete Rock....the whole SHOW is full of headline quality real hip hop!! Excited? Yeah, just a little bit. I WILL be live and direct with the video as well. Ask about me, Genius level Brainiac in the building!!

And I'll be going to BOTH Chicago and Detroit shows.

Method Man & Redman - A Yo!

Meth and Red seems to be back on the grind. For real, been waiting for this album since the first one dropped. Blackout 2 coming soon! I might even break my rule and review the album for all ya'll. And yes, I want you to buy it, but they aren't paying me. You need this in your life. Real hip hop by two vets who some of you rookies would call old school, but Red and Mef NEVER fell off. How many rap acts can say that? Not many! The dude on the hook, none other than one of T. dot's finest, Saukrates! Toronto is in the building! For real, one of the coolest cities in the world. If you've never been to Carnivale [Brazil], you are hours away from the next best thing, Caribana!! If you haven't, you have no clue, so do it.

[On a side note, any Canadian Travel Authority wanna send me some ends for that free bit of advertising would be greatly appreciated. And earned...I'm just saying...]