25 Greatest Rap Producers of All Time: Staff List

Rico Wade, Ray Murray, and Sleepy Brown’s work because the Organized Noize manufacturing staff established the group as pillars of the Atlanta hip-hop and R&B scene within the ‘90s. Their use of soulful melodies and stay instrumentation draped over bouncy beats propelled teams like OutKast, TLC, and Goodie Mob into the highlight. They have been additionally outstanding in forming the legendary Atlanta collective The Dungeon Household, whose members embody Future, Janelle Monae and Killer Mike. A few of Organized Noize’s most iconic works embody TLC’s megahit “Waterfalls,” Ludacris’ weekend staple “Saturday (Oooh! Ooooh!)” and Outkast’s basic first 4 albums. – MARK ELIBERT

ninth Marvel caught the rap world’s consideration along with his assortment of unofficial remixes to Nas’ God’s Son album, which he fittingly titled God’s Stepson. The North Carolina producer’s mega basslines met their match when intertwining with North Carolina MCs Little Brother, as ninth assumed in-house producer duties for the duo’s first three albums. Jay-Z’s engineer Younger Guru personally recruited 9thmatic for Hov’s The Black Album in 2003, the place he flipped R. Kelly’s “A Girl Menace” for the menacing “Menace.” The Duke College professor has since earned credit with Mac Miller and Nipsey Hussle, and supplied the soundscape for Kendrick Lamar’s cinematic DAMN. nearer “DUCKWORTH” in 2017.” – MICHAEL SAPONARA

The Bomb Squad, captained by Hank Shocklee, Keith Shocklee, Eric “Vietnam” Sadler, Chuck D, Gary G-Wiz and Invoice Stephney, modified hip-hop’s sonic panorama with their revolutionary sound, which served because the backdrop for the legendary rap group Public Enemy. The Lengthy Island collective blended unconventional sounds, noisy rhythms, and dozens of eclectic samples to gas Chuck D’s politically charged rhymes and Taste Flav’s electrical stage presence. The Bomb Squad’s work on Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Thousands and thousands to Maintain Us Again and Worry of a Black Planet ushered in a brand new period of socially aware rap and established the producers as architects of hip-hop’s evolution towards unapologetic expression – work they continued exterior of PE on important LPs like Slick Rick’s The Adventures of Slick Rick and Ice Dice’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wished. – M.E.

A bass participant from Queens, Larry Smith would hyperlink with Russell Simmons and assist his artist Kurtis Blow make the primary gold-certified rap file, “The Breaks.” One of many first producers to make the most of digital drum machines, Smith popularized the usage of the Roland TR-808 (Sure, that 808) when he used it to helm Run-D.M.C.’s watershed debut and their follow-up, King of Rock, which completely fused rock and rap in a approach no had heard earlier than. If Smith had solely labored with the Hollis crew, he’d be a legend — however he additionally linked with the Brooklyn trio Whodini and crafted a synthesizer-soaked sound with heavy R&B undertones for the group’s sophomore effort, Escape. The album was a business success, changing into the primary rap album to interrupt into the Prime 40 on Billboard’s Sizzling 200 chart. Larry Smith stands out as the least-known producer on this listing, however he simply stands out as the most influential as nicely. – DAMIEN SCOTT

Dilla was the soul of Detroit hip-hop, each along with his personal group Slum Village and because the man behind now-legendary beats for luminaries like A Tribe Known as Quest, De La Soul, Widespread and Erykah Badu. But it surely was his contribution to the stream and really feel of hip-hop, each as a producer and as a drummer, that’s his lasting legacy — serving to craft the sound of the Neo-soul motion and laying the groundwork for a era of those that got here alongside after his premature passing in 2006. – DAN RYS

Metro leveled up as a number one solo artist within the 2020s. Younger Thug splurting “Metro Boomin need some extra, n—a” grew to become ubiquitous throughout rap anthems within the mid-2010s as Atlanta reasserted itself as hip-hop’s centrifugal power. Thumping 808s and darkish synths make up part of Metro Boomin’s cinematic manufacturing arsenal, which supplied a sonic playground for the millennial famous person likes of Future (“Masks Off”), Migos (“Unhealthy & Boujee”) and 21 Savage (“Financial institution Account”). With 4 prime 10 Billboard Sizzling 100 hits below his personal identify as nicely, Metro leveled up as a number one solo artist within the 2020s, which additional cemented his legacy, and earned the versatile St. Louis hitmaker recognition from the Recording Academy: Metro’s nominated for each producer of the 12 months and rap album of the 12 months (Heroes & Villains) honors on the 2024 Grammys. – M.S.

The Surf Membership mastermind has loved many runs in hip-hop. Throughout his rookie marketing campaign, he unlocked his first Grammy win courtesy of Jay-Z and Kanye’s provocative membership anthem “N—as in Paris” in 2011. Although the menacing, synthy lower is arguably the crown jewel of Hit-Boy’s resume, he discovered his second and third wind within the mid-to-late ’10s when he helped whip up triumphant hits for Drake (“Trophies”), Travis Scott (“Sicko Mode”) and Nipsey Hussle (“Racks within the Center”) with the latter incomes him one other Grammy the next 12 months. And most lately, Hit-Boy’s newest reign refueled Nas’ profession, as rapper and producer launched six initiatives collectively during the last three years — together with 2020’s King’s Illness, which earned God’s Son his first-ever Grammy, for greatest rap album. – CARL LAMARRE

Crafting a manufacturing fashion influenced by jazz, home music and his personal DJ expertise, Chicago native No I.D. (aka Ernest Dion Wilson) has engineered a slew of memorable sonic milestones since producing childhood buddy Widespread’s 1994 breakout album Resurrection. The prolonged listing of artists with high-profile albums and hits bearing No I.D.’s indelible imprint contains Kanye  “Ye” West (808’s & Heartbreak, My Stunning Darkish Twisted Fantasy), Rihanna (Anti) and Jay-Z (4:44, The Blueprint 2: The Reward & the Curse), in addition to that trio’s 2010 greatest rap/sung collaboration and greatest rap track Grammy-winner “Run This City.” – GAIL MITCHELL

Whereas Drake’s herculean run in hip-hop has awed many, his OVO co-captain, 40, all the time noticed the imaginative and prescient. Buddies since 2005, 40 was integral in molding the sound of Drake, making a lush underwater sound that pulled listeners in from the primary hear. With 40 as his sonic architect, Drake’s lyrical verve remained robust for over a decade, as confirmed by touchstone albums like 2009’s So Far Gone, 2011’s Take Care and 2015’s If You’re Studying This It’s Too Late, straddling and endlessly blurring the traces of hip-hop and R&B.  — C.L.

The crate-digging Madlib burst onto the scene with 2000’s The Unseen, launched below the identify Quasimoto as a “team-up” between the producer and his rapping animated alter ego, Lord Quas. He proved to be a grasp of collaboration with different artists as nicely, becoming a member of forces with fellow manufacturing deity J Dilla for 2003’s soulful Champion Sound after which blinding the underground and mainstream world with the late MF DOOM for the cult-adored Madvillainy a 12 months later. Freddie Gibbs pushed the boundaries of his artistry by recruiting the Stones Throw Information dignitary behind the boards for Piñata and the Grammy-nominated Bandana, 5 years aside. With a predilection for obscure samples and components of jazz, Madlib has managed to search out magnificence in sonic imperfection: “I don’t like s–t too excellent. I like some human mistake,” he stated in 2016. – M.S.

The legend of Rick Rubin has grown to near-mythical proportions over his 4 many years within the trade, however it all goes again to the work he did out of his NYU dorm room within the mid-‘80s in serving to hip-hop discover its footing as a significant a part of the music enterprise. Producing on iconic singles like T La Rock’s “It’s Yours” and LL Cool J’s “I Want a Beat,” Rubin developed a stripped-down, hard-hitting and rock-influenced fashion he’d assist flip into blockbuster crossover albums for the Beastie Boys (Licensed to In poor health) and Run-DMC (Elevating Hell) in 1986 — sending hip-hop completely overground and setting the stage for its complete mainstream takeover within the many years to come back. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Since 1993, The Hitmen collective has served as in-house producers for Unhealthy Boy Information and in addition labored with artists exterior the label. Gaining preliminary discover and demanding popularity of The Infamous B.I.G.’s 1994 masterpiece Able to Die, the staff has since amassed a deep-rooted catalog that mirrors rap’s personal evolution. The staff’s credit vary from back-in-the-day collaborations with Religion Evans, Puff Daddy, Mase and Shyne to more moderen initiatives by Machine Gun Kelly, French Montana and Janelle Monáe. Among the many esteemed crew’s present and former members: the late Chucky Thompson, Straightforward Mo Bee, Combs, Ryan Leslie, Mario “Yellowman” Winans and Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie. – G.M.

You’ll be able to’t speak about West Coast hip-hop with out discussing the game-changing contributions of DJ Quik. The Compton native’s capacity to intertwine funk, soul and rap revolutionized the style and helped cement G-funk as an unstoppable sound within the early ’90s. His work as a producer was simple, as he crafted hits with stars like 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z. However Quik was additionally a proficient rapper, whose first two albums, 1991’s Quik Is The Title and 1992’s Means 2 Fonky, established him as a revered multihyphenate, with timeless anthems equivalent to “Tonite,” “Born and Raised in Compton” and “Jus Lyke Compton.” – M.E.

Because the in-house producer for Money Cash within the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s, Mannie Contemporary introduced the New Orleans bounce to the plenty, with era-defining data like Juvenile’s “Again That Azz Up,” the Large Tymers’ “This Is How We Do,” B.G.’s “Bling Bling” and Lil Wayne’s “Go D.J.” Few producers have been capable of seize the distinctive swagger of their house metropolis in such an immediately recognizable approach, and it’s a credit score to his brilliance that his data nonetheless go so arduous. – D.R.

Merely primarily based off his work alongside duo accomplice C.L. Clean — the righteous funk of “Mecca and Soul Brother,” the plush quiet storm of “Plenty of Lovin,” the timeless soul of “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” — Pete Rock may stand alongside any hip-hop producer of the ‘90s. However in fact his influence goes nicely past the data launched below his personal identify, along with his ear for clear drums, intelligent scratches and rousing jazz and R&B samples elevating pivotal works by Nas (“The World Is Yours”), Widespread (“The Bitch in Yoo”) and Redman (“How one can Roll a Blunt”), and in addition making him a go-to remixer for lots of the period’s largest rap hits. – A.U.

Simply Blaze has lived many lives. As certainly one of Roc-A-Fella’s in-house producers, he helped propagate the label’s trademark sound – lush, glittering, ruthlessly trendy beats that carried songs from the block to the membership. And whereas Ye took that sound and co-opted it for his personal solo rap profession, Simply Blaze labored to develop his personal fashion that centered across the combination of samples and high-fidelity stay instrumentation that made you’re feeling as in the event you have been proper there within the studio with the session gamers. It was a method that labored with a large number of MCs, together with Jay-Z, Eminem and the Dipset and State Property crews. His approach labored so nicely that when, in 2009, a bit of identified rapper from New Orleans hopped on certainly one of his beats, it correctly launched his profession and subsequently began one of many craziest bidding wars in latest reminiscence. – D.S.

Beginning within the mid ‘90s, no producer was as constantly on the leading edge as Timothy Mosley, as his warped future-funk beats and extraterrestrial synths helped push common music into the twenty first century. The scope of Timbaland’s studio mastery may hardly be contained by hip-hop, because it finally pushed into the worlds of R&B, pop and sometimes even rock. However his work in rap alone is sufficient to earn him all-timer standing, together with longtime creative partnerships with legends like Jay-Z (“Large Pimpin’,” “Grime Off Your Shoulder”), Ludacris (“Phat Rabbit,” “Rollout (My Enterprise)”) and naturally musical soulmate Missy Elliott, whose in depth turn-of-the-century work with Tim stays the gold normal for envelope-pushing in all common music. – A.U.

East Coast hip-hop acquired a shot of adrenaline when Swizz Beatz constructed a powerhouse with Ruff Ryders within the late ’90s and early ’00s. Starting with the ever present heater “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” the chemistry between Swizz and NY famous person DMX made them certainly one of rap’s grittiest one-two punches, as X’s searing snarls and barks thrived over Swizz’s bombastic manufacturing. Eve and The Lox have been additionally beneficiaries of Swizz’s beat-making prowess, rising as faces of the burgeoning NY steady, however it was the producer’s masterwork with rappers exterior of the double-R household equivalent to Jay-Z’s “Cash, Money, Hoes,” T.I.’s “Deliver Em Out,” and “Lil Wayne’s “Uproar” that prolonged his legacy to the broader rap world. — C.L.

In 1998, Vibe journal paid homage to Marley Marl, saying he “endlessly modified the sound of hip-hop along with his distinctive beat barrages,” born out of his transforming of drum samples. As certainly one of rap’s revolutionary and influential guiding lights, Marl greater than lives as much as that reward. The Queens, New York native started honing his manufacturing abilities within the early ‘80s as a co-founder of the Juice Crew, and later as in-house producer for Chilly Chillin’ Information. There, he helmed landmark albums for fellow Juice Crew members Large Daddy Kane (Lengthy Dwell the Kane, together with “Set It Off”), Biz Markie (Goin’ Off, together with “Vapors”), M.C. Shan (Down By Legislation, together with battle anthem “The Bridge”) and Roxanne Shanté (Unhealthy Sister, together with the seminal “Roxanne’s Revenge”). A rapper in his personal proper (“Marley Marl Scratch” that includes Shan), Marl can also be behind classics from LL Cool J (“Across the Means Woman”) and Kool G Rap & DJ Polo (“Street to the Riches”), amongst many others. – G.M.

Few artists change the sport as a lot as A Tribe Known as Quest modified rap. The group paved the way in which for brand spanking new avenues of subject material, bringing a sensible, slick and streetwise everyman POV to rap. However, extra related to this listing, the group launched new sounds and influences from bebop to psychedelic rock. The rapper/producer spearheaded the manufacturing of ATCQ’s basic albums The Low Finish Principle and Midnight Marauders, making a sound mattress that completely accented the group’s irreverent rhymes. His work with Tribe alone can be sufficient to land him on an inventory of the most effective producers, however Tip went additional – serving to out on Nas’s watershed debut, giving Mobb Deep a hotter contact, and later working with Jay-Z and Kanye West on Watch The Throne. He not solely modified the sound of rap however made a brand new era of artists who we now take pleasure in really feel comfy sufficient to make the music they wished to make. There’s nothing extra legendary than that  – D.S.

What began as a friendship melded collectively by music at a summer season camp within the Nineteen Nineties grew to become certainly one of hip-hop’s most dynamic partnerships, whose influence and significance lasted nicely into the twenty first century. As The Neptunes, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo doled out indelible occasion starters equivalent to Jay-Z’s “I Simply Wanna Love U,” Nelly’s “Sizzling in Herre,” “N.O.R.E.’s “Superthug,” and Mystikal’s twin bangers “Shake Ya Ass,” and “Hazard,” ruling radio, the golf equipment and the charts for summer season after summer season. When the Virginia twosome wasn’t making the dancefloor shake, they have been instrumental in constructing certainly one of hip-hop’s punchiest twin giants with Clipse, courtesy of coke-binged classics like 2002’s Lord Willin’ and 2006’s Hell Hath No Fury. – C.L.

The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem – these are the boroughs and neighborhoods that outlined the sound of NYC hip-hop within the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Nonetheless, due to Brownsville-born Robert Diggs, b.ok.a RZA, Staten Island would go away its personal indelible mark on the sport. Whereas Dr. Dre had the nation West Coastin’ with slick G-funk samples and breezy drop-top anthems, RZA took the dusty file bin diving of NYC rap to a different degree with loops that gave the impression of they emanated from a basement stairwell. He blended these with obscure clips from ‘70s Kung-Fu movies to kind a sonic tapestry that felt so rugged and gritty that it bordered on horrorcore, however finally created a world in contrast to something we’d heard earlier than. Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) not solely launched the world to a a few of the rawest, wittiest, most unique and ingenious MCs ever, it kicked off a legendary run of group and solo albums — all helmed by RZA — that will endlessly change the sound and language of hip-hop. – D.S.

Regardless of coming to be synonymous with the New York, boom-bap sound that outlined the Nineteen Nineties, Premier’s profession started in Houston, the place he was born and went to high school, earlier than he moved to Brooklyn within the Eighties. But it surely was on the East Coast that he developed the jazz-funk-sampling, scratchy, stay MPC drumming manufacturing that punched by basic mid-’90s data like Nas’ “N.Y. State of Thoughts,” The Infamous B.I.G.’s “Ten Crack Commandments” and Jay-Z’s “Good friend or Foe.” He made his identify alongside Guru in beloved NY duo Gang Starr, however his legacy now extends far past his personal group, because the spine for a few of the best and most influential rap data of all time. Hip-hop was born in New York, and nobody got here to embody the sound of town so fully as Premier. – D.R.

Kanye West and his chopped-up soul samples took the rap world by storm within the early 2000s as Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella’s not-so-secret weapon. Yeezy’s avant-garde manufacturing put no restrict on his deep-sea exploration of hip-hop’s boundaries, whereas pulling on an eclectic mixture of influences and brilliantly piecing collectively the unlikeliest of collaborators. With 24 Grammy Awards and the Billboard employees’s No. 1 album of the 2010s headlining his Corridor-of-Fame résumé – the opulent My Stunning Darkish Twisted Fantasy – Kanye’s 5 beats a day for 3 summers mantra throughout his come-up actually paid off. Over twenty years into his adorned profession, West nonetheless calls for public curiosity and an enormous following, regardless of heavy backlash after his string of controversies, and has lengthy cemented his place as one of many style’s visionaries and sonic tastemakers. – M.S.

Beginning his music profession in 1985 as a member of the electro-hop group World Class Wreckin’ Cru, Dr. Dre — born André Younger — has since turn into a very powerful producer/artist in rap’s 50-year historical past. The Compton, Calif. native rose to prominence because the co-founder of the seminal West Coast gangsta rap group N.W.A, producing style game-changers just like the protest anthem “Fuck tha Police.” He then broke from the group to work on his trailblazing solo debut album, 1992’s The Persistent (together with the hits “Nuthin’ however a ‘G’ Thang” and “Dre Day”) and helped usher the G-funk sound into the cultural dialog. In tandem with the discharge of his second solo masterpiece, 1999’s 2001, the self-described “Grasp of Mixology” additional expanded and formed his penchant for utilizing stay musicians and dabbling in different genres as he continues to foster his ever-evolving manufacturing fashion. 

Alongside the way in which, the seven-time Grammy winner has produced a treasure trove of hit singles and albums, equivalent to his and 2Pac’s “California Love,” Snoop Dogg’s riveting Doggystyle (the primary debut album by an artist to bow at No. 1 on the Billboard 200), 50 Cent’s “In Da Membership” and Eminem’s “The Actual Slim Shady,” the latter two with artists signed to the sharp-eared Dre’s Aftermath label. Along with collaborating on initiatives with hip-hop and R&B luminaries Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak, Dr. Dre has additionally labored to cross the torch to future generations by such producer mentees as his stepbrother Warren G, Daz Dillinger, Scott Storch and Mike Elizondo. – G.M.