****After a discussion of the top producers/dj's in hip-hop, Eric Morse (Editor
Trampoline House) and I challenged each other to justify our choices. Discuss. Comment. Enjoy.****
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DJEZI
I present my top producers in the art and craft we know as hip-hop. Before we get started, Ill tell you the questions I asked myself when making this list, according to the criteria set forth by Brother Eric.
Originality How different is his sound from everyone else in his era?
Versatility How many different styles did he display in his own work?
Sampling/Technical Skill Did he use well-known or obscure samples at the time? How did he use his samples? Did he clearly demonstrate exceptional skill at programming and mixing with the technology he had to work with?
Body of Work In addition to quantity, did the quality of his work stand out? Did it span multiple Golden Ages? How many different artists did he work with?
Industry Impact To what degree is he evolutionary or revolutionary? Are we still feeling the effects of his work? Important note: Industry respect was not taken into consideration.
11 ERIC SERMON - 79
Originality 75
Versatility 75
Sampling/Technical Skill 80
Body of Work 85
Industry Impact 80
Eric Sermon is responsible for the careers of Redman, Keith Murray, Das EFX, and most importantly EPMD. Not incredibly original or versatile, but is responsible for many of hip-hops greatest hits and has a lot of songs to his credit.
10 MANTRONIK - 83
Originality 90
Versatility 75
Sampling/Technical Skill 95
Body of Work 80
Industry Impact 80
In retrospect, Mantronik was a one-trick pony. But he had a hell of a trick. Fresh is the Word? Cold Gettin Dumb? Bass Machine? Ill take phat-ass tracks as my trick any day. Timbaland needs to send this dude a third of his earnings. Today.
9 PETE ROCK - 84
Originality 85
Versatility 75
Sampling/Technical Skill 90
Body of Work 90
Industry Impact 80
It never fails to anger me when I realize how underappreciated Pete is now. This cat virtually invented bringing the beat back in on the 2 and 4. How many times have you waited for the Pete Rock Remix? I thought so.
8 A TRIBE CALLED QUEST - 89
Originality 90
Versatility 75
Sampling/Technical Skill 90
Body of Work 90
Industry Impact 100
Living Legends. Who popularized using jazz samples? Quest. Who produced three classic albums? Quest. They never produced for anyone but themselves, and thats why their union of beats and rhyme is beyond reproach.
7 ORGANIZED NOIZE - 89
Originality 90
Versatility 85
Sampling/Technical Skill 90
Body of Work 90
Industry Impact 90
It is enough that they are responsible for all of Outkasts and Goodie Mobs albums, but theres more. Ludacris, Cee-Lo, Bubba Sparxxx to start. If there is some southern hip-hop worth listening to, more than likely they are behind it. And largely without samples.
6 - J Dilla aka Jay Dee
Originality 90
Versatility 85
Sampling/Technical Skill 95
Body of Work 80
Industry Impact 80
1/3rd of the Ummah ('96-'98). Slum Village's, "Fantastic Vol. 1 & 2". Jaylib. Three solo albums. Seriously hot joints for De La ("Verbal Clap", "Itsoweezee", "Stakes is High"), Pharcyde ("Runnin'", "Drop"),
and many others. This may sound like revisionist history, but when you run the numbers...well, the numbers don't lie.
Oh. The new joint, "Donuts"? Fucking brilliant.
James Yancey aka J. Dilla aka Jay Dee.
Act like you know.
5 - BOMB SQUAD - 93
Originality 95
Versatility 85
Sampling/Technical Skill 100
Body of Work 95
Industry Impact 90
Public Enemy. Walking with a Panther. Amerikkkaz Most Wanted. The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
4 MARLEY MARL - 95
Originality 90
Versatility 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 95
Body of Work 100
Industry Impact 100
The man is responsible for the hottest hip-hop song for at least 10 years by anyones count. Yall know the history: Shan, Kane, Cool J, Kool G, Craig G., Masta Ace, Biz, Shante, TLC (!), Heavy D, and L.O.T.U.G. What?!?
3 PRINCE PAUL - 96
Originality 100
Versatility 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 100
Body of Work 100
Industry Impact 90
De La Soul. Handsome Boy Modeling School, Gravediggaz, 3rd Bass, Stetsasonic. Oh, and three of his own joints. Genius.
2 DR. DRE - 96
Originality 90
Versatility 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 100
Body of Work 100
Industry Impact 100
Come on.
1 RICK RUBIN - 98
Originality 100
Versatility 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 100
Body of Work 100
Industry Impact 100
From Its Yours to 99 Problems, this dude is fucking amazing. The only thing pushing him past Dre is his incredible range and breadth of work, due to his BEING IN THE CULTURE SINCE IT FUCKING STARTED AND STILL MAKING HOT SHIT. Run-DMC, King of Rock, Raising Hell, Licenced to Ill, Yo, Bum Rush the Show.
So there.
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ERIC MORSE (Editor -
Trampoline House)
I guess its my turn. As I was enthralled and inspired last night by the first in VH1s hip-hop miniseries, And You Dont Stop, Im finally getting around to writing up my list.
I should comment beforehand, however, that I went at this with more of a DJ-bent than djezi did. So, while my criteria in the categories were very similar to djezi's, producers who were notable turntablists tended to rate higher in the Sampling/Technical Skill category. (And I think youll find a surprise or two). Also, after looking at Ivans list and realizing he eschewed the heavy weighing of Body of Work, I did the same which changed a few rankings on the list. Youll find some newcomers right up there with the Old Guard.
At any rate, tell me what you think. You might be surprised, and perhaps angry. But thats what this is about, right??
First, Honorable Mention:
Pete Rock
RZA
Jazzy Jeff
Now, for the top 10:
10 Neptunes / Pharrell Williams 81
Originality 80
Versatility 80
Industry Impact 85
Sampling/Technical Skill 80
Body of Work 80
I know, I know. I hate to throw such a new jack into the all-time canon. But if the shoe fits, put that shit on. This list is full of the men behind hip-hops various movements and creative growth, and Pharrell is one of those men. I will never confuse sales with artistic merit, but you have to admit that all these men were hitmakers as well. Their appeal and influence is part of what made their particular styles into hip-hop movements. And you cant discuss hip-hop in 2004 without mentioning the name of the man (or group, if you want to be charitable) with the most influence and appeal. Rating an 80 in almost every category, hes only moderately strong but hes consistent (has he ever made a flop?) and multi-talented. Bottom line: if youve got Common AND Jay-Z calling your name, you must be doing something right.
9 ERIC B. 81.4
Originality 80
Versatility 72
Industry Impact 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 85
Body of Work 80
The year is 1986. Your favorite album is Raising Hell, although those obnoxious white kids the Beastie Boys have gotten into your head, and youre not sure if youre going to be able to get them out. You pick up Paid In Full, and put it on the turntable. Track 1: that 808 kick and clap, the horns, and DAMN, that MC! I Aint No Joke blows your mind, and then track 2 comes on, Eric B. Is On The Cut, and you realize that scratching is an art form, not a gimmick. This guy can make vinyl samples sound like an instrument. A lot of stuff was amazing back then, but Eric B.s beats sound new, fresh and powerful almost 20 years later. Im listening to it right now, and its still in the upper echelon. Hes as timeless as Rick Rubin.
8 DJ PREMIER 84
Originality 78
Versatility 75
Industry Impact 85
Sampling/Technical Skill 92
Body of Work 90
Maybe hes no Pete Rock in terms of underrated DJs, but Premier doesnt get the name recognition he deserves. Gang Starr was the hard answer to Tribe and De La, and Premier is still turning out some ill shit.
7 TIE: PRINCE PAUL / TIMBALAND 84.4
PAUL: TIM:
Originality 80 Originality - 85
Versatility 75 Versatility - 77
Industry Impact 92 Ind. Imp. - 85
Sampling/Technical Skill 85 S/T 90
Body of Work 90 BoW 85
What can I say about Prince Paul that you dont already know? But let me say this about Tim: in keeping with my theory that were currently experiencing a Golden Age III, Timbaland was instrumental in engineering it. His beats did for hip-hop production what Rakim (and later Eminem) did for rhyming took it completely out of its contruct, warped it, added to it. His syncopation and irregular rhythms gave the world a new concept of what hip-hop could be. No major producer since Bambaataa has created such an ambitious cross-section of hip-hop and contemporary underground electronic music.
6 A TRIBE CALLED QUEST 85.6
Originality 83
Versatility 85
Industry Impact 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 80
Body of Work 90
MCs act like they dont know.
5 BOMB SQUAD / HANK SHOCKLEE 86
Originality 85
Versatility 80
Industry Impact 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 85
Body of Work 90
You know the deal.
4 JAM MASTER JAY 87
Originality 85
Versatility 75
Industry Impact 95
Sampling/Technical Skill 90
Body of Work 90
Im tired of writing these. The man needs no introduction.
3 DJ SHADOW 87.4
Originality 85
Versatility 85
Industry Impact 87
Sampling/Technical Skill 98
Body of Work 82
Believe me, I was as surprised as you are. I went over and over the numbers, tried to adjust them so that I thought they made more sense, but ultimately, the numbers dont lie. Does he really deserve to be rated with Dre, JMJ and the Bomb Squad in Originality? I have already argued that hip-hop is in the middle (maybe an end) of a third Golden Era, and a large part of what makes this era as Golden as eras past is the creative and technical breadth. Shadow is the poster boy for an entirely new genre of hip-hop, and Abstract Hip-Hop has made its presence felt throughout hip-hops mainstream as well. In many ways, the abstract DJs and producers have much more in common with the original b-boys than their mainstream counterparts. Versatility? The man doesnt just make pretty downbeat tracks or sample collages, hes made more than a few all-out bangers with MCs like Mighty Mos Def and Latyrx. In Sampling/Technical Skill, hes unmatched among this group. His turntable skills are ridiculous he could run from DMC battle to DMC battle if he wanted, but hed rather rip the shit out of some obscure samples. He brings a musicality to beats, samples and scratches that few of his peers have been able to muster. As hard as I try, I cant put this guy down below ..3. Hes among the best in every category.
2 DR. DRE 87.6
Originality 85
Versatility 80
Industry Impact 90
Sampling/Technical Skill 88
Body of Work 95
You heard the man: Come on.
1 RICK RUBIN 89.2
Originality 88
Versatility 880
Industry Impact 95
Sampling/Technical Skill 88
Body of Work 95
I was surprised to find that he got this one right