As we are all now painfully aware, technology is the gift and the curse. We all have CD burners, scanners, computers and printers so anyone can make an album from their home studio and sell a shrink wrapped CD from the comfort of their own home via the internet. We have venues for people to display their talents...however, it’s flooded with far too many people that have no real talent to speak of. Sure we have MySpace, but very few of these cats on MySpace that send you friend requests are any goddamn good.
The gift of MySpace and Soundclick and other sites of that nature is that it puts well known and critically acclaimed artists on (somewhat) equal footing with everyday artists. This means that we can have our favorite underground artists and producers on our Top 40’s next to our favorite well known artists and producers. It’s the great equalizer...problem is that there is so much wack shit in the way that it’s hard to find the cream in a sea of crap. I decided to do the legwork for you and sift through more than 500 different MySpace producer pages and narrow it down to the best 200 before I made my initial list way back in March.
This time I pored through 250+ nominees sent by the readers of this very blog and narrowed them down to 100 before I picked the 18 producers in this very list here. To any of you reading this list that feel slighted that you didn’t make it I apologize because I’m only human and I do admit that there were about 20 cats that I wish I could’ve added to this list but hopefully I can put them on with the next one. I also didn't want to get bogged down with writing out everyone's discographies and credits because I want them to be judged by their music (plus they usually list their credits on their pages..just click the links and read away).
Enough talk, let’s get into it:
Dante Lewis
This beatmaker from Virgina Beach, VA is a favorite among regular posters on Okayplayer and beatheads from every corner of the internet. There was no question that this cat was going to be featured on this list after I first heard his track back in April after I’d already posted my first list. His beats help remind me that no matter how saturated and watered down the rap industry has become that Hip Hop is actually far from being dead. Check him out now:
http://www.myspace.com/reallyfreshbeats
Seoul Avenger
I got a friend request from this cat more than a month ago and I wnt to his page to see what he was about. About 30 minutes later (and 10 full listens to his tracks) I finally accepted his friend request and told him that he was going to be featured on my blog in the near future. See what kind of firepower this Cali resident has in his beat arsenal here:
http://www.myspace.com/theseoulavenger
WMS Productions
The last time I did this list I kind of battled with myself not to put too many local artists on the list because it would look like I was being a homer and favoring just local heads from Boston, MA and New England. This meant that I left out quite a few cats that deserved some write ups. One of those cats is most definitely WMS The Sultan. I can’t walk, take a train or a bus anywhere around my neighborhood without seeing stickers, business cards or posters announcing WMS Productions has beats for sale or that he has a new joint out for one the the area’s heavyweights. This dude grinds so hard that he’s had write ups in the Boston Globe, Boston Phoenix and Boston Herald. It’s about time I joined suit and presented to you all the beatmaker known as The Sultan, peep his skills:
http://www.myspace.com/wmsthesultan
http://www.myspace.com/wmsproductions
Neomatrix AKA DJ Liphted
This cat has some of the craziest beats in the area hands down. He has crafted gems for a seemingly endless list of New England’s most respected emcees including NBS (9th Wonder’s Dream Merchant 2 & Evolution: The Mixtape). To see his full discography and hear his beats check his page out here:
http://www.myspace.com/neomatrix
Kas One (Undersea Fam)
I came into contact with Kas One through his collaboartions with previous honoree Medi-Cal. They rep the same crew of emcees and beatmakers out of El Centro, CA called Undersea Fam. Kas One has been making some serious heat of his own as exhibited in the current heat up on his page now including the deadly melodies “Kastruments”, “Free Thought” and “Pocket Of Flowers” (I played them through my external speakers and I couldn’t help but make the stinkface while forcing my neighbors to hear it as well). Check G Rocka’s heat out for yourself:
http://www.myspace.com/banginpads
G Rocka (Undersea Fam)
G Rocka is another member of the Undersea Fam that makes these joints that make my neck hurt damn near weekly. I’m gonna have to shoot you a hospital bill for damn near breaking my neck and killing me with “Guitar Session”. Oh yeah, “Untitled” should be called “Undersea Funk”. To figure out what the hell I’m talking about check his beats out here:
http://www.myspace.com/grockaundersea
Decap Beats
In an era when there were a bunch of producers up on MySpace and Soundclick looking like obvious amateurs, Decap was one of the first to have a completely professional approach to how he put his material online. He forced a lot of people to treat their craft more seriously. The result? He gets prime placements and commands top dollar for his creations. Whatever style you need, he more than likely has. The boy means business. Check out his fire tracks here:
http://www.myspace.com/decapbeats
http://www.decapbeats.com
Nelly Protools (Scratchismz Crew)
Nelly Protools is one of New England’s worst kept secrets yet he may be one of the most slept on producers nationwide. He has whatever sound you’re looking for whether it’s a club banger, street joint, posse track, story beat or an R&B song. You want it, he’s got it. Check out his genius here:
http://www.myspace.com/nellyprotools
http://www.myspace.com/scratchismzproductions
DC The Midi Alien (Trapjaw Affiliates)
This Portsmouth, NH representative has a list of credits longer than Yao Ming’s wingspan with some of your favorite underground groups and emcees. Some know him best for his work with Termanology (“Out The Gate”), others know him best for his work with Granite State (“The Breaking Point”). Once Esoteric of 7l & Esoteric drops his new “Egoclapper” LP that may change. Check my man’s joints out, he’s a beast and he’s been overlooked for too long:
http://www.myspace.com/dcthemidialien
M-Phazes
Australia’s own M Phazes has been doing production work for some of the most acclaimed and respected underground artist for close to a decade now. They also make some ridiculous remixes (for evidence hit up their page and check out their remix for Kelly Rowland’s “Like This”). How heads sleep on them is beyond me. If you aren’t yet in the know then take this time to get your Clinton Sparks on (get familiar!):
http://www.myspace.com/mphazes
Antagonist AKA Aisharp (Loose Notes/It Bees Like That Entertainment)
Tag is half of one of the illest crews in the Bean called Loose Notes. What’s even crazier is that he reps my hood the South End and lives right around the corner from me. There’s no excuse for not having him on this list because he’s earned by making the ill album “What’s Money If Ur Mind’s Empty”. In New England we’ve been recognizing the skills but now it’s time for the world to hear his joints. Look out for the new album “Federal Reserved” coming soon:
http://www.myspace.com/aisharpproductions
http://www.myspace.com/loosenotes
Beat Butcha (Halal Beats)
I’d like to apologize to one of my favorite producers from the UK right now with this entry. The two UK producers that I’ve been following the most in the past 5 years have been Beat Butcha and 76 because they are two of the most slept on beatmakers worldwide that have been incredibly consistent with making nothing but heat rocks. This cat has so many of many favorite tracks to his credit that I won’t even try to list them (thank God he’s done it for me). Check his snippets out, look for his joints and please recognize him as one of the illest in the game right now:
http://www.myspace.com/beatbutcha
Scotty B
Some think that Scotty B is too full of himself. Some think that the boy is too goddamn cocky for his own good. Many often wonder how he keeps getting prime placements and why he has a list of tracks with Boston and New England’s finest emcees. Scotty does pop a lot of shit, but he backs it up. Oh yeah, I didn’t even tell homie (we know each other from BostonRap.com and AllHipHop.com) that he made my list so Scotty doesn’t know. Don’t tell Scotty. Check his beats out:
http://www.myspace.com/scottybmusic
Sound Prophets
D. Moon and Scott Freebass hail from the Chi and are among the group of three producers/production teams that missed my first list because of what can only be termed as “clerical errors” or “dumbassery”. Their smooth, soulful sound id the perfect backdrop for real emcees and lyricists. If you’re looking for a an ill sound for your joints check these heads out yesterday:
http://www.myspace.com/soundprophet
http://www.myspace.com/dmoonmusic
http://www.myspace.com/scottfreebass
Illa J
Illa J is usually tagged with the title “Dilla’s little brother” but he’s an artist in his own right. He writes his own rhymes, produces his own beats and has his own style. While it is reminiscent of his brothers, in some ways so is Karriem Riggins, Black Milk, and many other producers that were close to him so that’s nothing new. His recent release “Illa J EP” showed off his potential and the sky truly is the limit for his talent. Check his joints out here:
http://www.myspace.com/illajmusic
Roeg Du Casq
Roeg Du Casq reps the UK hard. I first came upon his MySpace page more than a year ago and I was feeling his soulful remixes. Somewhere in all of the chaos that was my last producers list, his name (and two others) got lost in the shuffle of 32 producers that I posted back in March. I have been kicking myself in the ass for leaving him off that first list ever since. Roeg hasn’t slowed down a bit, crafting mad headnod shit for the listener. If you’ve been sleeping on him it’s now time for the sleepers to awaken:
http://www.myspace.com/roeg_du_casq
Reasonance
I was put on to Reasonance’s MySpace page by a poster that submitted his link in a comment after I finished the initial part of the producers list. I had heard of him but hadn’t had the opportunity to hear any of his material. Once I got to listen to some of his tracks and especially his work with Blak Philly I was sold, fam. If you want to hear some real heat check this dude out, you won’t be disappointed:
http://www.myspace.com/reasonance
http://www.myspace.com/reasonanceandblakphilly
Blakmaul Beats
I found this cat through mutual links between previous honorees Golden Beat Era and Bingrim and figured that if he was in both of their Top 40’s that he had to have some heat. Dammit, I was right! Blakmaul reps both New England and the Carolinas which are two hotbeds for Hip Hop talent right now. As soon as a non believer hear his joints they will become a convert. Ay yo, Blackmaul...why’d you take down “One”? That was my joint! LOL. Check this cats production out here:
http://www.myspace.com/blakmaul
I’ll print the complete list with all 50 honorees tomorrow. I apologize for not posting this over the weekend but real life intervened in my plans. Congratulations to all of the producers who made the list. I’ll be doing another one of the in March 2008 so get your beats up and add me as a friend @ http://www.myspace.com/poisonousdarthfc to be considered for the list next year or post links to potential nominees in my comments section.
One.
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