Dart Adams presents 25 Producers You Need To Hear Right Now (2009 Edition) Part One

In January, I had made my mind up that this would finally be my breakout year. I'd be recognize across the Hip Hop bloggerverse to a degree that even the magazines would recognize me. I'd have a job making tax free money reviewing albums for eMusic on the side while I got paid for my freelance writing work simultaneously. In March, I had planned to take a hiatus from this blog in order to pursue those endeavors, this meant I probably wouldn't be doing my 50 Producers You Need To Hear Right Now List in 2009. Then, much like the NBA, the amazing happened.

All of the magazines that courted me folded or backed off due to financial issues and I was unceremoniously let go from eMusic for complaining about them NOT paying me and them purposely avoiding me ("we'll get back to you" (?)) because I actually wanted to write and get paid for it ("budget issues" as they put it). By March, I had nada but my blog again. After the whole Vibe Hip Hop Blog list mini meltdown I decided to cut the crap and do what I do best. The 50 Producers You Need To Hear Right Now List is BACK!. Let's get it in!:



VohnBeatz
Reps: Arlington/Dallas, Texas

One of my favorite producers, Symbolyc One put up a video of his 10 year old making beats last Summer on his YouTube channel. I though it was cool that his son was learning to make beats so young. A few months later, his son VohnBeatz posted up his first beats showcase. Keep in mind that at the time homie had been making beats for 9 months! *Raises People's Eyebrow*

I began seeing links to Vohn's beatmaking videos on Okayplayer, ZillaSays and UGHH.com. The word was getting out about Vohn. I decided not to include him in my 2008 list since he'd only been making beats for about a year, though. In 2009, he dropped the mixtape "A Child's Painting" plus tore down the One Stop Producers Conference. I couldn't leave him off this list in good conscience.

More important than his beatmaking talent, he's being raised right (he calls everyone "Sir"), puts God first, he's the Vice President of his class and he's getting straight A's in school...now THAT'S Hip Hop! He's gonna start 6th grade in the Fall and he won a gang of awards at school already so what's another one? Congrats to the future of Hip Hop, we can all rest easy knowing that it's in good hands.

http://www.myspace.com/vohndee




Astronote (Astro Black Music/A Side Worldwide)
Reps: Paris, France

Let's say you somehow managed to sleep on Astronote until right at this moment. You never heard any of his tracks for Sha Stimuli. You never heard the "Loose Bullets" mixtape. You missed the "American Gangster: The Real Album" remixtape. Let's speculate that you missed the "Bigger & Better: The Notorous Remixes" project as well. You even completely missed his production on "Laura's Song" from Donwill (Tanya Morgan)'s upcoming "Don Cusack in High Fidelity" project. Well now you're all caught up and you're no longer sleeping. Welcome to consciousness.

http://www.myspace.com/astronote
http://astroblackinvasion.blogspot.com/




Jansport J
Reps: Los Angeles, CA

What can I tell you about Jansport J? He's the ONLY producer that would've thought to do an "American Gangster" remix album with Gospel samples! If you somehow managed to sleep on his "2 AM Tape" then you're all caught up now. Dude's currently in the lab working feverishly on the LP "High Power Moves" due in November '09. Check out his tracks below.

http://www.myspace.com/jansportj
http://www.youtube.com/user/JansportJ



Rob Viktum (Beat Fanatic)
Reps: Dallas, TX

When I think of Rob Viktum, many things come to mind. Among them "Progress: An Audio Tribute To Cambodian People", "Sweep The Leg (Viktumized)', "Kaleidoscope Viktumized", "Steel Tusks" and of course Snack Packs Vols. 1, 2, 2.5 & 3. Here's some more gems you all missed..readers and listeners, prepare to be Viktumized.

http://www.myspace.com/robviktum
http://my.opera.com/RobViktum/blog/




Knxwledge
Reps: Philadelphia, PA

I really down think it would be fair for me to try to describe what Knxwledge makes with any words other than "ill", "bugged", off the wall", "bananas" or "music". All I can tell you is that this Illadelph native is SICK with the beats. Listen for yourselves as I included him SoundCloud link as well (sign up is quick and easy to listen to his jawns). You'll be making the scrunchy face in no time. Believe it.

http://soundcloud.com/knxwledge
http://www.myspace.com/gloof


Next up: Dibiase, Illastrate, Objektiv One, Slakah The Beatchild & Full Crate

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