Since I threw out the statement that “I respect Jay Dee but he doesn’t crack my top 25” comment earlier, it’s only right that I back it up by providing the Unkut top 30 in no particular order. Send all hate mail to the usual address.
DJ Pooh
His work with King Tee, Threat and Ice Cube cemented his place is the history books.
DJ Muggs
The sound of the first three Cypress Hill albums reminded New York of something that had been lost for a minute.
Paul C.
Scientific drum programming that was five years ahead of his time.
Howie Tee
His work with Special Ed, Real Roxanne and Chubb Rock was running shit on the dancefloors in his day.
Easy Moe Bee
Defined the sound of the times at his prime with Bad Boy.
Dr. Dre
Efil4Zaggin was the most state of the art release of it’s day, and The Chronic changed rap forever.
DOOM
Made flipping dollar bin 80’s R&B records work in 1999 and reminded us what this shit is all about – making something out of nothing.
The Beatnuts
Brought the Spanish influence into the game and provided some of the best drinking music ever.
Da Beatminerz
Their work on Da Shinin’ is flawless.
Prince Paul
Took it back to the weird and obscure without sacrificing the thump.
Bomb Squad
Future shock sampling before samplers were even up to the task.
The RZA
Took us back the dungeons of rap and made some of the dirtiest music major label rap ever.
Larry Smith
Made Run-DMC and Whodini into the powerhouses of 80’s rap that they became.
Duke Bootee
Mastered the Linn drum like no one else before or after.
Mantronik
Technical wizard who took the drum machine to new hights with his work for Mantronix and T La Rock.
Pete Rock
Pushed the SP-1200 to previously unimaginable levels with Mecca and the Soul Brother, while he built on the 45 King’s horn science and made it his own.
DJ Premier
Defined the raw New York sound for most of the 90’s with a stripped-down, unorthadox approach.
Large Professor
He’s got so much soul, he don’t need no music.
EPMD
Unfinished Business was the most sophisticated production of 1989, and that was only one of their four incredible achievements.
Schoolly-D
Took rap to it’s rawest form and conquered it with “P.S.K.” and “Gucci Time”, and evolved into the sampling era with equal aplomb.
The Alchemist
Studied under Havoc from Mobb Deep and has since overshadowed his master by taking the essence of QB back to the west.
Rick Rubin
Proved that less is always more with “It’s Yours”, the first LL album and the Beastie Boys debut.
Q-Tip
Kept Bambatta’s dream of experimentation alive.
Havoc
Changed the sound of thug rap forever with soulful, desolate loops and masterful snare work.
Diamond D
The epitome of crate culture on record. “Sally Got A One Track Mind” cannot be touched.
Showbiz
The essence of The Bronx sound who made big band samples pop like no one had before.
Bucwild
On the strength of “Time’s Up” and “Woah” alone, Buck has the versatility that most lack.
Ced-Gee
So far ahead of his time that the world still hasn’t caught up, Ced took production into orbit with his advanced programming science.
45 King
The first producer to kill horns on hooks and loop the stuff you’d never think to flip.
Marley Marl
Invented the concept of sampling drums from records instead of using drum machines, and therefroe the most important hip-hop producer of all-time by default. Not to mention he gave us “The Bridge”…
GREAT fuckin list, Robbie! Can’t be mad at that in any way. And personally, I’d have Jay Dee aka J Dilla on my list, but that’s just me…
Great list. Most wouldn’t even think to consider Bomb Squad, Rubin or Larry Smith (been saying it for years) despite being the three next to Marley that really set blueprints. Props.
If J Dilla’s so good, why’s he dead?
Dilla shouldn’t even crack anybody’s top 1000 rap producers list.
Where Pumpkin at?
Great list, Rob…Once thing I wanted to add: Steve Sola once told me that he was the one adding the famous reverb on Havoc´s snares. I don´t know if this is true, but if it is he played a major part in making Havoc´s joints what they are.
replace Rick Rubin with Jazzy Jay..he did the First LL Cool j records, he was cut creator It’s yours ,plus he inspired produced for Diamond d, showbiz Q-tip Jb’s brand Nubian etc
k-Def, T-Ray, Dilla, NO ID, Domino, Araabmuzik (just kidding), MadLib, Just Blaze… I don’t know who else i would put on a best producers list…Daz? considering he did a lot of the stuff that dre gets credit for.
Solid list. The most glaring omission is DJ Quik though. I also would have made room for QDIII, Tony D, Bobcat and maybe Sir Jinx.
Peace Money…no Finesse?
Nice list, but I’d add some personal favourite as it’s DR Period, 4th Disciple, or RNS, raw producers from New York, creating this grimy raw Hip Hop NY sound of the 90s.
This list is correct
about time someone repped schoolly d and Howie the list iz on point dilla is cool but this list was before him
Madlib should be on this list.
Timbaland !!
and Dilla
and for us 35 and under cats you gotta add Just Blaze and Kanye.
that is all.
Great list.
Lord Finesse needs to be on the list too, and I think Hieroglyphics’ producers (Domino, A Plus, Jay-Biz, etc) are criminally under appreciated.
This list is fucking solid… ‘ Stunts Blunts and Hip Hop ‘ needs a deluxe package reissue …..like yesterday.
Great list Robbie, but I would have 9th Wonder (in my opinion easily one of the best to do it)on that list and Jazzy Jeff. Peace from the suburbs in leafy Hertfordshire.
Dilla a fine rapper (hah hah) but whatever as producer… he was OK, I guess. Definitely overrated by white boys and the Roots.
Sometimes I think the Beatminerz huge fall off is one rap’s greater sorrows but then I remember those two crappy producer’s albums they made and…
I’m tempted to through Rick Rubin off the list for producing far more ass than heat throughout his career but I dunno… Wasn’t he given control of Sony Records and then gave Jim Jones a huge deal? Yeah, great motherfucking ear, asshole.
Kill Rick Rubin in 1986 and OK, he stays.
ask Pete Rock, Doom, Tip, Premier or even Alchemsit if Dilla was overrated. Don’t trip just cos he’s shown love..
Dope list and on point as always however.
Yo P-Money, Just Blaze and KanYe West??? Fuck no!! Get real.
I’ve never been overly fanatical of Jay Dee either. A few names I’d consider above him would be Kenny Dope, Lord Finesse, Salaam Remi, K-Def, No ID, Unknown DJ & DJ Slip.
Are you OK, Robbie?!?
You finally made a totally rational list, LMAO
Y’all buggin’, Dilla was NICE … and no Q-Tip/Ali/ATCQ on this list means FAIL … no DJ Quik, Boogiemen (West Coast Bomb Squad w/ Pooh, Jinx, Cube, Bobcat), LA Posse (Bobcat n nem, produced Bigger And Deffer), Ready Red/Mike Dean/Rap-A-Lot, Timbaland, BDP, TEDDY RILEY?? Shoulda taken more time compiling this thing … great choices listed though…
Q-Tip doesn’t get enough propers.
Q-Tip made the list.
Just a brief digression from the topic:
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Back to Hip Hop: Preemo is the G.O.A.T. Hands down.
@Robbie, haha, fail on my part re: Q-Tip … but I stand by the rest of it!!!
cosign that list, although I’d add Gunshot’s White Child Rix as a personal favorite of mine
Good list. You pretty much covered everyone who matters/ed. My only thought: EPMD should have been EPMD/Erick Sermon “cause E held it down with and without PMD. His run from about ’94-’99 is underrated and underacknowledged.
Agree with the reasons for Buckwild but didn’t OK have that loop first or something? Time’s Up, I mean.
herby luv bug ?
kay gee: 3 classic naughty albums, plus classic tracks by miilkbone, rotten razkalz, and even some nice zhane tracks.
honorables: dj kenny parker, nick wiz [cella dwellaz & miilk], and dj eddie f [that smooth uptown sound], and plugs 1, 2, and 3 [Stakes is High and beyond]
Agree with oska, completely forgot about the E-double. Herby Luve bug shouldn’t be considered; his tracks did not age well at all.
LOL at “classic tracks by millkbone, rotten razkalz”
Dr. Dre is one of the best ENGINEERS ever, not producer…Case in point: Produced by Dr. Dre AND DJ Yella, produced by Dr. Dre AND Mel-Man, produced by Dr.Dre AND Stu-B-Doo, produced by Dr. Dre AND Scott Storch…see a pattern? (and I’m not even mentioning the beats he outright stole and slapped his name on…) He’s overrated, but this list is mostly on point…
I totally cannot find fault in that list at all.
I love lists and this is one of the best I’ve ever seen. There’s a few legit arguments by dudes in the comments re: notable beatmakers who didn’t make the cut, but all in all this list is pretty unfuckwittable.
Props to Robbie for putting an exclamation point on another stellar year of rap journalism. Don’t stop bloggin’.
I like Robbie’s top 30 list and agree with most of it.
I would add THE BOMB SQUAD, VANCE WRIGHT, SAM SEVER, PRINCE PAUL,DOMINGO, BUCK WILD, DIAMOND D , BOB CAT(LA POSSE)…
I DON’T THINK J-DUBB IS WACK BUT HE IS THE MOST OVERRATED PRODUCER IN HIP-HOP EVER. HE NEVER PRODUCED A WHOLE CLASSIC ALBUM NOT ONE.
SHOWBIZ IS A BILLION TIMES MORE TALENT THAN J DILLA AND HAS THE ALBUMS TO BACK THAT UP.
Good List though.
I think the list should be divided up.Some of the producers on that list where slapping their names on stuff and others where doing the actual digging and programming.That being said I miss a couple of names that should be on that list:
King of Chill(Kibbles and Bits was crazed genius) so much stuff it’s one of the best imo.
Roc Marciano is amassing a great body of work,same goes for KA as far as production goes
Teddy Riley should be in the top 10
Hollywood Impact(King Sun,Twin hype,LA Starr),if I have to explain,you won’t get it but hip/house sounded good when he did it.
LA Kid of Tuff crew,listen to Danger Zone and Back to Wreck shop,amazing.
Bilal Bashir(Rhyme Syndicate,Ice T,Divine styler)
Ice T’s Power album has his footprints all over it.
Chuck Nice(3xDope)2 albums worth of classic material,Original Styling is a classic and Live from Acknickulous Land is a personal favourite
Great list, I’d like to give a honorable mention to Matt Dike & The Dust Brothers, especially for ‘Paul’s Boutique’ but also ‘Know How’, ‘Bust A Move’, ‘Funky Cold Medina’ & ‘Wild Thing’, pop rap, yes, but still funky as fuck and infinitely better than the shit that gets in the charts these days.
Showbiz,Diamond D, Buckwild, Lord Finesse
DITC changed the game
Simon cowell