Published: Wednesday - June 23, 2004
Words by Matt Barone
No matter how suspect a rapper is on the microphone, lukewarm skills can be looked past, or even made to sound better, if the production is on point. Producers like The Neptunes and Swizz Beatz have created hit songs by simply applying a tight instrumental behind the vocals of an undeserving MC, a formula that unfortunately is running rampant throughout the industry. What this shows is that a producer is a vital ingredient to hip-hop, and with the recent success of Kanye West serving as evidence, beat-makers can now parlay their work behind the boards into their own respective degrees of fame.
2004 seems to be a great year for new producers, with major label heavyweights like Jadakiss and Lloyd Banks employing novices to bless their respective albums with bangers, proving that in the production world, talent thankfully overshadows big names in most cases. A great example of this is The Alchemist, who worked his way from the underground to receiving credit for hit singles by Jadakiss and Mobb Deep, all off the strength of his amazing abilities. 9th Wonder, who came out of nowhere to amaze listeners with his pure sounds on Little Brother's The Listening, was tapped by Jay-Z to contribute the banging "Threat" to his Black Album, also displaying that beats can speak for themselves.
Taking all of this into consideration, a crop of producers have been putting in serious amounts of work below the commercial radar this year, creating unique soundtracks for a diverse line-up of artists resulting in some of the best rap music these past six months have generated. Always paying attention to what is going on in all facets of the hip-hop game, this writer has put together a list of audio wizards who definitely deserve your undivided attention, and if justice is served, will become household names in due time.
Scott Storch: Looking at Scott Storch's recent offerings, it seems ridiculous that this low-key veteran has yet to be mentioned as one of the game's hottest talents. Terror Squad's "Lean Back," Beyonce's "Baby Boy," Jadakiss' "Time's Up," and The Roots' "Don't Say Nuthin'" (just to name a few) are Storch's current hits, and past work with Mobb Deep, Young Gunz, G-Unit, and Eve prove that he is easily the industry's best kept secret. This Philadelphia native first earned his stripes as a keyboardist for The Roots in the mid-90s, a job that gained the attention of the legendary Dr. Dre. Dre utilized one of Storch's keyboard riffs for his comeback single "Still D.R.E.," and the rest was history for one of Philly's finest. A working relationship with Dr. Dre helped to expose Storch's incredible skills to the masses, and he is now one of the most sought-after producers around. It's only a matter of time before his name is plastered all over your TV screens, but considering his phantom-like presence behind the scenes, maybe he's more content with just remaining anonymous. Either way, Scott Storch is a name that has earned a rightful place in hip-hop.
Scram Jones: Like Kanye West, Scram Jones is a double-threat, both producing and MCing with equal levels of merit. The New York citizen has an impressive resume to date, having received the coveted Unsigned Hype honor in The Source magazine and appeared in ads running in magazines such as VIBE after winning a Tommy Hilfiger Demo Contest. On top of hosting his own radio show and DJing locally throughout NYC, Jones has been honing his production skills quite nicely, gaining heavy rotation with his "No No No" beat being used by Jae Millz, as well as crafting the militant heater "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" for Terror Squad. His supreme clientele includes Mobb Deep, Tragedy Khadafi, and Noreaga, while his frequent collaborator Saigon has been generating a deafening street buzz. Saigon's latest joint "The Color Purple" sports a hard-as-nails Jones instrumental, and is evidence as to why Scram Jones is shaping up to be a go-to board-master for the game's hardest spitters. For further proof, take a listen to how Lloyd Banks and Young Buck attack Scram Jones' ferocious "Work Magic" beat off of Banks' Hunger For More LP to hear just how serious Jones is behind the boards.
Necro: As his name implies, this Brooklyn dweller is one sick and twisted individual, but this isn't a bad thing. In fact, possessing such a disturbed sense of creativity has made Necro a production talent all his own. Putting out his signature brand of sick music for years independently, Necro has spawned a cult following through his graphic solo efforts Gory Days and I Need Drugs, as well as his work with Non Phixion. Now with his own label, Psycho+Logical Records, Necro is more focused than ever, single-handedly producing a whopping ten albums seeing release in 2004 and 2005. He created the truly macabre and avant-garde sounds heard on Ill Bill's What's Wrong With Bill?, sparked an audio revolution for Sabac's Sabacolypse, and scored the most bone-chilling soundtrack this side of Michael Myers' theme music on Mr. Hyde's upcoming Barn Of The Naked Dead. With Goretex's highly anticipated solo debut and a new solo effort of his own titled Pre-Fix For Death on deck, Necro is carving his own niche in rap while solidifying his spot as one of the genre's most unique, and undeniably talented, producers.
Madlib: Madlib can be compared to Necro in the respect that he has seemingly been living in the studio this year, making beats for a dizzying number of albums. Starting his career off as a member of the Lootpack, this California resident provided tracks for Tha Alkaholiks before becoming one of the underground's most respected producers. Besides blessing artists like Diverse, Vast Aire, and Planet Asia with beats, Madlib recently recorded the Champion Sound album with Jay Dee, as well as discs under his aliases Quasimoto and Yesterday's New Quintet. The project that has garnered him the most attention in 2004 is his brilliant collaboration album with the equally eccentric rapper MF Doom, Madvilliany. Critically acclaimed and musically innovative, Madvilliany showcases Madlib's multi-influenced style, ranging from jazz to old-school break-beats to dusty samples, all resulting in unparalleled hip-hop. With his promising career still in its early stages, the sky is the limit for the West Coast's hidden treasure.
The views expressed inside this editorial aren't necessarily the views of BallerStatus.net or staff.
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