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The producer has played an important role in shaping hip-hop. In fact, it was the DJ that created the genre. Clive Campbell introduced break-beat, the art of replaying a specific beat to go with the emcee’s rhymes.

Even today, this is what the genre works on. But there are additional tricks of the trade now, of course. And we’ve picked 10 influential producers who’ve furthered the art.

RZA

In the nineties, RZA seemed invincible. His winning formula is not only that he employs largely unheard-of R&B samples, but that he creates new music with them, instead of just placing them beneath the rhymes. Another of his strengths is his ability to smoothly integrate movie sound-bites into his songs. And then there are the beats which, even in lo-fi, sounded as emphatic and his effect on hip-hop.

Lately, though, there have been complaints, even from Wu-Tang Clan members, that his beats have gone astray. There is some truth in these statements, but these complaints come after a tremendously long run of praised albums. Apart from guest appearances, he has produced 24 full albums in the past two decades. The Ghost Dog soundtrack is reason enough to give him a spot here.

Classic works: Ghost Dog, Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.

Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin is the man responsible for calming the fire between hip-hoppers and the rockers. With equal interests in both genres, he first gained fame when he fused the two on the 1986 Beastie Boys album Licensed To Ill. Exploiting this trick turned out to be a good idea as Rubin, to a great critical and commercial response, merged the Aerosmith song ‘Walk The Way’ with beats from Run DMC, then produced the screeching It Takes A Nation Of Million album from Public Enemy. From the nineties onwards, though, his interest in rap has declined. But his influence remains. Just listen to Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers or System Of A Down.

Classic works: Beastie Boys’s Licensed To Ill, Run DMC’s Raising Hell and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Dr Dre

Dre set himself up for fame when he created the gangsta rap sound for NWA in their album Straight Outta Compton. Since then, the slow, heavy bass movements and synth-sounds have become the hallmarks of his work, as evidenced in the albums he’s produced in the past 10 years. A few of which we already recognise as classics – Doggystyle, The Marshall Mathers LP and Get Rich Or Die Tryin, two of which won’t even make it to the list below.

Classic works: The Chronic, Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP and NWA’s Straight Outta Compton.

Timbaland

Timbaland put Missy Elliot on the map, and before Kanye West, was the man responsible for restoring life in hip-hop. With even big artists like Jay-Z, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake still keen on working with him, Timbaland has proved that he’s still got the breakbeats in him. And every once in a while, he’s still capable of surprises. In Shock Value, he manages to get something going with The Hives and Elton John working with him.

Classic works: Shock Value, Missy Elliot’s Supa Da Fly and Aaliyah’s One In A Million.

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Article courtesy of: Planetradiocity.com