Killer Mike Names His Top 5 Beatmakers

Within his initial grouping, Killer Mike split his third favorite producer title with Timbaland and The Neptunes.

“Putting it at #1 – DJ Toomp. He’s our Dr. Dre. He’s taken us from the 80s, 90s, the 2000s, and now to today,” Mike said in an interview. “At #2, let me get Organized Noise/Outkast, because their sound progressed Southern music. They were mentored by Curtis Mayfield…At #3, I just gotta say, and I know I’m grouping people together, but I think you have to at a certain point. So at #3, with Virginia you’re talking about The Neptunes and Timbaland.” (All Hip Hop)

Mike’s list also included a three-way tie with T-Mixx, Mr. Lee andMike Dean.

“I’ma put Three Six Mafia as #4 because they invented a sound. Well, them and Tennessee, which includes people like DJ Squeeky. So put Three Six Mafia/DJ Squeeky,” he added. “And then at #5, I gotta go with T-Mixx, Mr. Lee, and Mike Dean because they are the closest thing to gospel soul music in the South, hands down. I know I’m grouping them, but T-Mixx was with Suave House, and Suave House had a very strong Houston connection in the 90s with 8Ball & MJG.” (All Hip Hop)

Last fall, G-Unit’s Lloyd Banks revealed his top five favorite beat crafters.

“One of the first questions [XXL] asked me is my top five producers of all-time,” Banks said in his video blog. “I definitely gotta start with Dr. Dre. His beats have been influential, you can’t even put an amount, probably one of the first vinyls I had [was from Dre] — so that was crazy. Just to be able to rap over all those [instrumentals]. I would carry that around because I loved the production so much — I definitely gotta say Swizz Beatz. I gotta put him up there, he’s done countless hits over and over again so definitely Swizz Beatz. I enjoy Kanye West, what he’s brought to the game, his production is crazy — Havoc from Mobb Deep is definitely one of my personal favorites. I just feel the sound he captures, ah man, it just brings me back to when I first got into rap…DJ Premier, DJ Premier brings me back to that 1990’s feel so I definitely gotta put him in there and there’s a lot more producers, but I haven’t worked with y’all so y’all don’t get a shout-out ’til I do.” (XXL Mag)

Last month, hip-hop vanguard Pete Rock named his personal top five beatmakers.

“Alchemist, for that LOX record, ‘We Gon’ Make It,'” Pete said in an interview. “He put the stamp down. DJ Premier, for all the classics. All the Biggie, all the Guru [records]. Nottzfor that R. Kelly joint. ‘That’s That.’ That was really crazy. [J.] Dilla for [being] that new dude who came from Mars, landed on Earth and just blasted everybody with his talent and left us. Madlib for all of the underground illness that he does and what he incorporates, the excerpts and the funny stuff he does. It makes me gravitate toward him too. I have to throw [Dr.] Dre in there because Chronic changed my life. [laughs] So I gotta say Dr. Dre. Hopefully one day me and him can collaborate.” (Grind Music Radio)

Check out some recent Killer Mike footage below: