Producers
Rhythm Roulette With David Banner (Video)
May 8, 2017
Every now and then we get hold of a Rhythm Roulette creation that is so dope that it is marketable on arrival. Like, remember the video of the 9th Wonder beat creation that Rapsody HAD to bless right then and there? This David Banner episode is like that. In fact, the iTunes link for his is below.
Posted in Hip-Hop, Music, Producers, Series, Videos | 
Tags: David Banner, Paper, Rhythm Roulette, TRICKY LT 45 | 
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DJ Scratch Declares Nas’ “Illmatic” The Best Hip-Hop Album Ever (Video)
April 20, 2017
DJ Scratch says “Illmatic” was the best complete Hip-Hop album ever! It is not a unique stance, but watching the video above will give you the sense that he’d take a strong stance against anyone who’d say otherwise.
#DJScratch selects #Nas’ #Illmatic for his #BestAlbums selection. The #Brooklyn #DJ-#producer explains how Nas’ first album changed rap & why the production from #DJPremier #LargeProfessor #QTip #PeteRock was so groundbreaking. Hit us up in the comments section and let us know what you think.
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: BEST ALBUMS, dj scratch, Ep. 37, Episode 37, illmatic, Nas | No Comments »
Bronzeville: Executive Producers Laurence Fishburne And Larenz Tate Speak On Their Audio Drama (Video)
April 7, 2017
Okay, stop me if you’ve heard this one: Furious Styles & O-Dog started up this podcast years after… Nope! You could NOT have heard of it. They (Lawrence Fishburne & Larenz Tate) are just really getting started with it.
Bronzeville is a scripted (audio only) drama executive produced by and starring Laurence Fishburne and Larenz Tate, set to premiere on multiple digital audio platforms Tuesday February 7th 2017.
– Michael Belcher
The 10-Part weekly audio series about Chicago’s Black Mecca of yesteryear stars Tika Sumpter, Tracee Ellis Ross, Wood Harris, Omari Hardwick, Lance Reddick, Cory Hardict, Lahmard Tate and Brittany Snow.
Posted in History, Producers, Trailer, Videos | Tags: Brittany Snow, Bronzeville, Cory Hardict, Lahmard Tate, Lance Reddick, Larenz Tate, Laurence Fishburne, Omari Hardwick, Tika Sumpter, Tracee Ellis Ross, Wood Harris | No Comments »
DJ Rhettmatic Speaks On His Friendship With J Dilla & Learning When He Got Sick And More (Video)
April 7, 2017
Cerritos (California, USA) producer DJ Rhettmatic talks about how he linked up with and befriended J Dilla. Caution: You might get a little misty-eyed. Dude was with Dilla on his last tour. Man!
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Relationships, Videos | Tags: Beat Junkies, DJ RHETTMATIC, J Dilla, James Yancey, memories, reminiscing | No Comments »
Mack Wilds & Pete Rock Speak On Artist-Producer Chemistry, Working On The “New York: A Love Story” And More (Video)
March 15, 2017
A R&B version of “Illmatic” though? That’s how Mack Wilds describes “New York: A Love Story“ …DOPE! Interesting convo above. So interesting, you will ache realizing how fast the time flies while watching.
Sway meets up Mack Wilds (DeeVee) and Pete Rock at Platinum Studios to discuss structuring a song, the experience of recording in a studio, and the importance of chemistry between recording artist and producer.
This is a great look for ‘The Breaks’ series on VH1. RIP to Heavy D and Trouble T-Roy, too. This is Hip-Hop!
Posted in Celebrity, Hip-Hop, Interview, Mixtapes, Producers, Videos | Tags: A LOVE STORY, Behind The Breaks, Mack Wilds, New York, NEW YORK: A LOVE STORY, Pete Rock, Sway, Sway Calloway, The Breaks, VH1 | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Thelonious Martin (Video)
March 1, 2017
Thelonious Martin is nice with the beat work. You’ve likely heard that. But is the Chi-town producer ready for the Rhythm Roulette challenge? Ha! They threw a blindfold on him, had him pick from the stacks at A-1 Record Shop (New York, NY, USA), and let dude work! The Pointer Sisters, Hott City and Maxine Nightingale… Okay, let’s see… and hear what happens!
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Rhythm Roulette, THELONIOUS MARTIN | No Comments »
Beat Battle: Swizz Beatz Vs. Just Blaze (Video)
February 27, 2017
Okay, so the objective is to put on a dope show; not so much smash the other guy to bits. Guaranteed you will be no less pleased. Settle in. It’s going down for a while in this clip. And keep your eyes/ears open for some unreleased had-to-be-there ish in this ‘battle’ video. Nice!
Swizz Beatz and Just Blaze hit the studio impromptu late in NYC and go head-to-head in a “Battle Of The Beats” from our live stream. Special guest appearance from Busta Rhymes.
Bussa Buss got them expressions that tell the story. Hahaaa!
Posted in Hip-Hop, Performance, Producers, Videos | Tags: Beat Battle, Just Blaze, Party, Swizz Beatz | 1 Comment »
Rhythm Roulette With Gensu Dean (Video)
February 14, 2017
Gensu Dean been ’bout the beat work. So who wouldn’t want to see him wash the Rhythm Roulette challenge like a champ? Shid, if you don’t you are reading the wrong blog, ’cause it’s…about…to go…down! At D.I.T.C. Studios no less.
Did Dean do a double cook-up for this session? Dope! Get you some of these good veggies (BEATZ)!
Salaam Remi, Amy Winehouse’s Main Producer, Speaks On Her Artistic Influence, Dying At 27 And More (Video)
February 1, 2017
Ohhhh! Amy Winehouse’s main producer was Salaam Remi? That’s one of Nas’ go-to producers. Wonder if that is what put them in contact (e.g. both working with and trusting Remi), allowing them to grow their friendship. Or was it that those two were friends… and one introduced the other to Salaam Remi.
Salaam Remi is one of the producers who worked heavily with the late Amy Winehouse. The producer discusses meeting Amy, and how they would come together to produce jazz music. He goes on to speak about her issues with love, her sense of humor and how that affected her music. Despite producing a majority of Amy’s work, Salaam reveals he did not get a Grammy alongside the songstress. Salaam talks, Amy’s legacy after the troubled singer died at just 27 years old.
– @ojones1
Posted in Interview, Music, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Amy Winehouse, DJ Vlad, djvlad, Nas, Nassir Jones, Salaam Remi, Vlad, Vlad TV, VladTV | No Comments »
Focus… Speaks On Chasing Destiny, Producer Credits & Checks And More (Video)
December 31, 2016
Shout to the homie Eff Triple Dot! Aftermath Records’ producer Focus… The music making pedigree is there: his pops was the bassist for Chic (they did that song “Good Times” …these are the good gimes …keep it going)! Focus… speaks on his dad’s desire for a strong legacy, his work producing and ‘ghost producing’ and more.
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Doggie Diamonds TV, DoggieDiamonds TV, DoggieDiamondsTV, Focus | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Salaam Remi (Video)
November 26, 2016
Solid bet that this Rhythm Roulette ep is gonna be dope. By now, if you’ve kept up with the series, you know that only the best producers make the cut to get on the show to make bangers from a blind record pull. Salaam Remi is at the tippy top of most ‘best of’ lists.
After hitting up A-1 Records, Salaam ends up with George Faith’s “Soulful,” Danny La Rue in London, and The Who’s “Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy.” Putting his faith in George Faith, he finds the backbone of his beat and then pulls some samples from the others. Joell Ortiz also makes a short cameo to comment on the work-in-progress beat. Watch the full creation process above.
And Joey O in there with the co-sign. Ha!
Snoop Dogg feat. Shirley Ceasar x Battle Cat – “U Name It” (Video)
November 24, 2016
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Videos | Tags: Battle Cat, Battlecat, DJ Battlecat, Shirley Caesar, Snoop Dogg, Thanksgiving, U Name It | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Jake One (Video)
September 23, 2016
Jakey Uno with the homemade blind-picked beat batch of the day we have come to know and love as Rhythm Roulette. Going in with some Gospel this go-round, too. Alright now. Prepare for this praiseworthy episode.
Very few artists can traverse the constantly shifting borders between the underground and the mainstream like Jake One. The Seattle producer is respected, and rightfully so, in both worlds for his work with 50 Cent and G-Unit, De La Soul, E-40, DOOM, and more. He’s also worked on complete projects with Freeway and Brother Ali. Then with Mayer Hawthorne, he put out a feel-good album under the Tuxedo moniker. Basically, his production credits weigh a ton.
From Spin Cycle to his studio in Washington, Jake lucks out with The Best of Herbie Hancock, The Manhattans’ Forever By Your Side, and a Reverend E. Stanley Branch record. Jake One’s sampling methods kick in immediately as he skips around the records, finding a “Yeah!” from Rev. Branch and some drums from The Manhattans. He hears something worth taking from the choir on Rev. Branch’s record then drums from Herbie. The Manhattans also helped provide a snare. As the beat comes together all on his keyboard, he goes back to the choir to find some shouting to fill out the beat. Jake tinkers around with a bass line and before you know it, he’s sequenced a beat fit for the church and the club.
Another dope session. Amen!
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Jake One, Jake Uno, Rhythm Roulette | No Comments »
Rockwilder Shares Beats And Wisdom That Will Make Your Head Nod In Agreement (Video)
August 5, 2016
“If the song don’t got a groove, you don’t got a song.”
Wow. Rockwilder speaking on wisdom from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis back when he was there when they were making the world fall in love with Janet Jackson. Beatminerz, Pete Rock, and several other big-name mentors’ names and lessons getting dropped off in this clip. Great episode!
In association with DITV, DITC Studios presents ‘Beats Per Minute’ featuring Rockwilder.
Protect your neck though, as there will be lots of head nodding to banging beat flips in the beginning!
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Beats Per Minute, D.I.T.C, DITC, DITC Studios, DITV, Rockwilder | No Comments »
What You Really Need To Know About Producer “Focus…” (Video)
August 1, 2016
Point blank: You really need to know that the dude Focus… is the truth on beats! Aftermath-stamped producer official, with work put in on the Hip-Hop unicorn project (Dr. Dre’s “Detox”) and “Compton”; yeah, he has the pedigree. Learn about his career background, musical instrument acumen, when he started making big money and more. We KNOW him. You will get to know him with a quick clip play above.
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Videos | Tags: 10 Things You Should Know About Aftermath Producer Focus..., EffTripleDot, Focus, WatchLOUD | No Comments »
Making Beats With Hezekiah (Video)
June 28, 2016
Producer/singer/songwriter Hezekiah discusses his creative process above. Watch, and look at an example of him making some beat heat from scratch.
Sample chopping + Live instrumentation = Magic. Welcome to Little Africa Studio.
Check out more of the good stuff at https://3crates.bandcamp.com.
Posted in Hip-Hop, Interview, Producers, Videos | Tags: 3 crates, 3crates, beatmaking, creative process, Hezekiah, Hezekiah Davis | No Comments »
DJ Premier, Kareem Biggs And Beef Jones Talk Roc-A-Fella History, Jay Z And “Reasonable Doubt” (Video)
June 27, 2016
Beef Jones hosts a sitdown with DJ Premier & Roc-A-Fella’s Kareem “Biggs†Burke. They discuss Jay Z’s classic “Reasonable Doubt” album. The video starts with a lot of prelim (some setup is going on); as this is a live online discussion forum while. The meat of the discussion is set out around the 11-minute mark. Check it out.
Interesting insights on Preem’s production process and some early history at The Roc (like who was the label’s first signee).
Posted in Celebrity, Hip-Hop, Interview, Producers, Videos | Tags: Beef Jones, DJ Premier, Jay-Z, Kareem Biggs, Kareem Biggs Burke, Kareem Burke, Reasonable Doubt, Rhyming Joints, Roc-a-fella, Roc-A-Fella Fam, Roc-a-Fella Records, VICE, VICELAND | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Da Beatminerz (Video)
June 20, 2016
Da Beatminerz (Mr. Walt and Evil Dee) looked like they had fun the whole way through. Even when they felt they were Shanghai’d by their own record picks. Haha! But watch how the dynamic beatmaking duo saves the day in this ep of Rhythm Roulette.
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Da Beatminerz, Evil Dee, Mr. Walt, Rhythm Roulette | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Havoc (Video)
June 18, 2016
Yeah, he ain’t “The Silent Partner” now. Watch Havoc bang out a bangin’ azz beat to meet the Rhythm Roulette challenge most def! Blindfold, please. Let’s get to it, Havoc.
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: HAVOC, MOBB DEEP, Rhythm Roulette | No Comments »
Havoc Speaks On Making “The Silent Partner” With Alchemist (Video)
June 18, 2016
Straightforward commentary and revelations about the conception and execution of the Havoc–Alchemist collabo effort “Silent Partner.” Usually the least vocal in most Hip-Hop partnership situations, here in this vid Hav has his say.
Posted in Album, Hip-Hop, Producers, Videos | Tags: Alchemist, HAVOC, MOBB DEEP, Silent Partner, The Silent Partner | 1 Comment »
