I felt it was the best time to do another installment of The Starting Five with the NBA Finals approaching this Thursday. This edition is focused on the producers who gave Hip-Hop that overall sound. The list focuses on various types of producers: samplers (RZA), scratchers (DJ Premier), drums (J Dilla), and all the other instruments included to give a producer his or her individual sound. A mixtape is also included of some of these producer’s best beats. Enjoy and don’t forget to let us know your top five producers of all time.
========================First Team========================
Point Guard: J Dilla
Orgin: Detroit, Michigan
Years Active: 1991-2006
1. The Pharcyde – “Runnin’” (1995)
2. De La Soul – “Stakes Is High” (1996)
3. Q-Tip – “Let’s Ride” (1999)
4. Common – “The Light” (2000)
5. Jaylib – “The Red” (Original Version) (2003)
Shooting Guard: DJ Premier
Origin: Houston, Texas & Brooklyn, New York
Years Active: 1984-Present
1. Nas – “NY State Of Mind” (1994)
2. Gang Starr – “Mass Appeal” (1994)
3. Nas – “Nas Is Like” (1999)
4. Rakim – “When I B On Tha Mic” (1999)
5. Royce Da 5’9” – “Hip Hop” (2004)
Small Forward: Pete Rock
Origin: Bronx, New York
Years Active: 1987-Present
1. A Tribe Called Quest – “Jazz” (1991)
2. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” (1992)
3. Nas – “The Worlds Is Yours” (1994)
4. AZ – “Rather Unique” (1995)
5. Big L feat. Stan Spit, A.G. & Miss Jones – “Holdin’ It Down” (2000)
Power Forward: Dr. Dre
Origin: Compton, California
Active: 1983-Present
1. The D.O.C. – “Let The Bass Go” (1989)
2. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – “Nuthin’ But A “G’ Thang” (1992)
3. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – “Deep Cover” (1992)
4. Snoop Dogg – “Who Am I (What’s My Name)” (1993)
5. Dr. Dre feat. Hittman, Kurupt, Nate Dogg & Six-Two – “Xxplosive” (1999)
Center: RZA
Origin: Staten Island, New York
Years Active: 1989-Present
1. Wu-Tang Clan – “C.R.E.A.M.” (1993)
2. Ghostface feat. Cappadonna & Raekwon – “Daytona 5000” (1996)
3. Wu-Tang Clan – “Reunited” (1997)
4. Ghostface feat. Jadakiss – “Run” (2004)
5. RZA feat. Rev. William Burke – “Chamber Of Fear” (2005)
Sixth Men: Organized Noize (Sleepy Brown, Rico Wade, & Ray Murray)
Origin: Atlanta, Georgia
Years Active: 1992-Present
1. OutKast – “Player’s Ball” (1994)
2. OutKast – “Funky Ride” (1994)
3. Goodie Mob – “Cell Therapy” (1995)
4. Cool Breeze feat. Dungeon Family – “Watch For The Hook” (1999)
5. OutKast – “So Fresh, So Clean” (2000)
========================Second Team========================
Point Guard: Kno
Origin: Lexington, Kentucky
Years Active: 2000-Present
1. CunninLynguists – “Beautiful Girl” (2006)
2. CunninLynguists – “Inhale (Interlude)” (2006)
3. CunninLynguists feat. Tonedeff – “The Gates” (2006)
4. CunninLynguists – “Georgia” (2007)
5. CunninLynguists feat. Mac Lethal – “Broken Van (Thinking Of You)” (2009)
Shooting Guard: Madlib
Origin: Oxnard, California
Years Active: 1993-Present
1. Madvillain – “Accordian” (2004)
2. Madvillain – “Rhinestone” Cowboy (2004)
3. Talib Kweli – “Funny Money” (2006)
4. Madvillain – “Monkey Suite” (2006)
5. Mos Def feat. Slick Rick – “The Auditorium” (2009)
Small Forward: 9th Wonder
Origin: Raleigh, North Carolina
Years Active: 1997-Present
1. Little Brother – “Speed” (2003)
2. Masta Ace – “Good Ol’ Love” (2004)
3. Rapper Big Pooh – “Heart Of The City” (2005)
4. Sean Price – “Heartburn” (2005)
5. Murs – “Yesterday, Today” (2006)
Power Forward: Kanye West
Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Years Active: 1996-Present
1. Scarface feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel – “Guess Who’s Back” (2002)
2. Talib Kweli – “Get By” (2002)
3. Kanye West feat. GLC & Consequence – “Spaceship” (2004)
4. Common – “Be” (2005)
5. Common – “The People” (2007)
Center: Rick Rubin
Origin: Long Island, New York
Years Active: 1982-Present
1. LL Cool J – “Rock The Bells” (1985)
2. Run-DMC feat. Aerosmith – “Walk This Way” (1986)
3. Beastie Boys – “Fight For Your Right” (1986)
4. Run-DMC – “Peter Piper” (1986)
5. Jay-Z – “99 Problems” (2003)
Sixth Men: Da Beatminerz (DJ Evil Dee, Mr. Wait, & Baby Paul)
Origin: Brooklyn, New York
Years Active: 1992-Present
1. Black Moon – “Buck ‘Em Down” (1993)
2. Black Moon – “Who Got Da Props?” (1993)
3. Smif-N-Wessun – “Bucktown” (1995)
4. Smif-N-Wessun – “Hellucination” (1995)
5. O.C. feat. Big L – “Dangerous” (1997)
========================Honorable Mentions========================
DJ Kool Herc, Large Professor, The Bomb Squad, Erick Sermon, Marley Marl, Diamond D, Easy Mo Bee, RJD2, Ant, Prince Paul, El-P, Havoc, Eric B, The Alchemist, Swizz Beatz, Black Milk, Jake One, Exile, BSBD
NBA Finals Pick:
Celtics in 6
Mixtape: The Starting Five: Producers Edition
1. LL Cool J – “Rock The Bells” – Produced by Rick Rubin (1985)
2. Public Enemy – “Rebel Without A Pause” – Produced by The Bomb Squad (1988)
3. Cypress Hill – “How I Just Kill A Man” – Produced by DJ Muggs (1991)
4. Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg – “Deep Cover” – Produced by Dr. Dre (1992)
5. Eric B. & Rakim – “Know The Ledge” – Produced by Eric B. & Rakim (1992)
6. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” – Produced by Pete Rock (1992)
7. Black Moon – “Buck Em Down” – Produced by DJ Evil Dee (1993)
8. Wu-Tang Clan – “C.R.E.A.M.” – Produced by RZA (1993)
9. Nas – “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” – Produced by Large Professor (1994)
10. The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Method Man – “The What” – Produced by Easy Mo Bee (1994)
11. Gang Starr – “Mass Appeal” – Produced by DJ Premier (1994)
12. Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones Pt. II” – Produced by Havoc (1995)
13. The Pharcyde – “Runnin’” – Produced by J Dilla (1995)
14. Cool Breeze feat. The Dungeon Family – “Watch Out For The Hook” – Produced by Orgainzed Noize (1999)
15. Scarface feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel – “Guess Who’s Back” – Produced by Kanye West (2002)
16. CunninLynguists feat. Masta Ace – “Seasons” – Produced by RJD2 (2003)
17. Madvillain – “Accordian” – Produced by Madlib (2004)
18. Murs – “Yesterday, Today” – Produced by 9th Wonder (2006)
19. CunninLynguists feat. Tonedeff – “The Gates” – Produced by Kno (2006)