Jahlil Beats came through the office the other week, and sat down for a quick interview to let us know what exactly he's been up to these days, as he's been a bit absent on the producer circuit. Following the interview, Jhalil took the time to list off his Top 10 producers of all time, offering a reason for each.
For a look into the mind of Jahlil and what he likes in a producer, click through the galleries above. He gives plenty of credit to the OGs that came before him and influenced his sound, from Jermaine Dupri to Swizz Beatz to Mannie Fresh. He gives us a glimpse at his knowledge of the game too.
To get right to it, watch Jahlil's Top 10 breakdown below, as well as his recent interview with us.
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
"The reason why I picked Jermaine Dupri as #10 is cause he doesn't really get the praise he deserves, bringing out Da Brat, bringing out Kriss Kross, Bow Wow, making those hit records and really putting Atlanta on the map, to the next level. He really doesn't get that recognition."
RZA
RZA
"I'ma go with the RZA. That's kinda before my era, but listening back to the RZA he was ahead of his time as far as cutting up the soul samples and what he was doing with the Wu-Tang. When I do my sample records, I always go back and listen to the RZA."
Dame Grease
Dame Grease
"Dame Grease at one point was my favorite producer. The stuff that he did with X, It's Dark & Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh is like my two favorite albums ever. So that alone, Dame Grease is in my top 10."
Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley
"Teddy Riley, c'mon man. First of all if there wasn't no Teddy Riley there wouldn't be no Neptunes. There wouldn't be no Pharrell, there wouldn't be no Chad. He was the real first super-producer. Teddy Riley is the man."
Kanye West
Kanye West
"Alright, Kanye West. Me coming outta high school, Kanye was the producer when I was in high school. Kanye and Just Blaze. Kanye brought the soul sample back, where RZA left off, that's where Kanye reigned at. When Swizz Beatz and Neptunes dominated, they came back in and shifted the tide in hip-hop, and brought that soulful music back. Kanye's one of the greatest 'nah I mean."
Just Blaze
Just Blaze
"Just Blaze made some of the most incredible beats I ever heard, ever. To piggyback off what I said about Kanye West, Just Blaze.. the most perfect sample cuts, he match his drums to perfection with the samples. Just Blaze, he makes the best soul beats to me. For a producer that samples he's one of the best to me."
Timbaland
"Timbo the king. Timbo is one of the most original producers of all time. What he did with Missy, Aaliyah and Ginuwine might not ever be matched, it might not ever happen again. Timbaland is that dude so I'ma give my #4 to Timbaland."
The Neptunes
The Neptunes
"The Neptunes, straight hit-makers. Dominated the charts. That alone...I'm more of a singles-making producer, I like to make singles and I'm tryna get on that top 10. When I wanna get inspiration for club records and stuff like that, I go straight to the Neptunes. The stuff they did with Clipse...I think Lord Willin' was one of the best produced albums ever, that I ever heard. The production on there was flawless, and the stuff he did with Jay was outta this world."
Mannie Fresh
Mannie Fresh
"I came up off the era of Ruff Ryders, Roc-A-Fella, Cash Money. So Mannie Fresh is one of the biggest reasons I wanted to produce. 400 Degreez, Chopper City, all the stuff that he did as a solo artist, just his sound. He created that fast snare, to my knowledge, he created that fast snare and hard-hitting drums. And if you hear some of my music, I got a lot of my drum patterns from Mannie Fresh. So Mannie Fresh is my #2."
Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
"My #1 producer is Swizz Beatz. Swizz Beatz is the main reason I wanted to produce. When you look at my career as far as the hits that I have out, we was really representing that streets. When Swizz came out, he was bringing the streets back. He kinda shut down the era of the flashy, shiny suit era that Puff and them was doing. Puff and them was making them hits sampling them old school records, Diana Ross and whatever, and Swizz came out with an unorthodox sound. He had the Casio and all that, he just changed the game. He brought them streets back and brought New York to another level. And that's really the main reason that Swizz is my favorite producer. When I heard Ryde Or Die Vol. 1, it's just some of the best beats I ever heard. What he did on Jay Z Hard Knock Life Vol. 2, Flesh Of My Flesh, We Are The Streets, these are my favorite albums. He just really made me wanna make music. Me and my cousin used to just dub Swizz records off a CD and I'd bring it to my cousin, like, listen to this, yo. This is crazy, something you never heard."