Producers Carrying Hip-Hop?
I believe that over the last decade, we have all begun to care more about beats rather than what people are rapping about on them. I believe that many producers and engineers are still under-appreciated for the critical role they play in allowing many of these artists to have a career in the music industry.
Rap was initially a genre that focused on lyricism, punchlines, and cadence, but the general public does not value that as much, leaving us with less rappers like that now. Although the production of a rap song is highly crucial, it appears to be relied on far more than the actual rapping, which is fine. There is an entire sector of rap for artists who lack lyrical skill and want to experiment with autotune and vocal animation, such as Playboi Carti. He has achieved incredible success and has attracted the attention of several musicians, including Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, and Future.
Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti and his style of music have spawned a plethora of musicians with a distinct "sound" that is entirely centered on Carti, with a focus on solid rhythms and production, catchy phrases, and a lot of vocal variation. Again, I don't see a problem with this. Playboi Carti is only one of many musicians that have achieved significant fame in this type of rap; others include Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, and Travis Scott.
These are all artists who aren't strictly considered "rap MCs," but they are highly regarded in hip hop for their talent, their unique musical creativity, and how their influence can be felt across rap in general. Even lyrical artists should want and need outstanding production; yet, their skill set will always be what people look to them for and will be the reason they are successful. Those who cannot rely solely on their rap skill set must add an additional element to their art in order to stand out or reach peak success. With that said, while we support and recognize these artists, shouldn't we do the same for producers?
Famous producers have created numerous hits over the years, and not just in hip hop. Some examples include Pharrell, Swizz Beats, Hit-Boy, DJ Drama, and Hitmaka. Many songs are well-known hits, have received awards, or have reached #1 on the charts, owing primarily to the song's production rather than what was really done with it. That's not to suggest that the musicians on those recordings didn't contribute anything; it's just fair to say that certain songs are so big because of the incredible production. In certain records, the beat acts as its own feature, increasing replay value and capturing the audience's attention.
A great example is the commercial success, Timbaland. Although he is a rapper, singer, and songwriter, essentially everything the record producer touched in the 2000s was and still is a smash hit. Some examples include Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" (2002), Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right" (2006), and Missy Elliot's "Work It" (2002). Timbaland is responsible for a phenomenal era in mainstream music. His signature rhythmic sound has played a role for numerous huge songs we know and love today, as well as the success of several performers.
Now, in 2024, in Hip-Hop specifically, I don't believe people give enough credit to these producers and engineers, who are essentially the reason many of these rappers survived in music. That is why you often see multiple people working with the same producers. Tay Keith, Wheezy, ATL Jacob, Murda Beatz, and Metro Boobin are some of today's major producers in rap. Metro Boomin's latest two albums, "Heros and Villians" and "We Don't Trust You" with Future, have been huge successes, and I believe he has only recently begun to receive the credit he deserves as a talent himself. The producer's use of dark and cinematic aspects in his tracks has firmly established him as one of, if not the most important producers in modern hip hop and rap music. In the same conversations we are uplifting the artists, we should also be doing it for the producers as well. They are more crucial to music than ever before, and they deserve a lot of praise for all of their hard work and consistency. Some have reason to believe that Hip-Hop is dead, and if it's still alive it only is for one reason, and i wouldn't say that reason is rapping. It's reasonable to say that the people that are behind creating these rap beats are very much carrying hip hop right now. Without them, many of these artists would not have become successful.