Rap Round Table: Who is Currently the Best Producer in Rap?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture.

Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray

​This Week's Panel: Slim Thug, Mug, Yung Redd, Delo, Preemo, Chane, Brad Gilmore, Herney the Great, Mic Skills, more.This Week's Panel: Z-Ro, Preemo, Fat Tony, Tha Centop, Brad Gilmore, Chane, Herney, FLOSS, Yung Redd, Young Sensation

Not Invited: That guy from that thing.

This Week's Prompt: There's this site called Passion of the Weiss. It has branded itself as one of the Internet's premiere spots for intelligent discourse on music. They are currently unrolling a Best Producers of All-Time. We're watching very closely to see where Mike Dean and Pimp C land, because they absolutely have to be on there. In the meantime, the question: Who is currently the best producer in rap music?

Yung Redd: I would say Lex Luger and Drumma Boy for now. They're everywhere.

Tha Centop: None of them. To me, everything sounds the same.

Mac: I would go with Just Blaze, whoever makes Rick Ross's beats [most recently, it's been Lex Luger], Kanye.

Brad Gilmore: I'm sure some will disagree, but in my own opinion: Kanye West. The production he put into My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was utterly amazing. The whole album, production-wise, was awe inspiring. After listening to that LP, you can't deny his musical ear and extreme talent when it comes to production.

Young Sensation: Man, to me, I think 9th Wonder. I like the smooth shit, I guess. I guess it's all what you like.

The Mysterious Abe*: Big K.R.I.T. (it's so hip-hop bluesy), Just Blaze (SO cinematic), Kanye West (unabashedly emotional). Oh, and Scoop Deville is beasty.

*Abe isn't a rapper. He's a...actually, we're not entirely sure what he is. But he has jumped in enough conversations on Twitter for us to believe he possesses the necessary characteristics to participate in rap discussion.

Z-Ro: No such thing. It's what producer sounds the best with a certain artist or artists. For me, it's Beanz and Kornbread.

Fat Tony: It's Tom Cruz because he's extra tight. Besides him though, it's gotta be Lex Luger. He's everywhere.

Preemo: Three-way tie between Deonis "Puma" Cook from Dallas, Halllway Productionz out of Stockton, California and King Penn Beatz out of Atlanta.

Chane: I'd say its a tie between No ID and Kanye West. Their creativity is next to unmatched. They make that music that you can feel in your heart. And I unlike a lot of the new guys coming up. I never hear them recycling beats.

Herney: Kanye West, because George Bush doesn't like black people.

FLOSS: Best producer: Chris Rockaway*.

Chris Rockaway, by the way, produced that Jack Freeman song we linked to last week. For an ostentatious, foul-mouthed white guy, that guy has A LOT of soul.