Common Names Dilla Greatest Producer Ever
February 11, 2010 @ 9:52 AM EST
News
Com goes out on a limb and calls the late J Dilla the greatest producer of all-time. He says since his passing, hip-hop hasn’t possessd the same soulful vibe. Alright folks, don’t jump in all at once.
I WAS WAITING ON COMMON TO SPEAK. HIM AND DILLA WERE GOOD FRIENDS
“ONE” OF THE GREATEST…I’LL AGREE TO THAT 🙂
DILLA DEFINTELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE SOUND OF HIP HOP, WAS TRULY A TALENTED INDIVIDUAL
I NEED TO PURCHASE DONUT AGAIN…
I like Dilla, but come on. Dude was NOT the greatest producer ever. I think people like Dr. Dre and DJ premier would have something to say about that.
C’MON COMMON, STOP BEING SO BIASED!!!! HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATS BUT NOT THE G.P.O.A.T!!!!! IMMA HAVE TO GO WIT PREMO!!!!
1. PREMO
2. RZA
3. KANYE
4. DR. DRE
5. PETE ROCK
6. THE UMMAH
7. TIMBALAND
8. HAVOC
9. JUST BLAZE
10.J. DILLA
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
I Hate when people use the term the “greatest” to describe themselves or other people because it’s so subjective. I really think people say that either because they carry away or to spark a debate. I think Dilla is hovering around top producers in Hip Hop just for the simple fact he seem to have spawn a whole bunch of Dilla wannabes in underground beat productions. But Dilla was neither innovative or even usher in a new style but what he was be consistenly dope.
@mac DIESEL – Dilla was part of the Ummah production team.
Agreed. Greatest producer of all time. Hands DOWN.
@ vallejo
OH SHIT, U RITE!!! IMMA GO WIT BEATMINERZ AT #10!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
no disrespect but no one cared about this dude when he was alive. once he passed he became the greatest this and that. he style was super old school. many producers top him.
co-signs @The_Dynasty and @atlryder. No disrespect.
In a current time and world of synth heavy, 808, shiny soundin’ pop producers, u gotta admit, Dilla did CREATE a sound that a lot of niggaz r tryin to copy these days. Like it or not, we need Dilla’s beats and soul in hip hop. Even the top couple producers on everyone’s list said and I quote, said that he’s one of the greatest and their favorite producers of all time. Kanye said this. Pharrell said this. Dre stole a lot of his drums. etc., etc….And not just because I’m from Detroit, but I agree w/ Com…AND Dilla produced a lot of the hits niggaz was noddin’ there heads to back in the day and didn’t know it. A LOT OF SONGS. He produced damn near all of Q-Tip’s Amplified, a lot of Common’s shit, Busta Rhymes, Slum Village, etc.
Primo’s been making variations of the same beat for the last 10 years, Dre’s only as strong as his ghost producers. RZA’s been on that bs “digital orchestra” crap since the Bobby Digital album. Just and Pete admittedly worship at the altar of Dilla. Kanye’s too focused on straddling the fence between hip-hop and pop. Havoc hasn’t been on my radar for years…
@ DJ Brainchild
SO WHO U GOT???
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
Madlib OH NO, and NoID
Niggas who yall Forgot
Dilla #1 foshoo!!!
damn…i was on that scratchmagazine issue…my first big outlook in the states…http://www.scratchmagazine.com/corner/0506.paris/index.html…weird fact…i was streaming live strictly jdilla beats to Jerry Barrow the editor in chief @ the time…while i was spinning he cut me short and told me QuestLove just told him Jay Dee died…that was weird…he then asked me if he could my mix on their site…basically thats what got me a page on the magazine…just wanted to share ya’ll…to me Primo is numero uno…i don’t care if my mom says stop claiming me
No lie, i didn’t know dude production til he died, and I AM A HIP HOP HEAD.
I’ve heard his production but never knew it was him.
His death gave his production the spotlight.
Now how big he blew didn’t doesn’t deny his talent when he was alive but there’s a reason it didn’t get noted like the other “greats”. Maybe it just was that popping?
Honestly, i can peep his stuff now and still not moved. I can see why some like it, but i refuse to jump bandwagon just cause he dead.
Thought debatable and subjective, when you speak of greatest of all time (in hip hop) Dr. Dre always come out on top with the consensus, I’m part of it.
Dr. Dre>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We can debate that from all angles: Innovation, skills, true music, longevity, consistency, success. etc…
Dre would easily win anytime with those factors.
Came someone the “Hits” he produced?
And please point actually hits, not what was hot to you and call it “Hit”.
@ OJ: start here: Janet Jackson “Got Til It’s Gone”, Q-Tip “Vivrant Thing”/”Breathe & Stop”, Common “The Light”, Erykah Badu “Didn’t Cha Know,” The Pharcyde “Runnin'”
Madlib
like 2pac…dilla was given legendary status after he died….great this and great that….
not taking anything away from him, he was cool but greatest ever? yea right
nobody gave a fuck or barely knew who dilla was before he died….and alot of people still dont know shit about him…they just know the name dilla….cant name shit from his catalog
Man, people only say Dre is the best because of his success. What other producer has had a successful roster? 50 went Diamond on a couple albums and so did Em. The Game sold 3-4 Mill when he was on the Math also. When I was just starting to produce, Dre was definitely my favorite. Now that I’m 5 years into it, I would give the crown to Dilla, hands down. Dre’s production and mixing is dope, but he recycles the same drums. Its the same 1, 1-2 format. No variation whatsoever. I love Dilla’s offbeat feel and the way he sampled. His songs still to this day feel so warm and never grow old. I get the same excitement I did 2-3 years after hearing his beats. thanks for reading kids.
lol wow i really fuck with mac DIESEL’s list. i may not put everyone in the exact place but yea…that’s a thorough ass list.
i’d say my favorites of all time are
1.RZA
2. Dr. Dre
3. Kanye West
4. Organized Noize
5. Primo
as for greatest…i think everyone but prolly O.Noize is in their rightful place or close to it more or less (it seems so early to put kanye up so high…but the nigga is more vintage than it seems. )
and i do agree that Primo has been making variations of the same beat for years, lmao. the nigga that said that was dead on. but yea…RZA is just on some other shit. 1992-present…360 degrees of perfect styles. no other producer can travel as many lanes as he. Ye might be the new RZA in 5 yrs…ain’t no tellin what the nigga is gonna do in the years to come…but i don’t see his beat quality stagnating or falling off.
@ Nathaniel
YEAH O.N. WAS DOPE!!!! THEM OUTKAST ALBUMS ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS!!!! MY SHIT WAS AQUEMINI!!!!! CLASSIC!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
Word to Nathaniel and mac DIESEL’s list.
Dilla was talented but not the greatest. I think he was exremely dedicated to his craft though and his level of dedication might be above and beyond a lot of other producers but I don’t think he was better than. just looking at Common’s own discography, his best albums are arguably Resurrection and One Day It’ll All Make Sense(produced by mostly No ID) or Be (produced mostly by Kanye, with 2 cuts from Dilla). The album that The Ummah and Dilla produced, Like Water for Chocolate is underrated and very dope but not better than 3 i just mentioned.
Here’s my top 11 (or 12 actually, couldn’t stop at 10)
1. Dre – from NWA era to Dre/Snoop/Pac era to Eminem to 50/Game/era has been a dominant force. You can praise the ghost production all you want but then why aren’t Scott Storch, Focus, Warren G producing great albums on their own? (
2. Timbaland – Revolutionized using synths, crazy percussion, and a southern bounce that NY could rock to. Though he’s gone all Trance-y lately he still bangs out fire and
3- Premo – from Gangstarr to damn near producing a track for every relevant NY rapper ever to C. Aguilera.
4. Organized Noise – been producing for the most talented (and aguably best) rap group of all time and consistently pushed the envelope creatively from funk to soul to techno-fused electron funk hip hop.
5. Kanye West/Just Blaze (tied) – Hard to separate these 2 producers since they emerged around the same time with some of their best work with Jay-z. On Blueprint “Song Cry” “Takeover” “U Don’t Know” “Never Change” “Girls Girls Girls” and then later on The Black Album “Encore” “Public Service Announcement.” Ye’s probably the most sought after producer right now and he continues to push the envelope blending hip hop and other genres. Just Blaze is probably the underground MCs most sought after producer particularly after “Exhibit C.”
6-11
6. Rza
7. Pete Rock
8. Havoc
9. Dilla
10. Neptunes
11. NO I.D.
@ Dashing
AS FAR AS THE NEPTUNES, I COULD LISTEN TO THEIR SINGLES, BUT I CAN’T LISTEN TO A FULL NEPTUNES PRODUCED ALBUM!!!! THEY MAKE HOT SINGLES, BUT TO ME, THEY CAN’T CARRY A FULL ALBUM!!!! I RESPECT YA LIST THOU!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
What Q-Tip said about “Dilla Posers” in an early interview with RapRadar: “‘Cause like when he was here, dudes was fuckin’ with him but not like that. It’s good that people are finding out about him and stuff like that but you see kids walkin’ around with T-shirts and it doesn’t need to be fad-y. That seems like what it’s become. It’s cool if you really get into it but get into the shit. Don’t be a girl at a party or a dude at a party with the T-shirt on and just.. you don’t even know who Phat Kat is. You don’t know who T3 is? Or you don’t know the joints he did for Pharcyde? If you gon rock it, rock it! That’s it, know what you rockin’.”
https://rapradar.com/2009/03/11/q-tip-renaissance-intv-part-3-damn-dilla-posers/
Everybody has his own opinion ofcourse, it depends on how you grew up on the music.
I started listening since mid 90s, and dope albums i bought there was the jay dee name in the credits. I loved the drums and samples he flipped like crazy.
So for me he’s #1, ofcourse together with all the other great producers like Premo, RZA, PeteRock etc…
Haha @ the people saying Kanye West.
Dude hasn’t even done enough shit to even be considered good.
^lol.
Of Course If you takin him out of context you won’t agree…but seroiusly I respect Common, I respect his Opinion although I don’t share it.
@James
You are really Ignorant if you don’t consider Kanye to not be a good producer atleast, Thats the most ignorant statement on this rap Blog4 real! Its not about numbers man, guys make one classic album and disappear…we’re not talking about sales man!
LMAO!!!!! I laugh at some of you clowns!!!!!! OMG!!!!! Much love to all the producers that yall nameing(Dre,Pete,RZA,Premo etc…i’m a big fan of them all) Dilla is the G.O.A.T.!!!!! He could do any of them cats styles better than them!!!!! i should know i got oodles & oodles of unreleased joints of Dilla of all different styles….everything from playing all instruments to soul samples. Not to mention….some of the cats yall mentioning loved this cats work!!!!! mac diesel…you you need to check that “Jay Stay Paid” album… and hear what Premo(one of the G.O.A.T.s) said and i quote “J Dilla is that mufucka!!!!” Kanye said and i quote “one of the greatest days of my life is when Dilla gave me a record with some drums on it….I was honored” Damn Cornball!!!! Ethier you’re young as hell…or just sleepin…Dawg!!!! Dilla was worldwide long before he died!!! Where you think this “J DILLA CHANGED MY LIFE” t-shirt stuff started…Fantastic Vol 1 sold between 50-100k bootlegs overseas…trust me dawg…cats knew Dilla. Check Dre’s work on the “kingdom come” album…got mad love for Dre(one of my faves)but he bit Dilla’s drums on them joints…oh yea Dj Brainchild…you forgot 2pac’s “do for love” as one of his uncredited hits…I got mad love for all the producers named on this page…I love all these guys work….but Dilla was the best to ever do it. Dude has been dead for 4 years and people still raping his work(Drake & J Electronica just to name a couple) I’m not mad at you list mac diesel…but “don’t hate MY opinion”. But what about all the other producers in the game…
Madlib
OhNo
9th Wonder
Super Dave West
Jake One
Black Milk
Dj Hi Tek
Gotta give it up for them guys too!!!!
@ dj q
THESE DUDES U MENTIONED IS COOL BUT WHEN U TALKIN’ ABOUT GPOAT, LONGEVITY IS PART OF IT!!!! DJ HI TEK N 9TH WONDER ARE DOPE N UP N COMIN’ PRODUCERSN THEM OTHER PRODUCERS U MENTIONED!!! BUT IF U SEE MY LIST, THEM CATS BEEN OUT FOR A GOOD MINUTE N HAVE MADE A MAJOR IMPACT IN HIP HOP MUSIC N MUSIC IN GENERAL!!!!! THE CATALOGUE FROM THESE CATS ON MY LIST IS ILL!!!! BUT I DO RESPECT THE NIGGAS U MENTIONED!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!!
It’s funny nobody mentioned… Large pro
from main source… Check the credits
main source,Nas,tribe called quest,Eric b & rakim,az.
Def top 10….Oh & what about alchemist he’s been pump out dope shit for a minute.
He was good but I dont think i’d go so far as to say the absolute greatest
But its Commons opinion and he’s entitled to it………Me, I still Say Dre
@ mac diesel
Oh no doubt….them cats got a lot of great work…but Madlib and Tek been around sence the mid 90’s….Madlib wit the Lootpack and he did some work wit the Liks…and Tek with this group called Mood out of Cincy…then on to the early Rawkus stuff (Mos Def, Kweli, etc) Reflection Eternal, all the way wit 50 and G unit, Game etc…naw them cats been around for a minute…
and how can we forget about these cats…
Large Pro (fasho NYC)
Diamond D
Dj Spinna
Kev Brown
88 Keys
and look out Nikolay and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. Leauge…
IF YOU AINT UP ON THESE CATS YOU SLEEPIN!!!
@ DJ Q
DON’T FORGET ERICK SERMON N THE BEATMINERZ!!!! JUSTICE LEAGUE GOT SOME BANGERS TOO!!! NO DOUBT!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
DJ Premier is my favorite producer of all time. Things like this are really all about opinion in terms of whos style you like. I like RZA over anyone else with the except of maybe Dr. Dre or Pete Rock (who J Dilla was influenced by the most to become a hip hop producer). Marley Marl is very important as hip hop producer figure because he influenced our best to do what they do in the first place so I’d put Marley over J Dilla on my list for this sole reason. But that’s just my opinion.