Producer Of The Year: Drumma Boy
Even though year end lists are played like King Tee’s baby grand, I did want to give one last nod to Drumma Boy. 2008 has been a landmark year for the Memphis producer and nobody is really talking about it. (If only there were some sort magazine dedicated to the work of prominent hip hop producers.) It’s crazy how he has evolved from the dude who placed loose cuts on Gangsta Boo comeback albums to literally the most consistent and diverse beatmaker in hip hop. He helmed the biggest hit off the year’s best album (Jeezy – “Put On”), the greatest record in the year’s best beef (TI – “What Up, What’s Happenin’?”) and the best Dracula impersonation ever (Gorilla Zoe – “Lost”). All the while he was refining this completely unique and sort of morose aesthetic, gothic crunk, as the Clipse’s favorite blogger might have put it.
It looks like Drumma also produced about half of the Rocko album, which umma bout to listen to. Wish me luck.
Honorable mentions, with consideration for originality and consistency: Bangladesh (“A Milli”, multiple fake “A Milli”s), Best Kept Secret (The Mixtape About Nothing), Black Milk (Tronic), Block Beataz (Starshipz & Rockets), Jake One (White Van Music), Jim Jonsin (a bunch of fruity radio joints that were still kinda good), Kidz With Machine Gunz (Killer Mike – “God In The Building”, Tracey T – “Swagger Right Check”), No ID (Kanye – “Heartless”, “God In The Building” [co-prod.], Spree Wilson – “Word”), Ron Browz (E E ther Boy), Sid Roams (Product Of The 80s), Zaytoven (8,000 Gucci joints).
Tumblin' Erb
December 18th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
umm…yea…ok
December 18th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Drumma Boy had a sick year but I think I have to give this one up to the Block Beataz- they came out of nowhere to produce some of the best and most original work this year. Also what about Mouse? Dude produced some of the best shit out of Baton Rouge this year: the best tracks off the Webbie album, Lil’ Boosie’s strongest cuts, and “2 Pieces” by Jimi Jump
December 18th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
“Lil’ Boosie’s strongest cuts”
You sure about that? It sounds like the dude BJ was doing most of his mixtape shit this year. But I agree, both probably deserve mention. I forgot Savage Life 2 came out this year, I thought it was older than that, there was some heat on there.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Nicely Done.
Like I said on PF, the way Drumma Boy’s beats on Jeezy’s album all share elements that build toward Put On is pretty incredible. Especially on a big budget major label with a ton of other producers on it.
You do need to check out Serve and Collect 2. Mr. Lee does work.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Rocko’s shit is flat-out unlistenable.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Swag Season is much better, but DB’s production on the album is outstanding.
December 18th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
The T.I./Shawty Lo beef was the beef of the year? Eww. And you’re probably right, too. Hip Hop should be ashamed of itself if that’s the best it could produce.
December 18th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I thought you didn’t care much for the Milli beat.
I used to think very highly of Mr. Lee but I wasn’t impressed by his beats on the ABN. Still Throwed, of course, not counting towards that assessment.
December 18th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
rocko is a bad rapper, but the beats are bangin…
also mr lee and rick rock had their thing going pretty wel this year
December 18th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
“A Milli” has grown on me and its impact is undeniable.
I’ve been kinda undwhelmed by Rick Rock. He seemed like he was about to go crazy after the Turf and Feds album, and then everything he did this year was just by the numbers hyphy shit.
December 18th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I still haven’t listened to Rocko either. I feel good about that.
December 18th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Bangladesh should have an asterisk for “A Millie.”
Some other dude (“Cha Lo”) hooked up the sample; Bangladesh just perfected the beat.
December 18th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Hey Noz, if you like the “More Bass” or whatever it’s called beat from Busta Rhymes you should check out this mixtape track from The Pack called “My Boy”, they take that rediculous Bangladesh beat n actually rap to it. You should like it.
December 18th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Droop-E>Rick Rock in 2009.
I can’t believe something good eventually came of that shitty “I Left My Wallet..” remix. That song is monumentally shitty.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:22 am
Anyone know who produced the new Killer Mike song “Grinding” from that new Green Lantern (+ 8 other DJs for some reason) mixtape.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Ha ha…played like a fucking piano.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:58 am
BTW, Noz…I would like to know what you think about the two albums dropped by Above the Law in the mid to late-ninties, Time Will Reveal and Legends. In my opinion, those albums had some of the tightest and innovative production to come out of the West Coast. I think that Hutch and company deserve more credit in shaping the sound of west coast gangster rap.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:00 am
mayn yall nedda stay tuned mayn MAYNHOLUP.MAYN launchin soon under dat exact name dey saiud it coudlnt be done but i did it mayn and in my triumph mayn i got ojne thang to say:
MAYN HOL UP!
December 19th, 2008 at 4:03 am
datds de redefinition uv de Domayn (domian fo all u clown ass hataz), mayn!
December 19th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
glad to see Zaytiggy got an honorable mention.. and yeah, Drumma Boy did his thing. Shawty Redd and Kanye also did their thing, imo.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
You got your own domain?
December 19th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I still refuse to believe Maynholup! is not Noz.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
good to say zaytoven on there. drumma boy has to be in the lab 20 hrs a day, dude sold soooo many beats this year.
December 19th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
“If only there were some sort magazine dedicated to the work of prominent hip hop producers.”
How’d I miss this? There was for a year, but then this magazine rapidly commenced to sucking and doing cover stories on Eminem and imaginary Nas/Premo albums. Though occasionally some mysterious blogger who shall go nameless sent some good work its way.
December 20th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Not the best of the year, but don’t sleep on Young L. The Wolfpack mixtape Vol 3 (Screaming Demons) was made for my ride
December 28th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I think this cat lives in the apartment above mine.