Billboard created a list of “The 10 Greatest Hip-Hop Beats of All Time.”
The site says it looked for production that “stood the test of time.” It says that part of what makes a beat great is pairing it with “just the right rapper to complement it.” Each beat listed is made by a different producer or team.
The Neptunes are given the #8 position for their work on Snoop Dogg‘s “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Besides crafting the beat alongside Chad Hugo, Pharrell has a verse on the track.
“With ‘Drop It like It’s Hot,’ the Virginia duo provided a breathable landscape comprised of fingersnaps, mouth clicks and a Juno 106 synth,” the site says, “that combined to form a beat that harnessed the pure keyboard sounds of the ’70s and surrounded it with highly experimental percussion that paid off.”
Dr. Dre receives the nod at #4 for his self-produced track, ““Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,” which features Snoop Dogg.
“Dr. Dre has consistently doled out classic beats for his own albums as well as sets from a wide range of artists like Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani and Eminem,” Billboard says. “Nothing epitomized the West Coast G-Funk sound more than ‘Nuthin’ but a “G” Thang,’ which established instrumental and percussive conventions that still dominate the area’s sound today.”
Billboard taps Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five‘s “The Message,” at the #1 beat, produced by Ed Fletcher, Clifton “Jiggs” Chase and Sylvia Robinson.
“Old school Hip Hop’s greatest instrumental masterpiece,” the publication says, “and the best sample-free Rap beat ever, made before the innovations of folks like Steinski, Rick Rubin and Marley Marl brought loops to the forefront. The mix of cascading synthesizers, guitar plucks and timbale fills was the perfect backdrop for what’s widely hailed as the prototype for sociopolitically conscious Rap.”
To read the complete “The 10 Greatest Hip-Hop Beats of All Time,” visit Billboard.
For additional Dr. Dre coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
My ‘personal’ top 10:
1.) Rebel Without A Pause 2). CREAM 3.) Brooklyn Zoo 4.) Supastar 5.) How I Could Just Kill A Man 6.) Havin Thangs 7.)TROY 8.) Award Tour 9) Stranded on Death Row 10.) Quiet Storm
Hon. Men: 1) NY State of Mind 2) Paul Revere 3) Mind Playin Tricks on Me 4) Dead Homiez 5)Growin Up In Tha Hood
Nice list
Hip hop at its finest
Timbo’s one in a million beat should have made the list and a few beats do not belong although they are still dope beats, they are just not top ten beats.
SMH@ this dummy list…….How can Rick Rubin ever be mentioned and they leave out, Larry Smith??? Dude was the PRIMARY architect producer for Run-DMC and Whodini AT THE SAME TIME!!!! Plus his music was sample free. I swear those jokers at Billboard…………..
GARBAGE! CAMP LO LUCHINI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Black Connection is harder…
Why are these white fucks from billboard keep listing things , go list best country beat or go buy a suit . . .
???? billboard are making themselves look pretty stupid at the moment
It is time to ignore Billboard’s list of greatest rap anything. Are they serious? Best lists are subjective but their list is way off.
My favorite in no order and by artist name (This was tough):
The Symphony – Juice Crew
Top Billing – Audio Two
Rebel without a Pause – Public Enemy
Mind Playing Tricks on me – Geto Boys
Deep Cover – Dr. Dre
Nothing but a G Thing – Dr Dre
A Children’s Story – Slick Rick
I know You Got Soul – Eric B and Rakim
Rock the Bells – LL Cool J
Shook Ones – Mobb Deep
DX you guys are just as bad for posting this BS… That list whacker than the first one… Please leave HIP HOP alone… let that bitch breath (Jay/NAs -Success)
Winicumuhround (Redman) |
Popcorn Revisited (The Roots) |
I Got Cha Opin (Black Moon) |
Buggin’ Out (A Tribe Called Quest) |
Stakes Is High (De La Soul) |
N.Y. State of Mind (Nas) |
Horny Lil’ Devil (Ice Cube) |
Bring It On (Jay-Z) |
Bitches Ain’t Shit (Dr. Dre) |
Underwater (Ghostface Killah) |
Guillotine (Raekwon) |
Raise It up (Slum Village) |
For Pete’s Sake (Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth)
Like Ice Cold said it’s all subjective but this billboard one is way off.
Personal no order.
Bout it, Bout it -TRU(BBTP)
Bird int Tha Hand – Ice Cube(Boogiemen)
Shut Em Down – PE(Bomb Squad)
Come Clean – Jeru (Premier)
Minds Playin Tricks – Geto Boys(Scarface)
Southside – Scarface(Tone Capone)
High Powered – Dr Dre, RBX, Lady of Rage(Dr Dre)
Shook One pt. 2 – Mobb Deep(Havoc)
The Message – Furious Five(Gandmaster Flash)
Paul Revere – Beastie Boys(Rick Rubin)
Triumph by the Wu.
18 years since, and I can still listen to the beat to amp me up. It sounds selfish to say this, but I think that’s the hardest beat ever created. RZA in his prime…
I was wondering why HHDX was all amping this garbage. So the author of the list t , Steven J Horowitz works for Billboard and apparently “is a music journalist based in New York City. He currently serves as News Editor at HipHopDX.com and previously served as Associate Editor at YRB Magazine. He’s contributed to Billboard, VIBE, RollingStone.com, VillageVoice.com, SPIN.com, and more.”
“100 Grandkids” was produced by a “nagger” (Sha Money XL).
WHITE BOYS OPINIONS AT BILLBOARD DON’T MATTER . THE STREETS ALWAYS DECIDE WHO’S ON TOP . FOH BILLBOARD YOU AND YOUR LIST .
pete rock apollo brown black milk statik selektah mr green dj premier rza dr dre jr & ph7
how is ambitions as a rider NOT on this list??…
A milli not their ?? Fuck this.
WHY!?!?
It’s #10 on the list.
(Foe the love of money—- Thug love—-
Notorious thugs— 1st of the month—) BONE THUGS…
Celly Cell-It’s going down tonight).— Lets get down by DJ QUIK
drake is the best
Suck Drake Dick Or Die Tryin !!
Fuck Boy !!
surprised they even knew Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Must have an employee that was born before 1994
2 Pac is The Greatest of all time
2 pac is the Greatest
The list goes like this
1. DJ Premier
2. Dr Dre
3. RZA
4. J Dilla
5. Professor Large
6. Pete Rock
Future Generations Of Hip-Hop producers
1. Zelfkweek
2. RoyalG
3. ProducedByTheE
4. P90Music
5. Prototyp3
6. Smitherz
7. Rascal
8. Afta-1
9.Mistr-K
10. Jordan Elige
11. RockDaRelic
12. Pheelin
13. Losco
Game Over
Doc Dre Deserves his own Top Ten.
Natural born killers
The Wash
Still Dre
Ring Ding Dong
Just to name a few