Behind every classic rap song is a producer who built the beat, and these four shaped the sound of entire eras. This One Gotta Go card puts them in the same studio: Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Timbaland and J Dilla.
Three of them stay on your playlist, and one has their catalog taken out of the mix. Think about the beats that made you nod your head, the albums you played front to back and the producer whose sound you could recognize anywhere. Then pick and let the music fans in your group explain why.
Dr. Dre vs Kanye West vs Timbaland vs J Dilla
A. Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre helped create the G-funk sound with The Chronic in 1992 and went on to launch the careers of Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent. His beats are polished and powerful. The case against him is that his later output was slow, with long gaps between projects.
Keep it if: You think The Chronic changed West Coast hip hop forever and that his ear for talent is unmatched.
B. Kanye West
Kanye West built his early reputation on sped-up soul samples, including work on Jay-Z's The Blueprint, before becoming a star rapper. His production is creative and bold. Some listeners now separate his music from his public life, and that makes him a difficult pick for them.
Keep it if: You love his early soul sample era and think his production changed the sound of the 2000s.
C. Timbaland
Timbaland created futuristic beats with strange sounds and stuttering rhythms for Missy Elliott, Aaliyah and Justin Timberlake. He bridged hip hop and pop. If you prefer a classic sample based sound, his style might be the one you would cut.
Keep it if: You love beats that sound like nothing else on the radio and think his work with Missy and Aaliyah is timeless.
D. J Dilla
J Dilla is known as a producer's producer, with loose, human feeling drums and a deep influence on later artists. His album Donuts is treasured. He is also the least known of the four to casual fans, which makes him the easiest cut for some.
Keep it if: You love warm, off-kilter beats and you know how many modern producers count Dilla as their biggest influence.
Our take
We would cut Kanye West, mostly because the other three are known almost entirely for their production, while his production story is now tied up with his career as a rapper and public figure. Dre built an empire, Timbaland built the future and Dilla built a feel that producers still chase. The most fun debate is usually Dre against Dilla, since one is the hitmaker and the other is the musicians' favorite. Play a beat from each and vote blind.
How to play this card with friends
- Read the four choices out loud.
- Everyone picks the one they'd eliminate at the same time.
- Explain your pick. This is where the fun starts.
- Use the follow-up questions below to keep it going.
Follow-up questions to keep the debate going
- Which producer defined an era so clearly that others followed?
- Is producing a hit harder than rapping on one?
- What is the best beat you have ever heard?
- Which producer would you add to this card?
Want more debates like this? Get the One Gotta Go card game for game night, family dinners and road trips. Shop the decks.
Hip Hop Producers: quick answers
What albums did J Dilla produce?
J Dilla produced for Slum Village, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, Common, Erykah Badu and many others. His own instrumental album Donuts, released in 2006, is one of his most celebrated works. He passed away shortly after it came out, and his influence has only grown since.
What is G-funk?
G-funk is a style of West Coast hip hop that became popular in the early 1990s, built on slow grooves, deep bass and synth melodies borrowed from 1970s funk. Dr. Dre's album The Chronic is one of the most famous examples, along with Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle.
