At the heart of hip-hop culture is its poetic soul. Used first as a medium to incite the dancefloor before evolving into a means of conveying the harsh realities of life all the way through to gritty street reporting, there is a reason why “rapping” has been one of the four elements since its inception. But where graffiti and breakdancing have fallen by the wayside, the other key component that has evolved like no other is that which was then known as “DJing.

During the genre’s infancy, DJ’s would provide breakbeats that’d allow the MC’s to whip the crowd up into a frenzy. But once that spirit of the block parties was being distilled into a commercialized industry, it meant that the decks would have to take a backseat.

At that point, the sampler reigned supreme and with that, the concept of a hip-hop producer or beatmaker as we know them today was born.
From Dr Dre to DJ Premier, Timberland, Kanye West & Pharrell, there’s no shortage of those who’ve provided the canvases on which artists can paint their lyrical pictures who’ve become household names in their own right. And for those who toe the line between producer and rapper, the only limits on both your income and acclaim are your own creativity.

But make no mistake, simply downloading Fruityloops, mastering Ableton or even getting your tracks into the hands of a megastar is not necessarily a fast track to the riches you’ve dreamed of.
In fact, as some of the greats will attest, there are many ways in which being a hip-hop producer… Kinda sucks.

#metroboomin #macmiller #hiphopmadness

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Narrated by: Spencer Pearman
Written by: Robert Blair
Edited by: Roman Bill
Music by: Josh Petruccio

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