It’s a given that a rapper will get in the spotlight for their rhymes but have you ever given some consideration to who produces their beats ? No rapper can or will be a success without a great hip hop beat maker behind them. Whether you’re interested in beat creation or a combination involving rapping, the people behind the beats are now getting the attention that their rapper counter-parts have been enjoying for years. It’s not uncommon for a well established hip hop beat maker to charge from $25,000 to $100,000 per track. There are some in the industry making such amounts of money and you can call these 5 people the kings of hip hop production.

First on our list is B. Cox. He’s best known for his production input on Usher’s albums. With the reputation he built from his days working with Beyonce, he can pick and choose which artists he wants to work with. Some consider him neck and neck with So So Def for money earned.

When it comes to duos, none are bigger than Chad Hugo and Pharrel. You might know them from N.E.R.D. Their hip hop productions are by no means traditional with their strange use of synths & funk but it works well for them. When Justine Timberlake left NSync, they helped turned him into the star he is today.

Next on the list has to be Stargate. While associated more so with the euro pop sound, in the past they’ve worked with artists such as Rihanna & Ne-Yo. For Lionel Richie, their production helped him gain his first number 1 hit in over 10 years. More recently they’ve worked with Nas and Flo Rida so i expect them to break into the hip hop scene in a major way.

No list is complete without the legendary Kayne West. He’s big on talk but bigger on putting those words into action. This is the guy who’s own beats speak volumes regardless of who he has worked with. He’s spent considerable time with known hip hop beat maker Jay-Z.

Finally we have Timbaland. Aaliyah and Timbaland gave the hip hop industry a lasting legacy and which all hip hop can be measured by. Everyone involved in hip hop beat making wants to get a piece of Timbaland. He has time and time again broken new ground having collaborated with artists such as Bjork. Not a man to forget where he came from, he is firmly cemented in hip hop history. He has the Midas touch when it comes to producing hip hop beats.

Many of these hip hop beat makers have moved from the studio to their own home and are more often than not now using a beat maker online. While the tools they’re using are not ideal, you can get a feel for it by downloading your very own hip hop beat maker.

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