Beat-Making
The stories behind the beats and beat-makers we love, from the traditional to the experimental and beyond
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Rap 12"s and the Forgotten Artform of Bonus Beats
Magic System’s “1er Gaou:” The Story of an Afropop Classic
Aron’s Record Store and the Development of the LA Beat Scene
Lil Jon, “Yeah!” and the Evolution of Crunk
What Was Chipmunk Soul? → The halcyon era of a sound that once ruled hip-hop
Life Is A Donut: Reassessing J Dilla’s Legacy
The Haitian Roots of Montréal’s Biggest Beatmakers
How Fruity Loops Changed Music-Making Forever
Engineering The Wu-Tang Clan → How a squad of engineers helped shape the sound of one of the most important debut albums in hip-hop history
Modern Approaches → Producers reveal their sound philosophies
MPC60: The Sequencer and Sampler that Shaped the Sound of Hip-Hop
DJ Screw: A Fast Life In Slow Motion
Modern Approaches, Hip-Hop: Drums & Percussion
MC and Producer Black Milk on Learning from J Dilla and Chasing New Sounds
Press Pause: The History of Pause Tape Production → How Easy Mo Bee, Public Enemy, De La Soul and more changed the sound of rap with their cassette decks
Key Tracks: Joe Bataan on “Rap-O Clap-O”
Loop History → Reporting on the second lives of iconic breaks and beats
DJ Sprinkles’ Top 5 Studio Tips