People constantly follow the latest hip-hop and listen to rap hits from world stars. However, not everyone knows who exactly is behind the creation of a particular banger. Today, we will talk about some of the most influential world beatmakers who have gone on a long journey to their success.
If you want to know how to go from student beatmaker to famous, you should understand that this calling can take a lot of time, especially when you need to do lots of assignments all the time. Fortunately, there is a custom essay writing service for students that can help you with your homework. In this way, you can save time for beatmaking.
Metro Boomin: Long Journey of a Beatmaker
Perhaps the most sought-after beatmaker of recent years. Metro Boomin’s beatmaker success story started in middle and high school in St. Louis. He was the one who participated in the creation of Kanye West’s cult album “The Life of Pablo“, while simultaneously collaborating with such giants of the rap scene as Drake, 21 Savage, Future, and Travis Scott. However, Metro Boomin’s work is not limited to hip-hop – this is confirmed, for example, by his collaboration with James Blake.
Kanye West: Unusual Type Beat Journey
A phenomenal man who managed to transform himself from a talented beatmaker to a producer and then into one of the top artists of the genre. His type beat journey began with experimenting in his early teens, diving deep into beatmaking and sampling. Let’s not touch on Kanye West’s rhyming abilities; we are not here for that. We can confidently say that he is a hip-hop icon, a trendsetter, a savior who brought soul sampling back to the hip-hop mainstream. A trendsetter of our time, if you want to know what hip-hop will be like in the next few years, keep an eye on this guy.
J. Dilla (James Yancey): From Underground Scene to World Recognition
Not knowing who Dilla is means falling out of the underground scene. Those who are familiar with at least a couple of albums he was involved in consider themselves true hip-hop intellectuals and rush to declare this to everyone they meet. J. Dilla created beats and experimented with drum machines as a child in Detroit. In fact, he was an excellent beatmaker who went from beatmaking student to professional and gave us a huge amount of great music. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2006, the same year his LP “Donuts” was released. If you are hearing about this person for the first time, we advise you to start getting to know his work with this album.
Kaytranada: A Path to Grammy
Kaytranada is a Grammy-winning producer and DJ. He started producing at age 15 while still in school in Montreal. Kaytranada is one of the famous beatmakers who started their careers as students and schoolchildren. Today, Kaytranada is one of the most influential producers of his generation.
Hit-Boy: From Teenage Passion to Fame
Hit-Boy, born Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. in Fontana, California, is a Grammy-winning producer and rapper recognized for shaping modern hip-hop and R&B. He began producing beats as a teenager, gaining early attention online while experimenting with FL Studio to craft his signature sound. Over the years, Hit-Boy has become one of the industry’s most in-demand producers.
Pierre Bourne: From a Creative with a Laptop to the Influencer
Pierre Bourne, born Jordan Timothy Jenks, is a producer, rapper, and sound engineer. He experimented with music and beatmaking while still in school. Pi’erre’s story is a true journey of a beatmaker because it evolves from a young creative with a laptop into one of the most influential producers of his generation. He has also built a strong solo career.
Tay Keith: Path to a Sought-After Producer
Tay Keith is a Grammy-nominated producer. He started to work with beats in middle and high school in Memphis. His breakout came with BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive” featuring Drake, which catapulted him into the spotlight. Since then, Tay Keith has produced chart-topping hits for artists like Travis Scott, Lil Baby, and Beyoncé.
Sounwave: One of the Most Respected Producers
Sounwave, born Mark Spears, is a Grammy-winning producer and songwriter best known for his work with Top Dawg Entertainment artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock. He began learning and experimenting with production software as a student. Over the years, Sounwave has crafted some of modern hip-hop’s most acclaimed tracks.
Cardo: A Key Figure in Contemporary Rap Music
Cardo, born Ronald Nathan LaTour, is a Grammy-nominated producer and DJ known for his smooth, melodic hip-hop beats. He started producing hip-hop beats in high school in St. Paul, Minnesota. Cardo gained widespread recognition through collaborations with artists like Drake, Travis Scott, and Kendrick Lamar. He has also released solo projects.
Zaytoven: A Talent With an Innovative Approach
It seems that it is impossible to connect beatmaking and piano, but Zaytoven managed to do so. He began playing piano and creating beats as a teenager. With the development of Zaytoven’s talent, many artists want to work with him, such as Gucci Mane, Future, and Migos. His innovative approach can both please rap music lovers and those who like the piano sound.
Lex Luger: Defining The Modern Trap Sound
Just 15-20 years ago, Lex Luger couldn’t even imagine that he would become a highly influential hip-hop and trap producer. But now many people are willing to work with him, such as Waka Flocka Flame, Rick Ross, Kanye West, and Jay-Z. His signature style, characterized by rapid hi-hats, has left a lasting impact on the sound of contemporary hip-hop.
TM88: Signature Moody Melodies
TM88 creates hip-hop and trap music that you won’t forget. With the advent of the 808 Mafia collective, he gained widespread popularity. How great it is that we can listen to TM88’s music, where moody melodies and hard-hitting drum patterns can coexist! He is a key figure in modern trap sound and one of the most innovative producers in contemporary hip-hop.
How to Go from Student Beatmaker to Famous
The music industry is one of those areas that is constantly evolving. New trends, new musical genres, and new professions are constantly emerging. One of the most relevant areas today is beatmaking. Let’s figure out what it is and how to start working in this area.
Who is a beatmaking student to a professional?
As you can tell from the name, a beatmaker is a person who creates a beat. This means that the beatmaker is responsible for creating the framework of the track and its mood, which involves working with rhythms, samples, and arrangements. Today, this is not only a popular profession, but also a very interesting one. However, it is worth considering that this is also a rather complex activity that requires both serious theoretical knowledge and practical skills. In particular, the ability to play musical instruments, recording, mixing, and mastering skills, and, of course, a good ear for music and a sense of rhythm will be big advantages for a beatmaker. All this will allow you to create complete and harmonious tracks.
Where to start the beatmaker success story?
Beatmaking is a creative profession, and success depends, first of all, on the desire to do it, and not on a large amount of expensive equipment, especially at the first stages. Therefore, in order to take your first steps in this area and try to create your own beat, a computer or even a phone is enough for you.
You need to understand what parts musical compositions consist of. First of all, you can analyze the drum parts in your favorite pieces and try to write beats with the corresponding rhythm yourself. Once you understand the basic rhythm construction schemes, you can move on to working with ready-made soundtracks and samples and create beats from scratch with their help. There are many sources where samples can be purchased or obtained absolutely free.
List of the most popular programs
There are many free applications with basic capabilities that will give you a practical idea of beatmaking and help you decide how close and interesting the beatmaking area is to you. For example, applications such as Groovepad, Drum Pad Machine, and Beat Maker Go will help you understand the basic essence of beatmaking and give you the opportunity to easily create your first composition. For Windows, there are also basic free programs, such as Cakewalk, Ableton Live, or Wawosaur. And if you want to immediately start getting acquainted with professional sequencers, then most of them have a free trial period.
Necessary equipment
Since all the main activities are carried out on the computer, you need to have a high-quality and powerful model that can quickly work with professional software. A beatmaker’s arsenal must include a MIDI keyboard or controller. A MIDI keyboard is a more universal option, while you will need a controller for more specific tasks.
Sequencer pad controllers are best suited for beatmaking, for example, Novation Launchpad X. This is a basic model that is ideal for working with Ableton Live, but can also be configured for any other software. Fully assignable backlit pads can be used to write drum, keyboard, guitar, or other instrument parts, as well as to conveniently control sequencer functions. A huge plus of Launchpad controllers is the free software included in the kit: you can immediately try out Ableton Live Lite and many plugins. In addition, MIDI controllers are more compact than keyboards, so they will fit perfectly into a small home studio of a beginner beatmaker.
At the first stages, you will only need a controller for work, but professional beatmakers use both a controller and a keyboard. At the same time, you do not need a full-size model; it is enough to purchase a keyboard with 25 or 32 keys, for example, AKAI Pro MPK Mini Original MK3 or Novation Launchkey Mini MK3.
Also, to record samples, your equipment should include a microphone. It is useful not only for recording vocals, but also for acoustic musical instruments. A good studio microphone will provide a clean signal without interference and distortion, and will also eliminate feedback. For beginner beatmakers, models such as Alctron CM6-MKII or Samson C01 are perfect.
To connect the microphone, you will need a microphone cable with XLR-XLR connectors. The microphone should also be equipped with a pop filter; this accessory will prevent unnecessary sounds. In addition, the microphone should be conveniently located, so you will need a reliable stand, either a tabletop (pantograph) or a floor stand.
For complete control over the sound, you will need studio monitors and headphones. Closed studio headphones are necessary for recording vocals; they provide high signal quality and allow you to fully control the sound. Among the reliable options, take a closer look at the budget model Prodipe 3000 or the popular professional headphones Beyerdynamic DT 770.
And of course, don’t forget that to become a good beatmaker, you need to practice constantly. Take an example from the talents we wrote about in the article.
