We dropped the first installment of Give the Producer Some back in February, when we felt producers were getting played out of their fair chair of recognition. We still feel that way. So today we return with part 2. Just to remind you, Give the Producer Some is a series wherein we list some of our favorite local beat makers who are invigorating the scene with new flavors and styles. Let us know who you’d like to see featured next in the comments below!
DTB – Hercules, CA
When we were getting bangers from Samaria, NDGO SOSA, and Pluto Mars in 2016, it was their production choices and high quality mixes that impressed us. It turns out the real secret weapon of Perfect Your Craft was producer, music director, trumpeter, and engineer DTB. There isn’t a whole lot on the internet about DTB, but his resume is strong. He’s behind OMB Peezy’s breakout single “Lay Down”, produced P-Lo’s “Never Sorry”, produced a teased collaboration between Saweetie & GuapDad 4000, and let’s not forget that he and ALLBLACK gave us the slapping pimp tale “AllWhite”. Most everyone at Thizzler HQ is waiting with bated breath for their full length collaboration Outcalls, which is due out 4/20. Though he keeps a low profile, DTB’s music reaches far & wide and we expect to be hearing a lot more of his records in the future.
The Kid Rated R – San Francisco, CA
The Kid Rated R first appeared on our radar in 2012 when fellow SF artist NATE dropped “Them Days”, a reflective record about the times things fail to fall into place. “Them Days” and Common Folk, the album that followed, featured emotional and musical hip-hop production with a classic feel, courtesy of the multitalented Kid Rated R, who is also a vicious emcee. Aside from producing his own records, he recently provided sounds for Andre Nickatina’s latest opus Pisces. Listening to beats crafted by The Kid Rated R, one might surmise that College Dropout & The Late Registration were his favorite eras of Kanye West. Don’t take my word for it though, I’m just a blogger. Seriously though.
Wax Roof – Santa Cruz, CA
Wax Roof found his way into hip-hop beat making after finding himself stricken by a chronic pain condition during his time at UC Santa Cruz. He initially saw himself playing guitar for the rest of his life and even traveled to study Flamenco in Spain. His pain condition made it too difficult to play guitar, so he eventually began beat making in order to continue to manifest his love of music. Wax Roof has worked with some of our favorites such as Caleborate, Elujay, Rexx Life Raj, and Siri, providing them with rich tapestries to flex their lyrics over. He’s also gotten placements outside of the Bay Area, having worked with Soulection’s Sango, Saint Louis’ Smino, and L.A. legend MURS. Luckily Wax Roof has been well enough the past few years to be able to return to guitar, his first love. He hasn’t stopped there though. His passion for music has led him to incorporate piano, trumpet, drums, and even more instruments to his palette. He’s currently working on a project that will showcase the sum of his years of practice and building collaborative relationships. If you’re still sleeping on Wax Roof in 2018, it’s time to wake tf up.
Ian McKee – Pacifica, CA
If you haven’t heard of Ian McKee yet, expect that to change soon. As of now Caleborate and Rexx Life Raj are two of most well known and frequent collaborators. He’s a beast on the keys and behind the boards. His commitment to learning everything there is to know about the craft is exemplified by the fact that he was the Valedictorian of his graduating class at Expressions. McKee approaches every new project with an air of curiosity and experimentation. Rexx Life Raj’s “Young Wardell” is a good example of that. You can periodically catch him messing around on his Instagram Story, chopping up samples from obscure tv shows and sounds around his house to piece together insanely genius original productions and remixes. He’s slept on right now, but we’re sure with the right placements he could become a house hold name, at least in our section.
Architekz – Suisun, CA
Architekz is the Suisun native who has been helping to craft Vallejo’s sound and that of up and comers like Shootergang Jojo, Young Mezzy and Salsalino. He laces them with mobby and melodic sounds which go up in any variety of situations. If you listen to Bay Area music a lot, you probably heard one of his beats. He’s the only one on this list to have had Ty Dolla $ign go in on one of his productions. Last year Architekz revealed that he had recently won a battle with cancer. It’s clear that he’s a winner behind the music and in life. We look forward to seeing what else Architekz accomplishes this year!
