To narrow things down into a top ten with Kanye’s production was very difficult. I had to take various things into account. Impact, delivery , execution, creativity, flow, sound, blends, choruses, skips, timing, etc. Man, the list goes on. A lot of you guys are producers so you understand where I am coming from on this.
I went in with an objective eye, and certainly left beats off that were personal favourites and tried to appease the mob with this final list. I tried to vary it as much as possible and try to keep it as fresh as possible too.
Any compliants? Leave a comment and I may or may not respond. All in all, enjoy it for what it is. Granted, I think that I’m right all the time and many of you will want to switch in one, move one up, etc. Make your top ten list if you want and I’ll critique the hell out of it.
10. Alicia Keys – “If I Ain’t Got You (Remix)”
Remix from the album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2004)
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Why it’s Dope: The sped up vocal sample from the original adds a very addictive sound to this one. The piano loop orchestrated by Kanye and (probably) performed by Alicia Keys exemplifies great producer/artist chemistry and evidently, the product is a success. The track works on many levels; although it might not carry as much emotion as the original, it does bring a type of soul to it to help out this remix. It wasn’t trying to remake the original, it was appropriately trying to switch up the sound and flow and it certainly achieved that goal.
9. Mariah Carey- “Stay the Night”
From the album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005)
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Why it’s Dope: It must be hard to compete with Mariah Carey. Rarely do we listen to MC for her production because that voice is just so demanding that we have to listen to it. Kanye grabs our attention just for a second from Mariah’s voice and tunes us in to the beautiful piano loop tied into the Cold Crush sample. I’m not sure how much work Kanye did with the vocals of Mariah’s, but the track is a heater as whole and still portrays as much soul in the beat as MC does in her voice.
8. John Legend- “Live It Up”
From the album Get Lifted (2004)
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Why it’s Dope: I always get a little uneasy when I see ‘co-produced’ because it starts making you wonder who did what. Especially after the whole “Down and Out’ situation, but I don’t have reason to believe that this isn’t at least some, if not most, of Kanye’s work. The relaxation of the verses that leads into the jump and climax of the chorus is perfectly done. The addition of Miri Ben-Ari to provide the strings is a great touch as well.
7. Syleena Johnson- “Suddenly” featuring Common
From the album Chapter 3: The Flesh (2005)
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Why it’s Dope: Although her most famous hook up with Kanye is on “All Falls Down,” they do a nice job on this track. The horns add a great flavour to the track and the piano is drizzled throughout the joint adding a necessary blend. The beat is also evidently versatile with Common spitting a pretty dope verse on it and because Syleena’s voice is fairly powerful, the beat has it’s work cut out for it.
6. John Legend- “Heaven”
From the album Once Again (2006)
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Why it’s Dope: The song as a whole is unreal, pretty much anything John Legend does is gold, but, this song has two things that stood out: the cymbals and the sample. The use of the sample is very effective in the chorus and the cymbal throughout the entire track is beautiful and really keeps the drums alive. There are plenty of subtle additions in the track too that make it complete, give it a close listen.
5. Monica- “Knock Knock”
From the album After The Storm (2003)
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Why it’s Dope: If the top 4 weren’t so amazing, this would certainly be number one, ha. The sample chop is perfectly done and the background bass serves its purpose to carry the piano along with it. The claps at the beginning of the second verse are great to show the importance of the piano loop which kick back in later on. There are a lot of goodies on this track to pick at and identify. Great track even with Monica’s wack rapping.
4. Keshia Cole- “I Changed My Mind” featuring Shyne
From the album The Way It Is (2005)
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Why it’s Dope: ‘Get out, get out…I don’t love you…I don’t love you no more.” The Solomon Burke sample is used so bloody well. The claps and beat switch ups throughout the track are perfect, as well as the ‘stops’. What impresses me the most (or pisses me off the most) is that there are plenty of strictly R&B producers out there who haven’t done something this impressive. As if the voice of Miss Cole isn’t soulful enough, the Kanye strings add plenty to the atmosphere. A tremendous track that further opened the floodgates for ‘Ye.
3. Alicia Keys- “You Don’t Know My Name”
From the album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2004)
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Why it’s Dope: When I first heard this track, I had no idea Kanye produced it. I should’ve known better. The soul, my god, the soul on this track. The Main Ingredient sample throughout, is perfect. The ‘ooh’ vocals are used beautifully and the beat switch ups are perfectly timed. The piano loop once again proves vital as it lends its necessary need and the classic sound that Alicia was going for is filled unbelievably by Kanye’s production. It is a throwback done very well and is certainly one of his most impressive beats and it moves us away from the fact that Alicia Keys has completely gone crazy and picked out a man’s phone number from a fish bowl that he left there for a contest or something to call him.
2. Janet Jackson- “I Want You”
From the album Damita Jo (2004)
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Why it’s Dope: Ignore the fact that Kanye had one of his worst beats on this very same album (“Strawberry Bounce”) and just pay attention to this gorgeous piece of work. The drums hit at the beginning and the listener should already fall in love. Janet’s voice should intrigue you, but frankly, those strings and those drums grab my attention all the time. Especially when those drums speed up, wow. The video has Janet walking down some really shady parts of the neighbourhood in pursuit of Jermaine Dupri! All jokes aside, Kanye’s beat takes us on a really joyful ride that doesn’t have to have us ending up in JD’s presence; after all, the beat evokes happiness, not pre-pubescent teenage talent.
1. John Legend- “I Used to Love U”
From the album Get Lifted (2004)
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Why it’s Dope: Are you tired of that Cold Crush Brother sample yet? I’m not, and damn, it adds some excitement to this track. It’s evidently a ‘get over you’ song and the pace and energy garnered from it only contributes to the theme. The piano work is great by John of course, as orchestrated by Kanye, the drums are typical Kanye, but the way everything blends together, including John’s “Holla, holla, holla” is quite beautiful. When things seemingly calm down towards the middle of the track, the climax hits back up again and the listener is brought up with it. The horns, strings, and even guitar join in on the fun on this loaded cut.
Honourable Mentions:
Janet Jackson- “My Baby”: A dope guitar loop drives this beat home and the addition of some timely strings throughout the joint makes it a great track.
John Legend- “Get Lifted”: This song is loaded with great production from the guitar placements and timing to the subtle piano throughout the entire joint. The beat skips are also a great addition that adds a lot by donating very little.
Carl Thomas- “The Way That You Do”: Kanye messes around with some dope vocal samples to contribute to this cut. The song is very well produced, well executed and well structured. The very subtle beat switch up for the chorus is key as well.
Michael Jackson- “Billie Jean 2008″: Kanye turned this one out. Borrows plenty from the original, but he adds just enough to make it his own and flip it up. It was a great way of paying homage to the original while staying original.
Others: Trina and Tamara- “Joanne”, Brandy- “Talk About Our Love”, Leela James- “Didn’t I”
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I dont think Shyne is on my version of that Keisha Cole song…. hmmm *goes to take a second listen*
Good compilation some real good ones there
should release it as a downloadable comp tho
I dont agree on you 100 % since I havent heard Damita Jo, but besides that – I agree.. I cant get enough of ‘Get Lifted’ so I would have have included it on Janet’s place…
That Carl Thomas JOINT is flames. I remember looking for that song forever because I could never find out who it was… That’s in my top 5.
Would’ve had Keyshia Cole and Alicia Keys “You Don’t Know My Name”, 1 & 2. John Legend’s “I Use To Love U” to similar to the Mobb Deep joint
Would be cool if you could release a download comp of these. Props on Kanye week so far!
Yeah, that John Legend album is a classic. Alicia Keys ‘You Don’t Know…” is a timeless song. It’ll last forever.
ahem*
Keyshia Cole
sorry
ALL OF THESE ARE GREAT BUT KANYE’S HANDS DOWN BEST R&B JOINT WAS BRANDY’S “TALK ABOUT OUR LOVE”. THE VERSE HE LAID DOWN ON THAT JOINT WAS SO-SO, BUT AS FAR AS THE BEAT? MAN… I BOUGHT THAT ALBUM JUST OFF THE STRENGTH OF THAT JOINT.
Yeah, Brandy’s “Talk About Our Love” was dope. Too much John Legend in this list. I personally cannot stand the dude. My favs would be the Alicia remix and Mariah Carey track. I thought about putting up a download of these, but figured everyone had these already… that’s my bad. Props Deez!
aaaahh yeaaah that “you dont know my name” with mos def in the video ! crazy top 10 !!
aw man! i disagree! u don’t know my name is number one for me! i think ur being sentimental with the i used to love you joint. great track. not number one. shouldn’t have been top 5 really. my opinion.
Can’t find much to disagree with you here Deez, good work! Great shout on Suddenly by Syleena Johnson – very underrated and can’t argue with your choice for number one. Looking forward to the rundown of the joints Kanye produced for himself!
You Don’t Know is heat, it really is, but there is a certain originality that I Used To Love You has that You Don’t Know doesn’t have.
You Don’t is a great time piece though, really sets that mood. Any of those last 3 could be interchanged in all honesty. I Want You is huge too
this list is perfect order