Ableton is amazing for hip hop its what I use these days and hip hop is my #1 genre but most hip hop guys are turned off by the GUI. FL Studio is king in the hip hop world for whatever reason though I myself don't care for FL at all and never have. 

I missed this post. Good to get the insight of someone in the genre. I find all this stuff quite confusing because I've always bee a rock guy but I do want/have to learn it if I want to go pro. Can't shut out one of the most popular modern genres.

Sadly my personal belief system might get in the way. I'd refuse to do the violent braggart stuff. The thinking man's hip hop I've always enjoyed but my knowledge of what's currently out there is next to non existent. I think the latest group I could name that I enjoyed was Tribe and that's what? Like over a decade ago. lol

Like I said... dinosaur. ;-)

certain production aspects of Hiphop get lost and become old hat real quick nowadays. i always loved the vinyl based, choppin samples, 2 turntables and a mic. thats what i thought it was about. but the youth have moved on. no disrespect but i would not trust or even be comfortable participating in any type of "How To's"(B-Boy Starter Kits) regarding Hiphop. the best HH productions always came from the guys with a solid background in DJ-ing (rockin parties, movin crowds) JMJ, Premier, Quick, Dre, Dilla, Bobcat, Timbaland, Kanye, Marly Marl...were all DJs first. Djs knew more about what PEOPLE liked, more so than every musician i know. everything you need to know about Hiphop production is in those records you like.

I think production values in hip hop have gone down somewhat. I only ever really hear it blaring out of SUV's in New York but I figure this is a fairly representative slice of what's being listened to. And it always seems to be the same beat with the same "horror movie" single note piano riff plinking away in a minor key, the same Angry Young Males posturing about ho's, jealousy, money and respect. 

I used to listen a bit more in the early to mid 90's and there seemed to be a lot more inventiveness and quirkiness back then....the likes of Kool Keith (Dr. Octagon) etc. 

Beepster and sharke, like any artform, what is on display for the mass markets is only a slice of what exists. A very profitable slice, but still a slice. My son listens to plenty of artists that are not into violence and misogynistic lyrics and he still listens to old school stuff because the best of the best in any genre tends to be timeless. His favorite albums of all time are Low end theory by tribe and Madvilliany by MF DOOM and madlib. Styles come and go. Although the inventive and quirky types are not front and center these days, theye are still out there. Kool Keith is still putting out albums as is the guy who produced the Dr Octagon albums (Dan the Automator). e produces a lot of the Gorillas early stuff.

aleef.. i remember djing back in the 8o's and 90's. It was fun and the producers did rely on having a broad knowlegde of all kinds of music. Like I said..it still exists, just not getting to the mainstream as much.

dubdisciple


Beepster and sharke, like any artform, what is on display for the mass markets is only a slice of what exists. A very profitable slice, but still a slice. My son listens to plenty of artists that are not into violence and misogynistic lyrics and he still listens to old school stuff because the best of the best in any genre tends to be timeless. His favorite albums of all time are Low end theory by tribe and Madvilliany by MF DOOM and madlib. Styles come and go. Although the inventive and quirky types are not front and center these days, theye are still out there. Kool Keith is still putting out albums as is the guy who produced the Dr Octagon albums (Dan the Automator). e produces a lot of the Gorillas early stuff.

I think I still have a copy of Blue Flowers somewhere on vinyl! I wore that record out 15 years ago and almost caused the family next door to move out. Happy times!