10 Best Hip-Hop Producers Of The 2010s
6. Sounwave
Sounwave has been producing with Top Dawg Entertainment for well over ten years now, and has been absolutely integral to some of the label's very best music. But he really announced himself with his extensive contributions to Kendrick Lamar's debut album "Section.80," showing a knack and ear for combining elements of traditional hip-hop with elements of soul and jazz. Since then him and Kendrick Lamar have been a match made in heaven, with Sounwave producing songs like m.A.Ad city, King Kunta and Element. He has been right there as Kendrick ascended to being the most critically acclaimed rapper of his generation, and he really deserves the recognition that his work deserves.
Sounwave of course did not box himself in. He has evovled and produced for some of the most forward-thinking artists outside the genre of hip-hop as well, such as St. Vincent and FKA twigs.
Sounwave has been almost as integral to the success of TDE as the performing artists have been, and it's exciting to see him in real time extend his reach to other hip-hop artists and eventually outside the boundaries of hip-hop as well.