When adding credits to a hip-hop track, I faced a dilemma — should I list the creators of the beats as producers (which seems obvious), or as composers of the work, since they create the actual music?
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I usually add them as both, because they both ‘designed’ the music and made the music happen.
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I’ve expressed this same dilemma here. Based on reosarevok’s response, I’ll put the artist as composer if the artist is stated (implicit/explicitly) to have just made the beat, but otherwise I’ll directly translate the “producer” credit to the recording. Though I do wish there was a distinction between the MB definition of producer vs. what the credit typically means in modern rap.
They are usually listed as both on most releases. I usually just show how it’s listed on the release. But yeah, if it actually says “creator of beats”, I’ve never seen that, but does seem to be saying both.
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I’ve been meaning to make a post on this for a while. I feel that it’s neither. I believe that when the track title says “prod. Metro Boomin” or something similar, it should be treated as a featured artist. Metro Boomin is pretty established, so I know that in many cases he is actually a producer, but for most underground SoundCloud rap the prod tag simply means they used the beat. Usually the final mixing/mastering is done by the track artist anyway. For that reason I think it should be treated the same way you would a dual artist credit, like RJD2 with Aceyalone, or The Alchemist with Domo Genesis.
Even if the artist just used the beat, the beatmaker would still be the composer and what is generally understood as producer in hip hop. Theoretically, we could have a separate relationship for hip hop producing and “normal” producing, but in reality they’d get misused all the time and in a lot of cases it would be unclear which of the two even applies (or if both do!). So we just use normal producer and shrug, basically.
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“Producer” is such a word that have many meanings, for example in russian generally “producer” means something like Investor, person who with money/connections/power makes a celebrity from a regular person, role that fulfilled on the west by the label. It’s rarely used to describe a person resoinsible for art direction or anything like that.
“Producers” of hip-hip beats cold have relationsship something like “beatmaker” with “prod by.” in hints. Without using the word “Producer” many cases of missuse can be avoided
My answer to this is long overdue ; I’ll do it now then !
The word “Producer” in this context can mean many things indeed. But I am against creating a new relationship !
Indeed, it was born… through 2 things :
- Out of anxiouness of calling oneself a composer with new way to create instrumentals from electronic/sampling based genres (you can definely meet in Techno/House music this usage of the word “producer” or “prod by”). Sumed up with this question :
As a sampler of existing music or as a user of sampled based Akai MK2 Turntable beats how can I call myself a ComposerTM ?
- Out of what music producer were doing after the creation of Discs ! 1. Artists are composing, writing lyrics. 2. Producers are the one putting money in every other fields : might be artistic direction, recording/hiring of musicians to play the compositions, preparing the recording for manufacturing, contracting distributors etc. As in movies, producers are doing the hirings of the majority of actors, lending the money etc. against a (huge) cut in the final earnings.
Therefore, as a person creating the sample/loops, asking rapper which one they like, recording the eventual vocals, syncing them with a DAW to be ready for Mix/Mastering (or doing it myself) and eventual cassette/CD manufacturing, am I kind of a producer as I’m doing much more than just, composing ?
It is a distinction found in “traditional” artistic intellectual property law in music :
- 50% of any music ownership are dedicated to “Author’s rights” (Lyrics / Composition / Arrangement).
- 50% are dedicated “Rights Around Author’s Rights” (Production-matters : Recording, Mixing, Mastering, Publishing, Distribution).
Since the 90s, these distinctions are blurred in Composition.
In hip hop, through their Instagram bios, I see a huge variety of self-denomiation, they can call themselves :
- Producers (75%).
- Beatmakers
- Composers
- Loopmakers (! recent, especially in the booming “selling beats” business)
But. In the end. It’s composition.
Even if the music is most of the time sampled, these producer in the DAW, they tweak, they change to tone, the notes, create melodies, choose the rhythm…
It is just, being a contemporary composer.
Even without a music sheet !
So yeah, 90% of the time, these producer/beatmakers etc. are just composers.
(for “Beatmakers” : it is in hip hop nothing more than a way to do composition ; hip hop rapping developed with a huge importance given to : snare drums (!!!) and bass. And rappers need to follow their rhythm, or, in their word, the “beat”. Now, hip hop music evolved but the word stayed… It is also very associated with “beat sellers” on Youtube/Beatport etc. and the “type beat” practice)
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