Kanye West's 50 Best Beats for Other Artists
These days, 'Ye is more likely to get hit up about contributing a verse, but his work as a producer is still highly revered. We rank his greatest moments behind the boards.
Image via Complex Original
Today, Kanye West is known for his work as the starring act and main attraction. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that Kanye became a megastar by coming through the backdoor as a producer. A decade ago, Kanye wasn’t full-time rhyming yet. Instead, he was making a name for himself by crafting soul-heavy beats for classic like Jay-Z's The Blueprint and Scarface's The Fix.
Shortly after, 'Ye began his epic run as a solo artist, producing the large majority of his own material. It's from that catalog that we've witnessed many of Kanye's best productions, including era-defining instrumentals like "Stronger" and "All of the Lights." But 'Ye has still always found time to cook up a banger for another artist. The same process that put him on the map helps keep him relevant as one of hip-hop's best beatsmiths.
With Kanye's G.O.O.D. Music compilation, Cruel Summer, officially out tomorrow, it's a good time to consider all of the work he's put in to get here. We're taking a look back at the days when he was a producer for hire, working with artists like Beanie Sigel, Monica, and Nas. Of course, 'Ye produced a bunch of hits after his superstar status was cemented, too. We've taken it all into account.
These are Kanye West's 50 best beats for other artists.
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50. Lupe Fiasco "The Cool" (2006)
Album: Food & Liquor
Label: 1st & 15th, Atlantic
This blend of Dexter Wansel's "Life on Mars" and James Brown's "Funky Drummer" makes for this dreary instrumental, perfect for Lupe's song about a dead man walking.
49. Lil Wayne "Let The Beat Build" (2008)
Album: Tha Carter III
Label: Cash Money, Universal Motown
Had Weezy's Tha Carter III album not boasted so many bangers, this Kanye soul joint, sampling Eddie Kendrick's "Day by Day," surely would have gotten more shine. True to its title, the song grows from repetitive coos to a swirl of claps, kicks, and thumping bass. "Now that's how you let the beat build, bitch," Wayne says before sharing his gratitude to the producer: "I'd like to thank Kanye." Wayne's comfort with 'Ye beats had been evident since "Comfortable" and "Did It Before" leaked the year prior, but "Let The Beat Build" shows their chemistry on another level.
48. Common f/ Lily Allen "Drivin' Me Wild" (2007)
Album: Finding Forever
Label: G.O.O.D. Music, Geffen
Artfully looping the piano and the chorus from Rotary Connection's "Love Has Fallen on Me," 'Ye put together a sultry beat that fit Lily Allen's crooned chorus to a T. As Common gently scolds women for trying too hard to look perfect, the piano in the background matches up beautifully with the subject matter.
47. Alicia Keys "You Don't Know My Name" (2003)
Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys
Label: J
Nine years ago Kanye was mostly known as a hip-hop producer. He expanded his resume with this slow jam for Alicia Keys, sampling "Let Me Prove My Love to You" by The Main Ingredient. The result was a No. 3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
46. Consequence f/ Kanye West "Getting Out The Game" (2004)
Album: Take 'Em To The Cleaners
Label: Sure Shot Recordings
Kanye laced his erstwhile signee with a methodical, string-heavy beat that allowed the two MCs to contemplate whether messing with all these crazy women is really worth it.
45. Do or Die f/ Kanye West "Higher" (2004)
Album: D.O.D.
Label: Atlantic, The Legion
Teddy Pendergrass was one smooth dude, so when Kanye sampled his "You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration," for this track, you knew it would be a soulful affair. Do or Die let their rapid-fire rhymes flow as Kanye handled the chorus.
44. T.I. "Doin My Job" (2003)
Album: Trap Muzik
Label: Grand Hustle, Atlantic
In the prime of his "speeding up soul samples" phase, Kanye accelerated a snippet of Bloodstone's "I'm Just Doing My Job." The result was a hard-hitting track perfectly suited to T.I.'s Southern drawl.
43. John Legend "Used To Love U" (2004)
Album: Get Lifted
Label: Sony Music
A little bass, a little piano and some uptempo drums provided the background for John Legend to croon about his fading love for his current woman. Legend's other single at the time, "Number One," also featured a dope Kanye beat, but it still couldn't match the irresistible bump of "Used To Love U."
42. Freeway "Hear The Song" (2003)
Album: Philadelphia Freeway
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Putting Chic's "Will You Cry" into hyperdrive and emphasizing the strings, Kanye built a beat that was perfectly suited to Freeway's gruff flow. Two years later, L.E.S. used the same sample for the Nas track "Just A Moment."
41. Jay-Z "Some People Hate" (2002)
Album: The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Kanye's eerie looping of "A Word Called Love" by Brian & Brenda Russell repurposes its sullen message and speeds it up for Jay to talk about the hate that his come-up has earned him.
40. Bump J "Move Around" (2005)
Album: Nothing to Lose
Label: Atlantic
"I just want to make sure everybody knew who did the track," Kanye announced in the opening moments of this song—and for good reason. The throbbing beat and booming drums gave Bump J plenty of space to "move around."
39. Jin f/ Kanye West "I Got A Love" (2004)
Album: The Rest Is History
Label: Ruff Ryders, Virgin
The highlight of Jin's brief stay in the limelight had to be this Yeezy-produced banger. Ramping up Lenny Williams' "'Cause I Love You," and adding some hard-hitting drums, Kanye finished the job by lending his own vocals to the track. Jin may be long gone from the rap game, but at least he'll always have this song.
38. T.I. f/ Kanye West & Kid Cudi "Welcome To The World" (2010)
Album: No Mercy
Label: Grand Hustle, Atlantic
This one is dope for a few reasons. One, it's sample-free beat with a tinges of electro, but still aggressively hip-hop. Also, it's one of Kanye's more threatening beats, which was perfect for a ticked off T.I. to go off on.
37. Jay-Z "Girls Girls Girls (Part 2)" (2001)
Album: The Blueprint
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
"Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)" is one of the bonus cuts off The Blueprint. Don't let that designation fool you; this track is every bit as essential as those that come before it. That sped-up Persuaders sample is too good.
36. Kid Cudi "Sky Might Fall" (2009)
Album: Man On The Moon: The End of Day
Label: Dream On, G.O.O.D. Music, Universal Motown
Here's another cut that proves Kanye doesn't need a sample to make a great song. It sounds like it could score a dramatic action scene, and fittingly, Cudi created a faux Transformers trailer set to the track.
35. Trina f/ Ludacris "B R Right" (2002)
Album: Diamond Princess
Label: Slip-N-Slide, Atlantic Records
This string-and-bass groove is classic old school Kanye. It doesn't build up as much as his later work does, but even on chill, it's a goodie.
34. Ludacris f/ Shawnna "Stand Up" (2003)
Album: Chicken-n-Beer
Label: Disturbing Tha Peace, Def Jam
By the time Luda linked with Kanye, he was three albums and several hit singles into his career, but this club knocker was his first No. 1 single on the Hot 100.
33. Jay-Z f/ Big Boi, Killer Mike & Twista "Poppin' Tags" (2002)
Album: The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Bongo patters, flute whistles, and a sample of The Marvelettes' "After All" made this a track fit for heavy stunting. Jay-Z, Twista, and Big Boi did just that, lyrically shutting down malls and buying everything in sight.
32. Game f/ Kanye West "Wouldn't Get Far" (2006)
Album: Doctor's Advocate
Label: Geffen
Over a sample from Creative Source's "I'd Find You Anywhere," Game clowns video vixens on this fun, and hilarious single. 'Ye even joins him for a verse about how many cuties have put notches on his belt.
31. Rick Ross' f/ Kanye West "Live Fast, Die Young" (2010)
Album: Teflon Don
Label: Maybach Music Group, Slip-n-Slide, Def Jam
The fifth cut on Rozay's gorgeous gangster album is a flashy Kanye cut where 'Ye samples, among other songs, James Brown's "Funky President (People It's Bad)."
30. Consequence f/ Kanye West "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" (2007)
Album: Don't Quit Your Day Job!
Label: G.O.O.D. Music, Columbia
Yeezy sampled a tiny portion of The Miracles' "Mickey's Monkey" to make this beat for Consequence. Strings, keys, and an overall smoothness made this a quintessential Kanye banger. He shows off behind the boards on album cut "Don't Forget Em" too, but "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" remains the standout, and had been since it showed up on mixtapes years before the Cons LP.
29. Twista f/ Kanye West "Alright" (2009)
Album: Category F5
Label: Get Money Gang, EMI
Heavy on the piano and laced with drums that sound like the ones on "Love Lockdown," this beat feels dark and ominous, but remains extremely catchy.
28. Cam'ron f/ Jim Jones "Dead Or Alive" (2002)
Album: Come Home with Me
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Diplomat, Def Jam
Crafting a beat that dips up and down like a car on hydraulics, then digging deep in the crates to find Buffy Saint-Marie's "Lazarus" for the high-pitched vocal, 'Ye perfectly complemented Cam'ron's murderous flow.
27. Nas "Poppa Was A Playa" (2002)
Album: The Lost Tapes
Label: Ill Will, Columbia
It's a crime that Nas and Kanye West didn't work together more, because it's clear that they have great chemistry. On this track, Kanye lays the beat as God's Son reminisces on memories of his father. Nas and 'Ye would only hook up a few more times, notably on "We Major" and "Still Dreaming," which also featured excellent beats.
26. Teriyaki Boyz f/ Kanye West "I Still Love H.E.R." (2009)
Album: Serious Japanese
Label: Star Trak Entertainment
The Teriyaki Boyz are barely speaking English on this song, but you don't have to understand what they're saying to appreciate this one. Kanye's grandiose loop on the instrumental sounds like a game show theme gone hip-hop, and it's truly addictive.
25. Drake "Show Me A Good Time" (2010)
Album: Thank Me Later
Label: Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Motown
With its kicks, scratches, and vintage feel, most think this '90s-sounding cut is based off of a sample. Not so. It's one of two tracks West blessed Drake with for his debut album. "Find Your Love" is the other. DJ A-Trak did the cuts.
24. Common "The People" (2007)
Album: Finding Forever
Label: G.O.O.D. Music, Geffen
One of Kanye's favorite people to sample is Gil Scott-Heron. Here he pulls from the poet's "We Almost Lost Detroit" to make a smooth cut for Common. The Dilla-inspired chops on this track were the highlight of Finding Forever.
23. T.I. f/ Jay-Z, Lil Wayne & Kanye West "Swagga Like Us" (2008)
Album: Paper Trail
Label: Grand Hustle, Atlantic
Kanye and the hottest artists in rap all got busy on this track. The dream team did their thing, but it all started with Kanye chopping up M.I.A.'s line from "Paper Planes." The dapper foursome and a pregnant M.I.A. performed it live at the Grammys the next year.
22. Monica "Knock Knock" (2003)
Album: After The Storm
Label: J
Kanye flipped The Masqueraders' "It's a Terrible Thing to Waste Your Love" to create this beautifully laid-back, head-nodding beat for Monica. It originally leaked as Kanye solo cut "Improvise." The track's infectious rhythm was also used by J. Cole years later.
21. Dame Dash f/ Kanye West, Young Gunz, Beanie Sigel, Cam'ron & Twista "Champions" (2002)
Album: Dame Dash Presents: Paid In Full Soundtrack
Label: Roc-A-Fella
Kanye sampled one of Queen's most famous songs and gave the ROC an anthem in the process. This was "sped-up sample" production at its peak.
20. Dilated Peoples f/ Kanye West "This Way" (2004)
Album: Neighborhood Watch
Label: Capitol
When Kanye enlists a choir on the chorus, you know the track is going to be epic. Case in point: this uplifting Dilated Peoples tune. The piano is haunting, the recurring whistle is infectious, and Kanye spit a sick verse to boot.
19. Beanie Sigel "Nothing Like It" (2001)
Album: The Reason
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
The Dynamic Superiors' wailing on "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" is the staple of this beat. Kanye took this forgotten R&B cut about the beauty of love and turned it into a striking backdrop for Beans to tell his ghetto stories.
18. Shyne "More Or Less" (2004)
Album: Godfather Buried Alive
Label: Gangland Records/Def Jam Recordings
Kanye West and electric guitars are always a win. (See: "Devil in a New Dress.") Here, West starts with a guitar riff and follows with a killer, opera-type sample. The whole thing comes off equally luxe, and rugged.
17. Jay-Z f/ Kid Cudi "Already Home" (2009)
Album: The Blueprint 3
Label: Roc Nation, Atlantic
Between Kanye's masterful use of Gladstone Anderson's jazzy reggae instrumental, "Med Mad Ivy," and Kid Cudi's hook about haters praying on Hov's downfall, this beat is a monster. The deep layers of sounds and instruments show Kanye's true growth as a producer.
16. Cam'ron "Down and Out" (2004)
Album: Purple Haze
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Diplomat, Def Jam
For the record: Kanye has stated that Brian "All Day" Miller made the beat for "Down and Out." However, 'Ye still got the producer credit, and there's no telling how much he added and touched up after All Day handed him the instrumental. Kanye did make the beat for "Forever," also on Purple Haze. His use of sped-up vocal samples from Chuck Cissel's "Forever" were great on that record, but nothing is touching "Down and Out."
15. Jay-Z "Lucifer" (2003)
Album: The Black Album
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Max Romeo & The Upsetters' reggae wonder "I Chase the Devil" is the stem from which this banger grew. "Kanyeezy you did it again, you a genius" Jay said at the beginning—and who could argue with him?
14. Slum Village f/ Kanye West & John Legend "Selfish" (2004)
Album: Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit)
Label: Capitol
Between Baatin leaving the group and Dilla pursuing a solo career, Slum Village was going through some hard times when they put this track together. Fans were understandably skeptical, but for a moment "Selfish" calmed the masses. Kanye's production was beautifully atmospheric and sprinkled with a winning piano loop that gave the formerly underground group a mainstream hit.
13. DJ Khaled f/ Kanye West, Consequence & John Legend "Grammy Family" (2007)
Album: Don't Quit Your Day Job!
Label: G.O.O.D. Music, Columbia
This track feels like a victory, with unforgettable aural quirks that'd make you think 'Ye sampled a nature sounds CD. A year later after its release, Jay-Z dropped a legendary freestyle to the same instrumental.
12. Jay-Z "Encore" (2003)
Album: The Black Album
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Jay-Z's documentary Fade to Black captures the moment when Kanye played Jay this track for the first time, making his case that it was the perfect track for a man on his way out of the rap game. He was right. The triumphant cut made it from the studio to The Black Album, and then to a sold-out Madison Square Garden, where Jay used it to bid a temporary farewell to his music career. Those horns and and persistent drums carried it the entire way.
11. Common's "Be" Album (2005)
Label: G.O.O.D. Music, Geffen
Sure, listing the entire album is cheating, but Kanye's seminal work on this classic LP may as well be considered cheating, too. Every single one of the nine records he produced could make this list individually. Responsible for all but two songs on Common's sixth studio album, Kanye concocted a series of beats that made Be flow as one cohesive unit. His ear for musicality matched Common's deep rhymes to a T. Kanye's beats were both smooth and soulful ("Be," "Go," "They Say,") but at the same time they weren't afraid to be gritty ("The Corner," "Chi-City," "The Food"). 'Ye pulled out all the stops with his sampling, lacing Common with strings, keys and other instruments that made it feel like he had an entire orchestra in the lab with him. Be is now widely considered one of Common's best albums.
10. Jay-Z f/ Rihanna & Kanye West "Run This Town" (2009)
Album: The Blueprint 3
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Kanye chopped off the first bit of "Someday in Athens" by The 4 Levels Of Existence to make one of Jay's biggest hits yet. It got him two Grammys and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, all while Yeezy was dealing with the Taylor Swift VMA backlash. Epic guitars, tribal drums, and timeless claps triumph over any controversy.
9. Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel & Scarface "This Can't Be Life" (2000)
Album: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
This is one of Jay's most heartfelt tracks, touching on the stillborn birth of a child. Kanye used a Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes sample ("I Miss You") and later admitted that he lifted the drum pattern from Dr. Dre's "Xxplosive." The blend worked, and this is considered one of the beats that made him a star.
8. Twista f/ Kanye West "Overnight Celebrity" (2004)
Album: Kamikaze
Label: Atlantic
Kanye transformed Lenny Williams' classic "Cause I Love You" from a cut about missing an ex to one about making hood chicks famous. The string work from Miri Ben-Ari was a key component to the production. Combined with a sped-up "girl you know I..." vocal sample and lush piano, the beat was unstoppable. Kanye effectively whipped up another hit for his Chi-Town brethren after their co-smash, "Slow Jamz."
7. Jay-Z "Never Change" (2001)
Album: The Blueprint
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Jay-Z spit some of the most introspective lines of his career over Kanye's backdrop, which is laced with a sample of David Ruffin's "Common Man." The beat has a sweeping soulful ambiance to it thanks to Kanye's incredibly precise loop from the Ruffin record. The added drums and bassline made it hip-hop ready and helped put Kanye on the map.
6. Scarface f/ Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel "Guess Who's Back" (2002)
Album: The Fix
Label: Def Jam South, Island Def Jam, Universal
Pulling from "Sunshine" by The Originals, the glory of Kanye's "Guess Who's Back" instrumental has yet to be duplicated. The drums add a wonderful stutter to the shiny, ethereal sample loop. When the strings and whistles kick in halfway through each MCs verse, the beat instantly proves itself as one of Ye's best.
5. Jay-Z "Heart Of The City" (2001)
Album: The Blueprint
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Kanye sped up a piece of Bobby Bland's "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City," and in the process, fashioned the perfect backdrop for what would become one of his mentor's best known songs. With Jay-Z commiserating about the hate he was receiving at the height of his fame, Ye's soulful sample made the entire ordeal feel like a motion picture event.
4. Game "Dreams" (2005)
Album: The Documentary
Label: Aftermath, G-Unit, Interscope
Known (and criticized) for his reliance on guest appearances, this cut from Game's debut album showed he could hold down a record on his own. Kanye's dramatic instrumental is driven by a sample of Jerry Butler's "No Money Down." Perfectly placed vocal chops and a climatic loop that constantly builds suspense are the beat's anchors. Kanye, once again, earned his title as a superproducer.
3. Talib Kweli "Get By" (2002)
Album: Quality
Label: Rawkus/UMVD
Kanye sampled Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" and gave Talib Kweli the biggest hit of his career. The piano loop is relentless, and it's helped along by the record's reverberating drums. The bassline is subtle, but also essential to holding the production together. "Get By" is a timeless example of stellar beat work and mixing, and it's no surprise that Kanye was behind the boards on this one.
2. Jay-Z "Takeover" (2001)
Album: The Blueprint
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Kanye's epic use of classic rockers The Doors' "Five to One" made for one monumental beat. Not surprisingly, Jay-Z used it for the best diss track in hip-hop history. Nas and Prodigy slander aside, this instrumental stands completely on its own. The bass may be the most thunderous of Ye's production career. The Jim Morrison vocal samples are eerie, but incredibly choice. The haunting guitar riffs take Hov's lines from tough to truly sinister. Kanye outdid himself here, and given the legendary nature of the subject matter on "Takeover," its excellence will live on forever.
1. Jay-Z "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" (2001)
Album: The Blueprint
Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
This moment paved the way for Kanye West to be the superstar he is today. The beat samples the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" and effortless straddles between hip-hop, soul, and pop territories. The loop is masterful, and something that no other producer had previously thought to pull from Michael Jackson's oft-sampled catalog. Kanye gave Jay-Z something he'd never had before: a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has become so ubiquitous that it's easy to deny its impact over a decade later, but at the time, nothing sounded like it. Even to this day, after the track helped establish the sped-up sample as a significant tool of production, few similarly-styled beats can match the magic of "Izzo." The drums fit right in the pocket, the piano slide couldn't be placed more essentially, and the strings are infectious. It's the best beat Kanye has ever produced for another artist.