The Production List – TPL (10 Best Nigerian Producers)

     So many lists exist and I’m sure by now you would be bored with yet another one. Which begs the question- What is T.P.L? T.P.L. is a sort of guideline; a manual as to who is who as far as production goes in Nigeria. It encompasses the milestones both past and current and perhaps yet to be ascertained future of every producer in Nigeria. And though this list is not exhaustive, it is however moderate and thoroughly screened to accommodate a selective few out of the many producers that abound in Nigeria.

It begins with the stellar list that contains the very best the country has to offer as at now, detailing every prominent event that might have led them there. This means that this list mainly and in fact accurately judges the stellar candidates based on their individual milestones and achievements in whatever capacity and most importantly judges them based on their talents (repertoire), amount of hits (Hit Factory), Critical Acclaim and body of work as regards spread and volume (Prolificacy).

Like I noted above, this list is not all inclusive but moderately trimmed due to the available spaces (10). This affected the choice of future position on this list, yes, this list has a high predictive value i.e. we envisage that come next year this list may not really change and if it does the better. Due to the constraints listed above, we made some moderations and gave nods to producers who we anticipate may make the future list (Bubbling Under), others who are not notable now but were a force then and can sense their upward and steady revival (Relics) and those who are coming up the ranks with blistering pace.

The total score is over 20, while for each category is over 5. And when all added including the Diamond(z) (that is bonus points if any), gives the overall score for the producer. Oblige.

 

THE PRODUCTION LIST (T.P.L)

     We at MicCheck12 present the top ten producers in Nigeria.

10. JOSH BEATZ

JOSH BEATZ, this guy’s skills are so impeccable words can’t justify their scale. He’s ill and booming with a 101 ideas in his head, every production he does goes in a totally new direction and guess what there’re all original- none of his production has any twin lying somewhere. You may not know him and even dispute the fact that he makes this list but just buy Godwon’s album, because this kid single-handedly turned Godwon into a star. I can’t even figure any weakness in his production except for the fact that he really loves to roll the drums especially at the beginning but this guy is cruel with base beats, synths, strings, he’s an exciting musician both in the gallery and in the sound booth. And I can see him as the future heir to the number one. Ride on JOSH but don’t let this get into your head dude!

• Repertoire: he uses weird sounds accompanied by lovely, soulful strings then in the verses introduces a new overlaying tune then in the middle he adds another tune to accompany the one already being played. It sounds gibberish but I tell you its wonderful. 4.39
• Hit Factory: Goddy’s ‘Too much money’, is the only hit he has to his name. Am sure he would add to this list in the future.  2.5
• Critical Acclaim: Since we’re just nearing the awards season in the music industry am sure JOSH would get one nod in whatever capacity, however this is in future tense. Also by being the main producer in Goddy’s album(8 tracks) his profile has risen to unimaginable heights. Remember that Goddy won a rap contest organised by Eminem in the states Yes, and he was hired by Goddy to produce that amount of tracks on his debut album, he must be doing something right. 3.95
• Prolificacy: it seems JOSH is itching to be an in-house producer for Serengeti records instead of pursuing a solo career as a brand-name producer which I think is better for him. Anyways his resume is not really that full and am sure in the near future this would be corrected. Score: 3.26

 

Diamond(z):   0.5- Break-out producer for the year

SCORE: 15

9. SOSSICK

To be truthful there were some producers I was excited about and Sossick is one of them. Most of his beats have universal appeal i.e. they don’t sound Nigerian. Also Sossick plays according to his strength which is the base beats. He hardly goes for extravagant tunes and melodies but there’re usually just enough for the song. This can also be due to the fact that he’s more of an Hip-hop/Rap producer, being the junior brother of Gino this acts as no surprise. Just being the main producer of Dagrin’s legendary album DA CEO is enough premise for Sossick to make this list. He’s a class act. However, with all these positives, Sossick lacks adequate and memorable tunes/melodies this means whichever artist he works with has to come on strong, and being a smart guy he works with exciting talents e.g. Dagrin, Gino, Eva, Yq, Sauce Kid etc. All in all Sossick is a solid producer

• Repertoire: not the most versatile producer but his construction of beats is impeccable, also he doesn’t really add any tune in between his songs that is to say his songs always pick up where they left off. Nothing new, no surprise. This is a serious setback. 4.05
• Hit Factory: after garnering seven production credits on Dagrin’s debut album including the chart topping ‘ponpon’, also cooking Eva’s single ‘I done did it’ and Yq’s ‘dress code ’, Yep from the above one can see that only ‘ponpon’ was really a strong hit. Seems this isn’t his strongest suit and could probably be attributed to the fact that his beats are not really ‘nigerian’. 3.0
• Critical Acclaim: Sossick beat competition from other producers such as Don jazzy, Cobhams and Dr. Frabz to win producer of the year for 2010. The decision hugely affected by his work on Dagrin’s album. He also has this street kred and buzz around him I can’t really tell, coupled with the fact that he’s somehow a recluse not eager to bath in the spotlight. 4.0
• Prolificacy: Sossick has not yet gotten that diverse and robust portfolio yet but my instincts tell me he’s working on that. I see him as an ambitious producer aiming for the top that’s why. 3.5

 

Diamond(z):  0.5: Bumper- He’s the best in those nod-your-head-rap beats

SCORE: 15.05

 

8. I.D.CABASA

The most diverse instrumentalist in Nigeria, as he claims to have knowledge in handling every musical instrument there is. Listening to tracks such as Banky’s “Omoge you too much”, Olamide’s “Apa ti jabo” and the classic 9ice’s “Gongo Aso”, there may be some elements of truth in his claim. He’s highly exorbitant and melody conscious with a sweet tooth for guitars. I.D. exudes the basic and core attributes of a Music Producer which is being a musical genius but as a former choir master this is no surprise (am even sure he may be able to score his music). However because of the depth in his beats not all artist may be able to cut it just right, it seems he needs a level of talent to work with i.e. his beats are not easily accessible to the common artist. This originality coupled with the heavy Nigerian tone his beats carry as well as his preference for Nigerian/African instruments make Cabasa  an exciting Maestro in the music production industry.

• Repertoire: As said above he can play every musical instrument, though this is an exaggeration but for him to claim so means at least he can play 85% of instruments available. No other recognisable producer in the country has such diversity musically. This is a big plus. Also he uses traditional instruments-very creative, natural and Nigerian. 4.47
• Hit Factory: Cabasa was the solo producer in 9ice’s break-out album       with the smash hit “Gongo Aso”. Also he made the very sexy “Omoge you too much” for Banky and also produced all the tracks on Olamide’s album Rapsodi which includes hits such as “Eni Duro” and “Omo to shan” ft Wizkid. He’s definitely a sure hit factory. 4.0
• Critical Acclaim: Cabasa is known primarily as the producer that brought out 9ice, really he has not been able to go beyond that smudge which means he has not yet attained that height of almost five years ago. Though with his Coded Tunes package, his name is ending in everyone’s ears again. But not enough for me though. 3.7
• Prolificacy:  Apart from producing those tracks for 9ice and Olamide both of whom he had contracts with, there’s no other recognisable talent( except Banky and??????) he has worked with on a brand-name basis(name and reputation). 2.96

 

Diamondz: 1. Musical Maestro: can play every musical instrument (I rounded it up)

SCORE: 15.0 5

 

 8. Tee-y Mix

A member of World Famous Academy (WFA) production team, His break-out track was Naeto C’s hit single ‘kini big deal’. The special stuff about Tee-y is that his production is readily identifiable; he tends to rely on a specific array of instruments and kicks. He rarely takes risk, which is not really a bad thing in the ‘non-creative’ world. He seems to be a cool guy and this is very reflective in his production, as his style is so simple and sweet one doesn’t really need to have awesome talent to fly under his wings. I think this is his strongest point, as Tee-y understands what’s really important-the song, making him never accountable for over-indulgence or exorbitant beats. He keeps it simple, regular and steady bringing the lyrics of the song to our ears because that’s what music is all about.

• Repertoire- Consistency in his beats and easy ability to carve out sweet melodies. Also known for complex kicks e.g ‘share my blessing’ and ‘kini big deal’. He sometimes rotates his kicks in different fashions but one never notices. Cool. 3.7
• Hit Factory- He’s not the go-to guy for one single hits but can pull off two, three nice album material tracks. He has a couple of hits though ‘kini big deal’, ‘ten/ten’ and ‘Adara’ by Sasha. 3.0
• Critical Acclaim- He was a judge on MTN Project Fame and he has relocated from Abuja to Lagos as a result of demand. He’s widely acclaimed and respected and he’s also very careful about his works. We don’t always hear him here and there. 4.0
• Prolificacy- Apart from working with Naeto C and Sasha plus a few artists like Gt d guitarman who are all under storm records, he hasn’t really stretched his wings which are essential qualities of a brand-name producer. It seems to me he’s jugging to be an in-house producer for Storm records and that seems to satisfy him. What a waste.2.95

Diamondz- 1 star- Soloist (i.e. he has the ability to carry the production weight of an entire album and all the tracks would be splendid)

0.5 star- Shock Value (ability to spring up surprises e.g. in the six tracks he produced in  Naeto’s latest effort, ‘share my blessing’ was a shock value entirely different from what we’re accustomed to, ‘Tee-y Mix-wise’)

SCORE: 15.15

 

7. SAMKLEF

Undoubtedly the producer of the moment with hype that has been building since last year. Samklef has a lot of experience in the production industry, working in different capacities(sound engineer, co-producer) before branching out on his own. With all these diverse experience under his belt it is only justifiable that his beats have this level of excitement around them. There’re not out of this world fantastic but they just deliver perfectly. He’s a huge fan of percussion and strings are his favourite instruments for tunes. He most especially aligns a base beat with a particular tune fusing them as one to make a base beat. His beats are not complicated output-wise but show some delicate artistic touches in the input process. On a last note he watermarks his beats so well, one can tell a Samklef beat from a mile away guess he doesn’t experiment much.

• Repertoire: Percussions, synths, a couple of strings here and there and some small noises that pop up at any time, Samklef is an interesting producer though lacking the versatility and exuberance of Jags, Asuquo and Don Baba. He’s still capable of shining on his own lane. 3.5
• Hit Factory: For Samklef to be considered as the producer of the year, just tells how he’s managed to monopolise the radio waves with his beats albeit mostly through Wizkid with hits such as ‘Tease me’, ‘Holla at ur boi’ and ‘don’t dull’-all frontrunners in Wizkid’s album shows this is truly his year. 4.45
• Critical Acclaim: Definitely Sam would lead every other producer in Nigeria with the most nominations (personal and songs produced), such is his strength this year. Also even Ice Prince announced (excitedly on Naija Sings) that he’s working with Samklef on his debut album E.L.I.(Everybody loves Ice Prince). Such pride is what Samklef’s name carries. He is truly a giant this year. 4.25
• Prolificacy: Sam is building his resume with a vast array of works including 6 tracks in Wizkid’s album, 2 in Vector’s album and a solo album, vast but not too impressive and diverse as one might have wished. This is a huge let down given the fact that he’s the toast of naija production now. 3.0

SCORE: 15.2

 

6. SARZ

Sarz broke out with the party hit ‘I like girls’ by Yq. And since then Osaretin Osabuohien has not looked back. His style is a bit predictable but he seems to understand the story-line structure of making a beat. Sarz always reaches the climax at the appropriate time in between the hook and the chorus where he’s notorious for changing the base beat or adding another kick to the instrumental. In plain man terms Sarz is building a reputation for making rich climaxes in a song. This is really pivotal as it ensures we continue to listen to the song because we want to reach that zenith again. He did it so well in ‘i like girls’ and the party track of the moment ‘salute’ by Shank. Unfortunately though they change during the chorus, his base patterns are usually the same during verses and he hardly adds any other instrument to the melody accompanying the verses. He probably doesn’t need to cause the structure of the underlying melody/tune is so strong and confident it can last the whole duration in a song (a good analogy is Fabolous’s ‘make me better’ ft. Ne-yo where Timbaland used a single tune throughout the song).

 

• Repertoire- reaches exotic climaxes by varying instrumentals and adding more base patterns during the chorus of a song.  A good ear for melodies without using traditional reliable instruments e.g. piano, guitars etc. He’s very versatile with his computer packages. A little too artificial plus he’s just a beat-maker. 3.25
• Hit Factory-He’s one of the breakout producers of 2010, and one of the rave of the moment. Also he did some work on Da Grin’s legendary album Da CEO. With songs like ‘salute’ for the clubs and ‘Voodoo’ for inspiration, Sarz is a fine Hit factory in the making. 4.0
• Critical Acclaim- Probably by the end of this year his profile would have risen to wonderful heights but with no notable nomination under his belt and his seeming penchant for water music (music lacking substance), he may have to do some make-over’s. But in truth I kinda like Sarz the way he is.Nevertheless-2.75
• Prolificacy- by signing on as an in-house producer for RXG, he automatically will have a large body of work to lay claim to. Thinking about his work on Yq and Naeto C albums and also the late Da grin coupled with a track with Godwon and Jahbless ‘jooor’, Sarz sure is going to be prolific. But that’s in future tense. 3.75

Diamond(z)- 1 Star: Climactic chorus structure

0.5 Start: Nigeria-esque beats.

SCORE: 15.25

 

5. DOKTAR FRABZ

Doctor of Flavour, Rhythm and Blues, AKA Doktar Frabz. He’s definitely a force in the production game. The former student of Covenant University jumped on the Mo’hits ship and hasn’t looked back since then. Frabz is noted for his famous ‘Doktar Frabz in the building’ hail signifying his presence on the track. He employs complex kick patterns with sultry melodies that can go from soft to violent at an instant. As his name suggests Frabz is mainly an RnB producer but he started with fast/pop beats and he’s now regarded as a universal producer.

 

• Repertoire: N’sayne doktar employs different, weird kick patterns. He’s also a master of traditional instruments guitar and piano. He employs these two instruments every now and then. 3.75
• Hit Factory:  D’banj’s ‘why me’, Durella’s ‘Enu o se’, Omawunmi’s Today na Today’, Naeto C’s ‘Ako mi ti poju’ to name a few. He’s a massive hit maker and doesn’t look like stopping. 4.3
• Critical Acclaim: No other producer except Don jazzy was as hot as Frabz during 07-09.  He has several nods but hasn’t received any local award yet(hey its extremely competitive). He was named as the 2^nd best producer in Nigeria according to Beat fm, however of recent Frabz profile has reduced to a not so proud level and to me this year is very pivotal for him. Its highly critical. 3.5
• Prolificacy: there’s no other producer in Nigeria as prolific as Frabz. This is his strongest point. He produced 90% of the tracks in Omawunmi’s album, a nod in 2shots album, several nods in Waje’s upcoming album as well as Sasha, a nod in Dagrin’s album, several nods in Yq’s album as well as Super c Season(hah am gasping for breathe such is the amount of work he has done). He’s very hardworking and prolific.4.6

SCORE: 16.15

 

4. JAY-SLEEK

The man credited for putting Tuface’s career back on track with that smashing hit ‘Implication’. There’s so much to say about Jay Sleek but most importantly when one encounters a song credited to him one thing is on your mind-top notch. His diversity and application of Production packages is remarkable and he’s only second to Jesse when it comes to strings and synths. While Jesse uses weird, unusual sounds Jay relies on familiar instruments. He’s also known for using drum-rolls to enter a chorus and also to end it as he did in Timaya’s ‘wata bambam’, Tuface’s ‘implication’. However, Jay sometimes could be a little obvious and his beats sometimes don’t stand out to me, they’re too Nigerian-ish at times. Nevertheless this doesn’t take away the brilliance associated with this artist.

• Repertoire- wild and entertaining at the same time. He uses a variety of kicks and base but rarely snares. Also a master of rhythm second only to Jesse in strings and synths application and favours flutes and trumpets at beautiful occasions. 4.3
• Hit Factory- credited for bringing Tuface back to the fore with ‘Implication’ and ‘Only me’. Also Timaya’s hit ‘Wata bambam’, did some resounding works in Wizkid’s album that beat other assorted producers. He’s a producer confident of his talent. 4.2
• Critical Acclaim-with time definitely Jay would get the acclaim he deserves. It may be tough though because he always plays safe and never transcends the boundaries set by Nigerian standards. He may need to up his game a little higher. 2.95
• Prolificacy- Jay produced seven tracks in Sound Sultan’s Back to the Future album, did three songs that out-played competition in Wizkid’s Superstar, a track with Timaya’s Rebirth, a track in Terry’s ‘BANS’ and also his constant collaborator Tuface. What more do you expect from a brand-name producer. He’s the future of what is meant to be. 4.5

 

Diamond(z)- 1 Star- Roller- Those classic roll-drums are an appetiser: Lovely!

Score: 16.95

 

3. DON JAZZY

Seriously there’s no need to make any introduction for Don Jazzy. I mean which producer has ruled the airwaves/clubs more than the CEO of Mo’hits Records. No one. Don Jazzy has single-handedly made such people as D’banj, the lustrous Wande Coal, playful D’prince and versatile Dr. Sid into stars. Don baba has really bought glamour to production and just to let you know he mentored Dr. Frabz who is also on this list. He’s definitely the richest and most influential producer in Nigeria. His beats are very loud and always aim to make you groove, this particular attribute has endeared Jazzy to the Nigerian audience especially the youths. However what his beats have in commercial appeal they lack in quality/content when put under the microscope plus his watermark is just too obvious, shouting at our faces he really knows nothing about subtlety which is meant to be the main hallmark of a producer and quality music. However for being the producer to those interesting acts named above has given me enough premise to include him on this list.

• Repertoire: known for his loud beats accompanied by loud strings and loud kicks/snares, Don is not shy when it comes to expressing himself musically. Not that it has anything to do with the quality but just too eager to make people groove. He needs to understand that music performs other important functions. Though when it comes for him to be serious such as in “Fall in love”, Wande’s “Ololufe”, Dr.Sid’s “Over the moon”, he has shown capability. All in all he’s more centred on cooking party beats. Also when he produced ”Stroke me” for Darey I expected much but he failed awesomely. He’s still a talented producer though we can’t take that from him but am not sure he can work with a true artist and not the bunch of entertainers that crowd Mo’hits. 4.0
• Hit Factory: See in this particular section, I wouldn’t talk much: no other producer has more hits than Don baba J in Nigeria. Ce finis. 4.85
• Critical Acclaim: No award list is complete without Don Jazzy’s name in the categories for best producer. Such has been his huge presence in the music industry for the last 8 years. He’s highly respected though this could be due to the amount of stacks in his bank accounts and not necessarily his skill. But all the same he’s solid in this category. Only his name possesses that Midas touch(though it could be argued for only them D’banj and Wande) but nevertheless he still has that unique name and respect anytime we hear “its Don Jazzy again”. 4.4
• Prolificacy: Only Sauce Kid and Darey have been the recipients (reputable and not upcoming) of a Jazzy beat that are not in Mo’hits. This has been a puzzle for me, probably other artist can’t afford him or he’s probably selective with whom he works with or he’s just too busy. For a top brand-name producer this is not a good record as he should be in demand given his track record of hits for his Mo’hits crew, it’s a real puzzle. 3.25

Diamond(z)- 1 Star: Hit Guru- Producer with the highest number of hits in Nigeria

Score: 17.5

 

2. COBHAMS ASUQUO

Cobhams Asuquo- producer impresario, genius, guru, or whatever you want to call him, say it and it will stick. Cobhams may be partially impaired but I tell and can attest that this music genius sees music more than dear Ray Charles (literally speaking). He’s an awesomely talented musician with an acute and rare ear for sound bringing to life memorable melodies so classic to our ears they leave dust remains. What makes Cobhams tick? Is it his fairly simple base beats accompanied by distinctive instrumentals coined by his very peculiar ear for sound? Or his minute instrumentals accompanying each base sequence giving all elements a fresh breathe of life? We may never know but one thing is certain: if there’re producers out there that can, very few measure up to his talent.

• Repertoire- he’s undoubtedly the most gifted producer in Nigeria. He’s versatility and understanding of composition is so deep that Cobhams never sounds the same even in a song. He’s always swaying us away, consciously provoking our inner music lusts and the painful thing is it sounds so simple. He’s not exorbitant, actively in the lane of reason but creatively being a genius leaving us stunned. And no wonder he gets 4.5 stars in this section.
• Hit Factory-Though Cobhams enormous talent is meant to prove otherwise but he’s not necessarily the go-to guy for number 1 hits. The fact is no producer is but nevertheless its not his strongest suit. 3.1
• Critical Acclaim- He solo-produced Asa’s commercially successful, critically acclaimed self-titled album. He’s more of a recluse but when he steps into the scene via his music, its widely praised for his unique choice of sounds. Accompanied with the level of talents associated with him-Asa, Darey, Omawunmi, Rooftop Mc’s, Mike Anyansodo, Waje to name a few He’s undeniably the most sought after producer for unique works that possess  longevity.4.25
• Prolificacy- this is another weakness of the maestro. He doesn’t really have a large and diverse profile of artist he’s worked with. He could have done a couple here and there but am sure weren’t worthwhile else we would’ve heard. It is rumoured that Cobhams does a lot of work in the formal industry scoring adverts, jingles etc. He scored that famous MTN ring. This however diverts his attention from the important/basic thing-production. Hence why he doesn’t produce too much songs at any given time. This is really sad. 3.0

Diamondz- 1 star: Genre Adaptability- See Omawunmi’s “In the music”, Darey’s “Like the way u are” and the acoustic (version), Rooftop MC’s “La gi mo”.

      2 stars. Musiqkally Fit- Best melody carver in the game. Rare, sweet &      timeless.

Score: 17.85

AND THE NUMBER ONE PRODUCER FOR T.P.L. IS:

 1. JESSE JAGZ

                Jesse Abaga aka producer extra-ordinaire as he fondly calls himself and rightly so. Jesse is so adept with strings and synths its hard to fathom other producers have these same instruments at their disposal. His productions are super-rich, super-fly, super-Jargo. It’s the amount of work Jesse did on “Talk about it” that made us Talk about it. See to start eulogizing Jargo can really be a crime cause apart from Audu running the operational affairs, he’s the key to the creative/productive aspect of Chocolate City. He varies his kicks in alternative time patterns-the result is always a resounding success. He always pushes himself to the extreme when he comes to creativity. Yes I know that he stole that tune of Oleku from Gyptian’s ‘Hold yuh’ (but he cooked that in 15minutes, so hey) also he’s culpable for at times using the same string pattern in his productions but there’s no one better. Production as an art is a diverse field and it’s so difficult for a producer to just keep experimenting with different instruments. That Jargo takes these risks all the time can’t just be applauded but marvelled at. If you disagree just buy Jagz of all Tradez- I’m sincerely telling you that it is a Producer’s bible, dotted with diverse imprints of a musical pariah outdone by his own demise of elaborate, impeccable, lustrous pieces of art. Jargo

• Repertoire- his beats are the richest in the Nigerian music industry and he plays with many enticing instruments and little sounds that pop up here and there. He’s an interesting talent. 4.45
• Hit Factory-Jesse solo-produced MI’s debut, tradition-breaking, path-clearing ‘talk about it’ album which includes hits like “Anoti”, “Safe”’. He’s also responsible for ‘Oleku’ a song he purportedly produced in less than fifteen minutes. Timeless. 4.1
• Critical Acclaim-with two ground-breaking solo produced albums under his belt (Talk about it and his debut album Jagz of all Tradez), his profile is only soaring by the day. No wonder he calls himself Producer Extraordinaire. 4.2
• Prolificacy- Credits include the whole of MI’s first album, His personal album of 16 tracks,2 credits in Sound Sultan’s last effort (Orobo & let it rain),’Money for Pocket’ by 2shots. Jesse’s resume is swelling and fast also. 4.0

Diamond(z)- 1: Illest- He’s the best in the game boasting with so much versatility in various  instruments and sound patterns. Plus his productions are the richest

  0.5: Austrian- The best in strings and synths

Score: 18.25

 BUBBLING UNDER (in ascending order)

1. MASTERKRAFT

Sunny Nweke AKA Masterkraft AKA drummer boy, the in-house producer for Kennis Music.  You may be wondering why I wrote drummer boy there it’s because I can readily see the hints that Masterkraft must have been/still is/wants to be a drummer. He just loves to roll and this shows so much in his beats. There usually sound like a live band (as in only the drumming part) giving his beats this unique watermark. He also loves using tom-tom-a type of drum with a sweet deep sound. There usually add strength and depth when accompanying tunes and other base sources. He’s very quaint in a confident manner and this is expressed in his beats as they have this classic nature that can’t be heard just anywhere.

2. KAS BEATS

Kas beats just has a way of keeping one excited, how he does it is a puzzle. His beats are very funky and from the on-set devoid of any pretence as its for the hip, week-end clubber. He is Profound for carving nice melodies and also a knack for rich flavoured post-production. Seriously Kas beats can detach someone from the worst of moods but he’s just too artificial and I rarely hear piano or guitars in his productions, not that its bad but coupled with the clumsiness that exudes at times in his work just shows that Kas may not be a musician (which by the way is very compulsory for a producer). He however enchants us with his diversity in the production packages and heavy penchant for traditional instruments. Highly entertaining and different, will definitely make the list in the future.

3. ELDEE

 Lanre Dabiri AKA Eldee da Don or just short- Eldee is a man of many things. And I mean many things in full perspective. As an artist/entertainment entrepreneur Eldee may be a don but in production please he’s a man cause there’s nothing ‘don’ in his beats. With that said Eldee makes gets a mention as a trusted and now proven dark horse with hits such as ‘sinzu is sinzu’, Goldie’s ‘U know it‘ and a few hits for himself worth mentioning such as ‘Eda mi’. From a subjective point of view (which pretty much what this is), Eldee’s production veracity and arsenal is just to basic for me. None of his beats sounds like an effort, he may be trying to keep it simple but sometimes even the hits are bland in my opinion though I think he’s a very good songwriter because these hits have very catchy hooks, which pretty much sums the whole Eldee package. I am disappointed that he has refused to push himself to the boundaries as an artist. Perhaps things will change in the future and he would be fit to enter our top ten list.

4. IKON

Think of Ikon as the toned down/conservative version of Don Jazzy. He’s not as loud, consistent nor exorbitant as Don Jazzy but he’s very aware of the right sort of mix for art…(sorry only Lynxx for now). And this is why Ikon does not make this list, I have a feeling that he may not possess that same awareness with other artists. I really wanted Ikon to make this list after listening to Sauce Kid’s “E don dey madt” but it just wasn’t enough. He has this precocious nature that appears to be lost or probably in hibernation mode cause I can hear this awesome creative choices in his beats but something is drawing him back. He’s not yet the explosive producer that I know he can be yet, but I am sure by next year Ikon would have given us enough reason to make this list.

 

RELICS (in ascending order)

1. OJB JEZREEL
2. JAMIX
3. SPANKY

WORTHY MENTIONS (ascending order)

1. DJ KLEM
2. KILL BEATS
3. TERRY-G
4. LaYLow
5. WAYNE MCNEISH
6. THA SUSPECT
7. Jude “engees” Okoye
8. K-SOLO
9. M.I.
10. TERRY-G

So that’s it, Jesse Jagz is the top producer in Nigeria given the indices analysed above. Till next year, good-bye

 

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