Timb recalls when producers were more valued
Timbaland has had a legendary run in hip-hop as a producer. The seasoned beat-maker notices the difference in price between his time and now. He revealed earlier this month that he used earn between $300K and 500K for a beat, noting that unlike the modern era, instrumentals were “tailor-made” in those days thus producers were more valued.
“I usually get like $300, $500K back in the day,” Timbo told ProducerGrind. “We ain’t come from a world where you send beats; we come from when that b***h was tailor-made, you understand?
“The producer was respected way more. You needed a dope producer as an artist,” he added. “You needed that, and now you got YouTube. People putting beats, it’s just not the same. It’s just like Wild Wild West out there.”
The Virginia producer also spoke about the threat AI systems pose to the future of rap production. “I knew this guy, one of my homeboys, he was working on this whole program that while the computer’s asleep, it’s generating sounds. And when he opens up it take white noise and make kicks the dopest snares while he sleeps,” he explained. “He working on this for years, and I’m sure he mastered it now. The computer makes his kits, he don’t get drum kits from people. Make samples while he sleeps.”