By ANOTHA ONE…we’ve got you covered with this list of the greatest producer tags in the game.
Producers have put themselves at the forefront of the rap game, and they’re more recognizable than ever. Beatmakers like Metro Boomin and Murda Beatz sometimes steal the spotlight from the artists they’re collaborating with. Their sound is distinguishable thanks to subtle traits in their production, but none more than the producer tag.
It can be as loud and bombastic as Just Blaze yelling his producer name, or as subtle and simplistic as the sound of a jail cell closing, like Akon’s “Konvict” producer tag. They can sign off a song or accompany the drop of the beat. There’s no rule on how producers can introduce themselves to their audience through this technique.
In the present, they’ve even reached meme status, much to our amusement (or in this case, frustration, because none of the following tags match up to the beat).
In case you’re wondering why some tags aren’t on the list. It is possible they are solely DJ tags, and not producer tags. Yes, DJ Khaled and DJ Mustard are on this list, but they’re also producers.
The following tags are the greatest ever, in our eyes.
10. Harry Fraud’s “La Musica De Harry Fraud”
Can be found on: “Shot Caller” by French Montana, “Bird On A Wire” by Action Bronson and RiFF RaFF
Harry Fraud, born Rory William Quigley, has one of the smoothest tags in the game. The sound of a woman sensually speaking in Spanish has kicked off tracks from Action Bronson, French Montana, and Wiz Khalifa.
Harry Fraud discussed the producer tag’s origin in a Q&A with rapper Sean Price for HipHopDX.com:
Sean Price: Here’s the first question: who’s the chick saying the, “La musica de Harry Fraud,” drop in all of your records, and why did you decide to use a Spanish voice?
Harry Fraud: [Laughs] You asking me this is great. The chick is just a friend of the family, so to speak. She’s [an] artist, she sings and she happens to be of Dominican descent. And it wasn’t really that thought out. She was in the studio with my homie and I told him, “Yo, have her do a drop for me.” And she did, she spoke in Spanish for mad long, and then like a little piece at the end, she said, “La musica de Harry Fraud” and so I took that as opposed to her speaking mad long.
9. Just Blaze’s “JUST BLAZE”
Can be found on: “Lord Knows” (feat. Rick Ross) by Drake, “Pump It Up” by Joe Budden, “Compton” (ft. Dr. Dre) by Kendrick Lamar
Just Blaze doesn’t get the same attention like some of the new school guys, but he’s put down some of the best beats of the 2000s. This past February, he also reminded the music world that he can still throw down with the best of them in a beat battle for the world to see via Instagram.
There’s every reason to lose your mind upon hearing a Just Blaze produced track (“Lord Knows” is one of the many examples), or simply the Just Blaze tag. Just don’t ask him to say it in public. From Noisey:
People who run up to me in the street and ask me to do the Just Blaze drop are the worst. I’m just trying to buy a pair of socks and it’s, “Come on, just do it one time, just one time.” I’m like, why don’t you do it?
Related: I Swapped Playlists With A (Kind Of) Stranger, Here’s What I Learned
8. Pi’erre Bourne’s “Yo Pierre, you wanna come out here?”
Can be found on: “Magnolia” by Playboi Carti, “No Way” by Trippie Redd
Playboi Carti has one of the songs of Summer ’17 with “Magnolia.” You’ve undoubtedly heard it in the clubs, or whatever quaint social gatherings you may have.
The song’s 23-year old producer, Pi’erre Bourne aka Jordan Jenks, might have one of the most original producer tags ever made: a man asking for ‘Pierre’ to come out before the sound of a door opens.
The tag is actually a sample from an episode of The Jamie Foxx Show. When you see it, you’ll be way more impressed with the door opening noise.
Bourne also has his own solo projects, which can be found on his Soundcloud.
MORE: Here’s Your Ultimate Summer 2018 Playlist
7. MikeWillMadeIt’s “Eardrummas/MikeWillMadeIt”
Can be found on: “Bandz A Make Her Dance” by Juicy J, “No Type” by Rae Sremmurd, “Turn On The Lights” by Future
MikeWillMadeIt has become one of the most popular and sought-after producers in the game, much thanks to his blaring “Eardrummas” tag that’s soon followed by the computer voice of “MikeWillMadeIt”. Since they’re usually connected, we’ve grouped them together on this list.
“Ear Drummers” is the name of the label MikeWillMadeIt started in 2013. Along the way, he discovered, developed, and nurtured the duo we enjoy today as Rae Sremmurd (yup, Ear Drummers backwards).
He’s also behind some of the biggest hits from artists like 2 Chainz, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé. At this rate, that list is going to continue growing. Which means we’re likely not going to stop hearing his producer tag anytime soon.
6. Jahlil Beats’ “Holla At Me”
Can be found on: “Hot N***a” by Bobby Shmurda, “Holla At Me” by Chris Brown and Tyga, “Ima Boss” (ft. Rick Ross) by Meek Mill.
I know exactly what you’re thinking: the tag doesn’t actually say “Jungle Beats?” Nope, it’s “Jahlil.” During a studio session, Jahlil Beats born Orlando Tucker, recorded his niece who suddenly came up with the tag.
The 29-year old is responsible for some of the most explosive and fun party bangers within the last few years, but his favorite is “Hot N*gga”, for good reason. Not only did the song put New York rapper Bobby Shmurda on the map, but it’s the only top-10 song that Jahlil Beats has ever produced to date.
5. DJ Khaled’s tags
Can be found on: Just about every song you least expect to hear his rambunctious roar—”DJ KHALED!”
Photo by Meghan Roberts“DJ Khaled has become an icon of some sort, in the eyes of Snapchat. There’s also been some debate and discussion about what his actual role in the studio is. Khaled’s name has been attached to some of the biggest singles over the last 10 plus years. Even his lesser known tracks carry some weight — pun unintended — to this very day.
MORE: Drake Once Again Owes the Best of His Career to a Woman
4. DJ Mustard’s “Mustard On The Beat, H*e”
Can be found on: “Rack City” by Tyga, “Whole Lotta Lovin’” (feat. Travis Scott) by DJ Mustard
The song “Rack City” goes down as one of the most respectable, even popular, tracks that California rapper Tyga has ever put down. 1/3 of that song’s success can be attributed to the song’s production, another third to Tyga, and the final third to DJ Mustard’s producer tag.
The 2011 single is also the first track that gave the producer, born Dijon Isaiah MacFarlane, his first taste of mainstream success. It also kickstarted a run where up until last year, you could make an argument that he’s produced the song of the summer each year.
“I’m Different” with 2 Chainz, “Paranoid” with Ty Dolla $ign, Tinashe’s “2 On,” Big Sean’s “IDFWU,” Omarion’s “Post To Be,” Jeremih’s “Don’t Tell ‘Em,” Ty Dolla $ign’s “Or Nah,” YG’s “Who Do You Love.” We can go on. With all that success, it brought on a ton of people at parties yelling, “Mustard on the beat, h*e.”
3. Lex Luger’s synth crescendo
Can be found on: “B.M.F” by Rick Ross, “H.A.M.” by Jay-Z & Kanye West, “Hard In The Paint” by Waka Flocka Flame
Unlike our previous entries on this list, this tag has no vocals. But there’s a chance you’ve probably heard it before — you just never known how to identify it. The only way you knew a Lex Luger track was coming at you was if you heard his signature buildup, or crescendo.
As shown above, and in many of his tracks, Lex’s crescendo gets louder and louder the longer it plays. Conveniently for his bangers, which were usually booming and intense, the buildup usually takes place before the beat drops. The result? A cataclysmic seismic shock of a song. More often than not, there aren’t too many great low-key, minimal songs produced by Lex Luger out there.
2. Metro Boomin’s “If Young Metro Don’t Trust You, Imma Shoot” or “Metro Boomin Want Some More, N***a”
Can be found on: “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” (feat. KiD CuDi) by Kanye West, “No Complaints” by Offset & Drake, “No Heart” by 21 Savage & Metro Boomin’
Metro Boomin has two prominent producer tags, three if you count Kodak Black’s own on “Tunnel Vision.” They’re among the most identifiable in the rap game today, and among the inspirations for this list.
“If Young Metro Don’t Trust You, Imma Shoot” was a commonly used Metro tag that reached its peak following its feature on Kanye West’s “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” in 2016. The drop was so perfect it ended up becoming a meme.
The tag originated from a Future line, rapped on Uncle Murda’s 2015 track “Right Now”. Metro then took the tag, sprinkled it over the Drake and Future collab project, What A Time To Be Alive, before Kanye got his hands on it for his The Life of Pablo album.
As for the Young Thug-assisted “Metro Boomin’ want some more” — a short, yet effective tag — it was the opening line off the song “Some More” by Boomin and Thug.
The tags are sometimes interchangeable, but when a Metro Boomin tag is about to drop. You have to stand at attention.
1. Pharrell’s opening four count
Can be found on: “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” (feat. Pharrell Williams) by Snoop Dogg
- Photo by Frank Schwichtenberg
It’s the one producer tag that’s made everyone go, “How am I only noticing this now?!” The N.E.R.D. frontman and one half of production duo The Neptunes has been behind some of the best songs of the 21st century, and his signature was under our noses all this time.
A four-count at the start of the song is the only indicator you need to determine whether or not the track has any imprints from Pharrell Williams (although, Tyler, the Creator has also been noted as a user of the technique, perhaps as homage to Pharrell).
Pharrell Williams’s genius has always been respected, revered, and admired. But this subtle stroke of genius is next level. All hail.
Under The Influence Of Music 
Uh, what about London on Da Track??
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Ronnie J ??
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¿Tay Keith?
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Tay Keith
London on Da Track
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