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Best Producer of 2009

Reader Pick   Staff Pick
Polow Da Don   Tricky Stewart & The-Dream
Polow Da Don   Tricky Stewart & The-Dream
Few beatsmiths left their fingerprints on more big records this year than Polow Da Don. As the musical brains behind everything from the epic, synth-heavy arrangement that backed T.I. and MJB's “Remember Me” to the slow-burning instrumental behind 50's “Baby By Me” to the silky-smooth, R&B-flavored production on Plies and Keri Hilson's “Medicine,” (to name just a few) the Atlanta native was clearly working overtime in '09.

Runner Up:
Alchemist
  Polow and Alchemist definitely had huge years, but not bigger than The-Dream & Tricky Stewart's. Not only did the pair put together the best R&B album of the year, but they also somehow managed to bang out an astounding list of smash production credits, from Snoop's "Gangsta Luv" to Mariah Carey's "Obsessed". Radio hits, artistically complex compositions, this year the pair did it all, and in honor of their production achievements we had to give them a Best of the Booth award.



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Member Reviews and Ratings

djblaze
DJ Booth Crew

djblaze
Total Ratings: 2915
Polow gets my vote here. Dream did his thing, but Polow is soooo versatile. His beats almost always sound different, whereas you can always tell its a Dream beat.
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Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

d mac
DJ Booth Crew

d mac
Total Ratings: 803
Agreed, Polow for me
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Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

Blaze31
Resident DJ

Blaze31
Total Ratings: 614
I'm surprised Jim Jonsin wasn't even a nominee!?!?


Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

joshL
Resident DJ

 
Total Ratings: 1471
wtf??? Polow won last yr. only man to win twice. not a bad choice, but i prefer Dream/Tricky.


Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

Burmy
DJ Booth Crew

 
Total Ratings: 515
Back-to-back for Polow...surprised there's no love for JR Rotem ("Whatcha Say," "Replay") or Boi-1da ("Best I Ever Had," "Forever") here...I voted for 1-da.


Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

HoamBoy
Resident DJ

HoamBoy
Total Ratings: 544
agree w/ djblaze. It seemed like everyone had worked w/ Polow (Chris, Keri, Usher, Juelz, 50, Robin Thicke, etc). Surprised that Boi-1da wasn't a runner up.


Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

JayCL
Resident DJ

JayCL
Total Ratings: 735
it was either Polow or Dream & Tricky, Polow got my vote though


Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

tdotraza
Resident DJ

tdotraza
Total Ratings: 909
I put boi1-da, I thought he'd at least get runner up- another surprise.


Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

Aussie_Pride
Resident DJ

Aussie_Pride
Total Ratings: 1177
Now this is the category that annoyed me the most in terms of who got nominated. Why wasnt Jim Jonsin, StarGate, Kanye West + No I.D. & The Runners not nominated. I voted for Polow, though Jonsin would of easily got my vote if he was actually on the ballot.


Posted on Jan 06, 2010    

Mr.Top Hat
Resident DJ

Mr.Top Hat
Total Ratings: 3522
Polow Da Don has been one of my favorites Producer since a long time, but over the last couple years he's steadily become my favorite Producer. Polow's mastery at melding synths, drum arrangements and sample selections are pretty awesome. There’s an impressive consistency to Polow Da Don’s production extending beyond a signature sound. His beats hits more than miss, in my opinion.

I also 110% co-sign Staff Pick. Hip Hop was dominated by The-Dream & Tricky Stewart this year, but DJ Khalil emerged as my favorite new producer to join the likes of Polow, Timbaland and The Neptunes.

Favorite 5 Instrumentals from 2009

1. Mikey Mike's "Penthouse Anthem" - If it was possible, I would probably marry this instrumental. I guarantee you I'm listening to it right now, as you read this.

2. J Dilla's "10 Bricks" - a repeated plucked-string sample whose tension never quite finds release. (c) Richard ... is gonna be the death of me.

3. Crada's "Hyyerr" - I can't think of any other track that is more perfect for "vibing out" than this right here!

4. Noah '40' Shebib's "Successful" - I still have find myself spacing out at moments, a little awed by it.

5. Hot David & Musze's "Pretty Wings" - It sucked me in like black hole on first listen.

Five tunes you gotta hear whether you like 'em or not, that part comes in later.

1. Sharam - She Came Along
http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/sharam-ft.-kid-cudi-she-came-along/

2. El Prez - Phantoms Of Opera
http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/el-prez-phantoms-of-opera/

3. Fly Gypsy - Wildflower
http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/fly-gypsy-wildflower/

4. Tabi Bonney - Nothing But A Hero
http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/tabi-bonney-nothing-but-a-hero/

5. JD of Duality - True Dat
http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/j.d.-of-duality-ft.-k.-sparks-true-dat/


Posted on Jan 10, 2010    

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