In this video, I show you how to produce high-energy hip-hop. Watch as I break down one of my high-energy Hip-Hop tracks, showing you the sounds and techniques I use to produce this popular genre.
When producing this type of track it’s important to have the right references in mind. Consequently, this will help you meet the brief and stay within the genre. Here are some of the characteristics of High-Energy Hip-Hop:-
- Very much influenced by 90’s Hip-Hop
- Largely sample-based
- Vintage feel
- Soul and Funk samples
- Tempo between 90 and 100 Bpm
- Use of spoken word samples
- scratching
- Repetition, contrasted with variation in samples and structure
If you need inspiration check out artists such as DJ Shadow, Public Enemy, Fat Boy Slim, and De La Soul. More specifically, you can find inspiration from Audiojungle Author, Coffee Music: https://audiojungle.net/user/coffeemusic
A big shout-out goes to Stevie B from the Production Music Academy for inspiring me to try this style of Hip-Hop. Stevie has a great course on how to produce this genre. So, please check this out at his Production Music Academy.
Link to Stevie B’s academy: https://productionmusicacademy.com/
Link to Stevie B’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/StevieBProd…
Sample Selection
As this genre is largely sample-based it’s important you find the right samples. Subsequently, this will ensure your track sounds authentic. My favourite source of samples is ADSR Sounds. Firstly they have a good range of samples which you can buy either as a sample pack or individually. Secondly, I find their Sample Management Application to be very useful for organising your samples. Lastly, they have some great offers and bargain prices which you can check out here.
I also find the Internet Archive to be a great source of spoken word samples. Here you can find old radio and TV shows that are now in the public domain and are mostly cleared for sampling.
Some of the plugins and samples I mention in the video:-
- Output Arcade (my personal link. Use this to get a 1 month free trial which helps me out too!) : https://fbuy.io/arcade/jonchapman
- Output Movement: https://tinyurl.com/5n98av2k
- Goodhertz Tupe: https://goodhertz.com/tupe/
- XLN Audio RC-20: https://www.xlnaudio.com/products/add…
- ADSR Sounds: https://www.adsrsounds.com/
- The Internet Archive: https://archive.org/
Please leave any comments below. Let me if you find this genre as fun to produce as I did! Also, give me some ideas for any topics or genres you would like me to cover in future.