u/Interestinglevels

For the producers here who’ve actually built a real listener base, what have you found is the best way to get honest feedback from actual people on your beats?

I upload my music to SoundCloud, but it can be hard to tell what engagement is genuine anymore. I’m not really interested in buying plays, follow-for-follow stuff, automated comments, or people only listening because they want you to check their beat in return.

I’d rather have 20 real people listen and tell me what they honestly think than see hundreds of plays that don’t mean anything.

Where have you had the most success finding listeners who will actually pay attention to the music?

Reddit communities? Discord servers? SoundCloud? YouTube? Producer groups? Reaching out directly to artists? Something else?

And when you’re trying to build an audience, do you think it’s better to mainly get feedback from other producers, or are there good ways to reach regular hip-hop/music listeners who aren’t analyzing everything from a producer standpoint?

Curious what has genuinely worked for everyone here — especially without paying for fake engagement.

You get complete creative control and can make one brand-new episode of King of the Hill.

What’s the storyline? Which characters would be at the center of it? And what ridiculous situation would Hank, Dale, Bill, Boomhauer, Peggy, Bobby, or the rest of Arlen somehow get themselves into?

It can be something completely original, something you always wished the show had explored, or even a storyline involving a character who never got enough screen time.

I’m really curious what kind of episodes people would come up with. 😂

You have to erase the rest from your memory and can only keep the music released during one of these stretches:

1990–1994

or

1995–1999

No loopholes. 😂 Anything released outside your five years is gone.

I’m talking albums, singles, underground records, everything.

1990–94 gives you stuff like Illmatic, Ready to Die, The Chronic, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), The Low End Theory, Doggystyle, Mecca and the Soul Brother, Midnight Marauders and a ridiculous amount more.

But 1995–99 comes back with The Infamous, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, Liquid Swords, Reasonable Doubt, The Score, ATLiens, Aquemini, Capital Punishment, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, Black on Both Sides and plenty I’m leaving out.

I’m not asking which half was historically more important.

I’m asking:

If those were the only five years of 90s hip-hop you could listen to for the rest of your life, which side are you taking—and what’s the ONE album that ultimately makes you choose it?

I have a feeling this one is going to hurt. 😂

I’ve been thinking about making this post for a while, so I figured I’d finally put myself out there.

I’m an experienced phone sales closer with 20+ years of experience and over $5 million in closed sales across different products and services. I’ve worked with both low-ticket and high-ticket offers, handled inbound and outbound calls, built rapport quickly, overcome objections, and focused on helping people make the right buying decision.

I’m currently looking for a legitimate remote sales opportunity with a company that values experienced salespeople and is serious about growth.

I have a professional home office setup, strong work ethic, and I take pride in representing the companies I work with. I’m not just looking for another job — I’m looking for the right team where I can contribute, keep improving, and grow long term.

If your company is hiring remote closers, or you know of a company looking for an experienced salesperson, I’d really appreciate a message or recommendation.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I’ve always had a hard time choosing between these two versions.

The original “The Nod Factor” is a certified mid-‘90s gem. Mad Skillz had such a smooth, effortless flow, and the beat fit his style perfectly. It’s one of those tracks that reminds me how many great MCs from that era never became huge mainstream stars.

But then there’s the Jay Dee (J Dilla) remix. Dilla gave it a completely different vibe with his signature swing, soulful sample, and hard-hitting drums. Every time I hear it, I end up changing my mind about which version I like better.

So I’m curious…

Which version do you prefer—the original or the Jay Dee remix? And what is it about that version that puts it over the top for you?

One thing a lot of newer listeners don’t realize is that the gritty sound of ‘90s hip-hop wasn’t an accident—it was a limitation that producers turned into a signature style.

Producers using machines like the Akai MPC60, MPC3000, SP-1200, and older samplers had very limited memory. To fit more samples into those machines, they’d often lower the sample rate or shorten samples, which added grit, crunch, and character. Then they’d layer chopped vinyl samples with hard drums, and the imperfections became part of the music.

Ironically, today’s producers spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on plugins trying to recreate what those old machines naturally did.

What’s your favorite beat from the ’90s that perfectly captures that raw, dusty sound? Bonus points if it’s not one of the obvious classics.

Every city seemed to have that one song you’d hear from passing cars all summer long.

Where did you grow up, and what track seemed to be playing everywhere?

https://youtu.be/\_E5JNYoDT48?si=8UW1MfE-D3wj-3QB

This was one of those songs that always stood out to me in the early ‘90s. It had such a unique vibe, a catchy hook, and an energy that made it different from a lot of the hip-hop coming out at the time. It seemed like it got plenty of radio and MTV play for a while, but I don’t hear people talk about it much anymore.

I’m curious what everyone else thought of it back then.

* Did you like it when it first came out?

* Do you think it still holds up today?

* Was it just a fun party track, or do you think it deserves more recognition as a ’90s hip-hop classic?

I’d love to hear everyone’s memories and opinions.

Forget concerts. Forget music videos.

You’ve been given a time machine, but you only get one studio session to witness in person while a classic ’90s hip-hop song is being created.

You’re in the room watching the beat get built, hearing the verses written, seeing the first takes, the arguments, the laughs… everything.

Which song are you picking and why?

For me, it’d be hard to pass up sessions like:

* Shook Ones Pt. II

* N.Y. State of Mind

* Protect Ya Neck

* T.R.O.Y.

* C.R.E.A.M.

* The World Is Yours

I think watching those records come together would be like witnessing history.

What’s your pick? And what do you think would’ve surprised you most about being in that room?

Before streaming, there was something special about waiting for a new album. You’d hear the first single on the radio, catch the video on MTV or BET, read about it in The Source or XXL, and spend weeks—or even months—building up the anticipation.

I still remember walking into the record store on release day, hoping they hadn’t sold out yet. It felt like an event, not just another Friday release.

What album had you the most excited? Did you buy it on day one? Did it live up to the hype, or did it end up disappointing you?

I miss that feeling of anticipation. Anyone else?

Mine was thinking louder drums automatically meant better drums. It took me a long time to realize that groove, swing, and sound selection matter way more than just turning everything up.

What’s something you wish someone had told you when you first started making beats?

Was there one album, one song, or one year where you thought, “This doesn’t sound like the hip-hop I grew up with anymore?”

For me, it wasn’t overnight. It happened gradually, and one day I realized I was going back to the ’90s almost every time I wanted to listen to rap.

What was that moment for you?

The new MPCs can do things the old machines could never dream of — huge storage, plugins, effects, touchscreen, audio tracks, and more.

But there’s something about the old workflow that felt different. Digging for samples, chopping with limited memory, building patterns, and bouncing ideas around on machines like the MPC60, 2000, 2000XL, and 3000 created a certain character.

Do you think the newer MPCs have improved the experience, or did some of the magic come from the limitations of the older machines?

Classic MPC users and modern MPC users — what’s your opinion?

Finding samples used to mean digging through thousands of records, flipping through vinyl, and discovering something nobody else heard.

Now producers can search through millions of samples online in seconds.

Is that a good thing because it opens creativity to more people?

Or did the struggle of digging and hunting for samples create a level of creativity we’re missing today?

One thing I miss about 90s hip-hop is how much personality artists put into their album intros.

Before the first real song even started, a lot of albums felt like you were stepping into someone’s world. The skits, DJ drops, movie samples, phone conversations, street sounds, and little moments gave the album an identity. It wasn’t just a collection of songs — it felt like a story.

Think about how albums like Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), The Chronic, Ready to Die, The Infamous, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, and The Low End Theory created an atmosphere before you even got deep into the tracklist.

A lot of modern albums jump straight into the music, but back then artists seemed to care about building a whole experience from beginning to end.

Do you think the loss of those intros, skits, and album concepts took something away from hip-hop?

What’s a 90s album where the atmosphere and storytelling made it feel like you were living in that artist’s world?