Rap music has always been shaped by the hands behind the boards. While MCs get the spotlight, producers lay the foundation with beats that define entire eras. The best producers don’t just make instrumentals—they build entire worlds. A single drum break, a warped sample, or the right bassline at the right moment can shift the mood of a song, or even an entire movement.
Right now, underground rap production is in a golden era, where traditional boom-bap, left-field experimentation, and futuristic styles all coexist. A new wave of producers are pushing boundaries, making beats that hit hard but feel unpredictable—dusty loops chopped into hypnotic patterns, distorted synths bleeding into raw drum breaks, jazz chords stretched into something unrecognizable.
Whether it’s warm, soulful loops or eerie, off-kilter beats, the producers listed below are all contributing to the next chapter of rap music. If you want to know where hip-hop is headed, start here.
Child Actor
Child Actor is quickly becoming one of the most evocative producers in modern underground rap. Originally a dream-pop duo, Child Actor has since evolved into a solo venture helmed by Max Heath, whose productions are lush and shape-shifting, defying easy categorization and his work with billy woods and ELUCID has made him an integral part of the Backwoodz Studioz universe.
Driveby
New Jersey’s own Driveby is carving out a lane that blends nostalgia with modernity, creating beats that feel both familiar and groundbreaking. His sound draws heavily from the golden era of rap, yet his approach is anything but dated. With beat tapes like BIBI, a tribute to his late mother, Driveby layers soulful loops and head-nodding rhythms with an emotional depth that resonates. His collaborations with emerging East Coast talent like Pootie (Bermuda Duffles), Fatboi Sharif (Armored Mewtwo Has No Friends), OneShotOnce (6WD), and Wavy Bagels (A Carfull) showcase his ability to adapt his style without losing his essence.
Roper Williams
New Jersey’s Roper Williams is an unsung hero of the East Coast underground, a rap producer whose name is synonymous with intricate sampling. His 2023 album, Infinite Victory Loop, was recorded in a single 24-hour session, capturing the raw, electric energy of his Jersey City studio. Featuring heavyweights like YL, AKAI SOLO, Fatboi Sharif, and Pootie, the album is a snapshot of a vibrant scene that Roper has helped shape. Whether producing for Mach-Hommy, Navy Blue, or Your Old Droog, his beats are soulful yet experimental, simultaneously nostalgic and forward-thinking.
Lapgan
Chicago’s Lapgan is on a mission to bridge worlds. Weaving South Asian musical traditions into contemporary hip-hop, he crafts a sound that feels both ancient and futuristic. Duniya Kya Hai is his magnum opus, a project that reimagines rare Indian and Pakistani records into lush, cinematic backdrops. It’s a masterclass in sampling, recontextualizing cultural artifacts in ways that feel fresh and urgent. With collaborations alongside Heems and his own Veena Company label, Lapgan is redefining what global hip-hop can sound like.
Steel Tipped Dove
Steel Tipped Dove has been a quiet force in Brooklyn’s underground for years. His beats move between soulful and disorienting, with samples that feel like they’ve been dug out of some forgotten corner of the record store. His studio has been a home base for R.A.P. Ferreira, AJ Suede, and others, and his production always keeps things just left of center—never too clean, never too obvious, always compelling.
Swarvy
Swarvy is the quintessential L.A. producer, effortlessly weaving jazz, psychedelia, and soul into hypnotic, genre-defying beats. A multi-instrumentalist at heart, Swarvy’s beats are richly layered, each track a meticulously crafted world of melody and rhythm. Collaborations with Pink Siifu, Mndsgn, lojii and Nappy Nina reveal his fluidity, moving seamlessly between worlds without losing his identity. His beats are meditative yet playful, grounded yet cosmic. In an industry obsessed with trends, Swarvy crafts timeless music that feels both classic and avant-garde.
Televangel
Formerly one half of prolific production duo Blue Sky Black Death, Televangel is now a solo producer based in Portland, Oregon. As a beat maker, he makes room for both lush ambient soundscapes and intricate, deeply textured beats. Televangel is uniquely gifted with a sense of sound that can be both hard and soft at the same time, full yet reserved, detailed and beautifully lush. With his 2023 album Parthian Shots, Televangel linked with AJ Suede to craft one of the best records of the year, an album of intricate lines, memorable stories and imagery all matched perfectly with hazy beats that weave head-bobbing drums with a touch of noir.
Mon$rock
Mon$rock is helping put Sacramento’s beat scene on the map—not just as a producer, but as a connector. He co-runs Coldtwelvers and Flip A Beat Club, creating space for producers to collaborate. His own beats mix boom-bap’s backbone with a love for old-school soul and funk, the kind of tracks that sound like they were built for a cypher.
maticulous
maticulous knows how to make a beat knock without doing too much. His production is clean but never overworked, built on sharp drum programming and carefully placed samples. He’s worked with MF DOOM, R.A. The Rugged Man, and Skyzoo, and his 2024 compilation The Expanse is a great entry point—polished, warm, and full of head-nod moments.
Preservation
Few rap producers understand the art of restraint like Preservation. Blending non-linear arrangements with dusty, jazz-inflected samples, he creates beats that feel meditative yet dynamic. His 2020 album, Eastern Medicine, Western Illness, crafted entirely from samples found in Hong Kong record shops, is a study in cultural cross-pollination. And his 2022 collaboration with billy woods, Aethiopes, was a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, solidifying his status as one of the most inventive minds in underground rap.
Futurewave
Toronto’s Futurewave makes beats that feel both stripped-down and deliberate. His minimalist approach creates space, allowing rappers to weave intricate narratives within his sonic frameworks. Collaborations with Boldy James (Mr. Ten08) and Daniel Son (Sun Tzu & The Wav.God) have solidified his status as one of the underground’s most exciting rap producers. Futurewave’s beats are paradoxical—stripped down yet layered, haunting yet beautiful. They breathe, they linger, they leave a mark. In an age of overproduction, his restraint speaks volumes. His beats don’t overpower, but they stick with you, slowly revealing layers you might miss on the first listen.
Spectacular Diagnostics
Spectacular Diagnostics is crafting a sound that’s both otherworldly and intimately familiar. The Chicago-based producer dubs his style “moon bap,” an astral blend of psych-fusion, dusty jazz loops, sci-fi snippets, and Bollywood samples. It’s a sound as fractured as it is cohesive, a beautifully chaotic mosaic that somehow just works. Albums like Ancient Methods and Natural Mechanics show his ability to balance soulful grooves with futuristic experimentation, all while curating collaborations with underground heavyweights like billy woods, lojii, and Elucid. Under his toast.hawaii alias, Spectacular Diagnostics explores laid-back, lo-fi vibes, proving his versatility and depth. In a landscape crowded with imitators, his beats are transmissions from another dimension.
Nicholas Craven
Nicholas Craven makes beats that sound like they belong in a ‘70s crime film—moody, orchestral, and packed with tension. His work with Boldy James, Stove God Cooks, and Navy Blue is proof that his sample choices are some of the sharpest in the game. His Craven N3 compilation is an excellent intro to his catalog.
Small Professor
Small Professor’s beats feel effortless but never simple. He’s got a gift for crafting loops that stick, whether they’re dark and brooding or laid-back and soulful. His work with Sean Price, Vic Spencer, and AJ Suede carries the same weight—hard drums, rich samples, and a deep respect for the craft.
Controller 7
Controller 7 is the bridge between past and present, a producer who channels nostalgia through a contemporary lens. Emerging from San Jose’s vibrant underground scene, he first made waves with pause tape loops before evolving into a full-fledged producer. His work with underground stalwarts like Aesop Rock and Sage Francis showcases his knack for blending raw, soulful samples with unconventional rhythms. His 2024 collaboration with ShrapKnel, Nobody Planning To Leave, is a testament to his ability to adapt while staying true to his roots.
