For this round of producer probing we turn our attention to one of the most forward thinking sample based producers in the game. A producer who has been getting his fingers dusty since the late 90’s, he has gone on to develop god like status in the underground hip-hop community. Introducing the man, the myth, Madlib.

A Brief History

Madlib, born Otis Jackson Jr., grew up in Oxnard, California in a musically rich household. His father was a soul musician, his mother a songwriter, and his uncle a jazz trumpeter. The young Otis was surrounded by records and soon developed a deep appreciation for jazz, funk, and soul. This early musical exposure would be a key factor in shaping Madlibs dusty vinyl reliant sound. He started making beats in the early ‘90s, first gaining attention as part of the Cali group Lootpack. They were an early and important signing to Peanut Butter Wolfs Stones Throw Records and released their debut album Soundpieces: Da Antidote! in 1999.

Rather than chase mainstream success, Madlib has stayed true to his roots and immersed himself in the underground scene. He steadily built a reputation for his raw, sample-heavy production style and extensive musical output. In the 2000s, he adopted a number of aliases, most famously Quasimoto, where he would also rap over his productions in a pitched up voice. He also cemented his stautus by forming legendary partnerships with two of the most celebrated artists in Hip-Hop; MF DOOM (Madvillainy) and J Dilla (Jaylib) .Over the years, Madlib has remained fiercely independent, and still very much relevant. He remains a reluctant hero and shuns social media, only exacerbating the mystique that has grown up around him as a producer. During the recent LA fires Madlib’s home was destroyed along with much of his record and music collection. Fans around the world rallied to support Madlib and his family at this destressing time.

Signature Production Style

Madlib’s signature sound is less about a specific technique and more about a distinct feel. To a trained ear his beats are instantly recognizable, which is remarkable given the wide range of musical genres he samples from. Unlike producers such as DJ Premier, who are known for a consistent sample-chopping style, Madlib employs a wide variety of methods. At times, he may simply loop or lightly chop a sample with minimal layering. On other tracks, he’ll build a fuller arrangement, adding elements such as drums, basslines, live keys, and additional sampled fragments. His approach is free from and very much dependant on his mood and the inspiration drawn from the sample source material.

And while sampling is central to Madlibs production he is also highly regarded as a multi instrumentalist. Projects such as Yesterdays New Quintet and his Shades of Blue LP showcase his ability to compose and cover the sort of music he would normally be sampling. Using authentic instrumentation and lo fi recording techniques such as old cassette portastudios, he manages to perfectly capture his unique imperfect style.

One element that’s uniquely tied to Madlib’s sound, in particular his late 00’s and 2010’s output, is his use of a the Boss SP-303 sampler and in particular one of it’s unique processing effects. By pressing the “Vinyl Sim” button on the front panel, a gritty, pumping compression is applied that almost gives the impression of sidechain drum compression. The vinyl sim effect that has been emulated in the Vulf Compressor VST, simultaneously exaggerates the dust, crackle, and imperfections in the record. This effect became a hallmark of his sound helping him amplify the texture of old vinyl recordings, instantly giving his beats a heavy, raw, unpolished character. Rather than cleaning up samples, Madlib embraces their flaws, aiming to preserve the organic feel of the original recordings.

In addition, his drums and chops are rarely quantized, which gives his beats a natural, human swing. That loose timing, combined with his funky sensibility, is the thing that makes his sound unmistakably his. This loose, humanized approach closely mirrors that of his friend and frequent musical sparring partner, J Dilla. The two developed a deep mutual respect and shared a number of stylistic similarities, particularly in their use of unquantized drums and raw sample textures. While Madlib has often referred to Dilla as the greatest, the reality is that they were likely major influences on each other, pushing each other to make ever more advanced sample based hip-hop.

Like Dilla, Madlib tends to work quickly and intuitively. He is attuned to capturing and keeping raw ideas as they materialise, rather than polishing them into perfection. His inspiration is always led by the samples and what gets plucked from the crates. His tastes lean toward the unconventional and unorthodox. From soulful and jazzy, through to areas such as prog and world music. It’s no surprise that he has a particular affinity towards Bollywood, African and South American records. This fearless approach to source material is part of what makes Madlib’s beat catalogue so diverse, and consistently surprising. It is also what helped earn Madlib the title the Best Hip-Hop Producer of 2019 from Complex magazine.

Equipment List

Because of Madlib’s somewhat secretive approach, the equipment he uses has been the subject of much speculation. Never one to conform to the norms he has been known to create music using some surprising tools. In recent years Madlib has gone on record to say he has been making much of his music on an ipad. An approach that’s about as far removed from producers like Dr Dre as is possible. This list will therefore list some of the kit we are sure Madlib has used over the course of his career.

DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation)

  • Apple iPad: While it is unclear what app Madlib uses he has gone down on record saying he currently uses an iPad for much of his production.

Drum Machines & Samplers

  • Boss DR 303: This $250 highly portable sampler seems to be a favourite of Madlibs
  • E-MU SP 1200: Thought to have been used in much of his early production (possibly an SP 12)
  • Roland SP-606: Madlib admitted to using this sampler in an interview crediting it as having great in-built FX

Keyboards & Synths

  • CRUMAR Roadrunner 2: Pictured in a number of photo’s of Madlibs studio this is a favourite keyboard of experimental Jazz artist Sun Ra
  • Roland Fantom G7: While it is not clear how much Madlib used this keyboard it does feature in a video where he makes a beat on the spot.
  • Fender Rhodes Stage 73: As seen in his 00’s studio alongside other old vintage keyboards, the fender Rhodes featured heavily in his Yesterdays New Quintet Project

Mixing & Outboard Gear

  • Roland VS-880: Early stand alone digital recorder, used on many albums inc Madvillainy
  • Audio-Technica AT4033: Along with the Shure SM58 this is a favourite Mic of Madlib’s.
  • Tascam Portastudio 488: Thought to have been used in his live instrument projects such as Yesterdays New Quintet.

Musical Legacy

Madlib’s legacy is built on his unwavering determination to keeping the true essence of hip-hop alive in the form of crate digging and sampling. While hip-hop started to move away from sampling old records in the 00’s Madlib remained steadfast. And because he has never chased commercial trends or changed his sound to fit in, he has become one of the most respected and influential producers in hip-hop.

He sits in a similar space to former collaborators J Dilla and MF DOOM as someone that is revered by a new generation of hip-hop fans drawn to the more organic boom bap sounds. Some would say he is one of the most trending living boom bap style producers working today. An achievement made all the more possible by his relentless workflow and ethic that see’s him regularly releasing new material, working with both established (Black Star) and up and coming artists (Fly Anakin)

His use of lo-fi, vinyl-based production aesthetics has paved the way for a new generation of beatmakers. His influence can be felt in the work of countless producers who prioritize mood, texture and dope music samples over polish. Madlib’s use of basic and limited equipment such as the SP 303 and iPad has proved that you don’t need a massive studio setup to make timeless music, just a great ear for a sample, good instincts and a deep respect for the artform. Even after decades in the game, his work remains fresh, unpredictable, and uniquely his own.

Albums like Madvillainy, Shades of Blue, and Piñata are now considered modern classics, and his name has become synonymous with the underground’s golden standard. Even after decades in the game, his work remains fresh, unpredictable and always funky.

Top 5 Productions

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