Scott Storch is a well-known name when it comes to production, and although he doesn’t rap like many other producers (namely Pharrell and Kanye) or stand around in videos dancing (like DJ Khaled) he is respected nonetheless and, in fact, is one of the more musical producers with regard to actual music theory.
Storch is a self-taught piano player who can also play a number of other instruments, including the guitar and the drums. Furthermore, as well as producing solo, he often gives a helping hand to some of your favourite producers for their own material. An example of this is ‘Still D.R.E’, a track on which Storch is credited for his contribution as he played that famous piano melody.
Storch is one of the best in the business and was most definitely one of the most popular producers of the late 1990s and early noughties. He worked extensively with Dr Dre as part of his Aftermath label and was also an executive producer of famous Aftermath albums such as Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ and The Eminem Show.
Storch grew up primarily in Philadelphia and gained notoriety in the early 1990s when he joined the Roots as a keyboard player. Storch was one of their key session instrumentalists and, along with the Roots, helped create two fantastic albums, Organix and Do You Want More?!!!??! From there he continued to grow and progress in both hip hop and neo-soul, producing for artists such as Erykah Badu, Eve and Nas.
Being such a skilled and prolific producer, below, we have picked out Storch’s five best hip hop productions of all time. Take a look at our picks.
The five greatest Scott Storch productions ever:
5. ‘Lighters Up’ – Lil Kim
‘Lighters Up’ is an incredible song that Kim released as the first single for her 2005 album The Naked Truth. Of course, produced by the legendary Scott Storch, this single undeniably has a Caribbean feel to it. Most likely influenced by the large West Indian community in Brooklyn, ‘Lighters Up’ is reminiscent of songs such as ‘Lucifer’ by fellow Brooklyn artist Jay-Z, which samples the reggae song ‘Chase The Devil’ by Max Romeo. A great creation.
With similar production and that Caribbean influence, Kim and Storch together created a classic record with ‘Lighters Up’. Only reaching 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song performed leagues better in the UK, peaking at number 12 on the singles chart, most definitely as a result of the UK’s considerable West Indian population.
4. ‘Baby Boy’ – Sean Paul ft Beyoncé
Sean Paul was undoubtedly one of the biggest dancehall artists from Jamaica making waves in America in the early noughties. Alongside artists such as Elephant Man and Beenie Man, Sean Paul was often called upon for features and remixes of uptempo hip hop and R’n’B songs during the noughties but his own project also featured some bangers of its own.
Released in 2002, Dutty Rock features the song ‘Baby Boy’ by the Jamaican artist. A huge hit, the track is a dancehall and R’n’B fusion track featuring the one and only Beyoncé. The track was also featured on her 2003 debut album, Dangerously In Love.
3. ‘Conceited’ – Remy Ma
Released at the end of 2005, this track was the second single for Remy Ma’s 2006 debut album, There’s Something About Remy. Although it was released as the second single, with the lead single being ‘Whuteva’ produced by Swizz Beatz, it was far more successful than the lead single, and ‘Conceited’ is often cited as one of Remy Ma’s best songs.
The song contains a sample of ‘I’m Too Sexy’ by Right Said Fred. and peaked at number 17 on Billboard Hot 100 chart. Although the single did exceptionally well, the album did not, as it was overshadowed by the fact that shortly after its release in 2006, Remy Ma had a severe brush with the law after an accident with a firearm led to one of her friends being shot.
2. ‘Candy Shop’ – 50 Cent
The second single from 50 Cent’s 2005 album, The Massacre, ‘Candy Shop’, became number one in its fifth week and held that position for the following nine weeks. It also went to number one in the UK Singles Charts.
Storch was an executive producer of The Massacre, and with Scott Storch, Dr Dre and Cool & Dre among some of the powerhouse producers featuring on the album, it was destined to go to the top and that it did. The Massacre sold 1.15 million copies in its first four days, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200.
1. ‘Lean Back’ – Terror Squad
‘Lean Back’ along with tracks such as ‘In The Club’ and ‘Conceited’ embodies the signature sound of Scott Storch and the early noughties. The early noughties saw an extreme rise in the use of violins and orchestral instruments such as flutes and trumpets. When working with Timbaland and Scott Storch, one could expect a lot of flutes, a lot of violins and an unfathomable amount of tracks that aimed to sound Middle Eastern or Indian.
‘Lean Back’ is a great example of that, and Storch executed the sound very well. ‘Lean Back’ by Terror Squad was a smash hit in 2004 and has been a club anthem ever since. A dark, aggressive and gritty take on Middle Eastern music, the track, with vocals from Fat Joe and Remy Ma, went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for three weeks.
It even had a remix featuring Lil Jon, Eminem, and Mase. The song has been covered by multiple famous rappers, including Lil Wayne, Jadakiss and even Wiley and Tinchy Stryder in the UK. The track is by far Scott Storch’s most well-known and well-executed production and is a great song.
