Pop Ace Producer Benny Blanco In The Studio

Along with Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco has that pop midas touch taking artists like Ke$ha, Taio Cruz, Katy Perry and others straight up the charts.

(video courtesy of Jared Gillam via Pop Justice & Music Radar)

Snoop Dogg In The Studio With Anita Baker Working On Her Upcoming Album

Anita Baker's new album is slated for October 12.

Dres 'From the Black Pool of Genius' In The Studio

Dres seen here in the the studio fine tuning his upcoming release 'From The Black Pool Of Genius' which originally supposed to drop June 29. No doubt, perfection is at hand and Dres is getting material just right before it gets released. I'm sure it will be out in the not so distant future.

Unwrapped Vol. 7 Producer JR Hutson From The Studio

Music Producer JR Hutson, the man behind the boards for such artists as Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott and others, gives us the latest on the upcoming Hidden Beach Recordings Unwrapped Vol. 7 - Back To Basics due in-stores July 13.

Unwrapped Vol. 7 keeps the tradition of its previous editions alive by adding R&B and Jazz instrumentation to new renditions of classic Hip Hop tracks.

Check out the tracklist below.

01. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
02. Stakes Is High
03. Magnificent
04. If I Ruled The World
05. Mrs. Officer
06. One More Drink
07. Can’t Believe It
08. C.R.E.A.M.
09. U.N.I.T.Y.
10. Flashing Lights
11. Stakes Is High (Lee Hogan’s Revenge)

(All tracks produced and arranged by JR Hutson)

Hear the sampler here.

Pre-order your copy here at Hidden Beach Recordings.

Zaytoven: From Humble Beginnings To #1 Record Explained At BMI Industry Event

Zaytoven's first BMI check $25,000.

about the event via BMI

BMI presented Music 101- Building the Beat workshop with producer Zaytoven at Patchwerk Recording Studios on Tuesday, March 23. 15 producers were selected from over 200 submissions to be a part of the workshop in which Zaytoven discussed his climb in the music business, his production process and the inspiration behind several of his records. Out of the 15 producers at the workshop, the one with the most complete sound and best beat was chosen to go to dinner with Zaytoven and BMI’s Atlanta staff.

DJ Quik Previews 'The Book Of David' Upcoming Album At Listening Event

Quik is back!

DJ Quik recently brought together a small group for a private listening session at Wavaflow Studios in Los Angeles to preview Quik's upcoming new album 'The Book of David.'

DJ Quik The Book Of David on Mad Science coming soon!

Chiddy Bang In An LA Studio

Young Hollywood got a chance to catch up with Chiddy and Xaphoon Jones of Chiddy Bang from making a beat and rhyme on the spot to discussing The Roots Black Thought's mentoring of the group is discussed right here.

Chiddy Bang's debut yet to be titled album on Virgin Records is currently slated for an August 24 release date.

Swizz Beatz & Busta Get Inspired By Iron Man 2 In The Studio

Swizz and Busta get down to business working on a new song inspired by Paramount Pictures upcoming movie 'Iron Man 2'.

With the opening this Friday, 'Iron Man 2' surely will be the #1 movie for the week. And with Swizz & Busta, it's an unbeatable combination.

Doc Ish & M.O.P.'s Billy Danze In The Studio

Music producer Doc Ish, who graced us with Eminem's 'We Made You,' is seen here working with Billy Danze of M.O.P. fame on a track from Doc's forth coming solo album The First Treatment arriving May 25.

Tracklisting and credits for Doc Ish Presents: The First Treatment:

01. "Hi Kids" ft. Joell Ortiz

02. "No Goodbye's" ft. Apollo Swyf & Burroughs

03. "Animal Grammar" ft. KRS-One & Burroughs

04. "She Did It Again" ft. Crooked I, Sean Price, Jay Electronica & Novel

05. "These Streets" ft. Max B, Red Cafe, Quan

06. "Cut My Throat " ft. Ransom, Quan, Saigon & INS Deck

07. "Who You Are" ft. AZ & Charmange

08. "Is It A Dream" ft. Joe Budden, Talib Kweli & Bun B

09. "Open Your Eyez" ft. Termanalogy & Hectic

10. "Stalker" ft. Bizarre (of D-12)

11. "Make Movez" ft. Buckshot, Rock (Heltah Skeltah) & Colloso

12. "Untitled" ft. Nipsey Hussle & Mya

13. "War Outside" ft. King Gordy, Kool G Rap & Billy Danze (M.O.P.)

14. "Skys Are Grey" ft. Quan, Oddisee & Nature

15. "You Make Me Stronger" ft. Kool G Rap & Ma Barker

16. "Mo Money" ft. Uncle Murder

17. "FOH" " ft. The Abnormals

18. "Freestyle" ft. Supernatural

***All Tracks Produced By Doc Ish

Dr. Dre And Jay-Z In Studio Pic

According to Nah Right, the picture was taken February 21, 2010 in Miami, the day after BP3 tour kicked off in Florida.

Busta Rhymes Heists Camera From Stat Quo In The Recording Studio

After hours while working on Detox, Busta & Stat Quo kill some time with some in studio antics.

Cypress Hill 'Rise Up' Recording Sessions With System Of A Down Daron Malakian

Cypress Hill and Daron Malakian (of System Of A Down/Scars On Broadway fame) recording "Trouble Seeker" from the studio. The track is set to appear on 'Rise Up' on EMI/Priority which arrives in-stores April 20.

Related:
Cypress Hill 'Rise Up' Artwork & Tracklist With Production Credits, Features Posted Online

The Cool Kids In California Working With Travis Barker

as seen on Fake Shore Drive

Rhymefest In The Studio With Just Blaze

Rhymefest - El Che on dN|Be Entertainment/EMI arrives May 18.

Dmx & Dame Grease Just Like Old Times In The Studio

Hip Hop Producer Groove Chambers Tells The Storys Behind The Hits From The Studio

After producing and writing 10 joints from the Nappy Roots debut album, Watermelon, Chicken & Grits; the Lip Gloss (Lil Mama) producer Groove Chambers has blessed the mic with "In The Bag". Now he lets you into his world and tells his story via this interview..... enjoy!!!!

(video courtesy of Tree Leaf Music)

Mary J. Blige Takes On Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway To Heaven' With All-Star Band

via Los Angeles Times

Pop & Hiss was privy to a top secret recording session Tuesday (Feb. 2) night involving a supergroup of sorts covering one of the most recognized songs in rock history: Led Zeppelin’s classic “Stairway to Heaven.” The players? Soul queen Mary J. Blige on vocals, guitar god Steve Vai and his pop protégé Orianthi on rhythm and lead guitars, respectively, Travis Barker on drums and “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson on bass, with producer Ron Fair (Christina Aguilera, Pussycat Dolls) handling piano, the arrangement and all-star recruitment. The track’s destination: Blige’s 10th studio album, due out later this year.

“What people don't know about me is I've been a rock 'n' roll fan for years,” Blige said after wrapping her 17th vocal take at Capitol Records Studio A. “I loved soft rock as a child. I'm full of this stuff, naturally.” She also had one massive international hit with a rock song, a cover of U2’s “One,” which Blige performed with Bono on the 2007 Grammy Awards, but it never had the same success stateside that the single saw in Europe.

Still, ever since the collaboration, it’s Bono who’s been pushing Blige to embrace her inner rock star, so blame him if you hate the concept. “Some people might consider it blasphemy, but Mary’s voice really is a nice match [for the song],” said Fair. “Robert Plant’s high-pitched blues thing is right in step with Mary's vocal range, and she brings the soul music to it, which is what Plant was going for in the first place.”

Indeed, Blige had no trouble hitting “Stairway’s” sweet spots and making its boldest moments her own, but she was also keenly aware of not just replicating the original. “You approach it as yourself, you don't try to be the artist,” she said.

That sentiment was echoed by the various players in the room, who found themselves strangely star-struck by one another. In one corner, Jackson sang the praises of Blige (“She can do anything, Mary is the truth!”), in the other, Orianthi was admiring Jackson and “what a monster bass player he is,” while Blige was ogling over Orianthi, whom she remembered seeing in "Michael Jackson's This Is It” movie. “What a surprise it was for Ron to bring her here,” said Blige. “I really love how she plays.”

Because the track was recorded backward, with the drum-heavy second half finished before the four-minute acoustic first act, Barker was out early, around 5 p.m. And amazingly, though they only started working at 3 p.m., the mostly live recording was pretty much finished by 7 p.m. “This is how records used to be made, and I love it,” said Orianthi, who also participated in Monday’s “We Are the World” remake. “Everyone comes in, you do your best, put everything into it, and by the end of the day, you have a song.”

This one, she said, was simply “magical.”

Terrace Martin: West Coast Producer Extraordinaire Previews New Tracks From Studio

Producer Terrace Martin plays some new music from his personal studio including snippets from his upcoming album 'The Demo' and a few instrumentals that he's working on.

Producer Focus Constructs The New West Coast Sound With Dr. Dre's Approval In Mind

spotted on Crate Kings

The makers of West Coast Theory went in-studio with Aftermath producer Focus. The producer offers a peek into his recording environment and explains his approach to creating music, thoughts on software, and experience working with Dr. Dre.

Throughout the interview Focus illustrates his process of crafting a beat from working with the original sample to layering drums, recording, and playing live bass.

Atlanta Music Producer FatBoi On The Keys, In The Studio

FatBoi the Atlanta based producer has risen up as one of the preeminent new producers in the game. Crafting hits on Gucci Mane's latest material has really put FatBoi's name on the map.

One of FatBoi's main weapon of choice is the Open Labs MiKo Timbaland Edition, along with a variety of other gear.