Hip Hop Awards 2022: Past ‘Producer of the Year’ Winners and Their Biggest Hits
We’re looking at some of the biggest winners from past BET Hip Hop Awards ceremonies as we gear up for this year’s spectacular event. These following winners are behind some of the most successful records in hip hop, including “Runway,” from musical architect Kanye West who took home the honors in 2009, to Swizz Beatz, who contributed one of the most iconic tracks in rap that birthed an entire movement with DMX’s “Ruff Ryder Anthem” from his studio debut album It’s Dark and Hell is Hot.
Kanye West — 2009 winner
Grammy Award-winning musician Kanye West released “Runaway” as the second single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The track features a verse from rapper Pusha T with production handled by West, Mike Dean, and many more. The piano-led record peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Swizz Beatz — 2010 winner
The Swizz Beatz-produced track, “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” is of the late DMX’s most standout records of his career. The song made its appearance on X’s debut studio album. It's’ Dark and Hell Is Hot album.
In an interview with Complex, Swizz opened up about creating the legendary single, revealing that he made it at a time when he wasn’t quite taken seriously in the industry. “It was hard because no one accepted me as a producer,” he said. “They were like. ‘Oh, you a producer? Nah, Irv Gotti’s a producer, Dame Grease is a producer, P.K. is a producer. You, DJ, stick to DJing.’ So I was like, ‘Alright, but I like to produce as well.
Elsewhere he added, “I made the ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’ beat in Atlanta. It was me just bugging out, having my New York influence and having my Atlanta influence,” he told the publication. That track was the perfect blend which was awkward and different at the time because nobody had ever heard anything like that—including my clique.”
Mike Will Made It — 2013 winner
Rae Sremmurd and Gucci Mane teamed up for the 2016 party playlist favorite, “Black Beatles,” with Mike Will Made It on productions from the duo’s second studio album ScremmLife 2. The song’s success catapulted after the Mannequin Challenge went viral. The trend involved shooting footage of a crowd standing frozen in place, often using "Black Beatles" as background music. The track peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming both Rae Sremmurd's and Gucci Mane's first number one single.
- advertisement
DJ Mustard — 2014 winner
California producer DJ Mustard garnered mainstream success with Tyga’s 2011 “Rack City,” the third single from his second studio album, Careless World: Rise of the Last King. The track spent two non-consecutive weeks in the top 10 before peaking at seven on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Pharrell Williams — 2018 winner
Grammy Award-winning recording star Pharrell Williams wrote, produced, and performed the uptempo soul and neo-soul smash hit record Happy,” the only single from the soundtrack album for the animated 2013 film Despicable Me 2. The solo single peaked at No. 1 in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and 19 other countries.
Watch the Hip Hop Awards on Tuesday, October 4, at 9 PM ET/PT on BET
