Top 10 Producers of 2011

Nobody did it better this year than these beat-makers.

Top 10 Producers of 2011 - From Lex Luger's brolic digital bounce to 40's ambient rap ballads to Stargate's synth-heavy electro-pop, music production was all over the place this year—and that's what made it so great. Music-makers kept finding new ways to make us move, incorporating elements of dance, world music, dubstep and more into the ever-evolving formulas of hip hop and R&B. And nobody did it better than the following 10 producers, 2011's best.

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Top 10 Producers of 2011 - From Lex Luger's brolic digital bounce to 40's ambient rap ballads to Stargate's synth-heavy electro-pop, music production was all over the place this year—and that's what made it so great. Music-makers kept finding new ways to make us move, incorporating elements of dance, world music, dubstep and more into the ever-evolving formulas of hip hop and R&B. And nobody did it better than the following 10 producers, 2011's best.

Lex Luger - Lex owned hip hop in 2011. His raucous, horror-movie-on-crunk-juice productions provided the perfect backdrop for hits by Jay-Z and Kanye ("H.A.M."), Ace Hood (“Hustle Hard”) and Rick Ross and Lil Wayne (“9 Piece”). We named him Producer of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards, and there's no doubt he lived up to the honor.(Photo: Valerie Macon/Getty Images)

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Lex Luger - Lex owned hip hop in 2011. His raucous, horror-movie-on-crunk-juice productions provided the perfect backdrop for hits by Jay-Z and Kanye ("H.A.M."), Ace Hood (“Hustle Hard”) and Rick Ross and Lil Wayne (“9 Piece”). We named him Producer of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards, and there's no doubt he lived up to the honor.(Photo: Valerie Macon/Getty Images)

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Kanye West - Kanye was the mastermind behind the ostentatious, appropriately epic music on his and Jay-Z's Watch the Throne, one of the best and most impactful albums this year. He produced the anthemic standout single, "Otis," and Yeezified productions from Lex Luger, Q-Tip and others to match the album's kingly ambitions. Bow down. (Photo: Mark Mainz/Getty Images)

T-Minus - Talk about a grand slam: 23-year-old T-Minus was Albert Pujols behind the boards this year, ruling the airwaves with Nicki Minaj's "Moment 4 Life," Wayne and Drake's "She Will" and the inescapapable "I'm on One," one of the best and most impactful songs of the year. On top of that, he has credits on five tracks from his fellow Toronto native Drake's Take Care, including "Make Me Proud." (Photo: Courtesy Complex)

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T-Minus - Talk about a grand slam: 23-year-old T-Minus was Albert Pujols behind the boards this year, ruling the airwaves with Nicki Minaj's "Moment 4 Life," Wayne and Drake's "She Will" and the inescapapable "I'm on One," one of the best and most impactful songs of the year. On top of that, he has credits on five tracks from his fellow Toronto native Drake's Take Care, including "Make Me Proud." (Photo: Courtesy Complex)

Jim Jonsin - Jim Jonsin swings for the fences. While producers try to make hits, Jonsin’ been hitting homeruns like Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop,” T.I.’s “Whatever U Like” and Soulja Boy’s “Kiss Me Thru the Phone.” His success has caught the ear of R&B and pop stars, but the veteran stays firmly rooted in hip-hop. Some of his recent contributions include Nelly’s chart-climbing “Just a Dream” and Gucci Mane’s “Grown Man.”

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Jim Jonsin - 2011 was business as usual for Miami's Jim Jonsin. He did what he's been doing for most of the past decade: make chart-topping hits. He produced Kelly Rowland's sultry No. 1 smash "Motivation," Mary J. Blige and Drake's "Mr. Wrong" and Wiz Khalifa  and Too $hort's "On My Level," as well as songs for Yelawolf, Game and more. (Photo: PNP / WENN)