2018 was at, at the least, a very noteworthy year for more than just a handful of producers. The rise of multiple collectives changed the outlook on the definition of the term “supergroup” entirely, and while many producers had a less favorable year than the one preceding it, there were more than a few who stepped up and truly elevated their to craft to an entirely new level.
While we’re only three months into 2019, numerous beatmakers have wasted no time separating themselves from the pack, producing some of SoundCloud’s biggest songs of 2019 so far and setting themselves up for unprecedented success in the upcoming year. Here are sixteen producers who are sure to make some serious noise throughout the next nine months and beyond.
His beats are melodic and simplistic, his presence ubiquitous; it’s hard to sift through SoundCloud and not find Chris Baello’s name somewhere. The legend from Lake Elsinore was arguably the most influential producer on SoundCloud this past year, which can be attributed to his plethora of credits no matter the genre. While 2016 and 2017 saw him fuse his talents with the likes of XXXTentacion, Mike Posner and Famous Dex, 2018 allowed him to centralize his efforts with credits next to names like RonSoCold, SwagHollywood, and Weiland, to name a few. His collaborations with Lil Tracy that resulted in “10 Racks” and “My Bestie” sit at the forefront of the numerous accolades that 2018 brought him. With credits on fourteen of the eighteen songs off Night Lovell’s mammoth project GOODNIGHT LOVELL, Ginseng has put himself at the apex of the community and positioned himself for surefire success in 2019.
If anyone truly made a name for themselves in 2018, it was DeliverTheCrush. Whether you know him by his name, Deliver Bon Jovi, Deliver Chad Kroeger, or Deliver F Baby, the Florida producer’s tag was seemingly impossible to disregard this past year. While the beginning of the year brought him songs with artists like Lil Lotus, Shinigami, THOUXANBANFAUNI, Kaiyko, and Fantasy Camp, DTC’s highlight came when he scored production on one third of Adamn Killa’s Back 2 Ballin 2. Heading into the new year, his work with Lil Soda Boi most certainly isn’t going unnoticed either as he continues to shine no matter the artist he works with. His incredible work ethic continues to propel him forward, and his knack for forcing the best out of any artist he works with via his ear-catching melodies and slick percussion have truly put him in a position to have another notable year.
Taylor Morgan’s 2018 can be characterized by the emergence of an unlikely story in an unlikely place. The Jonesboro, Arkansas native didn’t just score hits with bigger artists, but also built an impressive fan base alongside his friends at Garden Avenue. Blending mind-numbing, colorful synths with the blissful voices of fellow collaborators like Mixed Matches and Fantasy Camp in “Deep End”, Morgan’s heavily melodic tendencies gravitated fellow artists to his work, most notably WICCA PHASE SPRINGS ETERNAL, 9TAILS, guardin, and VELVETEARS. With the release of his DREAM EATER EP, his ability to practically bring his melodies to life makes him a stand-out talent among his peers whom other artists will certainly be salivating to work with this upcoming year.
In a day and age where social media activity and engagement often prove crucial to an artist’s notoriety, Marcelo goes against the grain entirely. With very little talking and a bountiful amount of work to show for it, Marcelo had one of the biggest years in remembrance that seemingly continued to get better and better as the days passed. Though his work as an artist in 2018 landed him numerous hits and multiple videos on Elevator and Astari, his work with fellow D1 member Shiro on “Match Hunters” would ultimately lead to his joining Xavier Wulf’s highly coveted and exclusive Hollow Squad this past fall. His simplistic though punchy drums pair incredibly well with his crisp, addicting melodies that so many artists crave to write over. If his collaborative project with Wulf BATTLE STAR X PART 1 didn’t say it well enough, Marcelo has made one thing clear: he doesn’t plan to slow down in 2019.
If you were to ask most NeilaWorld associates who they thought their most talented member was, they’d talk about someone who doesn’t come up often in their everyday antics on Twitter. Standing alongside a group of artists and producers whose credits and accomplishments speak just as loud as their presence on social media, EQMadeIt works in silence with very little interaction, and as one of the most decorated producers in his group, he’s a testament to the belief that hard work and drive can get a producer anywhere without any connections. As one of the first to ever join FadedBlacKid’s squad, the sixteen year-old has had a hand in working with more major artists on SoundCloud than most could hope to in two or three years time. From D Savage’s slick, 1.45 million-play hit “Gelato” to SlimeSito’s grimey, cutthroat drop on “Green”, EQ’s credits on hits with UnoTheActivist, Lil Durk, Warhol.ss, Famous Dex and Kane Grocerys leave little to be desired as he continues to bolster his repertoire at such a young age. His smooth and refined production already has him off to a strong start in 2019, racking up unreleased songs with D Savage and Lil Tracy. While he may not be the most vocal and prominent, his accomplishments speak louder than the majority of producer; something that should serve to carry him well into 2019 and on.
SoundCloud’s favorite Juul fiend made one thing very clear all throughout 2018: he wants to be known as more than just “that guy who made a bunch of hits with Xavier Wulf”; something he certainly spoke into existence this past year by branching out beyond just the rap scene in order to sharpen his craft. Ghostrage’s abundant amount of credits leave far too many standout hits to count, headlined by popular songs with Rico Nasty, Coldhart, Rawska, OmenXIII, Mar90s, Kevin Kazi, VELVETEARS, and many more. Standing at the helm in a league of multivariate producers, his approach to working with his peers has been more than noticeable; whether he’s throwing his signature drums down on a darker melody for people like Gizmo or creating lighter, anime-infused instrumentals for dream-pop acts like Mixed Matches, Ghostrage’s productivity puts him ahead of some of even the most skilled producers, and he doesn’t look to be slowing it down or changing it up any time soon.
Edina, MN’s own oversees a talented group of producers at Garden Avenue, though his own work in the past two years alone has earned him more than just a few accolades. Mixing both gritty and smooth guitar melodies with simplistic yet hopeful percussion, 4evr has become the go-to producer of a more than a handful of artists. His work with Shinigami on i will never be a memory was more than memorable, most notably on “a place where i belong” and the title track. His songs with Lil Lotus such as “Pretty Thing” and “Black Leather” with Coldhart brought him even more recognition that will almost certainly carry him into 2019 as more and more artists become eager to work with him and develop a sound that he has mastered like very few have.
Though he initially comes off as a bit of an outlier on this list, XanGang’s influence on SoundCloud over the past few years has been like none other, and with his recent signing to 300 Entertainment, he’s looking to expand more than he ever has before. The success of his and Rob $urreal’s Surreal Gang stands unprecedented in comparison to that which his peers have and continue to accomplish. Blending a masterful touch of the plug sound with saxophonic layers and touches of jazz, the Brooklyn mastermind’s craft continues to not only inspire more producers than one could count on ten hands, but also a multitude of artists that eagerly await their time to work with him. He played a key role in 2018’s meteoric rise of Plug&B sensation Summrs!, and his work with Yung Bans and his personal favorite SlimeSito continued to build steam throughout the year. With improved connections and a wider audience, it’s hard to imagine a 2019 where the Surreal Gang boss doesn’t thrive.
Before finding success producing for other artists, Lukrative made a name for himself as a top-quality beatsmith known for his incredible re-works and remixes of whatever song he messed with, and now he’s making a name for himself as a top-quality producer in all facets of the term. The NeilaWorld standout’s prominent sound and versatility have thrust him to the top of the ranks in his own city of New Orleans, and his work with Adamn Killa, Lil Xelly, David Shawty, ppgcasper, and numerous others continue to show that he’s capable of succeeding no matter the artist he works with. He scored one of the biggest SoundCloud hits of 2019 so far alongside Suni Vega in Weiland’s “My Type”, and recently landed credits on two songs off Pollari’s LIL JESUS EP. With him rounding out January with an upcoming song with Lil Tracy, Lukrative has had arguably the craziest start to 2019 overall and looks to up the ante throughout the next ten months and beyond.
KeyWorld’s mystery man from England has picked up serious steam in 2017 and 2018, and while this past year was certainly quieter for him than the one preceding it, he now boasts credits on two above-average songs from the notorious Bladee himself– something very few beatmakers can also claim. His simplistic instrumental caters perfectly to the Swede’s relaxed approach on “FML”, and the endless amount of hits that he and Los Angeles legend CaptainCrunch have created for artists ranging from Rich The Kid to Stacy Money have only added to his impressive repertoire. Time and time again, Eera has shown that he can craft anything for just about anyone; the success of his work with 16YrOld on Yung Bans, D Savage, and Lil Tracy’s “Young Scooter” exemplifies said ability perfectly. Joining a surfeit of talent over at KeyWorld, it’s no doubt that in 2019 Eera looks to pick back up on the success that he’s enjoyed the past two years.
Few have been around on SoundCloud as long as Ric has, and if you don’t know him by his current name, maybe the alias Riclaflare rings a bell. Regardless, few have wrapped their name around so many different acts and with so many different artists: from Famous Dex to Reggie Mills; Weiland to Terrance Escobar; THOUXANBANFAUNI to Marcelo, Ric has been a key piece not only in KeyWorld’s loaded lineup, but also in the rise of numerous artists over the years on SoundCloud. His knack for blending multitudes of sounds with his signature bouncy, alternating kick and 808 patterns paired him perfectly with rising dream-pop act Mixed Matches whom he played a key factor in the exposure of throughout 2018. As one of the go-to producers connected with LA acts like Marcelo and Cholopunx, Ric prides himself on his versatility and has never been one to shy away from branching out, and the attention he’s recently garnered on Twitter through his various pop beats attest to that. He’s already got his hands on Tampa rapper Weiland’s next hit in “Season”, and as more and more songs release with his name on them, there’s little doubt in many people’s minds that Ric will be one of the biggest names to look out for in 2019.
Not many producers had as great of a year in 2018 as NeilaWorld’s South Carolina-based head honcho. FBK’s creation of the critically-acclaimed collective began as a group of friends and very quickly evolved into a top-tier, elite group that just about every young beatmaker wanted to be a part of. The gold-certified producer’s work with Lil Pump, Xavier Wulf, Chris Travis, 03 Greedo, Vision4k, and Lil Xelly very quickly put his name on the map, and the legend of the infamous “FBK 808” lives on as his unique, vibrant beats continue to appeal to more and more artists as the days pass. His work with David Shawty on their collaborative Grave Angel tapes perfectly fused his eclectic style with the Seattle rapper’s wide vocal capability, and with one of the best groups on SoundCloud working behind him, it’s hard to fathom a 2019 where FadedBlacKid isn’t a force to be reckoned with.
Hidden far up north on the banks of Kenai, Alaska, Leesta continues to make noise on SoundCloud, though his presence on social media remains very slight. The unforeseen explosion of Lil Tracy’s emotional hit “Heart” only served to bolster the Alaskan’s impressive collection, as 2018 also saw him rack up hits upon hits with other powerhouse artists like Lil Raven, BOOFBOIICY, Kevin Kazi, Autumn! and Marcelo. While his guitar beats certainly helped to put him on the map, he also found success in the Plug&B realm with Divine Tier boss Summrs amidst the latter’s controversial Instagram hacking. We’re barely two months into 2019, and seeing that he’s secured placements with prominent underground superstars like UnoTheActivist, Weiland and the ever-controversial CashBently, Leesta has made it known publicly that only a select few will be topping him this year.
Jay Vee’s versatility has earned him an impressive catalog including works with guccihighwaters, shinigami, BONES, Yung $hy, and many others. Most notably, Jay Vee has worked closely with nothing,nowhere. for the past couple years, earning Jay Vee production credits on nothing,nowhere.’s past two albums Reaper and Ruiner. In addition to producing for other artists, Jay Vee’s 2018 release Hiraeth was a mix of dreamy, nostalgic instrumentals and collaborations with fellow musician friends such as the pop punk band Free Throw and FamilyPet. With versatile sounds ranging from slower low tempo sounds meant for more somber songs to straight high tempo rap, the range yielding producer continues to make waves with his ability to empower vocalists and is poised to break through and work with even more well known artists.
You’d be surely mistaken to write off Gren8 and his achievements merely at the momentous success of Lil Tracy and Lil Uzi Vert’s “Like A Farmer”. The NeilaWorld heavyweight’s credits sprawl all over SoundCloud, from the likes of the gritty, indicted 03 Greedo to the flamboyant voices of Pollari and SwagHollywood. With a varying sound that’s connected with a multitude of artists across the board, Gren8 brings a fresh, industry-level sound that still manages to find its roots deeply embedded in the underground, which has allowed him to scatter his name across numerous streaming platforms with artists big and small, churning out hits like “Believe” and “BURNIN’ RUBBER” with THOUXANBANFAUNI and “No Regrets” with Lil Raven. Putting on for Germany, he’s starting off 2019 with a potential hit with Weiland and an infecting tune in “Jumanji” on Lil Xelly and SadBalmain’s collaborative tape. Gren8’s strengths lie in the power and quality of his sound, something that not all producers can argue for on their behalf, and it’s certainly something that Gren8 will use to his advantage to help put him over the hurdle in 2019.
If a text from UnoTheActivist saying that Tadeo Hill might be the “Metro Boomin of [his] future” doesn’t accurately signify how much the fan-favorite producer has accomplished in a year, then perhaps his cornucopia of credits will help to round out just how much of an impact he’s made on the SoundCloud community since last year. A mastermind of simplistic production and mind-warping melodies, Tadeo Hill’s work with the legendary Lil Tracy knows no bounds, as multiple videos on his Twitter provide concrete evidence that their chemistry has worked on more songs than just “1MILLION DEGREES” and the sensational “Chiropract”. He’s had a hand in hits with Trippie Redd and fijimacintosh as well, not to mention multiple songs with Tampa sensation Weiland. With 2018 in the rearview mirror, Tadeo has tasked himself with having an even bigger year than the one that preceded it; something that should be no challenge for someone as hot as himself.