Art is one of those things that only has one truth; and that truth is, it truly speaks to everyone differently. The artist (visual, performing, etc) and the respective audience (viewers, listeners, tasters... partakers of the art) may totally relate to each piece of art differently. From painting to porn (yes I said it) what was experienced at the time the art was being made might totally resonate with the audience differently. Some songs are written from a place of pain, and yet a listener can find strength, identifying with the transparency, the honesty of putting one's soul on the record. A painter can go from using multiple colors on piece to using only one color on another piece, and yet someone viewing the two pieces may feel the energy of a multi-colored experienced in the single-color painting. What am I "painting" here? Art's direction, expression, and reception by everyone involved--- from the idea to the process and production to the release and reception--- are part of what makes art beautiful. (Sounds like I'm preaching, huh? lol)

Recently Dr. Dre was interviewed by Stephen A. Smith, where he spoke about his views on how production on an album should be handled. “Find your collaborator. I don’t like the fact that there are, like, nine different producers on one album. I like the idea of one producer on one album. Continuity is everything.” Now, who am I to argue with the legend and pioneering genius that Dr. Dre is? His work with NWA, Snoop, Eminem, 50 Cent,  Kendrick Lamar, not to mention his own records (as few as that may be) boasts of the expertise he has to assert his opinion. But it is just that--- a personal opinion. And to his credit, many people who have worked with him, know how meticulous he is about the records he puts out, who he works with, and why. And while all of this adds to his credibility, again his opinion does not AT ALL speak for the entire hip hop/rap culture--- artists, fans, OR producers.

So, let me "sculpt" my opinion here. As a hip hop head, R&B cake-batter softy, and lover of music in general, I enjoy good music either way. On the Hip Hop side of things, I've enjoyed classic albums where the artist only has one producer:

• Madvillainy (MF Doom / Madlib)

• Be (Common/ Kanye West)

• Things Fall Apart (The Roots)

• Anchovies (Planet Asia/ Apollo Brown)

• Trophies (OC/ Apollo Brown)

• Chemistry (Buckshot/ 9th Wonder)

• Train of Though (Talib Kweli/ HiTek... collectively known as Reflection Eternal)

• Multiple Wu-Tang Albums (Wu-Tang Member Solo/ RZA)

• Multiple Gangstarr Albums (Guru/ DJ Premier)

• 80s Babies, 90 Kids (Lyrikill / NASTY ON THE BEATS) shameless plug... coming soon.

And these are just a few records that are notable to myself as projects that are underlayed by one producer. Interestingly enough, every last one of the emcees/rappers that I mentioned have albums where there are multiple producers to make up the whole record. And who can forget classics like:

• Illmatic (Nas/ Multiple Producers)

• It Was Written (Nas/ Multiple Producers... including Dr. Dre

• Extinction Level Event (Busta Rhymes/ Multiple Producers)

• Black on Both Sides (Mos Def/ Multiple Producers)

• Like Water For Chocolate (Common/ Multiple Producers)

• The Get Back (Little Brother/ Multiple Producers)

As a producer/emcee myself (www.nastyonthebeats.com). I make 99% percent of the beats I rap over, at least as it stands right now. And I love guiding the records I get behind for other artists to take the listeners on a musical journey as much as the emcee/ rapper (someone else or myself) is doing so lyrically. So it really comes down to WHO is steering the ship--- the producer or the emcee. There are no "rong or wright" answers in music. Some fans have expressed negative criticism against artists working with only one producer, one sound, one style. Others express their desire to hear a solo-producer guided project. The same reason why a producer like Dr. Dre has had albums that feature different emcees on a record is the same reason why an emcee might want to work with different producers on one project. 

The whole concept of both all-you-can-eat buffets and playlists is based on the concept of choosing how you want things to go--- into your belly and ears, respectively.  You can hit the local buffet and fill up on the nothing but fruit, while someone else gets a plate full of delicious meats and sides. (By the way, I've done the ONLY FRUIT thing ONLY once.) I have playlists of just one artist or producer. I have others with a variety of artists, producers, and genres. Like food, good music is good music... and even that statement carries with it the notion of "what's blurry to one may be clear to another." That's music. That's art. Pick Your Own Palette.

(Source: AfroHop Zone 2.0, Post, Facebook)