Honoring the Birth of Two Hip-hop Innovators

Smithing up monster beats straight out of the Golden Age, fans easily recognized Marley Marl for his iconic sounds, quickly earning him notoriety as one of Hip-hop's finest super-producers—of the sort that even Biggie himself looks up to.

It was through Marl's meticulous sound-bending skills that the Golden Age adopted his knack for hard-hitting beats and catchy samples, paving way to the invention of the sharpest beats and hooks in all of Hip-hop history. Marl was among first few to delve deeper into the art of complex producing, and was the first to synthesize drum loops through samples, innovating a new sound that eventually sparked a creative revolution transitioning to a modern Hip-hop sound.

Being founder to Cold Chillin' Records, Marl assembled numerous artists such as MC Shan, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, and Masta Ace, forming a coalition of New York's finest Hip-hop talents. Orchestrated by Marl, their sound embodied a brighter brand of East coast Hip-hop, pushing street-level rap unto loftier heights.

Born out of a modernized, more progressive era, fans easily distinguished Florida-based T-Pain with his critically acclaimed debut album Rappa Ternt Sanga, which literally explains his prominence as a rapper-turned-singer.

Showcasing this distinct, hybrid sound, T-Pain's mainstream recognition blew upon the release of his second studio record, Epiphany, which peaked at #1 off the US Billboard 200 chart. The album hosted two ground-breaking singles “Buy U a Drink” which featured southern Hip-hop artist Yung Joc, snagging the Billboard's #1 spot, along with T-Pain's hit-collab with Akon, “Bartender”, which climbed onto the chart's #5.

Throughout his career, T-Pain is significantly known for both his innovative and creative approach towards the Auto-tune pitch correction effect, developing his distinct, dynamic vocal sound.

Alongside his certified-platinum content and top-chart bragging rights, T-Pain has also received two Grammy Awards.

By Jods Arboleda for RAPStation.com