Five Essential Albums: Kenny Beats
The modern producer conversation would be far from complete with mention of Kenneth Charles Blume III – more commonly known to you and I as Kenny Beats. Since his first foray into production during the early 2010s with credits on cuts by the likes of ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul, Kenny Beats has risen to prominence within the hip hop sphere, as well as building an incredible online community via his livestreams and inclusive, welcoming attitude into the world of production. His YouTube series ‘The Cave’ has amassed tens of millions of views, the series an insight into his working ways with a plethora of artists, everyone from Mac Demarco to BENEE to Joji taking part in the hilarity and joy of the show. In the past few years, Kenny has elevated his status further with transitions into punk, as well as netting award nominations and a collaboration with Fender.
While Kenny Beats’ discography is extensive, and of an incredible high calibre, we whittled it down to five essential records from the polymath’s catalogue, highlighting a handful of brilliant moments for both Kenny and his collaborators.
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Vince Staples – ‘Vince Staples’
Long Beach-raised Vince Staples has consistently remained at the forefront of modern West Coast hip-hop. Associations with Odd Future and Mac Miller rose the wordsmith to prominence, with Staples steadily releasing studio records throughout the 2010s.
In July 2021, Staples released his self-titled fourth studio record – produced by Kenny Beats. Only twenty-two minutes in length, ‘Vince Staples’ is a reserved moment for the artists, the production remaining less dynamic than Kenny’s traditional processes. Kenny is a world-builder on this project, distorted, dusty samples propped up by subtle 808s, and minimalistic nods to the old school West Coast sound, a gorgeous and intricate underbelly to Staples’ blunt, narrative story telling.
The pair’s chemistry is remarkable, their adaptability a testament to both their abilities as creators. ‘Vince Staples’ is a calmer affair for both Staples and Kenny Beats, but never once does the record lull, it only beckons you further into the mellow atmosphere this duo have so expertly crafted.
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Rico Nasty – ‘Anger Management’
Rico Nasty is one of the most unique figures in hip-hop today, her sound blasting through trap, metal and punk, among other things. ‘Anger Management’, her 2019 effort, was concocted exclusively with Kenny Beats – the shrieks of ‘Kenny!’ from Rico Nasty making that known. This record has Kenny at his most comfortable, gritty, hard-hitting beats matched by the infectious energy of Rico Nasty.
Hyperpop flavours emerge throughout the project, the metallic snares carving through the mix on tracks like ‘Cold’. Kenny Beats is a chameleon, ‘hip-hop producer’ being too vague of a title for the multi-faceted individual. The production throughout ‘Anger Management’ is bone-crushing, earth-shaking, every cut on the record an impeccable balance of chaos and fun, both Kenny and Rico refusing to conform to one style, one box, their distinctive personalities shining through in technicolour.
Rico Nasty has consistently been a force in the zeitgeist of modern rap music, the rule destruction refreshing, and her partnerships with Kenny Beats always make for a unique and joyous listening experience.
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IDLES – ‘Crawler’
During the depths of lockdown in 2021, acclaimed Bristol quintet IDLES holed themselves up at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Bath, England. A blistering work ethic and constant evolutionary state gave the band the drive to push themselves beyond any boundary they’d set and calling in Kenny Beats was the solution to achieve the magnum opus that is their fourth studio record, ‘Crawler’.
Kenny had been consistently vocal about his love for IDLES – “the greatest band in the world” – and his hard-hitting flair and roots in hip-hop and EDM elevated the group’s post-punk into territories unexplored by any of their contemporaries. The hip-hop influence is undeniable across ‘Crawler’, from the destructive drums and bass of ‘Car Crash’, to the relentless driving of ‘Crawl!’. The external force of Kenny Beats added a fresh dimension and angle to IDLES’ signature roar, injecting their formula with new processes and carefully curated sound design.
‘Crawler’, besides the GRAMMY nomination and acclaim from critics and fans alike, showcased that Kenny Beats can quite simply do anything.
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Denzel Curry – ‘UNLOCKED’
Denzel Curry has remained a prolific figure in hip-hop since his humble beginnings in various groups in Florida since 2011. In the summer of 2019, Denzel appeared on an episode of ‘The Cave’ – Kenny Beats’ YouTube series – with the duo’s chemistry immediately giving them the desire to build something bigger. Shortly after, the duo recorded ‘Unlocked’, a razor-sharp extended play showcasing an exceptionally high calibre of collaboration.
Recorded in a mere seventy-two hours at Kenny’s studio, the pair took influence from artists such as Madlib and Wu-Tang Clan, Kenny’s incredible sampling ability the perfect foundation for Denzel’s whip-smart lyricism and flows. The beats are uncompromising, the seventeen-minute runtime leaving no room for filler, every track holding its own while also merging as a full project with its undeniable coherence and sonic identity.
‘Unlocked’ is frantic, savage, the eight tracks unrelenting, a masterclass in both production from Kenny Beats and ferocious performances from Denzel Curry.
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Kenny Beats – ‘LOUIE’
This list wouldn’t be complete without mention of Kenny Beats’ debut solo record, ‘LOUIE’. Created over the period of a month, the record is almost entirely instrumental, an incredibly personal and touching tribute to his father, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2021.
‘LOUIE’ is a departure from his usual 808-heavy, knocking drums sound, trading minimalism for lush beds of sound, recontextualised samples and a smattering of performances and features from some of his closest friends. Inspired by radio-influenced mixtapes his father created when Kenny was a child, ‘LOUIE’ feels like exactly that.
Thirty-three minutes of slickly curated beats and interludes, weaving together effortlessly, the seamless transition between tracks eliminating this ‘album’ idea, the result instead becoming an idiosyncratic listening experience from one of the finest producers around right now.
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Words: James Mellen
