1. 1500 OR NOTHIN’

The Los Angeles-based, quartet of former church musicians Kenneth “Bam” Alexander (drums), Brody Brown (guitar), Charles “Uncle Chucc” Hamilton (bass, guitar), Larrance Dopson (piano, drums), and Lamar “Mars” Edwards (organ, piano) extends beyond this core into the entire 1500 family of other associated musicians, rappers, singers and songwriters. They’re most noted in hip-hop for providing the keys and drums for Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got, producing Game’s “Dope Boys” and the playing keys on Kanye West’s “Stronger.”