Fans Share Which Producers Are Killin’ It in 2016

"I need a beat," LL Cool J once proclaimed. A rapper can craft some amazing rhymes, but it means nothing if the beat is wack. Every fan knows a few examples where a great MC has been brought down by terrible beat selection. While they may not get the same glory as rappers do, producers are part of the lifeblood of hip-hop music.

Producers can bring out the most visceral reactions in a listener. A rapper might blow your mind with their wordplay, but the man or woman behind the boards will find a way to have you instinctively nodding your head or hitting the dance floor.

A producer can make an artist, style or movement into a pillar of hip-hop. The Wu-Tang Clan would not be iconic without RZA's vision behind the boards. The empire that Cash Money Records became never even transcends its local label origins without the tireless work of Mannie Fresh. G-funk never gets off the ground without the innovative creations of men like Dr. Dre and DJ Quik.

In recent memory, producers have shaped the entire sound of hip-hop during a calendar year. Just look at Lex Luger's dominance in 2011, or the omnipresence of DJ Mustard in 2014. A producer can make a lasting mark by crafting the right sound at the perfect time.

With that in mind, XXL went to the people to find out which beat maker is on their way to ruling this year. The fans on Twitter delivered as they offered up some of the most talented producers in the game today. Check out who is killin' it on the boards in 2016.