Jake One Talks Producing John Cena’s Theme Song, Type Beats, and the Real Cost of Production

What does a beat sound like when it… sounds expensive? In this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with legendary Seattle producer Jake One, the mind behind records for MF DOOM, Freddie Gibbs, Rick Ross, J. Cole, Freeway, Snoop Dogg, Brother Ali, Tuxedo and even the iconic John Cena theme. Together they unpack one of the most important shifts in modern hip-hop production: the rise of type beats. Jake One breaks down:

• What “type beats” actually are and how they changed the music economy.

• The BeatStars marketplace and the viral story behind "Old Town Road."

• The difference between analog era producers and FruityLoops generation producers.

• Speed-running beats, drum kits and the gamification of music production.

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