by Dan O

For someone who is a phenomenal MC and producer it can be difficult to carve out the time in a day for both. I totally understand why Elucid grabs beats from talented folks like Child Actor and Sebb Bash rather than produce for himself. When we spoke on State of The Game I directly asked about exploring his producer chops and producing for someone else. While his explanation makes sense and I understand focusing on his powerful oration…I can dream.  Elucid beats are spooky but bionic, informed by a deep love of music from all genres. Take Ghostface Targaryean from ShrapKnel’s 2020 debut album. While haunting it also splash’s you with creepy background whispering, assaults you with armed fuzz. Some beats are all mood. Elucid knows mood and movement.

1. Little Simz-Simz and Inflo have one of the best relationships in music but that doesn’t mean they can’t take breaks. They just made their most spacious luxurious sounding album in Sometimes I Might Be Introvert right before the highly acclaimed Grey Area. An impressive discography going back years I would love to hear the world of Simz mixed with Elucid. Cleo Sol singing the hook on an Elucid beat?! Simz is a dope MC who is great at getting personal without it becoming a weight on the listener. I wonder which direction Elucid would go? Would the strategy be to strip down the luxury, muddy up the pretty sounds? Would the production be giant sized to match Simz aspirations? This lives in my mind in lots of different forms which is what makes it #1.
2. El-P-The reason this is number 2 is because people can make a very good argument that a self produced El-P solo album is still the best case scenario. El has a case for being both a top ten MC and Producer all time. My want is for El to throw himself as far away from the Run The Jewels sound as possible. Working with Elucid would activate that snarling pitch black sci-fi trip hop that has been too long dormant for Producto. I’d love for them to co-produce an album together, one where Elucid would set the tone and El would raise the stakes. We’d be off to the races!
3. AKAI SOLO-I love that AKAI spits with the force of someone going for a battle trophy while dropping countless gems you can live your life by. The flow is dynamic and wraps around lots of production styles from Roper Williams to ibliss or Navy Blue. If you listen to Hunter from Paraffin picture AKAI SOLO thrashing that bent horn sample, it makes a lot of sense.  Elucid and AKAI share an outright hunger not just to make music but to level up doing it. I have no doubt they would leap over our expectations.
4. SKECH185-the Tomorrow Kings general has one of raps great voices and sticks with Analog(ue) Tape Dispenser on the production side. I love the work they do together. I think having someone like SKECH185 who can fill all space with insight and justified roar at the same time would allow Elucid the producer to explore, expand all directions fearlessly. This selection might just be me begging for more music from SKECH185…
5. Navy Blue-I love Navy Blue. Musically very sincere and in touch with emotions most don’t tap into. Navy Blue is also a great producer BUT at times his production can get too solemn. You can hear Navy starting to pick beats that dance more on Navy‘s Reprise (See Peach Cobbler). I’d be all for that focus growing with Elucid who would doubtlessly push them both into a new emotional place, which is always what both of them are looking for.