Producer Tags: 10 Iconic Tags and How to Make Your Own
Producer tags a big part of hip-hop culture, and itâs how some producers are remembered most by their fans.
If youâre looking for inspiration on creating your own, sometimes the best way to get ideas is to admire the masters.
Here are some of the most iconic producer tags ever used, along with some tips for settling on yours.
What are producer tags?
In hip-hop and trap, producer tags (short for tagline, also sometimes called a beat tag) are recorded or sampled phrases that producers use as signatures in their tracks. Youâll typically hear a producer tag at the beginning of the track, but it can also show up in other moments.
Producer tags originally started showing up in the 1990s as a way for producers to assert ownership over their beats and strengthen their notoriety.Â
For many beat makers today, producer tags are a pretty useful tool for developing a style and building a fanbase.
So, take note of the different approaches in these examples and you might find some solid inspiration for your own.
1. Metro Boomin
Metro: Drum Shots Drum Kit
Get the packâIf young Metro donât trust you, Iâm gonâ shoot youâ and others.
Metroâs producer tags are some of the most well-known today.
The âIf Young Metro donât trust youâ tag probably sticks around in peopleâs memory because itâs catchy â the sentence is specific, it carries a rhythm, and the use of autotune gives it a melody like a commercial jingle.
This approach is definitely worth considering when figuring out what to do for yours.
2. Harry Fraud
âLa musica de Harry Fraudâ
This one has a kind of old-school radio vibe to it â it presents the beat in a classy and memorable way.
This might be a good one to get inspired by if your beats lean into a more soulful or atmospheric sound.
3. Tay Keith
TAY KEE
Get the packâTay Keith this too hardâ
âTay Keith, f*** these n***** up!â
Both of Tay Keithâs producer tags have a bold and upfront energy to them.
This makes them especially effective at hyping up the producer and what his beats are capable of.
4. Conductor Williams
âConductor! We have a problem!â
This is one of our all-time favorite producer tags.
It has some wild and aggressive energy to it, especially when he drags out the tag for the entire breakdown of the track.
Why choose between having a funny tag and one thatâs hard as hell when you can do both?
The tag is sampled from a video that went viral in 2015, in which a man on the Washington DC Metrorail repeatedly tries to alert the conductor of the train.
5. Don Cannon
âCannon!â
This is a classic â when you hear that Cannon tag you know youâre guaranteed a fire beat.
In our opinion, it works because it announces the producerâs presence in a powerful way but is as simple as possible.
Don Cannon sampled his tag from the game Madden NFL 2001, in which announcer Pat Summerall says the last name of quarterback Rich Gannon.
6. Ronny J
Trap Lordz - Hard Trap
Get the packâOh my God, Ronny!â
New Jersey producer Ronny J is known for a raw, impactful sound, but also for his tag.
This is an example of a producer tag that leans into humor, and it matches his 2020 debut mixtape, OMGRONNY.
Fans recognize the voice in the sample as Sammi Giancola from Jersey Shore saying the name of fellow cast member Ronni Ortiz-Magro.
7. Piâerre Bourne
Crate Diggers Vol. 3
Get the packâYo Pierre, you wanna come out here?â
Piâerre Bourne has been one of our favorite producers in recent years.
His tag is among the most famous ones out there, and we like that it strikes a balance between humor and confidence.
It was sampled from a sketch on The Jamie Foxx Show that aired back in 1996.
8. 808 Mafia
Trap of The Hour 2
Get the packâ808 Mafiaâ and others.
Since 808 Mafia is a collective with several producer in it, the tags vary depending on who has made the beat.
A lot of them simply contain a vocal sample making a variation on the groupâs name, but others are specific to the producer.
Group co-founder Southside, for example, often uses the tag announcing his name.
In fact, as Southside says in this video, the name of 808 Mafia came from a freestyle that was later used for their first tag.
9. Jazze Pha
Candles - R&B and Soul Vibes
Get the packâLadies and gentlemen! This is a Jazzy Phizzle productizzle!â
This is another classic tag, with one famous variation being simply, âLadies and gentlemen!â
An icon of Southern hip-hop and R&B for decades now, Jazze Pha is known for an energetic and funky production style.
He has also often lent his own voice to his productions as a hype man for the main rapper or vocalist.
Depending on the vibe youâre going for (and the collaborative dynamic you have with the artist youâre producing for), you could take a similar approach when infusing your productions with your signature.
10. Pharrell
Fusion - Rnb & Soul
Get the packThe four-count start
Pharrellâs productions almost always begin with a repeating four-count start, with the famous examples being shown in the video above.
Fans now often call this his producer tag, even though it doesnât involve his name or his voice, and heâs not the only producer to kick off a hip-hop or R&B track with a repeating start.
This is probably because he does it consistently and heâs one of the most famous producers working today.
When it comes to inspiration, this opens up the possibilities a lot â your tag could be something as simple as a distinctive sound, sample, or editing technique.
Creating your producer tag
Producer tags tend to be either a distinctive phrase that contains the producerâs name, or simply the producerâs name said in a distinctive way.
Some producers sample their tags from other media or use recordings of people they know.
We donât recommend sampling something you donât have legal permission to sample, but there are plenty of other solid options.
You could, for instance, record a friend saying your producer name in a distinctive way, or you could use an AI vocal generator.
One of the key traits of a lot of producer tags is that theyâre funny â this is a good way to grab peopleâs attention and make your tag more memorable.
On the other hand, you could take an approach thatâs more unique.Â
Pharrellâs four-count start, for example, isnât exactly a tagline, but it still serves the same purpose of marking the production with a recognizable signature.
This could be accomplished in all kinds of ways. Any distinctive sound or technique that you use in each track, especially at the beginning, could do the trick.
Once you settle on your producer tag, your beats will be that much more recognizable to your fans.
Various contributors from the LANDR team of music mentors.
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