Large Professor is one of East Coast Hip-Hop's most celebrated producers. The Flushing, Queens product was the guiding light behind Main Source, introduced the world to Nas, got ill with A Tribe Called Quest, and laced legends like Eric B. & Rakim and Slick Rick with some of their greatest work.
We picked five of the best productions from the man also known as Extra P.
"The Ghetto" - Eric B. & Rakim
This classic from B. and Ra shows how less is more, with an engenius flip of the underrated Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth by 24-Carat Black.
"It Ain't Hard To Tell" - Nas
The man gave a tutorial on sampling as an art. On one of the breakout singles from Illmatic, Large Pro flipped Michael Jackson's iconic "Human Nature" into a boom-bap anthem.
"You're The Man" - Nas
Some of the best stuff from Nas has been his collaborations with Large Professor. Especially on this gorgeous album cut from 2001's Stillmatic. Peep that flip of "Sugarman" by Rodriguez.
"Streets Of New York" - Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
A song that is quintessential G Rap, and another genius sample from Large Pro, this time of the Fatback Band. One of the best Hip-Hop songs ever recorded.
"Looking At the Front Door" - Main Source
Of course, Large Professor's work in Main Source made it clear that he was a force to be reckoned with. And this classic single was just one example of how smooth Extra P could be behind the boards--and he ain't no joke as rhymer, either.