Salaam Remi (Barbados)
Salaam Remi is known for producing hit songs for The Fugees, Nas, Amy Winehouse, Mack Wilds and Miguel, to name a few. The veteran producer’s resume is star-studded because he is one of the few producers who has such a natural rapport with the artists he works with that almost anything they create is destined to be a classic. The son of Barbados-born Van Gibbs, a famed producer in his own right, Remi is one of the few producers who can claim to have had a real influence on the direction of hip-hop, R&B and reggae.
Remi’s career took off when he remixed Super Cat’s “Ghetto Red Hot” (with DJ Bobby Konders) in 1992 and Ini Kamoze’s “Here Comes the Hotstepper” in 1994. The crossover success of these early productions put him at the forefront of the hip-hop-reggae trend. Next, he helped shape the sound of The Fugees, whose classic tracks “Nappy Heads” and “Fu-Gee-La” were remixed by Remi. As with many tracks he’s touched that were originally done by other producers, it’s Salaam’s remixes of the above that became the commonly known versions. Some years later, Remi connected with Nas for his 2002 album, God’s Son, giving the legendary MC some of his most classic tracks, namely “Made You Look” and “Get Down.” They’ve continued their partnership up through Nas’ last release, 2013’s Life Is Good, which was executive produced by Remi. Despite his lengthy association with hip-hop, Remi’s greatest accomplishment is arguably the discovery of Amy Winehouse, shaping both of the singer’s albums, Frank and Back to Black.
The key to Salaam Remi’s consistency is his ability to bring out the best in the artist. His chemistry with The Fugees channeled their respective Caribbean roots in a way that felt natural and totally uncontrived. Add a hip-hop breakbeat layer to it, and a song has Remi’s signature. For more on Remi’s legacy, read our 2012 interview with the beatmaker, and hear him break down 10 of his most classic tunes here.