J Dilla
J Dilla Gone from this world far too soon, James ‘J Dilla’ Yancey was lost to illness in 2006 but left behind a terrific legacy. He was clearly on track to become one of the best ever hip hop producers, and even though his career was cut short, his work still holds up.
Source: okayplayer.com
He made some fantastic tracks for some of the top names in the hip hop world like A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, and The Pharcyde. His mastery of drum beats, samples, and backing tracks helped him stand out from the crowd, and he carried on working all the way up to his final days.