9th Wonder Shows The Pure Joy In Making A Neck-Snapping Beat (Video)

9th Wonder is the latest to step up and take Mass Appeal’s Rhythm Roulette challenge, where he is blindfolded, chooses 3 random records and asked to make a beat using them. He joins a long line of impressive producers who have participated in the series, including Large Professor, Organized Noize, Mannie Fresh, El-P, Erick Sermon and more.

9th uses a Mickey Mouse T-shirt as his blindfold and pulls records by Charly McClain, Jermaine Jackson and The Temprees. He expresses concerns about the Charly McClain LP, but is optimistic the other two will bear fruit. From there, he goes to work.

As one of the most respected producers of the 2000s, 9th has patented a sound built on neck-breaking soulful bass lines and Boom Bap drums. Surprisingly, the Charly McClain record yields some “Chipmunk Soul,” and it is the Jermaine Jackson album that draws a blank. The Temprees record contains the exact sonic gold 9th expected.

Save for a few interjections, 9th let’s the music do the talking. As the beat starts to unfold in his head and on film, one can see the pure joy he takes in the process of making great music. It is awesome to watch him take the same pleasure in hearing the track as listeners would. As the production nears completion, it sounds studio-ready and begs the question “who’s gonna bless it with a verse?” Almost instantaneously, Rapsody appears and proceeds to absolutely smash it. Take a look.

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