Dr. Dre Names Larry Smith Greatest Hip-Hop Producer
Dr. Dre picked producer Larry Smith as the greatest in hip-hop history during a podcast appearance with Ice Cube.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Hip-Hop and Rap
Dr. Dre named Larry Smith the greatest hip-hop producer ever on the debut episode of Ice Cube and Mike Epps' podcast Listen & Laugh. The answer came when Ice Cube asked Dre to name his favorite producer during a discussion about Quincy Jones.
Why it matters
Dre said Larry Smith inspired him when he was coming up, and Ice Cube said he had not known Dre looked up to Smith as one of the best. The remark highlights a producer whose work with Whodini and Run-DMC is less widely discussed than that of many contemporaries.
The remark appears at the 0:10:30 mark of the episode video. Smith's credited work in the source includes records for Whodini and Run-DMC, along with projects for Fat Boys, LL Cool J, and Kurtis Blow.
The players
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre is a rapper, producer, and entrepreneur who co-founded Death Row Records and helped shape West Coast hip-hop.
Ice Cube
Ice Cube is a rapper and actor who co-founded N.W.A and launched a solo career that made him a central figure in West Coast hip-hop.
Larry Smith
Larry Smith is a hip-hop producer known for his work with Whodini, Run-DMC, Fat Boys, LL Cool J, and Kurtis Blow.
The details
During a discussion about Quincy Jones, Ice Cube asked Dr. Dre to name his favorite producer. Dre named Larry Smith, and Ice Cube clarified that the question concerned the greatest hip-hop producer.
Timeline
The podcast episode featuring the remark is the debut episode of Listen & Laugh.
The article reporting the remark was published on November 6, 2026.
Legacy Context
The conversation began with Quincy Jones, whose production career set a benchmark for hip-hop producers, and Dre's answer extends that frame to Smith. The exchange shows how producers from the 1980s era continue to be measured against one another in discussions of the genre's history.
The remark is available to listeners of the Listen & Laugh podcast episode featuring Dre and Ice Cube. Fans can find the full conversation by watching the episode and jumping to the 0:10:30 mark.
The takeaway
Producer credits are often overshadowed by the artists they work with, so remarks from peers like Dre can bring lesser-known names back into the conversation. Listeners interested in hip-hop's production history can use these podcast discussions as a starting point for further research.
Further reading
For more on the genre's history and its producers, explore Hip-Hop and Rap.
