::: 5 Reasons Why Lex Luger / @Smokedoutluger Isn't a one Dimensional Producer :::

(I've been meaning to write this article the past 3 or 4 months. S/o to @Schoolboyq and @Chip216 and the rest of the artists that push the limits of whats in demand in music.)

Since breaking into the music industry in 2010 with production credits on Waka Flocka Flame's hit single "Hard in the Paint" , Lex Luger has come under fire by critics for allegedly only being able to produce trap/crunk style beats. The 20 year old Suffolk, Virginia native managed to create even more haters in 2011 after being featured on one of the most star studded albums to date, Watch the Throne by Kanye West & Jay-Z. Despite being continuously critiqued, Lex continued to grind producing countless records for hip-hop artists while honing his craft.

Wale & Waka's hit records "That Way" and "Grove St. Party" made me pay even more attention to Lex's talent as a producer because for a few months I didn't know he produced the records. Sonically, they were different from his past songs he produced. Even though "That Way" sampled one of my favorite Curtis Mayfield records, the musical arrangements in both songs proved that he's not a one dimensional producer at all. Luger has also mentioned in interviews that most people that inquire about his beats only want the "Hard in the Paint" style of beats because of their success. Its a doubled edged sword. Any supplier knows that you can't dictate what's in demand and on the flipside, you can't blame artists for wanting a hit record.

As artists continue to move away from the "trap" beat style in 2012, I'll look for Lex Luger to continue to diversify his discography to break the mold of the trend in music that he influenced. Pushing the limits even further, I wouldn't be surprised if he landed production credits on a pop or rock record this year. These songs below are examples of his new direction as he begins his ascension to the ranks of other VA greats like The Neptunes, Timbaland, and Teddy Riley. Carry on tradition.

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