One of the few who has worked with both superstar 50 Cent and underground hero MF Doom, Seattle-based producer Jake One spans the hip-hop spectrum. Born Jacob Dutton, he got his break while attending the University of Washington. After dropping off a tape of beats to his favorite record store, his productions landed in the hands of fellow producer Mr. Supreme. When Supreme began his Conception label, Jake was hired to produce Eclipse's "World Premier," a Pete Rock-influenced cut that would land on J-Rocc's 1998 mix Walkman Rotation. A steady stream of work followed, with 2003 being a monumental year. In 2008 he helmed his own debut album, White Van Music, released by the Rhymesayers label. ~ David Jeffries