What producer does Ice-T consider to be the “Dr. Dre of metal”? During a recent interview with Metal Hammer, the Body Count frontman bestowed that accolade on someone very familiar to him, producer Will Putney, who has done the last four Body Count albums.
The compliment came up during discussion of Body Count’s recent single, “Psychopath,” with the musician crediting the team around him.
Who Is the “Dr. Dre of Metal”?
When asked about the “Dr. Dre of metal” descriptor for Putney, Ice-T, who has found success in both rap and metal, explained, “Well, I’ve always said that Dre is the best hip-hop producer, because he makes band’s sound like themselves but dope. Meaning Eminem does not sound like 50 Cent, 50 Cent does not sound like Snoop, Snoop does not sound like Game, Game does not sound like Kendrick Lamar. Will has the ability to work with all kinds of metal bands and make them all sound like themselves.”
He then added, “We don’t sound like Fit for an Autopsy! A lot of producers make the band sound like the producer and not the band. The ability to listen to Body Count and make us sound like Body Count, I don’t know any other producers that have that ability. He does five bands, and they all sound dope, and they all sound different. That’s an ability to understand what that band is.”
While speaking about “Psychopath,” Ice-T added, I always say that Body Count is Grindhouse. We’re a Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez movie. We’re outrageous, it’s funny and sometimes it’s serious, but not everyone gets our music. On ‘Psychopath,’ the girl screaming is my daughter and my wife in a bathroom on a cellphone and Will’s like ‘Yeah!’ and he adds a fucking chainsaw! He gets what we’re doing. He’s the best.”
About Will Putney + Dr. Dre
Will Putney has managed to find success both as a musician and as a producer. He’s played guitar for Fit for an Autopsy over the years, but has really stacked up the production credits over the last decade-plus.
He’s received production credits on albums from Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, Stray From the Path, In Hearts Wake, For Today, After the Burial, Like Moths to Flames, The Ghost Inside, Thy Art Is Murder, Upon a Burning Body, Winds of Plague and Northlane among others.
Then, there’s his work with Body Count. who’ve seen a resurgence since Putney first teamed up with the group on their 2014 album, Manslaughter. Bloodlust and Carnivore followed, with their fourth collaboration on Merciless expected soon.
Meanwhile, Dr. Dre, the man who Ice-T is comparing Putney to, was also a dual threat, rapping as a member of NWA and then going solo, but eventually spending most of his time as a music mogul and producer.
His credits, some of whom were listed by Ice-T, include music from Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game and Kendrick Lamar as well as JJ Fad, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes, Eve, Jay-Z and T.I.
READ MORE: Oxymorrons Name Best Rappers in Rock Music
Where You Can See Body Count in 2024?
Body Count are currently in the midst of a European tour. Dates are scheduled through July 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. All cities, dates, venues and ticketing info can be found through the band’s website.
Rock + Metal Songs With Social Messages
Music has the power to move people. It also has the power to move them to action.
Gallery Credit: Taylor Markarian