Producer: to me (maybe i'm just an old-fassion 17 year-old) is the person who pretty much does everything. He makes the beats, he coaches the artist(s), he does work with the mix, everything.... but words are word, slang is slang - it's whatever you want to call it.... If someone wants to call what I know as a producer, a 'hugglebarry' - thats what it is. Example: I don't consider 'gangstah rap' a hip-hop art form, and i don't consider gangster rappers as Emcees, and then again -- my definition of gangstah rapper is prob. diff than others.
Kanye West (beats): Anyone who stays up-2-date on hip-hop knows this story. Kanye has BEEN making fire beats for just about everyone in the industry, he did ALOT of work with Roc, as well as other companies. He wasn't upset with ROC, he was shopping arround deals and finally decided to go with roc-a-fella (that and they threw him a [from what I hear] nice contract).
Kanye West (rap): No.. Kanye doesn't write Jays material. And he and Jay do not have a very similar flow - granted Kanye has SOME jay influance, but so do a billion other 'rappers'. He is a decent rapper, who at least makes hot tracks (not too much booty, money, and all that)... He wouldn't be as big if it wasn't for his beats.
Jay-Z: Jay-Z doesn't claim to freestyle off the dome all of his raps. He says he makes up the rhyme in his head (According to him takes about 15-30 mins) and while making up the rhyme in his head, he memorizes it.... it's just like writing, minus the pen and pad. Same thing Biggie claimed to do. I really could care less. That doesn't make me give any extra points, or smilie face stickers.
I think Alicia put down the keys... which is kinda ironic...