By DJ Kid Kreo

There’s something happening in modern music production that artists and DJs should pay closer attention to:

A lot of records today have no space.

Not empty space.
Not silence.
But room for the vocals, emotions, and message to breathe.

And understanding this can completely change how you make music, perform records, sequence DJ sets, and build long-term fan connection.

The Two Types of Beats

In simple terms, there are generally two categories of beats:

1. Beats With Energy & Density

These are your trap records, aggressive club records, high-energy party records, Memphis-inspired production, and festival-style beats.

Heavy drums.
808s everywhere.
Fast hi-hats.
Layered sounds.
Constant motion.

These beats are designed to create movement.

They are functional.
Their purpose is to make people react physically:
dance, rage, turn up, jump, drive fast, flex, or feel adrenaline.

For clubs, these beats work extremely well because the production itself becomes part of the experience.

But there’s a tradeoff.

When the instrumental is too crowded, the vocals often have to compete with the production.

That’s why many artists on these records end up:

• yelling,
• over-projecting,
• cramming flows together,
• or prioritizing energy over clarity.

The beat becomes the main character.

2. Beats With Space

Then you have records with space.

Boom bap.
Soulful hip-hop.
Lo-fi rap.
Jazz-influenced production.
Minimalist records.
Smoker music.
Storytelling records.

These beats leave room between sounds.

The drums are less overwhelming.
The instrumentation is more controlled.
The silence becomes part of the music.

And because there’s more space in the production, the vocals move to the front.

Now people can:

• hear the words,
• process the emotions,
• connect to the storytelling,
• and remember what was actually said.

This is one reason many classic artists built such loyal fanbases.

Artists like 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Nas, and even modern artists like J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar often use production that allows the lyrics to breathe.

The vocals sit at the center of the experience instead of fighting the instrumental.

DJs Need to Understand This Too

As DJs, we should understand the purpose behind different production styles.

Not every song is supposed to be lyrical.
Not every song is supposed to be deep.
Not every song is supposed to shut the club down emotionally.

Some records exist strictly for energy.

But if every record in rotation is maxed-out energy all night long, audiences eventually stop listening and only react physically.

That’s why balance matters in DJing.

Space creates dynamics.

Dynamics create emotion.

Emotion creates memory.

And memory is what builds culture.

The Bigger Conversation

This isn’t about attacking trap music or modern production.

Every era creates sounds that reflect the environment people are living in.

But artists should ask themselves an important question:

“Do I want people to only feel my energy…
or actually remember what I said?”

Because those are two different outcomes.

And the production you choose plays a major role in determining which one happens.

Final Thought

A beat should support the message — not drown it.

Sometimes the most powerful thing in music isn’t adding more sounds.

It’s knowing what to leave out.

Follow me on Instagram.com/djkidkreo and let me know what you think or if you want coaching. Also send me some bangers for the club or just some dope music. I always enjoy getting music in my email.