THR Names Music's 35 Top Hitmakers

This story first appeared in the Feb. 15 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Skipping high school parties to build beats paid off for Chauncy Hollis, the 25-year-old producer and rapper who goes by Hit-Boy. Through a well-received MySpace friend request to Atlanta producer Polow da Don early on, the Fontana, California native hooked up with Pharrell Williams and then Kanye West -- a connection that has proven paramount. Ever since West recruited him to produce his G.O.O.D. Friday Series' "Christmas in Harlem" single, Hollis has been on the superstar's speed dial, working on West and Jay-Z's monster hit "Niggas in Paris," G.O.O.D. Music's "Clique" and A$AP Rocky's breakout "Goldie." Will.i.am, Britney Spears and M.I.A. are now hip to Hollis’ talents too, and he’s breaking out with a rap career under his own Interscope-backed label, Hits Since '87, where he's also developing his own acts. From hard street rap to pop records, Hollis says. "I'm trying to just expand the culture and show people that you can come from the middle of nowhere and make it, writing very quality music that the world will love."

Click here to read THR's complete Pop's Top 35 Hitmakers list.