What is a "type beat"
Open YouTube and search "Drake." The first beat-related result will almost certainly be a "Drake type beat." Same on BeatStars, same on beatsheaven, same on TikTok. The term is everywhere in the modern beat economy, but most new artists (and new producers) don't understand what it actually means or why it exists.
Short answer: a type beat is an instrumental made in the style of a well-known artist, so that artists, fans, and algorithms can find it. It is neither a plagiarism nor a rip-off — it's a discoverability format.
Where the term came from
Back around 2010-2012, producers like Lex Luger and Zaytoven began uploading instrumentals to YouTube with titles like "Waka Flocka Type Beat." The idea was simple: Waka Flocka Flame's sound was instantly recognizable, so aspiring rappers searching for that sound would find these beats in search.
It worked. By 2015, every serious beat producer was naming beats by reference artist. By 2020, "type beat" was a recognized genre on every beat marketplace, a top YouTube search phrase, and a common filter on beat discovery pages.
Today, "type beat" is essentially the default discovery format for hip-hop instrumentals online.
What a type beat actually is
A Drake type beat is not a Drake song. It is not made by Drake. It is not sold to Drake. It is made by an independent producer, in a style that resembles Drake's catalog (or a specific era of it — "Drake 2016 type beat," "Drake Views-era type beat," etc.), and listed for sale or lease to any artist who wants that sound.
The conventions:
- Structure matches the reference: a "Drake type beat" will usually have the 70-85 BPM range, the moody melodic chord progressions, the bouncy hi-hats Drake's catalog favors.
- Mood matches the reference: if Drake is melancholy, the beat is melancholy. If the reference artist is aggressive (21 Savage, Gucci Mane), the beat is aggressive.
- The beat is original: it doesn't use Drake's vocals, Drake's samples, Drake's actual recording. It just sounds like something Drake might record over.
Why artists love them
Artists searching for beats don't always know the technical vocabulary (BPM, key, sub-genre). But they know which artists they sound like, or want to sound like. Searching "21 Savage type beat" is a shortcut to an entire sonic cluster that works for their voice.
Finding the right type beat lets you:
- Match your topline to a recognizable lane.
- Skip scrolling through 50 unrelated beats to find your vibe.
- Discover producers who specialize in your target sound.
Why producers make them
Producers chase type-beat titles because they are the single most searched category of beat content on every platform. A "Drake type beat" gets 100x more impressions than "original dark hip-hop beat" — regardless of which is objectively better produced.
Type-beat titles are SEO. The title is the search; the beat is the product.
Common misconceptions
"Isn't this a copyright issue?"
No. Style is not copyrightable. A "Drake type beat" that is original composition, original drums, original melodies, original everything-except-the-vibe is fully legal and marketable. You can release a song over a Drake type beat to every major platform.
What would be a copyright issue: sampling Drake's actual audio, or directly copying the melody from a specific Drake song without a license.
"Are type beats lower quality?"
No. The top producers on beatsheaven make type beats as their primary catalog. Some of the highest-grossing exclusive sales are type beats.
The perception of "lower quality" comes from the YouTube free-download tier of type beats (the ones where a teenage producer uploads and adds "Free for Non Profit Only" in the title). Those are free marketing assets, not the producer's best work.
"Will my song sound derivative if I use a type beat?"
That depends on you. A type beat is an instrumental canvas. A great vocalist on a generic beat makes the song feel original. A weak vocalist on the same beat makes it feel derivative. The vocal performance carries more than the beat.
How to use type beats properly as an artist
- Pick the reference artist closest to your actual sound. Not your favorite rapper — the one your voice is closest to.
- Narrow by era. "Kendrick DAMN.-era type beat" is a tighter match than "Kendrick type beat."
- Test three type beats from three different producers. You'll find one that fits — the others won't, and that's fine.
- License appropriately (see our how-to-buy-beats-online guide). Don't use a free type beat for a commercial release.
How to use type beats properly as a producer
- Study the reference artist's catalog. Listen to 10-20 of their tracks; identify the rhythmic, melodic, and timbral patterns.
- Pick 2-3 reference artists you can credibly emulate. Don't claim to make "every type beat."
- Title clearly. "21 Savage x Metro Boomin Type Beat 'Cold Steel'" is better than "type beat."
- Don't lie. If your beat doesn't sound like the reference artist, don't title it that way. Buyers notice, and your ratings suffer.
The industry has evolved
Modern type beats often credit two artists: "Drake x Future type beat," "Metro Boomin x 21 Savage type beat." This reflects the reality that producers now target a "sound" that spans a producer-artist collaboration, not just one artist.
You'll also see type beats cross generations: "Old Kanye type beat" for 2004-era Kanye vs. "Donda-era Kanye type beat" for 2021-2022 Kanye. These are genuinely different musical vocabularies.
The short version
A type beat is a producer-made, original instrumental in the style of a recognizable artist. It exists to help artists find the sound they want. Half the hip-hop you hear on independent releases is recorded over a type beat. It's not a rip-off, it's the discovery system.
Ready to browse? Filter beatsheaven by reference artist and you'll see the type beats in whatever style you're after.