I have spoke to SA'id a few times when I was really starting my beat mongering websites, you have to remember that he has created the beat tips manual, pretty much geared to old and classic Akai gear like the, s900, s950, mpc60 and such, these tips focus heavily on gear configuration and midi utilizing the s900 and mpc60 in tandem(for more sample time etc) etc using them the way a lot of producers did in the 90's before the overall minimalization, heavy propagation of everyone and their mother being able to create and whip a beat up in 5 minutes LOL you have to think about the method he uses or used, which one might say is primitive now that it's easy to take for granted jumping on the pc and creating a beat in in the virtual where you dont even think of the normal headaches involved in using gear, program assignments, dumping and such...outside of that I sort of see what he is saying but hip hop is relative, this cat's hip hop might not be everyone elses, I see where he is going, I think his idea of production and output might be more along the lines of say havoc, Pete Rock or some NY style state of mind production and techniques ( I hear the couple of lines talking about the south) so yeah his view is probably going to be somewhat narrow of 1. what he considers hip hop and 2. good production, overall this was a grand rambling without a lot of real substance of supporting a good argument and point.
The only way a producer can take the lead is have an emcee that he could break and coach, other than that its like has been said, the emcees today really know what they want to do so they just pick a beat a go with that.