Cool & Dre bubbled under the surface of the rap industry for a while, producing stray tracks here and there before breaking big in 2005 with a run of hit records including the Game’s "Love It or Hate It," Ja Rule’s "New York, New York," and Fat Joe’s "So Much More." The Miami-based duo earned recognition for its steady affiliation with Fat Joe in particular, for whom the guys produced a number of tracks before scoring any major hits.

Those productions caught the ear of industry insiders, and soon the two were fielding production requests from some of the industry’s most recognized rappers, especially once "Love It or Hate It" became one of 2005’s defining songs. Needless to say, the phone was ringing and the press was quick to crown Cool & Dre as the next Neptunes.