http://www.hiphopstars.com or starz cant remba pretty simple to use n cheap...

fruity loops could be good if u have time and patience and have good sounds , samples, etc. FL studio has some ok but the sounds are too cheap soundin. if i had money i would just get a drum machine, a synth, and arrange the beat in a multitrack.

Fruity Loops, Reason, Live, Cakewalk Sonar, Arturia Storm, etc.

For the money you are asking...if you have a PC...get Fruity Loops. If you have a Mac, find the Adapted versions of Reason and Live.

Fruity loops has grown into FL Studio. Its a nice package and there are lots of free samples you can get from off of the FL Studio web site. I use it and am impressed. Its affordable, easy, and can be used for much more than hip hop. I use it to do alternative, soca, reggae, rock gospel.... anything I want to write.

For me its great. Other people here would probably prefer to use other programs, but this one fits me like a glove.

D

Reason.
Why spend money on fruity loops and just waste your time. Fruity loops has corny sounds, has a difficult and strange interface, and is just plain cheap. Use Reason. Everyone uses reason.
The only thing that comes close is Impulse Tracker, an old tracking mod that is basically a sample sequenser. You can use it as a drum machine and it gives everything this awesome cruchy compression. I wish it was compatable with everthing else, like reason is!
Atlas

Atlas wrote: Reason.
Why spend money on fruity loops and just waste your time. Fruity loops has corny sounds, has a difficult and strange interface, and is just plain cheap. Use Reason. Everyone uses reason.
The only thing that comes close is Impulse Tracker, an old tracking mod that is basically a sample sequenser. You can use it as a drum machine and it gives everything this awesome cruchy compression. I wish it was compatable with everthing else, like reason is!
Atlas

Yes, the samples are cheesy...but you can make Fruity Loops sound just as good as Reason. 9th Wonder (Hip-Hop Producer) makes beats using Fruity Loops exclusively...and has big name clients. I've used both and can make both sound good.

I vote Reason hands down. I used to use FL studio (fruity loops) but compared to reason it can be a bit convoluted. Also reason will give you more stuff to play with if you want to throw any effects over those beats. Finally, reason contains their "matrix" editor which can be used as an appregiator, but throw some really low notes on it and it can be an awesome rythmic toy to play with.

Reason is better...but you can't sleep on Fruity Loops. Fruity Loops can accept VSTs into its sequencer, so that means it can be anything you want.