Rick Rubin named James Blake as a singer he would “love all the time”, praising the British musician’s distinctive work and influence. The article highlights Rubin’s judgement as a producer whose career spans hip-hop, rock and pop, making his admiration a notable endorsement of Blake’s experimental approach.

Rubin made the comment while annotating music on Genius in 2015, describing Blake as “spectacular” in relation to the song ‘Retrograde’. It places the praise alongside Rubin’s wider reflections on artists including Kanye West, Johnny Cash and Hozier, illustrating the breadth of his listening and professional interests.