damn bro, i'm exactly with you there. Cept I'd probably put dre 1st, premier 2nd and RZA 3rd. But yeah its close aye.
Only 3? Too hard. But... I'd say. In no order. 1. RZA 2. Madlib 3. Primo J Dilla El-P Edan Easy Mo Bee Alchemist Dust Brothers The Bomb Squad Da Beatminerz A Tribe Called Quest MF Doom Large Professor Blockhead I'll stop there for now.
DJ Premier, Alchemist, and then prob. Pharrell. As gay as my list is all 3 make some hard hitting beats.
I'll name albums Slum Village Fantastic Vol 2 -- Produced by JDilla Donuts -- Produced by JDilla Jay Loves Japan -- Produced By JDilla The Shining -- Produced by JDilla Rough Draft -- Produced by JDilla Champion Sound -- Produced by Jaylib - JDilla & Madlib Lootpack Soundpieces- Da Antidote! -- Produced by Madlib Madvillan- MF DOOM & Madlib Produced by Madlib Percee P - Perseverance -- Produced by Madlib Beat Konducta Volume 1-6 -- Produced by Madlib WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip -- Produced by Madlib Shades of Blue -- Produced by Madlib Quasimoto - The Unseen & The Further Adventures of Lord Quas -- Produced by Madlib EDIT: here is a Madlib Interview from Scratch Mag http://www.stonesthrow.com/news/2005/05/mad-skills