Producing vs. Singing/Rapping

I go through phases with my music. I'm currently in the "lack of inspiration" phase. I've made one beat in the past few months. While I have been doing a lot of recording and mixing these past few months, I still really have no motivation to hit the keys. I tried to work on something earlier but it never materialized. This made me think of the differences in those that create the instrumentation and those that write and perform the lyrics.

I started off back in high school rapping in a group called 5-N-0 (like a sports record). There was only ever four of us though, the fifth guy was always M.I.A. We caught a lot of jokes about that, let me tell you... LOL. Being in that group was what got me into producing, though. We needed original beats, so I started to hone my talent on the boards. I've come a loooong way since then, but I'm still nowhere near where I would like to be. But anyways, I'm rambling...

What I'm getting at is that back in my performance/song-writing days, I almost always wrote to my own beats. Still the same way now. But as I come across so many talented producers on the web, hearing what they've created makes me think about writing and rapping to it, something I've never really done before. I also think about what goes into making a successful artist-

• Singing or rapping talent
  
• Attractiveness (Sex Sells)
  
• Personality/Swagger
  
• Intelligence
  
• Business Minded
  
• Songwriting Talent (optional)
  

Well, intelligence and business minded are optional too. You can always pay someone else to write for you, think for you, and take care of your assets. Self made musicians with all of these qualities are rare, and to be honest a lot of the major label recording artists you see aren't as talented as you think. A producer basically needs only one skill though- an ear for music. To be a successful, that skill must be sharp as all hell.

So when I think of becoming a full time rapper, I just think about what kind of personality, swagger, business, looks, and talent it takes to succeed. I eventually realize that its not so much for me. I have the confidence that I could get somewhere if I put tons of effort into it, but at the end of the day what my idea of good music is can vary drastically from what commercial music sells to the masses. I'll just stay back here in the shadows where I belong.

"Soul" Music

Seeing as how I've been a grumpy old ranting man lately, I think I'll change up the pace of this blog. I got the urge earlier today to make a list of music I've been into for the past year or so. Here we go-

Jay Z - American Gangster. Based loosely on the movie of the same name, which is also my favorite recent movie. As far as lyrics, the production value, the overall flow of this cd, in my opinion nothing in the last few years comes close to this one. "Watchin' Eric Estrada, baggin' up at the Ramada. Table full of powder. AC broke, bout to take another shower on my 25th hour." That line sums up the entire cd.

Prodigy - Return of the Mac. Ok, this is more of a mixtape, or so he says. The precursor to H.N.I.C. 2. But even so, that grimy raw New York sound keeps this one steady bumpin' in my rotation. From the dope production of the Alchemist, to the gritty tales of crime and woe that Prodigy spits, ROTM is a must for heads like me.

Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab. GFK is another New York artist that always comes hard with both raw beats and fly lyrics. With wallabies, furs and plenty of nose candy, Ghostface is constantly bringing style to the table, right along side of tales from the street. The perfect blend too, if I may say so. Even though Fishscale came out a few years back, that one is still on rotation too. Big Girl is still my ish.

So what do these albums have in common? Besides being New York rappers, all whom have been out for years now, these three albums to me is what should define hip hop. Dope beats, dope rhymes, in the words of Little Brother. Also, they all have SOUL. And not just soul samples, which they all have plenty of. Every artist comes hard with emotion, honesty, and feeling with their music. To me, that's soul.

Ohhhh yeah, a few more cd's that I should have added to the list-

Kanye West - Graduation
Little Brother - Getback
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Scarface - Made
Pete Rock - NY's Finest
Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury

Ya Heard.

Schoolin' these young cats...

Over these last 4 years I've been producing, I've learned more about music and life in general than I ever really cared to know. This is a shady, lowdown dirty, grimy business we're in. I'm trying to get a few points across to people new to the game, and also get some shit off my chest thats been bothering me lately.

One of my biggest things is that nothing is ORIGINAL anymore. Whether its the same exact type of songs over and over, or the countless stories about BIG NAME SO AND SO getting his chain snatched, its all so damn old. No wonder the music industry is in the can. With the decline in the quality of music being produced, the value of the product also declines. Therefore, simple economics takes place. We need more innovation and less note repeat snare rolls.

A lot of new guys coming to this music thing, and even some that have been doing "music" for years now, are clueless about actually making money from it. For example, I've recorded enough material for a few local artists to put whole albums out, and I even went as far as to get FREE beats and FREE album covers for them. What do they do in return? Nothing. Yeah yeah I know you got bills, and you have to have the newest air forces and brand new Evisu's, your album can wait. Can't risk losing those new 22's for some ole album you just spent 5 months working on.

Its easy as hell nowadays to make beats. What we are doing is NOTHING SPECIAL. Producing software is currently cheap as hell, even hardware is at a great price now. You know what it takes to be a great producer? Dedication. Commitment. Knowledge. Motivation. So go ahead and take your drum kit loops and your gated synths and your 808 claps and sell em to MC so and so for $20. I bet he'll be the talk of the block with his newest single "Basement Ballin".

Back to the Factory

So, back to work today. Hoooo-ray. Oh well, we have to eat somehow. And until this music thing I'm gambling on starts to get me somewhere, I'll be pulling this 7-7 for awhile. No 9-5 for me. Just three or four long, boring 12-hr shifts every week. Decent pay, but the work itself is bollocks. So for all you employees out there complaining about sitting at a computer for 8 hours straight, why not come work with me?!

THIS IS MADNESS!!!

I often say that to myself when I'm at my place of employment. Before I started working there, we were bought out by a company not quite as large as the previous company. In fact, I don't even think the stock for our company is traded on the market. Its more of an investment group type company, mainly focused on making a large profit margin. In order to do that, so far this year they have canceled our perfect attendance bonus, taken away their 401-k matching (which really isn't so bad, because a lot of companies don't even offer 401-k matching from what I've heard), and also they won't be handing out free turkeys at thanksgiving anymore... DID YOU HEAR THAT?!? GAAAHHHH, NOT THE FREE TURKEYS.

So what could possibly be next, I wonder. Maybe a pay cut, because our factory is one of the highest paying in the company. Or possibly layoffs when things slow down this winter. This is what I have to look forward to. Guess I better get on the ball with this music career, eh?