My homie LBS.(whom you heard collaborate with me many times!) made a Twitter! Be sure to follow him at: @LBS_Flows and keep up to see when he's gonna drop his next track!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
My homie LBS. made a Twitter Follow him @LBS_Flows
My homie LBS.(whom you heard collaborate with me many times!) made a Twitter! Be sure to follow him at: @LBS_Flows and keep up to see when he's gonna drop his next track!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The going ons.
Started the best job I've had in a long time, working with the interwebz (SEO). I hope to be able to catch up my child support and at least get a more recent picture of Emma. I do have alot of rough days, thinking of how things could have been. But, to be honest I needed to make this move. I can't wonder what if all my life rotting away on that farm. I have established alot of musical connections all across the U.S. Mailbomb Records is almost got its feet off the ground with a few artists on the roster, looking for more very soon. And as far as love I couldn't ask for a better girlfriend, I love Heleen so much! Well I've said my piece, good night.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Difference Of The Industry Now & Then
Why the downfall of the major labels is the biggest fortune ever for independent artists! Just another day where the sales of the music industry decrease - and once again is the general assumption that the golden era of wealth for musicians is over - but this is just wrong. I can totally understand that nowadays rappers prefer to be independent. I would even recommend everybody to do his own thing instead of signing to a major label.
The major labels were used to make millions of revenue from artist's cd sales in the last years until the big bad MP3 format changed the game drastically. That was the beginning of the downfall for all CEO's that founded a record label - but is this really true?
People should of course consider that the beats that they hear on the latest favorite artists release were purchased for a certain amount of money. The studio time did cost money too and so did the mixing and mastering of the final tracks. Add the costs for the professional photo shootings, the promotion work of a manager and the distribution - summed up let's say expenses about $40,000 until a album is finally in the stores shipped and released.
Makes sense to you? Maybe before the digital revolution of the music - but not today!
Below are the most important changes that make clear why all the traditional schemes are not relevant anymore:
Promotion
We are living in much more faster times than ten years before. We are not depending on old marketing schemes. In fact the traditional marketing concept is over. Today independent artists can promote themselves via channels like Youtube, Twitter or Facebook. The power and virality of social media makes these channels much more powerful then the traditional word of mouth in the radio and tv stations back in the days - and the best part of it: they are totally free.
Production
Everybody can purchase a microphone in the music store and start to record his own song on his laptop. Big studio equipment is not necessary anymore, no more expensive studio sessions, and even the mastering can be done by software today that cost's not more than $400.
The new opportunity of digital music releases via Itunes allowed artists to distribute their music worldwide with just a few clicks and made the pressing of Cds senseless. Not to mention you have less expenses as if you would create a Cd including booklet full of photography and artwork. Then there's of course the shipping cost when distributing your Cd's to your customers...
Now who has really a problem? The artists that suddenly have themselves the marketing and distribution opportunities that were before only given to the major labels. Or is it the major label's whose business model is suddenly not working anymore?
Think about it and feel free to share this post in Facebook or Twitter that more people become aware of it!
The major labels were used to make millions of revenue from artist's cd sales in the last years until the big bad MP3 format changed the game drastically. That was the beginning of the downfall for all CEO's that founded a record label - but is this really true?
People should of course consider that the beats that they hear on the latest favorite artists release were purchased for a certain amount of money. The studio time did cost money too and so did the mixing and mastering of the final tracks. Add the costs for the professional photo shootings, the promotion work of a manager and the distribution - summed up let's say expenses about $40,000 until a album is finally in the stores shipped and released.
Makes sense to you? Maybe before the digital revolution of the music - but not today!
Below are the most important changes that make clear why all the traditional schemes are not relevant anymore:
Promotion
We are living in much more faster times than ten years before. We are not depending on old marketing schemes. In fact the traditional marketing concept is over. Today independent artists can promote themselves via channels like Youtube, Twitter or Facebook. The power and virality of social media makes these channels much more powerful then the traditional word of mouth in the radio and tv stations back in the days - and the best part of it: they are totally free.
Production
Everybody can purchase a microphone in the music store and start to record his own song on his laptop. Big studio equipment is not necessary anymore, no more expensive studio sessions, and even the mastering can be done by software today that cost's not more than $400.
The new opportunity of digital music releases via Itunes allowed artists to distribute their music worldwide with just a few clicks and made the pressing of Cds senseless. Not to mention you have less expenses as if you would create a Cd including booklet full of photography and artwork. Then there's of course the shipping cost when distributing your Cd's to your customers...
Now who has really a problem? The artists that suddenly have themselves the marketing and distribution opportunities that were before only given to the major labels. Or is it the major label's whose business model is suddenly not working anymore?
Think about it and feel free to share this post in Facebook or Twitter that more people become aware of it!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
How To Write a Solid 16-Bar Verse
This article is about developing bars as a technique in writing raps. I have received the question, "What are bars?" on many occasions and have briefly touched on the subject in a previous MC Improvement Article/visitor e-mail. In this article I will expand on the topic as well as describe an effective way of writing a solid 16 bar verse.
First of all…what are bars, exactly?
Well bars are simply a form of dividing a verse into segments. Each segment, or "bar", consists of one line. The following is an example of two bars by Jay-Z:
"And all you other cats takin' shots at Jigga/
You only get half a bar, 'F*ck ya'll ni***s'"
As you can see both "lines" or "bars" rhyme at the end. This is usually the case, but as verses are created more and more organically by artists (read: freestyled) they many times won't end so picture perfect…but don't worry about that for now. In case you're a little confused, you'll get a clearer picture through future articles.
So Why 16 bars?
If you're a hip hop fan, you have undoubtedly heard the term, "16 bars" at some point. Maybe something along the lines of, "Nas dropped a sick 16 bars on that mixtape."
The reason that "16" became the standard is because the music industry strategically determines the most effective duration of a typical song. Usually the shorter the song is, the better for the record's success. The shorter the song is, the more times that it can be played on the radio, the more times that it can be played on the radio, the more popular the song will become, the more popular the song becomes…you get the picture.
Also taken into account was the average amount of time a run-of-the-mill listener would wait between hooks before becoming tired. You have to keep in mind that not all listeners are looking out for the real substance of the song (the verses) but instead merely tune in to listen to the beat and the chorus. A verse that's too short will leave something to be desired (substance) and/or may grow old fast (since the hook/chorus will be played more frequently). A verse that's too long will lose many mainstream listener's attention.
So in time, the typical "16 bar" format was created. About the same time, the typical 8 bar chorus came into popularity in hip hop. This was long ago…dates mean little. Don't get this confused, though…not every song sticks to the 16's and 8's formula. Ghostface Killah came out with the single, "All That I Got Is You" which was one long verse…with one long hook at the end. Therefore, a lot of songs vary from the classic 3 verse and 3 hook layout, and they even vary from the classic 3-minute-a-song set-up. Some songs are 7 minutes long. But if you pay attention, most of these "odd" songs are usually not released as singles and if they are, they are usually released by more well-known artists with a well established fan base. The fact is that most pop or "popular" songs still follow the typical format most preferred by the radio and recording industry…and that is the "16-bar verse" and the "3 verse" format. (Note: Actually, with the increased popularity of catchy "breaks" "bridges" and "hooks", artists are increasingly neglecting the 3rd verse of their songs.)
In case you're wondering, the radio industry prefers shorter songs so that they can vary their playlist in order to reach more listeners. Reaching more listeners and keeping more listeners is important to radio stations so that the advertising spots they offer are attractive to advertisers.
There are even radio stations that have been known to speed up the pace of their songs so as to shorten their length of play…of course these songs tend to sound nothing like they were intended to, but that's the cost they are willing to take.
Writing 16 Bars: Part 1
So how should you go about writing the actual 16 bars? Well, there's two broad methods; to a beat, or without a beat. I recommend you write any verse to a beat. Firstly, because a lot of beats follow very similarly timed or even exactly similar drum patterns, therefore, one of your verses may be able to adapt very smoothly to various beats. Second, and more importantly, when you write to a beat that you're listening to, you can more easily play with your bars. By that I mean you can stretch your words or adjust your flow and say something like:
"Shopping sprees, coppin' three, deuce Beamer IS's/
Fully loaded…ahhhhh yes! (haha)" - Jay-Z
That was from "Can't Knock The Hustle" and when Jay-Z was at the top of his game lyrically (in my humble opinion). But, you can see how his pause during that second bar built up the punch line to that lyric. This is facilitated by listening to a beat while putting together your verse.
You can also choose to just write. Forget the beat, just write. A lot of times we don't have the luxury of having a beat playing when creativity strikes. That's ok…you can make it work anyway. If you are intending to put together a whole verse, however, it is best to at least have a beat in your head if not in your ears. And I don't mean a popular rap beat, necessarily…just a simple drumbeat will do. The idea is to have something in mind that you can bounce to…literally…if you find yourself bopping your head while you're formulating a rhyme…that's good!
Writing 16 Bars: Part 2
When you write lyrics, there is a very important principle which will benefit many of you to understand. It has already been made clear that bars tend to rhyme at the end (mostly). But what about the center? Though rhymes don't necessarily need to rhyme in the middle (meaning the middle of the first bar rhymes with the middle of the second), there does many times seem to be a pattern to the emphasis throughout bars. By this I mean that there are usually two emphasis (or accents) in each bar.
Usually, somewhere during the middle of a bar there is a break, a pause, or an emphasis in a syllable, and then there is another similar emphasis towards the end of the bar. A good example would be 50 Cent's second verse from "In Da Club":
(Note: The "bolded" letters indicate the emphasis I spoke about)
"And you should love it, way more then you hate it
Nigga you mad? I thought that you'd be happy I made it
I'm that cat by the bar toastin' to the good life
You that f*ggot-*ss nigga tryin' to pull me back right?
When my joint get to pumpin' in the club it's on
I wink my eye at ya b*tch, if she smiles she gone
If the roof on fire, let the motherf*cker burn
If you talkin' about money homie, I ain't concerned
I'ma tell you what Banks told me "Cous' go 'head switch the style up
If the n****s hate then let 'em hate then watch the money pile up
Or we go upside your head with a bottle of bub'
They know where we f*ckin' be..."
Hopefully you have a better idea of what I mean by now. If you simply think about each individual bar as having two parts then you can attempt to pause at the beat-break (the drum beat or bass tends to pound twice per bar) present around the middle of each bar and allow your flow to synchronize with the beat. This is CRITICAL. Treat your voice/words like an instrument that like any other instrument must be in tune with the beat.
Don't be afraid to adjust your flow by using emphasis, stretching out your words, shortening words, chopping words in mid sentence and continuing them in the next bar, accenting syllables, (by that I mean accenting certain syllables even when they normally shouldn't be) etc…just to make them fit appropriately to the end of the beat. You might even consider using synonyms to make the bar fit the beat.
Your Lyric Content
There are many ways to start a verse. You can tell a real story, describe an event, narrate a fictional scene, etc. Your approach will vary depending on your style. Let's say you're writing literally about what you're doing at the moment...actually writing a rhyme… (or at least that's how you choose to begin)…you can say something like:
"It cost me more to be free than a life in the Penn/
Makin' money off of cus words, writin' again/
Learn how to think ahead so I fight with my pen/
Late night down Sunset, likin' the sin" - 2pac
Or perhaps you can say it like this…
"F*ck a pad and a pen, I write rhymes on the IBM/
Ebonics is dead and binary language is in" - Canibus
Obviously, both of these approaches are distinct. The hardest part about writing a verse, though, is starting it. Once you begin, and you know your style, it's just a matter of keeping it going.
Now, as far as ending or wrapping up a verse…you can do many things with that as well. You can follow the example from 50 Cent (above) and end your verse half-way (and allow the beginning part of your chorus or "hook" to end the last part of your final bar for you). You can also just complete the bar but on the same vibe as that of your chorus, for example:
"What's the worst they can do to a ****a, got me lost in Hell/
To live and die in L.A., on bail…(and my angels sing)" - 2pac "2 Live and Die in LA"
The idea is to let your verse end on a vibe that easily flows into the mood that your hook provides.
Final Note
Playing around with your voice or tone (intonation) is also a great way to add a bit of flare. Adding something unique to your flow seems more and more necessary in this highly competitive market we call the rap industry. It is not necessary to create a gimmick (there is a fine line between a gimmick and a unique style…but interestingly, most mass consumers of media don't notice or care what that difference is) but it is important to have something distinctive about your flow to help you stand out and be remembered.
First of all…what are bars, exactly?
Well bars are simply a form of dividing a verse into segments. Each segment, or "bar", consists of one line. The following is an example of two bars by Jay-Z:
"And all you other cats takin' shots at Jigga/
You only get half a bar, 'F*ck ya'll ni***s'"
As you can see both "lines" or "bars" rhyme at the end. This is usually the case, but as verses are created more and more organically by artists (read: freestyled) they many times won't end so picture perfect…but don't worry about that for now. In case you're a little confused, you'll get a clearer picture through future articles.
So Why 16 bars?
If you're a hip hop fan, you have undoubtedly heard the term, "16 bars" at some point. Maybe something along the lines of, "Nas dropped a sick 16 bars on that mixtape."
The reason that "16" became the standard is because the music industry strategically determines the most effective duration of a typical song. Usually the shorter the song is, the better for the record's success. The shorter the song is, the more times that it can be played on the radio, the more times that it can be played on the radio, the more popular the song will become, the more popular the song becomes…you get the picture.
Also taken into account was the average amount of time a run-of-the-mill listener would wait between hooks before becoming tired. You have to keep in mind that not all listeners are looking out for the real substance of the song (the verses) but instead merely tune in to listen to the beat and the chorus. A verse that's too short will leave something to be desired (substance) and/or may grow old fast (since the hook/chorus will be played more frequently). A verse that's too long will lose many mainstream listener's attention.
So in time, the typical "16 bar" format was created. About the same time, the typical 8 bar chorus came into popularity in hip hop. This was long ago…dates mean little. Don't get this confused, though…not every song sticks to the 16's and 8's formula. Ghostface Killah came out with the single, "All That I Got Is You" which was one long verse…with one long hook at the end. Therefore, a lot of songs vary from the classic 3 verse and 3 hook layout, and they even vary from the classic 3-minute-a-song set-up. Some songs are 7 minutes long. But if you pay attention, most of these "odd" songs are usually not released as singles and if they are, they are usually released by more well-known artists with a well established fan base. The fact is that most pop or "popular" songs still follow the typical format most preferred by the radio and recording industry…and that is the "16-bar verse" and the "3 verse" format. (Note: Actually, with the increased popularity of catchy "breaks" "bridges" and "hooks", artists are increasingly neglecting the 3rd verse of their songs.)
In case you're wondering, the radio industry prefers shorter songs so that they can vary their playlist in order to reach more listeners. Reaching more listeners and keeping more listeners is important to radio stations so that the advertising spots they offer are attractive to advertisers.
There are even radio stations that have been known to speed up the pace of their songs so as to shorten their length of play…of course these songs tend to sound nothing like they were intended to, but that's the cost they are willing to take.
Writing 16 Bars: Part 1
So how should you go about writing the actual 16 bars? Well, there's two broad methods; to a beat, or without a beat. I recommend you write any verse to a beat. Firstly, because a lot of beats follow very similarly timed or even exactly similar drum patterns, therefore, one of your verses may be able to adapt very smoothly to various beats. Second, and more importantly, when you write to a beat that you're listening to, you can more easily play with your bars. By that I mean you can stretch your words or adjust your flow and say something like:
"Shopping sprees, coppin' three, deuce Beamer IS's/
Fully loaded…ahhhhh yes! (haha)" - Jay-Z
That was from "Can't Knock The Hustle" and when Jay-Z was at the top of his game lyrically (in my humble opinion). But, you can see how his pause during that second bar built up the punch line to that lyric. This is facilitated by listening to a beat while putting together your verse.
You can also choose to just write. Forget the beat, just write. A lot of times we don't have the luxury of having a beat playing when creativity strikes. That's ok…you can make it work anyway. If you are intending to put together a whole verse, however, it is best to at least have a beat in your head if not in your ears. And I don't mean a popular rap beat, necessarily…just a simple drumbeat will do. The idea is to have something in mind that you can bounce to…literally…if you find yourself bopping your head while you're formulating a rhyme…that's good!
Writing 16 Bars: Part 2
When you write lyrics, there is a very important principle which will benefit many of you to understand. It has already been made clear that bars tend to rhyme at the end (mostly). But what about the center? Though rhymes don't necessarily need to rhyme in the middle (meaning the middle of the first bar rhymes with the middle of the second), there does many times seem to be a pattern to the emphasis throughout bars. By this I mean that there are usually two emphasis (or accents) in each bar.
Usually, somewhere during the middle of a bar there is a break, a pause, or an emphasis in a syllable, and then there is another similar emphasis towards the end of the bar. A good example would be 50 Cent's second verse from "In Da Club":
(Note: The "bolded" letters indicate the emphasis I spoke about)
"And you should love it, way more then you hate it
Nigga you mad? I thought that you'd be happy I made it
I'm that cat by the bar toastin' to the good life
You that f*ggot-*ss nigga tryin' to pull me back right?
When my joint get to pumpin' in the club it's on
I wink my eye at ya b*tch, if she smiles she gone
If the roof on fire, let the motherf*cker burn
If you talkin' about money homie, I ain't concerned
I'ma tell you what Banks told me "Cous' go 'head switch the style up
If the n****s hate then let 'em hate then watch the money pile up
Or we go upside your head with a bottle of bub'
They know where we f*ckin' be..."
Hopefully you have a better idea of what I mean by now. If you simply think about each individual bar as having two parts then you can attempt to pause at the beat-break (the drum beat or bass tends to pound twice per bar) present around the middle of each bar and allow your flow to synchronize with the beat. This is CRITICAL. Treat your voice/words like an instrument that like any other instrument must be in tune with the beat.
Don't be afraid to adjust your flow by using emphasis, stretching out your words, shortening words, chopping words in mid sentence and continuing them in the next bar, accenting syllables, (by that I mean accenting certain syllables even when they normally shouldn't be) etc…just to make them fit appropriately to the end of the beat. You might even consider using synonyms to make the bar fit the beat.
Your Lyric Content
There are many ways to start a verse. You can tell a real story, describe an event, narrate a fictional scene, etc. Your approach will vary depending on your style. Let's say you're writing literally about what you're doing at the moment...actually writing a rhyme… (or at least that's how you choose to begin)…you can say something like:
"It cost me more to be free than a life in the Penn/
Makin' money off of cus words, writin' again/
Learn how to think ahead so I fight with my pen/
Late night down Sunset, likin' the sin" - 2pac
Or perhaps you can say it like this…
"F*ck a pad and a pen, I write rhymes on the IBM/
Ebonics is dead and binary language is in" - Canibus
Obviously, both of these approaches are distinct. The hardest part about writing a verse, though, is starting it. Once you begin, and you know your style, it's just a matter of keeping it going.
Now, as far as ending or wrapping up a verse…you can do many things with that as well. You can follow the example from 50 Cent (above) and end your verse half-way (and allow the beginning part of your chorus or "hook" to end the last part of your final bar for you). You can also just complete the bar but on the same vibe as that of your chorus, for example:
"What's the worst they can do to a ****a, got me lost in Hell/
To live and die in L.A., on bail…(and my angels sing)" - 2pac "2 Live and Die in LA"
The idea is to let your verse end on a vibe that easily flows into the mood that your hook provides.
Final Note
Playing around with your voice or tone (intonation) is also a great way to add a bit of flare. Adding something unique to your flow seems more and more necessary in this highly competitive market we call the rap industry. It is not necessary to create a gimmick (there is a fine line between a gimmick and a unique style…but interestingly, most mass consumers of media don't notice or care what that difference is) but it is important to have something distinctive about your flow to help you stand out and be remembered.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
How To Pick A Subject Or Topic To Rap Or Write About
Write a Rap About
Rapping is an art form that a lot people can learn but only a few have mastered. Those that have mastered it have made a good living off of it and have learned how to pick a subject to rap about with relative ease. To pick a subject or top to rap or write about can be easy or it can be difficult depending on how hard you make it. There are an infinite number of things around you for you to write a rap about. You can write a rap about people, a rap about money, a rap about cars, or a rap about anything else. If you are stumped and don't know what to write about then think about the things that interest you. What are your favorite things to do? What is your favorite sport? Whats your favorite car? Your favorite song? There's things that I do to get ideas for a rap song and to brainstorm for songs to write about. One thing that I do that is fun is I will listen to
my favorite rap song and sing along to the lyrics. But what makes it fun and helpful in picking something to write about is I will substitute some of my own funny words in place of the real lyrics to the song. For instance if the song says "I love to get money everyday and every night", I would change the lyrics to "I love to be funny and wear my pants tight." This adds a funny and fun twist to the song and it allows me to brainstorm and get ideas at the same time. Now I know how to write a rap song. Or now I have gotten some ideas of what to rap about.
my favorite rap song and sing along to the lyrics. But what makes it fun and helpful in picking something to write about is I will substitute some of my own funny words in place of the real lyrics to the song. For instance if the song says "I love to get money everyday and every night", I would change the lyrics to "I love to be funny and wear my pants tight." This adds a funny and fun twist to the song and it allows me to brainstorm and get ideas at the same time. Now I know how to write a rap song. Or now I have gotten some ideas of what to rap about.
Look around you for rap subjects
Another way to find a subject to rap about is to look around you. Are you at home, at someone's house, or at work. Any of these places can give you ideas of what to write about. If you are at home then look around the room that you are in. What was the last thing you used in that room? You can rap about that thing you last used. What about the person's house that you are at? Is there someone else there of the opposite x that you find attractive? That can be a good idea for a love rap. You can rap about how that person makes you feel every time you see them. Think about LL Cool J. song "I Need Love." Love raps are a huge part of the rap industry songs today. So you cant go wrong with one of those type of songs. What about work? Are you at work on a break thinking up raps? Think about the a person at work that you may not care much for. Maybe it's a supervisor or boss that is too pushy and assertive. You could write a rap about how you feel about that person. And let's not forget the person at work that is always in your business and not in their own and seems like they would love to get you fired. You could probably think up about 10 raps in a day about that type of person. There are infinite subjects and situations to write about.Monday, March 15, 2010
ThRob UGLY's first album Skelator (Re-Released)!!!
So I found the original mp3s of my self-produced and self-engineered solo album "Skelator" and restored the original intended skits for the release. Please remember I was a 23 year old battle rapper! Who recorded with nothing but Cool Edit Pro 2.0 a computer mic and alot of heart. So yes, I produced my own album-- it's not the greatest either, I lived at home with my parents during recording! So its a little sloppy. But it's part of my history! So I re-released it for the die-hard fans who lost the burnt copies I made for them! I also re-did the artwork for the album! Its being released by Mailbomb Records. Since I don't consider myself a career rapper, more just a producer that likes to vent every once awhile I never bothered getting it all on Itunes. Not until I actually record a real third album! Let alone I'd like to retrieve more of my "lost" tracks!
01 Going Somewhere (4:05)
02 Sum Mufuckin' Raw Shit Ft LBS. (4:17)
03 Im The M.C. (Skit) (0:09)
04 Rent A Rob Ft AbandonLandon (5:59)
05 Boiler Room Rants (4:06)
06 You're Not You're Fuckin' Khakis Ft AbandonLandon (2:55)
07 Ruthless (3:38)
08 Doja Ft MR. UGLY (3:32)
09 Home (4:17)
10 No Love Ft AbandonLandon (3:03)
11 Former Self (5:49)
12 Genuine Freestyles Ft AbandonLandon (3:33)
13 Nicknames (1:15)
14 Thoughts... (Interlude) (0:21)
15 Envy (5:16)
16 The UGLY Life Ft MR. UGLY (4:18)
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
My old bandmate AbandonLandon made a Twitter?
Friday, February 5, 2010
WHO WANTS TO COLLABORATE????
Im sitting on a mess of instrumentals, a few are flying out the door-- so grab up what you can!!! I'm interested in hearing what other people come up with. I know I've promised ThRob UGLY "Making The Rest Of The World Beautiful"-- (LP). But I've also pushed back the "P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S. MIXTAPE." Simply because of the lack of guest appearances. Of course I moved nearly 2000 miles away from Steubenville, OH.! So anyone who wants to collab message me, call me, text me. Throw me an idea of what sound you're looking for and we can go from there. Peace.
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