Do You Want The Truth? Or Do You Want Me to Lie to You? Vol. 2

That song you did sucks because your hook sucks. A major mistake made by many rappers are pairing great lyrics to so so beats and trash hooks. Take these things into consideration when you are writing your next rap song ladies and gents. No one wants to hear your monotone voice over this whack beat repeating the same word over and over as the hook. Check this out:

1.  You can't write a hook. Not everyone knows how to write a hook. It is ok to reach out to someone else and have them write a hook for you. Its called collaboration. Some people all they can do is write a hook. This may be a plus for you. Since you're just great at writing your bars or verses let the other person handle your hook. They may even be able to show you how to deliver the hook. 
2.  Your delivery is trash. What is it that makes you assume you have swag? What exactly is swag in your definition any way? Stop it, I say. Stop it. Swag is over used and the correct terms are style and personality. Where is your personality? You focus so much on having swag you lost your personality. Show who you are on the track not who you think everyone wants you to be. This is how most people get dismissed in the industry their first year in. Be a one hit wonder if that is what you'd like to do or stick around for a decade or so. 
3.  If you're going to come into the game, change it immediately. You can do this, other artists have done it. The likes of Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, OutKast, Emminem, Bone Thugs N Harmony, E-40, Snoop Dogg and even Lil Kim came in the game with a new sound, new face, new personality for the game of Hip Hop. It doesn't have to be so manufactured. All of these individuals were like F*#@ It! I'm going to be me! That is what got them put on in a major way! Show us that you came to change it up and make us like it, then love it, then crave it. We want to hear something different, dance to something different and vibe to something different. If all of you sound the same and have the same swag we can't relate to you. We'll definitely feel as though we heard your story already and won't waste one minute on your song let alone your album or mix tape. 
4. That hook is repetitive. I can't any longer. I just can't. I'm not going to listen over and over to the same thing. It doesn't sound different you didn't change a tone in it at all. All in all, its blah. Then you followed up with the ending sound of the last word in your hook with every word in your verses. Why? What did you do that for? What makes you think its hot? Because it actually sucks! No one is in a rush to throw that song on the ipod. I don't want to ride around my city in my car listening to it on replay. Trust me no one does. 
5. We want to understand you. No one can understand you because we don't know what you're saying. If you are going to introduce us to a new dance, new slang, new trend of dressing then state it in the verse so when you say it in the hook we get it. Ohhhh, oh ok! I see what he was saying now. That's the reaction you'll get from those that are listening to your songs. So make it understandable, pronunciate your words and help us get you and what you're saying. 
6. I hate your beat. Your beat makes me want to throw a chair through the window of a moving car and start a fight with you and your producer. Straight Trash. You don't have to work with a producer because he's your homie or because the beats were free. For starters if the beat is free its not worth it to begin with. If anything is free its not worth it. greatness is going to cost you. So pay up and stop being cheap, unless you're the producer in which case you probably should give that up if all your beats are whack. Or, or you could actually practice making hot beats by going to school for engineering or training with a professional. All of the mentioned helps if it doesn't come to you naturally. (Saving the rest for Volume 3)  
7. Hooks are memorable!!!!! So make it count. Trust me when I tell you that we recall songs by hook first verse second. Unless the verses were waaaaayyy hotter than the hook. But hooks get you remembered in this game. Your hook has got to be deadly from jump. Meaning you have to kill the game with that hook. Just don't let it be your last deadly hook. Be ready to come back at them with hit hook after hit hook. 
8. Guess who is singing your hooks? Grandma, Uncle, Auntie, niece, nephew sometimes ya Momma! If they are singing your hooks you might have a hit. Don't tell them its you just play the song as if you just got a new CD from someone and watch the reaction they give to it. If someone asks you to replay a song its because they want to sing along with the hook. This is the response that you want. Remember these tips and bullet points are for you take into consideration and actually use them. Where else are you going to get this upfront approach?

This concludes the end of Volume Two. Stay posted for more volumes to follow on the topic "Do You Want The Truth or Do You Want Me to Lie to You? For more info on being interviewed, music submission or if you need artist consultation and or image consultation please contact me via info@modebrandhaus.com or blogme@modebrandhaus.com For Album cover designs, flyers, and web/print ad design visit modebrandhaus.com or send email to staffing@modebrandhaus.com

Do You Want The Truth or Do You Want Me to Lie to You? Vol.1

I have recently ran into some Underground Rappers that have grown a chip on their shoulder. My question to these and other rappers like them is this "Why is there a chip on your shoulder?" What do you feel is owed to you? Guess what? No one owes you anything. Work for what you want in this industry. Here are some things for you to take into consideration:

1. I critiqued you. So what. That doesn't mean that you can't get better. Correct whatever I pointed out was wrong with your music, song, image and presentation. Don't take it to heart that I cared enough about you as an artist to point out the things that are holding you back from breaking fully into this industry.
2. Are you aware that maybe you don't understand music arrangement? Because the majority of you don't. You cannot just choose a beat and rap on it. It doesn't work like that. You must understand the instruments in a track. Understand where these instruments fall into play and why they are there. Each sound has a specific reason for being on a track. 
3. Every beat is not for murder and mayhem lyrics and vice versa goes for party, club, conscious, and strip club lyrics as well. Respect the producer and what he has done with a beat. Do not just jump on because you think it can be hot because you're on it. Who told you that? 
4. Yeah I liked one song of yours and not the other. Ok, now you mad at me? Guess what? I don't even care. I truly do not care. It should ring loud with you that I even like that one song. I bet its your best song yet. Do you know how to make an album? Be it mix tape, EP, or full fledged album can you produce a good compilation of work?
5. Do a listening party. Get feedback from people who don't know you and those who are always honest with you. invite a few music journalist from your city to come in and sit with you and listen to your music. That's what they're there for. Utilize them correctly. Don't just run up on a DJ in a club and drop off your music. I don't care if you pay them. You may only get play as long as your paying. What good does that do for you when no one is even dancing to your music?
6. I've noticed something else as well. The lot of you rappers choose to think that if someone from your city makes it in this industry of music they owe you a put on. No sir/ma'am, that thought is inaccurate. No one I mean no one owes you anything. Were you down with them before they blew up? Were you in the same camp? Even then don't expect it. If they come through and pull you up see it as a blessing. But then again are you as an artist worth pulling up? Probably not because you can't take criticism. 
7. Ok its one thing to be hot in your hood but are you hot in your city. If you are hot in your city are you prepared to expand your audience within your State Region? You have to think big but plan small goals in order to achieve the big picture. Small steps lead down the road to big events to occur in your career.

This concludes the end of Volume One. Stay posted for more volumes to follow on the topic "Do You Want The Truth or Do You Want Me to Lie to You?

For more info on being interviewed, music submission or if you need artist consultation and or image consultation please contact me via info@modebrandhaus.com or blogme@modebrandhaus.com

For Album cover designs, flyers, and web/print ad design visit modebrandhaus.com or send email to staffing@modebrandhaus.com