Yo good post 5th! I agree with 100% bro! To expand on my take on a few things...

I definitely think its important as the next generation of hip hop artists that we keep on elevating our music as well. As we all know, the music state as a whole is not even near to where it should be. But its like Kweli said once "Everyday somebody asks me where all the real emcees at. They're underground!" It goes to show that this spirit of hip hop has reverted back to the underground for the most part, where the artists are making music for the love of it and their artform.

I know as a hip hop producer its verrry easy to settle for meritocracy when it comes to making music. To just lay down a beat without going back through your sound library a few dozen times to see what you could add to it. To try and make three basic beats in a day instead of dedicating time to making one dope beat. Good music takes time (IMO)! And when you don't put that time and effort into your craft it is reflected no doubt. One saying I go by is "You get out of it, what you put into it." I've noticed that even the best out there face the same problem of settling for less than what your best is. This subject is actually going to be the main theme of my solo album that is in works (with no end in sight lol), "Quality Over Quantity". Sure it also is a play on the name too, but more importantly it reps that what is mainly lacking into todays hip hop and music in general, is the "quality" of it. There is an endless supply of hip hop out there being made by the pound, but how much of it are you going to want to listen to over and over again?? Will somebody want to listen to your album 5 years from now? Even three years from now? To me, this is ultimately one of the main things I strive for.

Every artist wants to be unique and the best at what they do. Many artists have the talent to take their music another level and become a little well known, but they never achieve that level because they either don't put the effort into it that they could or have the motivation to do so. That is what separates the artists that you listen to on reg, from someone that you listen to once and never listen to again.

Its like 5th said, you gotta be your 1 critic. I actually have a difficult time listening to my own stuff without thinking what I could have done to have made it better. If you want to elevate your music you gotta just put in the work and listen critically to your own stuff.


What have you sacrificed lately? haha everything for the most part. Moving to Florida go to school for recording arts was definitely one of the biggest changes for me personally. But like you 5th, I can't work at restaurant serving tables, cashiering at Wal Mart, or sitting at a desk for the rest of my life. Working 9-5 cashering jobs throughout high school really gave me the insight to do something above that. I chose to pursue this career even though the industry is shitty because this is what I neeeed to do with my life. I can't conform to the industry though and stop producing the music I love, so I want to professionally be a recording/mixing engineer. No doubt I won't be satisfied until I'm doing what I love to do every day for a living.

Lets keep this blog moving! Expand on what keeps you motivated!
 

WELL PUT. You are right on point my friend, you've definitely sacrificed a lot by moving to florida to become an engineer. Senior year in high school I had wanted to do some recording school out in texas and I was ready to move there with a friend of mine. Before that, I hung out with friends when I could but I mainly stayed home (and up hella late) just working on my trade. My beats were whack back then, but I knew what I wanted. I knew what was possible, and I knew the only thing I could do to get there was to stay at it.

Success isn't an accident, and technique can be learned. Through all of that, PERSONAL STYLE can be expressed.

Word up, Big ups to Quality for the dope input.
 

So I saw your bulletin on this and I had to read the whole thing! And to be quite frank, it's how I think I am with a lot of things in my life! To be a producer, it's not just having an over all hot beat! Where the sound is perfect! It's the loop is perfect, the baseline, the snar, the sample....every aspect has to be the BEST that you can possibley come up with! Now that in mind, how do you know what the best is?

Well, think about it! What kind of sound are you going for! To me, to be the best, I'd listen to a Premo, Ayatollah, Khrysis, or Just Blaze joint and then try to improvise on that sound at that time! But at the same time be original, just use them as inspiration! It all would just depend on the mood I was in!

But making anything to the best of you ability just isn't in peoples mind set. You have to understand, a lot of people just do things like production for money and could careless if they actually like the beat or not. To me that's senseless, it's like a body without a soul!
 

"You have to understand, a lot of people just do things like production for money and could careless if they actually like the beat or not."

I think Quality put it best when he said, "Will somebody want to listen to your album 5 years from now? Even three years from now?".

I hear music all the time that just doesn't move me. It may not be terrible, but it's just not exciting to listen to. We ALL know the feeling of hearing a dope track for the first time, because it moves you. So you listen to it again... and maybe even hear something new each time... Realistically, how many underground artists have you listened to the entire song of here on myspace?

I'll make a decision on the first verse, or even the beat if I really am not feeling it. It's just me and what I do, maybe I've missed my share of really dope 2nd verses but I simply don't have the time to sit through a minute of something I'm not interested in to find out. You may be the same way, and the brand new listener who has never heard anything about you will certainly be too.

Thanks for the contribution Kyle!! Lets keep it movin!
 

Alright, so I just spent like 35 minutes writing in this and my laptop just shut off! So pissed!

"I hear music all the time that just doesn't move me. It may not be terrible, but it's just not exciting to listen to."

I know exactly how you feel! It's a never ending battle these days! I'm thinking mostly because listeners like us have heard the best and are just waiting for hotter artists to be found. Unfortunetly that's just not the case with hip-hop. Everyone is so busy going commercial and trying to "make it" that they either lose site of what's really music or they never really cared or had it in the first place!

Now let's look at a few artists! I'm starting with Saigon. Though there has not been an "official" album due to label problems, the man makes great music in my head! One of those reason's would be his producer, Just Blaze. Now I don't care who you are, you have to realize that Just is one of the hottest. And with those two together they just make good ass music, great, if you will. Now look at Ras Kass, lyrics, sick, but the boy wouldn't know a hot beat if it stole his lunch money in 2nd grade. He just can't make good music, period! Now, how about Cormega, he doesn't have one main producer. He has many, he just know's how to pick banger's! No many who the producer is, he pick's beats that go perfect with each track! Now with that being said;

What do ya'll think of Little Brother? I've been a HUGE fan since '05! Did they get dropped from Atlantic? Yes! Did they lose 9th? Yes! But to me they are still on top these days. Tah does his Foriegn Exchange, Pooh does his solo joints as well! But together, I think they make the best shit! Not to mention that most of their hits, except for "Lovin' It" has been made by other producers besides 9th. Mostly Khrysis....that dudes a beast in my eye's!
 

BTW: "What have you sacrificed lately?"

EVERYTHING in my life is dedicated to hip-hop!

The way I make graphics, the way I pick a female, the way I think! My job, EVERYTHING! So I'd say, yes many times in my life I've sacrificed for hip-hop!

Hip-hop is what I am! It's what I feel ALL the time! Hip-Hop is my bestfriend!
 

I don't know if my opinion is the one that you are really looking for... Me playing the role of "Mr. Club DJ" and all, but I think this is an interesting debate.
Every artist you ever encounter is going to be different, and thus have their own different levels of sacrifices, or as we in the game affectionately title it: "HUNGER"... How much do you want it and what are you willing to give up to get it?
However, and unfortunately as it may be, every artist also has their price... Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating or even attempting to justify "Selling Out", but: (and this comment right here might bring a lot of heat down on my head, but if thats the way the fire burns, then call me the ember) you can't tell me that even as a die hard musicologist, a hip hop purist, whatever you want to title yourself (and I'm speaking collectively, not to you 5th) if someone approached you and asked you to make a beat that wasn't exactly your style, but wasn't the complete one 80 of your style, and in return you could guarantee that your mother would ALWAYS be living comfortably, that you wouldn't do that.
Maybe some wouldn't do it, but for me, my family is always going to come first, so I'm going to take care of them no matter what...
Just my little six pence... (had to one up your two cents 5th haha)

-Icepick
 

I see what you're saying, but you may have missed my main point. You're talking about selling out and having your price, I'm talking about "settling-out" -- Being content with not sounding as good as you can.

If your point is that you would rather make quantity over quality in order to feed your family, that is certainly one approach. People are feeding their families off of hard work and elevation too, I mean that's why successful conscious rap artists DO and CAN exist.

You are right on point about different artists wanting success on different levels. All the more reason this blog is important, this is for the artists who can't see themselves doing anything but music for their life and career. If this describes you, settling for anything less than the best you can do and not actively pursuing self improvement will be your own glass ceiling.
 

Thank you for the uplifting writing man. I think you hit this one on the head. I hope that creativity is surrounding you my brother.
Peace
ThRx
 

I agree with what you are saying. I alwasy study artisits that I sample or admire. I listent ot their work and say" What is it about this beat that I like so much?." Usually after 5 to 10 listens I can figure out what is sparking my brain. In terms of money, I belive many artists and producers need to start considering other avenues to get paid using hip hop. For example, my full time job is helping people get out on poverty in the state of wisconsin. I'm orgainizing a college tour that has a cause theme to each show. One show might be about low-income housing, the next may be about cancer, the next HIV, the next about green energy, and so on... I belive in the music but hip hop can be so much more if we all use it the right way. We need to get the younger generation involved with what is going on in our communities & captiol hill. This past election demostrates the power of what we can really do.
 

Dope! Thanks DLO those are great ideas man.

I want to use hip hop to increase awareness on many things. I was a social science major at my university last year (taking a break to get finances in order), but I would love to teach about poverty, sexism, classism, world issues, government, etc through hip hop.

There are things the population aren't fully aware of. Myself as an example, I had heard of many issues in my life but what I didn't know is how much those issues had already affected me, and when I started understanding the depth of everything I was pissed!!

Cool stuff though, we are definitely capable of achieving great things.
 

Most artist can't help but criticize themselves but sometimes you gotta let go of the wheel and see where you drift. Maybe land, maybe water but always life.

it's quite possible to go crazy over perfecting details and ultimately waste time when you can be creating some thing new.
 

well but man... thanks for the word.. Hope you are doing better now. I got your back if you need me or just need to talk..

Big brotha fonik
 

Great post man. Truely inspirational shit right here. I'm always looking to make it that bett, but have never really thought of this scenario before. It's good seeing it in another light. Great stuff man.

-vocab.