Songwriting For Rappers

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Besides providing services to my clients, I'm currently working on a new album that dives deep into my spiritual journey. It acts as a sort of autobiography.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I enjoy them both! For me, working in modern hip hop production, I typically use all digital. But I do love analog synths and tube outboard gear. The sound of analog just has this magic vibe, and it is about "feel". There is a special ingredient when you use Analog gear. But as the wise say it is all about the person behind the gear!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I first ask what service you would like me to provide. I provide three services. I can either create a song from a beginning concept to a finished product, I can add polish to an existing rough draft of a song, or I can feature on your track for a verse or hook. After clarifying what service you want to purchase, I ask if you could send me the instrumental so I have an idea of the song I'll be working on. Next, I'll ask you if you can fill out a form I created in order to retrieve all of the necessary information to write your song. From there, I'll begin the songwriting process and deliver the lyrics that are molded to fit you.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: My original career path was to become a high school history teacher. However, my love for music took over and I decided to pursue a career in music. I've been writing songs for 6 years now and I've seen so much growth in my artistry as a rapper and songwriter. My goal is to make a full time living coaching students on how to rap and writing songs for other artists' projects.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I would like to work with Lecrae because I relate to and find his music inspirational.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When writing your song, the first thing I do is listen to the instrumental you send to let it really move me and speak to me. I want the instrumental to tell me a piece of your story that I can write about. Once I have a good idea of what your song is about, I break down the song structure to figure out what room I have to play with when creating the song. From there, I write a storyboard and figure out what parts of your story I will include in each component of the song. Once the storyboard is completed, I start working on the hook and determine whether the hook needs to be rhythmic (rapping), melodic (singing), or a little bit of both. I start scatting to the instrumental to see what will sound right with the beat. I begin putting words together with the cadences I've come up with and try to make it all fit with the theme of your song. This might take as little time as thirty minutes and up to two hours creating the hook depending on how complex it is. If I feel good about the hook, I move on to writing the verses, focusing on different aspects of your concept when writing each verse. I want each verse to be unique yet still connect with the hook to maintain the uniformity throughout the song. Writing rap songs is a delicate balance of focusing on the lyrics/rhyme schemes, flow, and delivery, making sure they all work together in unison to make a great song. After finishing the rough draft of your song, I will go back and edit the hook, verses, or other parts of the song as needed. Once I feel it is ready, I will send it back to you so you can enjoy it and record it yourself. Then, you can send it off to a professional mixing engineer who will give the song the attention it deserves. It's going to turn out dope! That is just a little insight into my typical work process.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: The most common type of work I do for my clients is to take their concept and write a song from scratch. I create a song that is unique to them and communicates their story in an interesting, innovative way.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: People say I have the hair of Macklemore and the inspirational feel his music, an eclectic flow that draws inspiration from the likes of NF and Logic, and the storytelling characteristics of Kendrick Lamar in albums like good kid, m.A.A.d city.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: I would recommend Cole Mize to my clients. He is a man that wears many hats when it comes to the music industry. He is a rapper, a producer, a mixing engineer, a songwriting coach, and an artist development coach. He has more than 15 years of experience as a rapper and you can truly benefit from working with him.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: The question most customers commonly ask me is how long does it take to get good at rapping? I would say that largely depends on you as a rapper and the time and money you are willing to invest into your craft. If you are willing to invest in yourself to learn the fundamentals of rapping and spend 2 to 3 hours a day applying what you are learning, you will develop rapidly. However, if you spend a couple hours here and there practicing, you are not going to grow significantly as an artist. You have to be willing to put in the effort in order to make it to the next level. It is also wise to work with a songwriting coach so you can develop as a efficiently as possible. They can guide you in areas where you are struggling and have trouble improving. It is possible to be a great rapper but it depends on your work ethic and resourcefulness.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: I personally love the gear I'm already working with so I would take my Macbook Pro with Logic Pro X, a Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 USB audio interface, a CM25 large diaphragm condenser microphone, a Kaotica Eyeball, and HP60 closed-back headphones.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I use a MacBook Pro with Logic Pro X, a Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 USB audio interface, a CM25 large diaphragm condenser microphone, a Kaotica Eyeball, HP60 closed-back headphones, and an M-Audio Keystation 88 midi keyboard.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Before writing any song, I create a storyboard detailing what I will talk about in the song arrangement. I do this to add structure to the songwriting process and to know how to navigate the instrumental. This is a fundamental part of writing lyrics in the music production process.

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I'm especially proud of the track I have featured on my profile called, "Walking in the Rain". I meticulously constructed the lyrics to the song and put a lot of time and effort into bringing that experience to life. I was the songwriter, rapper, and singer on the track.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I promise you will receive a song you love in a timely manner and that you will be included in every part of the songwriting process. I promise to communicate promptly and professionally so you can receive your song according to your schedule.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love creating music that people can be proud to share with their fans, family, and friends. I enjoy incorporating their input into a piece that truly reflects them.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: People misconceive that rappers aren't as talented as other artists or musicians because they don't have play and perform an instrument while performing. Some people think that rappers aren't truly musicians because they're not using an instrument. However, those people don't realize that rap lyrics actually mimic the percussive elements of drums and have to mesh well with the percussion of any song. Rapping also gets very technical because a rapper has to balance cadences, lyrics, and delivery. It's like putting a puzzle together figuring out where each piece belongs.

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: My advice for you as an artist is to work smart and work hard. I took my songwriting abilities to the next level by working hard but I also worked smart by collaborating with a songwriting coach to develop my craft. Try to learn as much as you can from other artists who have matured in the skills you want to learn. They can save you from making a lot of the same mistakes they've made.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I usually work on hip hop tracks and help artists develop their rapping abilities from beginner or intermediate to the next level.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is my ability to string complex stories together. I pay close attention to detail and make sure that all of the vital aspects of a story are communicated throughout a song.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring the passion and the details of a story to life through intricate cadences, complex rhyme schemes, and animated delivery. I tap into your creativity to make a track that is unique to your personality.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: My biggest inspiration as an artist is NF. I love the raw, aggressive energy he puts in his music as well as his sincere, heartfelt lyrics. I also love the cinematic, epic feel of NF's instrumentals created by his producer Tommee Profitt.