Ghostwriter, Hip Hop Artist

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

A: I've recently worked on a project to raise awareness for Cerebral Palsy. That project makes me very proud because it shows that I have the ability to make a positive impact on someone's life even as a songwriter. To know that my client was very pleased with my results and that it would greatly assist them with their campaign really made me happy.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently working on a single for one of my return clients. I can't get into much detail but I'm producing the music and writing the lyrics for it. It has a melancholy vibe with a deep meaningful message with a basic intro, verse, hook, verse, hook, outro format.

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

A: Not at the moment, I'm sure after reviewing the works of my fellow peers/competitors I'll find some talented artists that I'd recommend if I can't provide the service my client desires.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I love the sound of analog gear and older records that were created using analog gear because they feel more warm and easier to listen to at times. Digital sometimes feels too bright for me, even though my recording software and plugins are all digital I use them for the convenience and to keep up to date with the times. In terms of my recording process, digital 100%. It's much easier for me to understand and work with, I've been using digital workstations for most of my life so I think it'd be best for me to stick to that to maintain efficiency in my process.

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

A: I not only promise but I can guarantee that I will provide you with nothing but top notch, quality lyricism that will allow you to compete with artists on a mainstream industry level. I will not rest until you are completely satisfied with my work

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like the fact that I actually love my job! I enjoy songwriting so much that I don't mind working non-stop to provide my clients with quality songs. I love taking the time and coming up with flows, rhyme schemes, punchlines and different writing styles for my clients. Before I became a full time songwriter I was writing music 24/7 for free!

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

A: Customers usually ask me if I can rhyme on specific styles of beats that they usually send to me, or if I can rap using another rappers style. I respond with 'Yes' 99% of the time and I have not disappointed a customer yet. I can guarantee that my clients won't be disappointed because I don't settle until I delivering the work my client is expecting and even more.

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

A: A lot of people believe that I'm just a hip hop artist who charges for features when I'm actually a hip hop artist and songwriter that ghostwrites lyrics for my clients to perform! I don't feature on any projects unless requested by the client.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What made you decide to get into music? Which artists inspire you? What are you going for with your project? Do you have any references to works that inspire you? What are your goals as an artist?

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

A: I would advise all of my potential customers to provide me with as much detail as you possibly can about your project so I can produce the best quality results for you. Don't be afraid to give me a checklist and 20 references, I will review them all and construct a solid body of work for you.

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

A: Desert Island Survival Gear List...for a songwriter 1. Anything that can take notes (notepad, chalkboard etc.) 2. Writing utensil 3. Something that plays different pitches/drum sounds 4. Fresh Water 5. Food

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

A: I've been songwriting for over 15 years and always wanted to venture off into a career as a hip hop artist. I started writing music in my early childhood as a way to cope with whatever stresses I had affecting me at the time. As I grew it became one of my main methods of communication to help people better understand who I am.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I'm a very versatile songwriter, specializing in primarily hip hop music, I would compare myself to a variety of emcees including Jay-Z, Nas, Lupe and Eminem.

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

A: I'd like to work with Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas and many other hip hop legends because they're on the reasons why I continued showing interest in the genre. The way they weave words together and paint pictures is something that I've always worked hard to achieve and can finally do. It's always good to get acquainted with the teachers of anything that you study.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: When you're writing something meaningful sometimes simplicity is the key, whether it's in the songwriting or the music arrangement. Too much loudness isn't a good thing, don't clip the signal too hard when you're recording, especially in the digital world.

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

A: I work primarily on hip hop music, ranging from old school hip hop to modern trap. Although, I have been working with a lot of clients in the electronic field, Drum n Bass, Pop, Dancehall etc.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is definitely songwriting. I've been songwriting for over 15 years, I've used it to vent my frustrations to work out problems to life's many challenges, to share with my peers, songwriting has been a part of me for most of my life and it's grown with me in the process.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I will bring life, charisma, lyricism, style, rhythm and relevance to your song. I understand the key elements that go into making hit songs and the aspects of lyricism that really make it appeal to the listeners ear. I stay up to date with all of the songwriting trends and study a variety of musicians/artists old and new. I can turn your song from good to great, it's what I do.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I take the client's song concept, instrumental and references to styles of music, artists etc. that they want to sound like and then I create a map of their song in my head then translate it to paper soon after. I try to receive as much information as I possibly can about what the client envisions for their project so I can provide them with quality work.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a basic recording setup, great for getting vocals delivered to customers fast. I use a Shure SM7B microphone into a Focusrite ISA One preamp, connected to a ART Pro VLA II compressor all connected to a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface into my computer/laptop.

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

A: I'm inspired by anything that makes me feel emotion. I'm a fan of a wide variety of hip hop, pop, R&B artists from the past and now. I explore music outside of my element as well by many musicians because it helps me expand my abilities and incorporate small aspects of their music elements into my own art.

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

A: I provide a variety of songwriting styles for my clients including hip hop, pop and R&B. I assist my clients with making improvements to the songwriting portions of their projects and developing song concepts. I aim to be the go to for anyone looking to improve the lyrical, structural aspect of their music.