#Jay Z Type Beat

[jacobthewilliam]

(via https://youtube.com/watch?v=8LB6a6Qv8oo&feature=share)

[gallowaybeatz]

(FREE) Jay-Z Type Beat "The Look" Hip Hop Type Beat | Prod. Galloway Beatz

[euryvices]

after exclusively listening to rap music for almost three days, here are my thoughts (a beginners guide to the culture from a beginner herself) + a playlist of recs <3

if you start reading this, please please read till the end (and maybe reblog with suggestions as i'm still new here.) this is (maybe?) a guide for other people who are outside of the hiphop culture, but who still get affected by it and it's fluctuations. (tags at the end, playlist at the end, most of my thoughts at the end.) disclaimer - i have not slept or showered in the three days it took for the preparation of this, whatever it may become. this is all my adrenaline rush and black coffee talking. may my opinions piss you off. godspeed.

hiphop, the term often interchangeably used with the term rap, is actually more than just rap and the inculcation of it. there are four elements to hiphop, which exists as a broadly classifying term for the culture inherited by the people of color who lived in a specific area of america, the bronx. they are :- rapping (or MCing), deejaying (or turntabling), grafitti paintings (or tagging) and b-boying (or break-dancing). But I believe there's a fifth element - the interpersonal connections formed with the knowledge transpired, as the legend DJ Afrika Bambaataa once stated.

before we get to the explanation of the last one though, let's talk about the first sub-culture - rap. rapping is the figure-head of hiphop culture, with more than 12.8% of people worldwide listening to rap. it's a subculture that's based in the bronx, but has travelled so far that today, there are indian rappers, slovakian rappers, etc.

nothing beats a good beat and soul-poetry, which is rap. (shoutout to the producers and the music arrangers who make the music pop. these are the people that are the backbone of the industry.)

coming to the part where i become opinionated : before we understand the culture, let's understand the types of people involved in hiphop culture, starting with the rappers.

the archetypes of rappers : 1. the zeus : this refers to the proud type of rapper, whose talent trumps their behavior, but in several instances fails to see the errors of their ways. rap is very competitive, but these rappers refuse to be humbled (jay-z did slowly find vulnerability after the birth of his daughter, but his legacy remains to be cool ego). they canonically have a lot of ego and have been put on a pedestal by their followers, who form a sacred sort of club around them. it's not even a bad thing, but from an outsiders perspective it can make them feel unreachable, or terrifying - like the lord of the skies, zeus. examples for this can be :

2. the white flag : these rappers are honestly my favorite type. they have too much love and serenity to engage in rap beef*, and they continue spitting bars while finding the serenity of life in every thing. it could be because they value their own peace, or because other rappers know it would be curtains if they beefed with them. either way, they mostly stay unbothered and just...do what they love. some examples are :

(*when i say beef here, its strictly restricted to diss tracks against other rappers)

3. the shakespeares : rappers that write like their hands are dipped in god's blood. these fine lyricists make rap what it is, make the genre what it is. they may also fall under another category, "the zealots" as their words stem from a place of anger, love, hatred, mutiny - strong feelings that invoke strong feelings. while some other rappers don't care about the lyrics (see, "the blue balls") these rappers are all about a message they need to bring to the table. some examples are :

they are called lyrical rappers.

4. the rabid dogs : while the title of this archetype sounds rude, it's definitely not. these rappers are the ones that, while similar to "the shakespeares", write their own tracks but are also out for blood. they have looked into the light unblinking, and then gone for a coffee run. frankly, they terrify me and they should terrify you too - but the respect for them is unparalleled. they are the underdogs/rabid dogs/obstinate toothed rappers that fuel the competitive streak rap needs. some examples are :

they are also called hardcore rappers. *

5. the zealots : these rappers were actually my first introduction to the genre. very similar to "the rabid dogs" and "the shakespeares", these rappers can sometimes be full of blood-lust, or sometimes write very soul moving pieces. it all depends on the day. they have a strong message they want the world to hear. and hear we do. "the zealots" often talk about growing pains and the impact their upbringing has had in their art. their hearts and souls contain what the rap movement embodies - freedom, and the quest for it. some examples are :

they are also called conscious rappers.* some gangsta rap* also falls under this category.

6. the blue balls : some people are good at conflicts, but others are definitely not. these are rappers that are good, but would not know how to release a diss track if the manual came and read itself aloud to them. they are the exact opposite of "the rabid dogs", whose tracks are native to their fighting spirit. these rappers on the other hand, release good tracks but cannot handle confrontation, especially when faced with an opponent who has better aim than them.* some examples are :

(*this refers ONLY to specific instances of the rappers career and is not an overall view of their art. but if a rapper is unable to respond properly to any sort of confrontation, they don't get any of my respect and fall under this category)

7. the slammers : admittedly, when i'd heard the truth about specific rappers my father used to listen to, or my friends listen to, i'd recoil in shock. "the slammers" are the type of rappers that should be/are in jail for horrific crimes against the human condition. i don't mean of the small kind, such as possessing drugs, etc. etc, i mean truly terrible crimes. you can argue that "oh, separate the art from the artist" but with rap, a genre based on the culture and the self, can you really do that? personally, i don't believe it can be done, and no, this isn't an invitation to argue over the semantics. that being said, some of their music truly does hit, even though i wish they didn't.

don't even want to call them examples, but they are :

8. the beat bottoms : i love these rappers within an inch of my soul. while a lot of conscious rap is based on knowledge of the self, these rappers are their antithesis. their music is all about the flow, how the vibes make you feel. lyrics aren't the main concern here, but that's all good - it's about providing your soul a reprieve from the more hard-hitting stuff. some of them even add autotune and make the music soothing. all in all, super catchy stuff. some examples are :

they are also called melodic rappers. *

9. the artemis : stereotypically, rap (as far as i've consumed) has been dominated by men in the industry. this category of rapper refers to the women in the industry who either play by the rules, or break free of them. it's hard to beat a person at their years-of-patriarchal institution. it's also true that while some of these rappers do not essentially fit the bill of what good rap (to me) must be, there is no doubt that there's more need for women in the rap game. one of the first female rappers signed was only able to hit a minor success, despite the songs being gold. nowadays, we see an upward trend with women in rap, and female representation in the rap genre, but as far as i can see, there doesn't seem to be many women in the conscious stream of rap. some lovely examples are :

10. the clowns : saving the most hated for last, this type of rapper is the kind that tends to lie. a lot. it could be about their ghostwriters, or their surgeries, or things in general. while some of their music is indisputably good, it is not as thought-provoking as "the shakespeares", nor as inspired as "the zealots". they have all the ego of the zeus" archetype and all the guts of "the bad bitches" archetype, but none of the talent behind it. however, the issue isn't the lack of deep lyrics, its the lying to the public eye, or actively harming the culture. these fodder rappers are necessary to create adversity in the movement. their main difference from "the blue balls" is in the fact that they are disingenuous & harmful. disappointments are :

to summarize :

now, what exactly are the different types of rap?

oldies : these are institutional hits, the types of songs that pop off even today. some of these raps deserve jail time for the way they absolutely slap.

grannies : rap that doesn't have substance, beat or...anything, really. these raps are (in my opinion) an absolute snooze fest. granny panties vibes. 10/10, would not recommend. if these raps were a hoop, i'd set the court on fire. there's nothing i hate more than uninspired, stupid music.

melodic : this kinda rap provides rest when you listen to a lot of conscious stuff, or if you're super into the sound and not the message this is right up your alley. melodic rappers are godsend, as they combine the two opposing worlds of fast-paced lyricism, and good, soul-soothing music.

hardcore : the people that rap hardcore are crazy. there, i said it. these raps are fast-paced, they are vicious, they are reminiscent of that feeling you get when you're in a coma and your heart speeds up cause someone put poison in your drip bag. it's my favorite type of rap, after conscious rap.

conscious : i love this kind of rap. it has meaning, it has soul. it looks into your house and tells you what's wrong and how to fix it. conscious rap has been the driving force of so much change, personally in my life, and overall in the dynamics of the movement.

mumble : personally, this is the type of rap i loathe the most. i get it, you love playboi carti, but i am a lyrical girlie. if i don't get the lyrics, i am prone to not particularly fucking with a song. no disrepect to carti, i love some of his work (as soon as genius comes out with the lyrics). as mother gothel said, "bitch stop mumbling"

chopper : think hardcore rap but doing bench presses on speed x2. sometimes i wonder if these chopper rappers have lungs or they can just perform osmosis through their skin.

drill : this is a relatively new type of rap that surfaced only in/around the 2000's. it's like if gangsta rap had a different type of flow, something i can't put a name to. some of this kinda rap makes me sick, some of this kinda rap makes me want to lock & pop.

whatever the fuck those uk dudes be doing : imma be very honest, i have no idea wtf any uk rappers are except central cee. after maybe sleeping for a day, and showering, im going to actively start listening to more uk rappers (probably). so far, i understand uk rap to be based off the jamaican immigrants style of rap, a few bands and also dance?

gangsta rap : this is the type of rap i cannot begin to comprehend as someone very, very alien to the gang culture of america. i can say though, that some of the records under this type of rap are goddamn terrifying and give me an adrenaline rush.

if you've read this far, you're probably wondering what exactly "the movement" is, that i've been referring to for more than half of this written blog. so let's go back in time.

back in the '70's and 80's, block parties became a thing in america. in 1964, a historic act called the "Passage of Civil Rights" allowed african-american people to actually fight back in case of discrimination based on color. but, the seeds and stems of racism still existed at the time. black people, who had arrived onto america as slaves as you've probably read, were forced into the margins of society by the continuous hindrance they faced because of white people. they weren't even allowed into the same schools and given a level playing field in the first place! it was terrible, and wrong. and a lot of the children of that era found the inequality to be preposterous and as a result, they met up and started creating music, or dancing, or simply talking about it.

if you wonder why hiphop hadn't started before that, think about it. in a land like usa where white people and police used to be considered the upper echelons of right and justice, who used to target black americans and use them as scapegoats - do you really believe a bunch of black people before 1964 would feel safe enough to hangout publicly and just jam? it's another thing ofc that these pioneers didn't really care about that at the time and were more focused on getting their anger out - creating art from hate.

we've talked enough about the rappers and rap. now, let's go back to the tenets.

DJ Afrikaa Bambaataa, who was one of the most well-known DJ's of his time, said knowledge was one of the main pillars of hiphop, and I believe he's right. Almost every song I've heard thus far that absolutely embodies the culture is steeped in wisdom. the genre is essentially passed down from generation to generation. this creates interpersonal relationships in the rap industry that are like no other. ofc, gangs also create interpersonal relationships in the rap industry as the two are also intermixed, but i would like to idealistically believe that many rappers bond over the message they want to send out to the younger generations, the legacy they will leave. not to say that hiphop and rap were always about gangs. the origins of hiphop were to stop drug use and gang violence i believe, but as the movement changed so did the message. the power of rap went from the masses to the the people who controlled them, as does every other sphere in life.

but that doesn't mean rap has lost it's edge. it's very much a competitive field, with each rap artist trying to out-rap the other. the competition is what creates a forum to diversify ideas, maintain the standard of rap, ensure the best came out of every artist's work, and shine light upon the on-ground issues in america. but over the past few years we've seen a dynamic change. something even a newbie like me can pick up on.

the mainstream has almost always been populated by white artists and white art. this is the case in every field of life, not just rap. while sugarhill rap gang did put rap in the mainstream in america, it wasn't until eminem came around that hiphop became a staple, an actual mainstream. he opened the doors for a whole new set of rap listeners - the white american majority.

it's not surprise that there are more white people in america than black people. 61.6% of people in america according to the 2020 census identified as white alone. rap, being a musical genre that is ethnically tied with the african-american community of america, did not obviously appeal to the white masses at first. but then, as the culture shifted and the doors to rap opened, there came about so many casual listeners that were white people. nothing wrong with that, until rappers started to cater to the white audience instead of doing their own thing.

i firmly believe you should never, EVER forsake your art for the sake of your audience. rap is about the ghettos. it is about people from marginalized sides of america and the struggles of it. it is not fodder for edgy teenage white boys who want to say the n-word while you rap it. if you're a white person, or a poc like me, or any slightly privileged person listening to rap, it's important to remember that this is not your culture. no matter what you do, even if you drown yourself in black paint and play into stereotypes, you will never be a part of the culture. you can aid the movement. you can donate to blm charities. you can relate to the songs. but you can never say that you are a black person. i can't believe i have to actively say this. but there are so many desi men who feel comfortable using the n-word in a derogatory way just because they are hidden behind a phone screen.

moreover, unless you share the life experiences of the people for whom rap is actually ABOUT, then you don't have the right to call yourself an actual rap artist. i'll say it again - rap and the african-american community in the u.s is intrinsically linked.

just like how indians have bollywood music/our own classical music, brazillians have samba, russians have kalinka, etc. etc, rap music is native TO black people. this is exactly why artists like drake, who not only used his blackness as a persona and refused to accept his white side, was taken down for his disingenuity.

an issue i find within rap though, is the hypersexualization of female bodies and how that affects female rappers. you don't see many mainstream conscious female rappers, because most female rappers have to sell their image via their sexuality. and overall, the treatment of women associated with rappers is questionable sometimes. as we progress as a society though, im hoping that all this will settle.

enough of my silly yapping though. here's a playlist. it's been arranged in the order of each artist showcased in this list, then the recommendations i got from this post, and then a few songs i just vibe with.

thank you for reading this post. for all the people that genuinely want to understand rap properly. im proud of you. understanding a genre not native to you is a different experience, but to see african-american culture - the strongholds of a community that has survived after some of the most horrific times, only through the power of their steadfastness and sense of community - you can't help but feel a swell of respect. maybe that's all we really need to understand.

thank you @staaapler, @need-a-name-101, @marblebees, @honeyppie, @thelazaruscomplex, @skullinahat, @salthat, @unihumanitia, @nicknova6, @stopitbahis and @samtalksmusic for the recs. im going to pass out

[weluvsosa]

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐀 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐉𝐀𝐌!

synopsis # what music i think the jjk cast would listen to

characters # gojo , megumi , nanami , getou

GOJO

i’m a firm believer that gojo is a big fan of raunchy female rap

megan thee stallion, cupcakke, flo milli, city girls, etc

something about hearing women scamming dudes, fucking once and leaving, and taking girls man’s will always do it for him.

definitely knows all the lyrics to deepthroat, it’s his go-to song whenever he’s in the car with nanami

there’s a 95% chance you’ll probably walk in on him singing “boy this pussy talk english, spanish, and french”

he’s probably picked megumi up from school blasting “my neck, my back” and megumi was just like 🙎🏻‍♂️

MEGUMI

i see a lot of these and they’re like “he’d be so into clairo” and “his favorite artist is definitely joji”

LMAOAOAOAOAO

this boy is a MENACE okay?

playlist most definitely filled with nba youngboy , chief keef , comethazine , etc

like you’d see him wearing his headphones and studying and he’d look so peaceful and ethereal

little do you know “GANG SHIT, BLOW YO BRAIN BITCH, WHO YOU PLAYIN WIT?!” is blasting in his ears.

i feel like he has his moments where he would probably listen to some j cole too

although you’ve walked in on him bopping his head to taylor swift

NANAMI

nanami, the love of my life.

he isn’t really the type to listen to music fr

but when he does, he’s always putting on some 90’s music

tupac , aaliyah , mariah carey , eazy-e , etc

sigh. just imagine waking up early in the morning and coming downstairs to see him cooking breakfast while playing “no scrubs”

i feel like he secretly enjoys listening to raunchy rap with gojo lowkey, like on the outside he would be like “would you turn this off?”

but he would be tapping his foot to the beat and singing along in his head

GETOU

smh.

getou would listen to that toxic and male manipulative music

brent faiyaz , drake , future , the weeknd , bryson tiller , 6lack , etc.

thinks of himself as a “toxic king”

i feel like “heartless” by the weeknd would be his anthem.

him and mahito would bump heads all the time because getou would be like “she means nothing, i can get 100 more”

and mahito’s just like “you’re not future!!! love your girl”

but whenever he’s not thinking that he’s a city boy i can see him rappers that have deeper meanings to their songs (kendrick lamar , j cole , jay z)

and he’d be so annoying talking about “you’ll never hear this song like how i hear it, i understand what he’s saying on a deeper meaning”

[jknerd]

DISNEY STUDIO AU: Barby

(Genderbend Robert “Bobby” Zimmeruski~)

Full Name: Roberta Zimmeruski

Other Names: Barby Z, Barby

Schools: Mike Jay Middle School (graduated), Spooner Public High School (graduated), Oswald College of Arts/Music/Sports

Occuaption(s): X-Game Competitor (Maxine’s team), Student

Residence: Spoonerville, Ohio

Family: Mr. Zimmeruski (father), Mrs. Zimmeruski (mother), uncles and aunts, 10 cousins

Relationships: Maxine Goof (best friend), PJ Pete (best friend), Stanley Ampledexter (potential love-interest), Rox Hatchback (friend), The Gammas (rivaling team->occasionally friends), Fabrette Lewis (friend)

Likes: Cheeses, nacho chips, games, inline skating, MMA sports

Dislikes: Giving up, the Gammas’ entitled behaviors, Bradley’s arrogance

Abilities/Talents: Casual sports, fair sportsmanship, graffiti arts, language of Polish and Hebrew

Roberta “Barby” Zimmeruski is Maxine’s one of two best friends from same schools through their teenage years to current young adult years. Well-known with her obsession with all types of cheese, she is usually seen eating anything that has cheese in it. From Jewish-Polish descent, she can speak Polish or Hebrew fluently, but usually when communicating with her family members. 

She was first introduced in her, PJ and Maxine’s teenage years, quickly befriending them as she finds their love for casual sports as same as she does. Being one of the girls who were not considered feminine, she wasn’t in a popular crowd but always seen exhausted when dealing with the girls who have huge infatuations or admirations towards Maxine. When noticing Rox and Maxine shares same romantic feelings for one another yet unable to express them, Barby and PJ would often come up with plans to set them up. Being a most “chaotic” of trio, Barby is also not afraid to throw hands on whoever messes with her friends. Being one of few who is aware of Maxine’s identity as celebrity’s daughter, she and PJ are often seen teaming up to prevent anyone to find out the secret or chases out stalker/paparazzi who would have an audacity to sneak in Maxine’s house. In summer vacation, Barby was invited to Stanley’s house party to watch Powerline Concert Life pay-per-view and when seeing Maxine and her father danced with Powerline, she was one of the students cheering for her friend, but interrupted when bumping onto Stanley as they share brief but intense eye contact, foreshadowing a possibility of romance between them.

Years later as high school graduate bound for college, Barby, PJ and Maxine were preparing for the college, especially the upcoming X-Game. When departing, she drove to the college while PJ and Maxine were navigating. Despite the chaotic routes, they managed to arrive and Barby shared a same dorm room with Maxine. During the first day of college skating around the campus, they grabbed the attention of the X-Games champion team/Fraternity; “the Gammas”. Although, their leader Bradley was more interested in recruiting Maxine. When Maxine rejected the offer, two teams formed an immediate rivalry. Later, she expressed confusion and surprise to see Goofy as their instructor in “Entertainment Business” and “Performing Arts”. During fierce confrontation between Maxine and Bradley, Barby was prone to beat up the Gammas when Bradley insulted Goofy as they laughed, but impressed when Maxine retaliated with aggression causing to destroy Bradley’s shirt, and confusion when Bradley escaped the scene in fear. She expressed joy to see Rox and Stanley attending same college, but at the same time VERY amused with how the relationship of Maxine goes when it comes to Rox, Monroe and Bradley. In the X-game competition, Barby was excelled in rock-climbing and inline-skating as she managed to pass to the finals. During the final, she was out of the game due to the malfunctioning of the bicycle but seen in the infirmary later. Soon, she aided Goofy and others in helping Maxine, Bradley and Tank out of the burning blimp due to the scheme of Mr. Uppercrust and eventually congratulated Maxine’s victory. Along with Maxine, PJ and the Gammas, she was seen glaring at Mr. Uppercrust as Goofy calls him out for endangering others and chose his greed over his son’s safety. Although Gammas struggle with their declining popularity, Barby initially refuse to associate with them until she was assigned in partnership for the course’s project with one of the Gammas team named Thomas Churman. Later, Barby became open about interacting or befriending the Gammas as she witness a growing reformation of the team.

Other than cheese, as Barby aged, she loves to drink and is highly tolerant with the alcohols. During the party, Barby was seen winning a drinking contest against three BEST members who were known for strong drinker; Tank, Slouch and Thomas, as they were either no longer able to drink or passed out. Sometimes, she is also seen watching the MMA sports show with them.

[randomvarious]

Today’s compilation:

Now That's What I Call Music! 2 1999 Alternative Rock / Adult Contemporary / Pop-Rock / Teen Pop / Pop / R&B / Hip Hop

Back with another dispatch from the early run of the US' Now That's What I Call Music!, with the second installment from this gargantuan, neverending series. Take yourself all the way back to 1999 with this great ad for it!

Now, I definitely have not kept up with Now for a long while, but as a series that's known for repackaging huge chart hits on CD, I think this might have been its most unique volume of all, because a lot of these songs did not end up charting all that high in the US—at least not on Billboard's Hot 100—and a number of them actually fared far, far better in the UK, which is where Now originated from, with its first ever release dating back to 1983.

A prime example here is Robbie Williams' great pop hit, "Millennium." Williams is regarded as an absolute pop superstar in the UK, but he's only charted twice as a solo act on the Hot 100 in the US, and both of those singles have failed to reach the top 50. This one, which pairs recreated dreamy strings from James Bond's You Only Live Twice theme with a hip hop-type backbeat, only made it to #78, but it was a #1 hit across the pond! And I think outside of all that well-made, Swedish-produced teen pop/boy band fare, this one very well might've been the best pure pop song of the entire late 90s. The use of those epic Bond strings smacks of The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" too, which certainly suggests that there's something about Brits and those damn strings.

And another #1 UK smash that didn't do nearly as well in the States was Fatboy Slim's irresistible big beat summer classic, "Praise You," which sampled from a lot of different places, including a Disney disco record, a JBL test album to get those iconic keys, Steve Miller Band, the Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids theme, and a song by Chicagoan Camille Yarbrough called "Take Yo' Praise," from which Fatboy Slim took the lyrics. There was a whole undercurrent of this big beat stuff that was coursing through a lot of our commercials and movie and video game soundtracks back then, led by acts like Fatboy Slim himself, the Chemical Brothers, and The Prodigy. But it never went super mainstream like it did in the UK. Fatboy Slim's singles only charted twice in the US on the Hot 100, and "Praise You" was the best-performing one, making it to #36.

By the way, I have a really killer turn-of-the-millennium-type summer playlist on Spotify that has a bunch of songs like "Praise You" on it. It's called "An Endless Capri Sun or Juicyfruit or Starburst Commercial From Like the Summer of 2002," which will hopefully give you an idea of the type of vibe that I was trying to channel with it. God, I love that sun-shining big beat stuff!

And color me surprised to hear Jay-Z on here, because until 2001, Now pretty much seemed to purposely go out of its way to avoid hip hop altogether. I guess it makes sense though, since the music usually has explicit themes, and these albums are typically targeted at kids. But they really just couldn't help themselves when it came to Jay-Z's first real, true breakout hit in "Hard Knock Life" here. Mark the 45 King's novel sampling of the song of the same name from Annie made this one feel very kid-friendly and fun to sing along to, despite the numerous lyrics that had to be censored from it to get it on radio in the first place. Funny, though, that in a very American 90s way, and in a pre-onset-of-mass-shootings era, that they'd let a line like, "when my situation ain't improvin', I'm tryina’ murder everything movin'" slide through without any kind of edit. I mean, if they're playing this song on radio now, I'm thinking that that line gets hit with some kind of sound effect. But it didn't in '98 and '99, and that feels pretty remarkable in hindsight, especially since hip hop verses were constantly censored on radio, MTV, and BET, so much so that some songs felt like the track was getting jammed up at certain points 😅.

So, honestly, this might be the most unique release that Now ever put out in its main US series, as it seems to be the volume that's the least concerned with overall chart success among its selections. It still comes with some staples you'd expect, from Britney's "...Baby One More Time" to Everclear's "Father of Mine," effectively running a small radio gamut from the poppiest of pop to the most banal of alternarock, but acts like Robbie Williams, Fatboy Slim, Garbage, and even Cake are on here, and as an entity that's chiefly known for presenting the *biggest* pop hits of the day, those are probably some names that you wouldn't typically expect to be on a US release from this series.

And it closes with that odd Baz Luhrmann spoken-word advice column about wearing sunscreen that you might have totally forgotten about too. That one's probably the most ephemeral song of all on here; the ultimate entry in any sort of 'only 90s kids will remember these songs' type of list.

Hopefully you get a sweet memory-jogged nostalgia rush from some of these other songs I didn’t make mention of.

Highlights:

Britney Spears - "...Baby One More Time" New Radicals - "You Get What You Give" Robbie Williams - "Millennium" Semisonic - "Closing Time" U2 - "The Sweetest Thing (Single Mix)" Fatboy Slim - "Praise You (Radio Edit)" Garbage - "I Think I'm Paranoid" Cake - "Never There" 98° - "Because of You" Mýa & Blackstreet feat. Ma$e & Blinky Blink - "Take Me There" Everclear - "Father of Mine" Sublime - "What I Got (Clean Version)" Backstreet Boys - "I'll Never Break Your Heart" Jay-Z - "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (Edit)" Baz Luhrmann - "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) (Edit)"

[caltropspress]

RAPS + CRAFTS #19: AJ Suede

1. Introduce yourself. Past projects? Current projects?

Suede God. Do your homework on my double digits of projects. 

2. Where do you write? Do you have a routine time you write? Do you discipline yourself, or just let the words come when they will? Do you typically write on a daily basis?

I write any and everywhere when inspiration strikes. I get some of my best work done on public transportation. In the past, I've written my best hooks on the drives to and from jobs. Nowadays, it’s more about atmosphere than location.

3. What’s your medium—pen and paper, laptop, on your phone? Or do you compose a verse in your head and keep it there until it’s time to record?

Notes pad but not limited to that. If I could, I’d do the Jay-Z thing and memorize bar-for-bar, but at this point I just write everything down so I don’t forget.

4. Do you write in bars, or is it more disorganized than that?

I write in ways that are more like mathematical equations. Time signatures, iambic pentameter, and rhyme schemes I vaguely remember from smoking before my 10th grade English class in the Shakespeare unit. That mixed with the fundamentals. It’s all math. 

5. How long into writing a verse or a song do you know it’s not working out the way you had in mind? Do you trash the material forever, or do you keep the discarded material to be reworked later?

Complicated question because even the “bad” stuff can be repurposed when it’s in season. Some of the bars might not flow because of time and place, but that’s always subject to change and vice versa.

6. Have you engaged with any other type of writing, whether presently or in the past? Fiction? Poetry? Playwriting? If so, how has that mode influenced your songwriting?

There are things that I want to do, but I don’t wanna say preemptively. I’d rather show if I end up being serious about it.

7. How much editing do you do after initially writing a verse/song? Do you labor over verses, working on them over a long period of time, or do you start and finish a piece in a quick burst?

I don’t often edit verses, but the longest part of all the album processes are the mix and master. Especially for the self-produced projects.

8. Do you write to a beat, or do you adjust and tweak lyrics to fit a beat?

There’s no right answer. Every song and beat combination requires different things. I do prefer to write to a beat 90% of the time, but sometimes you unlock new pockets when you write in silence and puzzle piece it together.

9. What dictates the direction of your lyrics? Are you led by an idea or topic you have in mind beforehand? Is it stream-of-consciousness? Is what you come up with determined by the constraint of the rhymes?

No comment. Can’t demystify the whole process.

10. Do you like to experiment with different forms and rhyme schemes, or do you keep your bars free and flexible?

Anything goes based on what the beat demands. I like to be like water; my style is similar to Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. It’s a mixture of all the fundamentals, but I assume formlessness based on the musical situation. The stronger the foundation, the more flows and schemes you have access to. It’s just a matter of where and when each style is going to present itself.

11. What’s a verse you’re particularly proud of, one where you met the vision for what you desire to do with your lyrics?

I love all my kids, but always proud of the verse that I haven’t written yet. That will be the best one every time.

12. Can you pick a favorite bar of yours and describe the genesis of it?

I wholeheartedly wish I could. I’ll leave that to the people.

13. Do you feel strongly one way or another about punch-ins? Will you whittle a bar down in order to account for breath control, or are you comfortable punching-in so you don’t have to sacrifice any words?

Yes, I do feel strongly about punch-ins. I will restart a whole verse before I allow myself to punch-in. I can always hear the punch-in, even on other artists' songs. If you have to punch-in a million times, your live show is going to be a disaster. Punch-in artists often perform with their vocals playing over the instrumental. A real lack of breath control. If you’re doing it from an artistic standpoint, call-and-response etc., I understand. 

14. What non-hiphop material do you turn to for inspiration? What non-music has influenced your work recently?

I would be here all day. I love a lot of music.

15. Writers are often saddled with self-doubt. Do you struggle to like your own shit, or does it all sound dope to you?

I’ve spent less time with self-doubt than most others, but it is a very natural feeling. I believe in what I can do and I’m validated by most of our favorite rappers, so I know I’m dope.

16. Who’s a rapper you listen to with such a distinguishable style that you need to resist the urge to imitate them?

ABSOLUTELY NOBODY. We all start off similar in one way or another from childhood influences, but I been in the game a long enough time that my rap DNA is 100% my own.

17. Do you have an agenda as an artist? Are there overarching concerns you want to communicate to the listener?

I just want to make the best music and let that speak for itself. I don’t have any concerns in the rap world. I just want to make a living off the music and take care of my own. 

RAPS + CRAFTS is a series of questions posed to rappers about their craft and process. It is designed to give respect and credit to their engagement with the art of songwriting. The format is inspired, in part, by Rob McLennan’s 12 or 20 interview series.

Photo credit: unknown (hit me up)

[chicknparm]

#3 for Spotify wrapped mini essays!

3. 327 - Westside Gunn, Joey Bada$$, and Tyler, the Creator

I've got a soft spot for rap with really elegant, lush production like this, but it's always make-or-break with how the rappers handle the contrast with the delicate instrumental. All three guys nail it here, I think.

Westside Gunn has a very love it or hate it style, and luckily I love it. I love the ad-libs, I love his voice, I love how smoothly he plays with the beat rhythmically. He has the kind of flow you can't help but bob your head to. He rhymes about shootouts and selling coke, Louis Vuitton vests, New Balance sneakers, and keeping guns in his Mercedes. There's the contrast I mentioned, the grimy and the elegant. Rick Ross made it work with his booming voice talking about Aston Martins, and Gunn sneers with enough conviction to make his machine gun ad-libs feel right at home with luxury fashion.

Joey Bada$$ takes a different approach and reflects on his adjustment to wealth and success, juxtaposing nights spent partying with moguls like Diddy and Jay-Z, with the days when he would get kicked out of school for smelling like weed. He also has a hilarious ad-lib following up the line "I went to school high, forgot to pick up my diploma" with "I was hiiiiiiigh" in an almost whiney tone. It's great. Also "I'm retiring the jewels...I mean it's usual. Everything that's new to you be the type of shit I'm used to" is a hell of a boast for such a relatively young name. At 28 he's already been in the spotlight for over a decade, as opposed to Westside Gunn, who is...hold on let me google something...

He's fucking 41?!

Anyway, Tyler steals the show here. He eases into his verse but starts off strong with a reference to All That and Keenan and Kel. I liked that :) He then dismisses anyone who has anything to say about the glitter on his body, whether it rubbed off from a partner or whether he put it there himself. He goes on to say "I been rapping and fucking, he 6'5, I'm a munchkin," which I think makes this the first time a mainstream rapper has bragged about how tall and hot the dude he's fucking is? That feels important, right? The rest of the verse is similarly celebratory, saying "my health good, my mama good, my n----- too, and they only wanna have good times like Josh Safdie." I also wanted to point out the Safdie reference. As I get older and increasingly uncool I cherish my victories when I understand a cultural reference in a rap verse. Please take me seriously. As for the end of Tyler's verse, he zeroes into the pocket with his flow and hits the beat hard as hell building up to a growled "Rah!" The last few bars ride out as Tyler takes a victory lap and the hook repeats. And then I play it again.

[fangirlincorporated-blog]

AUTHORS NOTE: I'll post the dress at the bottom

~~ 44 Suit and Tie ~~

And as long as I’ve got my suit and tie

I’ma leave it all on the floor tonight

And you got fixed up to the nines

Let me show you a few things

All dressed up in black and white

And you’re dressed in that dress I like

Love is swinging in the air tonight

Let me show you a few things

Let me show you a few things

Show you a few things about love

While we’re in the swing of love

Let me show you a few things

Show you a few things about love

Between wedding planning and filming, Henry had barely been able to catch a breath.

Aurora had been surprisingly busy with her photography, after Henry’s little photoshoot and photographing Michael Buble’s concert, she suddenly found herself getting more job offers, as perplexing as she thought it was, she had to pinch herself sometimes and would still find herself relaying this information to Henry as if she could not quite believe what was happening.

Henry had decided to take on the wedding planning, figuring it couldn’t be that hard, Aurora had laughed at him when he began to get more phone calls about that than his career and suggested he hire a planner to alleviate the stress, still he found himself worrying over the smallest details wanting everything to be perfect for their big day.

He checked his phone for what seemed like the 100th time today as he sailed over the clouds. He would be home soon and he could already feel the cold, salty tang of the beach on his skin. His wedding planner ironing out the smaller details before he got home. The only thing he didn’t know anything about was Aurora’s dress, he simply handed her his credit card and told her to pick whatever she desired, he wanted her to be the most beautiful thing he saw that day, which was not without argument from her. She remained adamant he didn’t need to pay for it, but soon enough after a very convincing stay in bed, she relented and let him have his wish.

The planner had informed him the venue would need to change the time of the rehearsal dinner to allow for extra security, he ran his hand over his face in frustration. He sent a message off to Aurora asking her to deal with it, she was hard headed and got shit done when needed, a useful skill he only just found out about. He felt his phone vibrate in his hand.

‘Do I need to pop some kneecaps too?’ Aurora replied

He chuckled at her response, no doubt she was already on the phone working her magic.

He stared out the plane window, lost in his thoughts of her, he hadn’t realised how fast she would come to occupy his every second, whether she was next to him or separated by oceans. She was all encompassing and deliciously overwhelming. He hated leaving, no matter how long for. He had even started to transition into working more within the Australian film industry something that gave him more time at home with her and Kal, as well as exploring his adoptive country. Remembering something he looked down at the phone just as it vibrated again.

‘I miss you and I cant wait to have you home’

His heart melting he typed out a reply.

“I miss you too little flamingo’

Not missing a beat, he watched as the next message came through.

“We will not be leaving the bed for a while” accompanied with a photo of hot pink lacy bra.

He knew what she was doing and he wasn’t willing to get himself all riled up before he landed, otherwise he knew the drive home would be torture, two can play that game he thought.

‘How goes the honeymoon planning? Where are you taking me?’ He typed back, changing the subject.

He watched as the speech bubbles popped up before came her reply

‘To the other land down under’

He laughed as the plane drew closer to Sydney, dreaming of the late October sun and its promise of longer and warmer days.

~~~~~~~~

Henry felt his stomach tie itself in knots. It was the first of December and he was getting ready for their pre-wedding dinner with all their friends and family, he had watched all the flowers and the event staff work diligently to set up the space before Aurora dragged him home to get ready. Henry had decided that he wanted the dinner to be at the seafood restaurant Aurora had taken him too the first time he arrived in Australia. It was intimate enough and far away from any prying paparazzi. He dressed himself and paced the house waiting for Aurora to get back.

Eventually she fell through the door rushing towards the bedroom and swearing at the amount of time it took or her hair to be done. He caught a glimpse of her as she raced by him and he chuckled as he followed her into the bedroom watching her while she threw things around and dragging out a dress bag. He watched has she laid it on the bed before undressing, his eyes washing over her body very appreciatively and before he could stop himself he had closed the gap between them, one hand landing on her waist, the other closing over her chest.

“No, Henry” was all he heard before she wriggled out of his grasp and pulling on her dress. She stood before him her back facing him as he diligently did up the zipper. Finally dressed, she turned around and beamed at him. Aurora had her now brown hair pulled back and curled, trendils of hair falling softly around her face and neck, her makeup was a simple smoky eye, with a sharp winged liner, her face contoured and highlighted and her lips painted red.

Her dress though was one of the most stunning things he had seen in his life. The red mini dress had a sweetheart neckline, and the entire thing was covered in red crystals that clung to her body. The shorter part of the dress leaving her legs bare, the overlay swept out into a train and went from red to white with red beading sneaking down over the fabric. It looked like blood on snow and was absolutely stunning.

“Where did you find this?” He asked twirling her.

“That’s a secret. Do you like it?”

Henry nodded a little too enthusiastically.

“Let’s go, the sooner we get there, the sooner I can get you home and out of the dress”

~~~~~~~~

Henry felt like he walked into a garden, the space before him covered in red roses, the ceiling covered with green foliage and chandeliers, on each of the tables clear vases with gold accents held more roses with candles snaking down the middle of each table. He was quite impressed, the only idea he had was for there to be red roses and the space to be opulent. The wedding planner had outdone herself.

Beside him he heard Aurora gasp, he turned to look at her as she took in the room before her.

“Do you like it?”

Aurora was barely able to nod.

“You really went all out didn’t you?!”

“Only the best for you” he smiled at her. He could see on her face that she was about to object to him spending so much, but she thought better of it and leaned up on her toes to kiss him instead.

“I think we need a photo first” Henry said, flagging down the photographer.

Henry stood behind Aurora, one hand in his pocket, the other around her waist as he looked down at her. Aurora had one leg in front of the other, her arms at her sides with her head angled back and looking at the floor.

A love heart captioned the photo he sent out to Instagram and into the world.

[jacobthewilliam]

Trap type beat future by Jacobthewilliam.BEATS: [FAMILIARIZING]

[apsticle]

JAY-Z TYPE BEAT (2022) [PROD. Aps17]

[jongsecg]

Behind The Story of Our Music

Hey guys, it's Jorao (@iminggyu) and Christian (@Chrlistian) from EuphonicTape! So, we were given this cool mission to swap three meaningful songs each. Today, we're teaming up to share our stories and thoughts about the songs we exchanged. Let's get into it!

-iminggyu pov-

The first song is 'Out of Time' by The Weeknd. In my opinion, this song is incredibly soothing and perfect for listening to while working or relaxing. As a fan of several of The Weeknd's songs, it's definitely going on my playlist! However, it's also quite sad as it tells the story of loss and regret in a relationship that has ended.

The second song is 'Leaving California' by Maroon 5. I've never heard a song as good as this one before; it's really enjoyable to listen to. Once again, it's a song filled with emotion, about saying goodbye and moving on after losing someone you love. The lyrics reflect the sadness and longing felt when leaving California, often seen as a symbol of freedom and dreams. This song also depicts the emotional and physical journey of finding peace and healing after a breakup—Hey bang Crisht, don't dwell on it too long!

The third song is 'Holy Grail' by Jay Z. This time, the song is full of solid beats and rap! I've never heard this song before, but it's really hitting the spot. It reflects on fame, success, and its consequences. The lyrics convey mixed feelings towards success and fame, as well as the burdens that come with that status. The song also portrays how celebrity life often isn't as perfect as it seems from the outside, touching on themes like isolation, loneliness, and internal struggles.

-chrlistian pov-

Some type of love by Charlie Puth. I think this song delves into the concept of an everlasting and fulfilling love that transcends the passage of time. The song portrays a deep and unbreakable bond between two individuals who vow to remain together through life's ups and down. The song conveys a message of commitment, selflessness, and the enduring power of love that can stand the test of time.

Stand out fit in by ONE OK ROCK. A song about the society’s hypocrisy which, at the same time, encourages the individual to ‘Stand Out’ and demands him to ‘Fit In’ into a standard created by the society itself. There is a lot message in this movie video. The song is about being yourself despite the voices around you that tell you to be a certain way.

Save Yourself by ONE OK ROCK. The song is a call to take care of yourself and save yourself from the pain of love. It encourages the listener to trust themselves and their own fate and to not rely on anyone else, even if they feel tempted to do so. The chorus repeats the message of 'saving yourself' in order to protect from the potential pain of heartbreak. It also encourages everyone to be brave, and to have the courage to take their own path and to trust themselves.

And that's our opinion on the songs given by our partner. We really enjoyed the songs provided; there's no doubt our partner made the right choice.

-End of mission.

[boricuacherry-blog]

My issue with Beyoncé's haircare line is she says it's for people with hair like hers, but advertises it as being also for redheads and Cambodians too and 'all inclusive.' It's like Beyoncé can never just stand for something. Like that phase of wearing African clothes (did she copy Solange?) and acting pro black but never really saying anything specific. Her only coming out to speak to fans and the public when she has a product to sell is so disingenuous. Her line even has a 'superfan bundle.' It feels like she's trolling her fans. The close-up pictures of the quote unquote textures of hair the line works on look like bundles, not real hair. The advertisements scream 'all-inclusive.' How are you gonna market to black women and Becky with the good hair?

Posing on Essence like she's with her kids only to find out they were models is also very disingenuous. I wouldn't trust any Beyoncé product on my hair or face exactly for those reasons....no close ups of how the product works on her textured hair? And if she did, it would prob be closeups where you would question...is it really her hair?...a wig line would have made more sense. Or even a line of whale paraphernalia.

And why name it Rituals? She already knows ppl speculate she's in the Illuminati. So...why is she playing into that but then saying y'all are "corny" for that assumption. She has a 'ritual shaking vessel.' And some woman recently came out and said Beyoncé stole her packaging designs (Amanda Gaskin who created the New Zealand skincare line TWYG).

It just feels like she throws product after product to see what sticks without it really being true to her as a person. Just like her foray into country. I get she's from Texas, but she literally went from pandering to the gay community straight to country...Her Superbowl commercial was about her trying to 'break the internet.' Is everything with her about image? What happened to her personality? She used to have one in Destiny's Child. Her telling Farah to go get her luggage was one example.

She never addresses anything either. She did a whole album on her husband cheating but we still can't get tea on why Solange beat his ass in that elevator? And no followup? Was Lemonade just an illusion of intimacy? How do we even know they haven't been separated this whole time? For all we know she's drugged up in a basement somewhere and only surfaces from captivity to hawk products. How do we know he's not 'big pimpin' her? Why does Tina always speak for her?

Do we even know that she wrote this? :

Did Jay-Z type this up? There's a B, but where are the rest of the letters? Was she dragged back into the roc nation basement before she could finish her name? It's supposedly 'Beyoncé's internet' while Beyoncé (allegedly) remains in a dimly lit basement in a bedraggled bee suit under the heavy strain of an angry orphaned yakk's hair. Are the former members of Destiny's Child behind this? #freebeyonce. What's going on?

[loosejournal]

If you're going to write about drugs, please stop. If you're going to write about a wedding, please stop. Stop writing about how weird it is to be gay. It's not weird anymore. Please do not write in hip-hop language. Don't write about porn. We already have enough of that in our lives and we all beat off a much as you do, so it's no biggie. Don't try to "write what you know." You don't know anything. Me either.

If you have to write about drugs, don't write about pot. Candy is more interesting than pot is. Knives are almost always cool. Accidents are good, but not car ones, unless everybody in the book is dead or dies at once. If there is lace of any kind in your writing, you are doomed. Don't write about Europe. You were there with a backpack for a week and barely scratched the surface. This does not permit you to have a character called Giuseppe. Do not open up your story with Bob Seger or John Mellencamp lyrics. Stephen King did that shit to me once when I was small and I'm still recovering.

Mental institutions are a dealbreaker. You can have an institution on your street or near your school but you can't be in one anymore. It sucks, I know. If you write by hand, write with the hand you don't favor. If you write by computer, and the room has a window, sit by that, and don't look out it. Ignore or be rude to the people you love. Then try to make up for it.

Don't try to surprise me unless you surprised yourself. Write a book that will make me want to keep reading it rather than getting head. I can think of 10. Font is important, both while you are typing the words, and when it is printed in the book. When you think you are about to write something really good, go to the grocery. Chekov's idea that "if a gun is on the mantle in the first act it should go off in the last" has done more damage than any other single sentence in writing. Objects are not road signs. Action in a book should not occur as if Keanu Reeves was in charge.

I'm still waiting to read a really good scene about somebody getting their ears pierced. It can be done. Never have children. Study story. Realize you cannot win. Repeat. If you've ever thought about Star Wars or mentioned Star Wars in conversation, or own anything related to Star Wars, or have seen Star Wars, don't write. Oh sweet, you went to that museum alone one day and had a tuna sandwich in the cafe? You're killing me, please. The subway, huh? If you listen to the Beatles or Radiohead, or Jay-Z, don't write. If you ever put up devil's horns with your hand at shows, don't write. You're probably in bad shape if you mention whiskey or a beach. Don't say "story" or "poem."

Mothers are better for characters to have than girlfriends. Ditto fathers/boyfriends. If the mother is the girlfriend or the boyfriend, I hope your story isn't minimalist or narrative. Abstractions and dreams are good.* *Unless your dream is about building a tree-house out of honey and glue with your brother who isn't really your brother but that Brad Renfro guy who died in Hollywood but nobody noticed and the tree-house turns into a bar then a candle then a city. We've all had that dream or something equally as underwhelming.

Write less dialogue, unless you are really good at it, which I guarantee you aren't. You're probably in pretty bad shape if you mention any website whatsoever or even a computer for that matter. When was the last time you ate at an Arbys? If it was more than a year you probably can't say anything I need to know. The cute fat Mexican at the bodega and his family who you think you're such good friends with probably live a much different life than you expect. Maybe don't start messing around in there.

Are you writing about someone taking a drag off of a cigarette? You might as well be saying, "He breathed." Don't write about skin unless it's going bad. Acne is always a choice subject. The shame and embarrassment that comes with terrible skin can be a goldmine. I'm talking Acne Vulgaris too, not a goddamn blackhead on your chin. Don't conceive of your "central" characters by defining them with a mental or physical "condition." If you're going to tell me about your Mom, do it from your dad's point of view. I want to know what she's like in the sack.

Don't connect with me. Don't try to pretend I'm not there. Don't try to be funny. You are or you aren't. Or the sentence is or isn't. You are neither David Lynch nor Captain Beefheart. You might be Cher. Cry more, but don't tell anybody either. This is the way crying is like rap. I used to say you can't write about serial killers, but they work sometimes, if they are described in the way one would a washcloth or a doll. Remember your asshole is a tunnel.

If you've ever read Bukowski, please stop. Please, God, no characters who are musicians. There is nothing worse than trying to describe music, or how someone plays it. Leave music to douchebags. Stop writing about rich literary boys in college. I hated you people when I was in college and I still hate you. Your frat took a shit on my porch.

Drink some water. Do not write about writing. Have you ever seen a painting of a person painting? No? Well, it sucks. If you've ever told someone they are "misreading" a philosopher, eat a cock. You are not Andy Warhol. You probably don't really listen to black metal. Can I reiterate the one about not writing about musicians?

If you are more aware of your own dick or vagina than you are of what your breath sounds like when you are asleep, please go get a job in marketing instead. The guy who lives upstairs from you is probably really cool. You should introduce yourself instead of imagining him doing weird shit with hooks and rope all the time and then writing it down. Get a hold of yourself, the guy's probably just playing Wii.

Oooh, prostitutes. So you're into that. Awesome. I'd rather hear from them about you.

If there's never been a book that made you not want to leave the house again, don't try to make your own. Stop being in bars all the time. Man in Bar = Man in Life. We know. If you're angry, go outside. Please do not put words into things. Not to keep the anger away, but to keep the Rage Against The Machine out of my ears. Own your advice in the same way you once tried to suck your own dick. By that I mean: everything is true.

If my cousins on my dad's side of the family know who you are, or feel interested in reading your book when told what it's about, you might be dying. Any critique of the social or emotional will go unnoticed. Pity. If you can separate the words and the story: trash. The word "lovers" always fails on some level. Don't just kill your idols; leave them in history. Avoid L.A. and New York altogether. If you lived in either of those cities, you would have given up writing by now anyway. I don't believe you.

Have you ever printed out your manuscript and bathed in it? Right answers are for those who hope. Tone belongs to music while deafness is holy. If you or the people in your writing have bought new clothes in the past two years, it's over. If you can point out "Action" in a book, why isn't it a movie? Don't write about America or Bush or Arabs. Don't write about the future. Don't write about endings. Probably don't write anything at all.