Please be brutally honest! Either way positively or negatively..

We need all the genuine constructive criticism.. and/or genuine compliments willing to be given... Thanks...


:-)

Last_Days.mp3 (6,603 Kb, 18 downloads)

While I laud him for trying, this song doesn't do anything for me.

A lot of "positive rappers" have forgotten something fundamental about MCing. Hip hop is from the streets, and more specifically it's from house parties in the 1970s that featured emcees whose job was to keep the party amped up. Over time, they started rhyming, usually boasting about their skills and their ability to keep the party live. You needed more than just confidence; you needed a swagger, in order to be taken seriously. Otherwise, the people could just have fun dancing to the music; the emcee needn't open his mouth unless he could convey in no uncertain terms that he was the shit.

As it's developed past those days, the one thing that has never changed is that the street-style swagger is crucial. Whether it's underground, Afrocentric, pop or dirty-south, you have to have a commanding, super-confident swagger in MCing, that has to come through lyrically and in the delivery. This is an ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL element of hip-hop, especially MCing. It can't not be there. Unfortunately, your brother's song brings none of that.

I gather your brother is 1) very intelligent; 2) not streetish, 3) on the soft-spoken side, and 4) wants to rhyme about serious, socially conscious topics. In order to maintain that, especially given the calm, smooth quality of his voice, I would suggest that he could exude that swagger more by being more playful with his lyric-writing, and learning to sound more showmanlike in his delivery.

He reminds me a little of this group Deux Process, from Denver. Again, they don't have that attitude, or that swagger. Compare their flow and delivery with that of Brother J from X-Clan. The same basic vocal quality, but Brother J exudes the swagger. Not just through what he's saying ('cause your brother isn't saying the same kinds of things Brother J was!), but HOW he's saying it, through the lyrical style and the quality of the delivery.

I'm sure there are some more recent rappers than brother J to compare Deux Process to, but you get the idea...

I know it sounds like I'm being disrespectful, but I don't meant to be. I hope you and he can find something constructive here.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Vox,

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I see potential. But IMO it's a mistake to sacrifice the art for the message.

I can listen to Brother J all day long - and not just because he has a great message - but because he is also bringing some serious MC skills and knowledge of the craft.

The number one thing that annoys me about positive rappers - especially ones coming from a religious pov - is that they seem to think they can throw some rhymes about Jesus (or whoever) over a beat and it's all good.

When I hear that I almost feel insulted as a listener - and as a hip hop fan - because I feel that the artist isn't making the least bit of effort to engage my attention with his art. In that situation I feel like I might as well be listening to Soulja Boy. in fact, I'd rather be listening to Soulja Boy. It's catchy.

I'm not saying that this is how I felt listening to your brother's track. It's just a reaction I've often had to things like Christian rap.

It's not Brother J's message that turns me on to his art. It's the other way around. It's his artistry that makes me tune into his message. And the combination keeps me coming back for more.

I don't know.

It might be that if you've been brought up on Soulja Boy ... Christian rap is a breath of fresh air?

quote:

Originally posted by Vox:

I gather your brother is 1) very intelligent; 2) not streetish, 3) on the soft-spoken side, and 4) wants to rhyme about serious, socially conscious topics.

yep...

quote:

In order to maintain that, especially given the calm, smooth quality of his voice, I would suggest that he could exude that swagger more by being more playful with his lyric-writing, and learning to sound more showmanlike in his delivery.

He won't do playful.. or showmanlike anything... it's not his style..

he's a poet.. but the poetry circuit doesn't pay! lol...

quote:

I know it sounds like I'm being disrespectful, but I don't meant to be. I hope you and he can find something constructive here.

No.. I'm grateful for raw critique.. I love my big bro. I like his music.. (I've always thought he sounded like LL..) but I know I'm biased.. (He got smooth swagga to me!- but I hear you- he definitely doesn't have street swagga)

I don't want to see him fail.. I want to see him succeed.. so I'll pass along all of the information you've stated.. not just what I've quoted...

thanks...:-)

quote:

Originally posted by HonestBrother:



I see potential. But IMO it's a mistake to sacrifice the art for the message.

I can listen to Brother J all day long - and not just because he has a great message - but because he is also bringing some serious MC skills and knowledge of the craft.

The number one thing that annoys me about positive rappers - especially ones coming from a religious pov - is that they seem to think they can throw some rhymes about Jesus (or whoever) over a beat and it's all good.

When I hear that I almost feel insulted as a listener - and as a hip hop fan - because I feel that the artist isn't making the least bit of effort to engage my attention with his art. In that situation I feel like I might as well be listening to Soulja Boy. in fact, I'd rather be listening to Soulja Boy. It's catchy.

I'm not saying that this is how I felt listening to your brother's track. It's just a reaction I've often had to things like Christian rap.

Well.. as a Muslim I'm not too fond of most Christian art forms of any kind.. and on this note I definitely feel you.. I was thinking he might do well within Churches though...

quote:

It's the other way around. It's his artistry that makes me tune into his message. And the combination keeps me coming back for more.

I don't know.

I agree re: artistry...

quote:

It might be that if you've been brought up on Soulja Boy ... Christian rap is a breath of fresh air?

I won't lie.. that's a big part of why I'm proud of him... (his music was the first to reach my son and pull him away from all this bad Southern rap...) but can see how if for any reason he was successful.. it wouldn't last...


I'll pass along all of your points.. not just what I've quoted...

Thanks...

quote:

quote:

In order to maintain that, especially given the calm, smooth quality of his voice, I would suggest that he could exude that swagger more by being more playful with his lyric-writing, and learning to sound more showmanlike in his delivery.

He won't do playful.. or showmanlike anything... it's not his style..

Even the old folks know that "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing" ...

quote:

he's a poet.. but the poetry circuit doesn't pay! lol...

There are spoken word artists who manage to make a living. There are even poets inspired by hip hop but not strictly rappers who manage to get paid.

quote:

No.. I'm grateful for raw critique.. I love my big bro. I like his music.. (I've always thought he sounded like LL..) but I know I'm biased.. (He got smooth swagga to me!- but I hear you- he definitely doesn't have street swagga)

IMO "street swagger" isn't necessary.

It's all about keeping an audience's attention while effectively laying rhymes over a beat.

Both Louis Armstrong and Muhammad Ali knew how to do that.

Street swagger is just another variation of that more fundamental principle.

quote:

I don't want to see him fail.. I want to see him succeed.. so I'll pass along all of the information you've stated.. not just what I've quoted...

He has potential.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HonestBrother,

I'M AN ELITIST TOO.