THE ART OF WAR: An ode to hip hop beef down right

Once as much a focal point in the culture as graffiti and spinning on your head, beef now gets a bad rap and is seemingly to be avoided at all cost by today’s rappers. In reality it wasn’t beef that killed anyone or embarrassed the culture, it was beef done wrong. Beef that starts in the streets and ends up on wax isn’t hip hop beef, it’s street shit that somehow ends up with people snitching on themselves. I for one would love to see the music brand get back to being more of a (lyrically) contact sport but I would like to see it done right. So in an effort to help, I introduce the art of hip hop beef, simple guidelines to keep you from making a fool of your self.

1. HAVE A GOOD SONG

I can’t stress this enough but having an actual good song is the single most important aspect of all. If the song is good firstly people will listen, secondly people will want to know the story behind the vitriol in the rhymes, people will go as far as to fact check, break down lyrics all the while adding fuel to the fire. From this point the ball will be in your opponents court…But the song has got to be good otherwise no one will care. Remember that diss song scott storch made to timberland? No? exactly.

2. MORE BRET HART, LESS HONKY TONK MAN

Bret the hitman Hart was a gladiator, a warrior, a true champion. The best there is the best there was and the best there ever will be. When he was the heavyweight champion, the excellence of execution would literally give any deserving contender a title shot, anytime anyplace. The honky tonk man however was a hack champion that somehow cheated his way into the belt and managed to keep it for 15 months by dancing around matches and even going as far as to disqualify himself in matches to retain the title. I see a lot of honky tonk in the new way of handling beefs now days. if your gonna be the top guy you have to understand that people are gonna take shots at you. And if it makes enough noise YES: YOU DO HAVE TO RESPOND.

Don’t let jay z fool you with the “im too big to respond” thing, it works for him and fits his cool debonair persona but also keep in mind that it came from the fact that the last time he started a rap beef HE LOST (see ether). Kudos for turning a weakness into a strength and all but lets not get it twisted. Too important to respond for one person can easily come off as too scared to respond depending on how you handle it. I cringed when I heard the now infamous “Drake, heres how they gonna come at you” verse from jay z essentially handing down a corrupt code of ethics more befitting in a corporate environment than the no holds bared war zone that is supposed to be hip hop. Im not saying you have to respond to any loser no name that makes a youtube diss about you. I totally understand the notion that you don’t want to make anyone more famous by responding to them. I kinda wish someone would make a pie chart of how already famous a possible foe would need to be in order to warrant a response.


3. KEEP IT ON WAX PEOPLE, KEEP IT ON WAX

Unless someone is flat out dropping threats (Specific ones) on you in they're rhymes don’t be that guy that takes it off in the records and into the streets. One of the most respected things in the nas vs jay war was that it ended without a body count and those guys WERE NOT holding back on wax. Peoples baby moms really got screwed, that alone could have led to someone getting gunned up and clapped quick. If you can’t respond in some bars and feel you have to get all Olivia Newton john with it, you lost.

4.SUBLETY IS KEY

I just saw the aftermath of Clipse member Pusha T dropping an alleged diss song to drake entitled “don’t fuck with me”. The rhymes are so subtle but cutting and is perfect for dealing with the first baby steps of a beef. If the issue turns out to be not important, forget about it, no big deal. If it turns out to be the beginning of something you dealt the first move. A diss like this isn’t a gun shot, but is more like you cocking the hammer. You never want to go all out on your first attempt. A lot of classic beefs started out with the opponents doing the lyrical version of boxers throwing jabs and dancing around each other in the first round. It’s very important to feel your opponent and the situation out. The best part about it is that it leaves enough to the imagination that maybe it was a diss at such and such, maybe it wasn’t. This causes people to ask questions, people like radio djs [publicity!]

5. TRUTH HURTS

When it comes to diss songs we as hip hop listeners have heard it all before.

“ill slap the shit outta you when I see you”
“I got more money than you”
“ my car cleaner than yours”

and so on and so on and so ad nausium.
But these are all very generic and make believe and unless they are put in a very clever way don’t really mean much. When it comes to diss records, nothing and I mean nothing hits like the truth. Provable, undeniable, embarrassing truth in rhyme form can cripple an opponent, sometimes serving as an instant knockout. Sometimes it can be a smoking gun (were speaking of evidence of course, see the “keep it on wax” rule) or sometimes logical conclusion of which the truth was out there the entire time but no one simply connected the dots (such as Eazy E’s dre diss “real muthafuckin G’s” track that pointed out Dre’s earlier more effeminate attire to his now gangster style change up), the best can be an inconvenient truth that comes at the worst time such as Eminem’s “warning shot” track to Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon that exposes a relationship between Em and the pop singer complete with recorded audio of a flirtatious phone conversation between the two. This approach usually ends things as they usually cause your opponent to have to respond on two fronts; both to the initial diss record and to the charges included in it. This is usually game over.

6. UNDERSTADING TACTICS

Remember earlier when I said keep it on wax? Well that’s not exactly an absolute. While its childish, reckless, and downright dangerous to get physical over a rap beef, there are non physical tactics you can use to stack the deck in your favor that are outside of creating actual diss songs. There is a reason boxing matches have the back story damn near movie intros of the fighters backgrounds and how the fight came to be before the big match, it builds up the story. This is politics and in politics you want to look like your winning so you’ll win. Never miss an opportunity to get one in on your opponent. The game did this while providing his voice for grand theft auto San Andréa’s. One of the fake gangsters in the game was named Jeffery, what’s so important about this name? it’s the same as Jeffery Atkins, real name of long time G unit enemy JA Rule. In between you putting another record out, little things like this will keep your name in the headlines and keep you relevant. It will also keep stroking the fires of that rap beef so it stays fresh. Don’t over do it though, I see two big ones being used all the time to the point of laziness the young guys hide behind “He mad cause he old” excuses and the old guys use the “I’m a legend you should just bow down now” idea.

These are not absolutes, people are doing things everyday to innovate and keep the art of beef fresh but please feel free to use these if you want to do it right.

SUPPORT IS A GATEWAY DRUG

[NOTE TO SEATTLITES: This is an NO WAY an attempt to take any shots at my dude Larue. The “S” word has been one going around long before him and will be around long after. Just felt this was as good a time as any to write this since its fresh on peoples minds.]


There are a few lines that float around this cities rap scene that have always secretly made me cringe. Phrases like “true hip hop” in a sappy ass east coast wannabe track, any time a freestyler fucks up and has to justify it by reminding you “this is straight from the top”, or pretty much any call and response with a crowd (especially in situations were the crowd isn’t responding) can be so cheesy they start to sound like the audible equivalent of a 40 year old man wearing a tall tee, however none can fuck with the granddaddy of them all; Support local hip hop.

Before we go any further here I want you to stop and think about how that sounds; “Support local hip hop”. Listen to the key word; “support”.

[Per websters online]
SUPPORT - The activity of providing for or maintaining

When I think of the word support that’s exactly what comes to mind, Child support, a support beam for a crumpling structure, life support for the sick. All things made to be provided and maintained for, something that can’t provide for or maintain itself.

Is that really what this scene needs, some artificial prop up, some guilt driven imperative to “help the poor rapper out” like were sitting in the middle of the Sahara with bloated bellies and flies on our faces? This is hip-hop, it’s a contact sport. I don’t want no fucking support, I want fans, followers, listeners.
To be fair, the people who spout off with this kind of talk don’t mean “supporters” in the traditional sense of the word. More in the lines of not being slept on as a dope artist, or not being passed over by a local tastemaker for their “big break” in the city. That’s more respectable, but even that can take a dangerous drive down “Doing it wrong blvd”.
Firstly, supporters make “shitty, shitty” fans. Seriously, lets be honest here, “supporting” fans are usually the same people you use to buy your kids fundraiser candy every year (friends family and coworkers). They’ll show up, they’ll buy the album; they’ll even pay at the front door, BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY HAVE TO. They hate every moment of it, and every year when that time comes around they see you and cringe. If it gets worse they’ll begin to avoid you, they’ll have other things to do one the date of your show, “won’t have enough money” for your album, and the like. Fans on the other hand, can’t wait to buy your album, want (WANT) to hear about your latest endeavors, and will spend their last to get to one of your shows. Fans will even take it a step further and tell other people about your music and bring them along, they’ll post your music on social networking sites and get your name out. Supporters wont make you a trending topic on twitter, fans will. One of the most embarrassing memories I have of starting out doing shows was at a show in which the only people paying attention to our performance were a few coworkers and my homeboys mom in the front row (yes you read that right). Until now we never talked about that show cause it was so bad. The dj choked back a little chuckle as he announced our names when we walked off the stage.
Secondly as far as networking and business goes, as cold as it may sound people only extend a hand to your business when they feel they can get something out of it. There’s nothing underhanded behind the idea of putting money in with the goal of getting something in return of equal or greater value, its just business. We do it everyday when we purchase items, and we ourselves are the product when were hired. So when a show booker looks at you as an artist in a sea of similar artist there has to be something that says “this one will make me some money”. If part of your problem is that you don’t have a following then there is no point in them booking you and thus begins a cycle that you may see as lack of support.
I hate to sound like a republican here, but this may be the one time they have something right. In this one instance, support is one of those things people get too used to and become dependent on (that’s why its called support). Supporters also have the nasty habit of giving artist bad intelligence by nature of their very existence. Where dwindling fans would act as a clear indication to even the most stubborn artist that things aren’t looking good and changes may need to take place (maybe your fans didn’t like your last project and its time to step your game up), supporters will stick around despite your performance, giving artist a false sense of achievement and in turn encouraging bad behavior. I know of a couple artist that have yes men feeding them very bad advice along their (unbeknownst to them) crappy careers and one of the first things I try to do is get them as far away from that kind of feedback as possible. Imagine having that outside of the studio 24/7 for a second. Its these same supporter/yes men that convince these rappers that its okay to put together sloppy, lazy projects, the same supporters/yes men that convince rappers that its okay to give shitty performances, and it is these same supporters/yes men that make these artist think there is no need to push their art further.
The real problem could stem from the fact that most people only see the fruits and not the labors of an artistic movement. Upon seeing the end results, one tends to take what is at the scene for what may be the cause. You see Wiz shinning with the Taylor gang cats in the crowd and think “ok so all I need to do is name my followers and I’m in there!” 2 days later you see a thousand cats on twitter naming their followers

“what’s going on people, got a show down at the high dive, be sure to come through #teamhippidyhop”

its not like that at all. Wiz has been doing it for years and built everything he has from the ground up. See how its supposed to work is to start with a dope artist, you put out dope music, you pound the pavement (not just the net, the fucking pavement), and you network, mingle, you do shows and knock them out the box, lather rinse repeat. What many out here end up doing instead is coming out with respectable music and wait. That’s not how it works.
Now I’m not going to lie, as far as our scene goes, there is a degree of cronyism. People will back up certain artist that don’t deserve to be anywhere near on top and you’ll look around and see people nodding with approving smiles and think your in an episode of the twilight zone. Your not crazy, that guy does suck, but he’s not on top of things thanks to the 206 branch of the illuminati (sealuminati?). Do you know what those people are that are big upping him? That’s right, THEY ARE HIS SUPPORTERS! They bare nothing beyond marginal influence on your situation and will burn out eventually. Half the people you may think have it so big out here don’t really get past king county lines before that support wears off and they have to face real people and earn fans. Stop worrying about supporters.
If anything seattle needs LESS of a supportive scene and force artist to thave to step their fucking game up, I know it would have helped me tremendously back when I first started doing this if someone heard a wack ass beat/song from us and told us the real rather than “that’s dope, now hear mine”.

SLAPPER ALERT! E40 - Rear View Mirror ft B Legit & Stressmatic

THIS SHIT GO! THAT IS ALL

BEWARE THE DREADED HOBBIE RAPPER!!!

- We hear you have what the humans call "slappers" -

Ever wonder why rappers will ask you about a track. Saying its hot then scoff at you like you trippin when you tell them the price THEY ASKED FOR no matter how low you go? Ever wonder why a rapper will give you a sob story about how they can’t afford your price then go rip a 16 about how they just blew a billion and don’t care? Wonder what makes a rapper not want to drop that few hundred dollars for a track from you but be more than willing to spend they’re LAST on a pair of space jam jordans and bubble kush? The innocent solution may be a simple case of value (risk vs reward) which is perfectly fine, but there is also a possibility that you are in the presence of the dreaded HOBBY RAPPER IN DENIAL!!!!

-Look honey, I believe he's trying to burst a rhyme or something-

First let me make painstakingly clear that this is not a complaint. I have a few faithful and paying clients that I work with and am grateful for. I’m not some bitter producer sitting around my website wondering why my beats aren’t selling. In fact things are going strangely well including a surprise I am itching to drop in the coming weeks. I am writing this because I often hear producers complain about broke rappers as if the rapper is some sort of victim who is clueless about his impoverished situation. Like he gets to the booth, spits on a track but when its time pay he reaches for his wallet, only to hit rock bottom when confronted with the devastating truth; that he/she is broke. This isn’t the case at all. In most cases it isn’t the rapper who is in denial at all; It’s you.

Now lets take a look at why an artist isn’t buying your tracks. You’re a producer with no resume or credits to your name. you have only worked locally and nothing you’ve done has been critically acclaimed even at that level (no diss this is a scenario). Regardless of these facts you happen to make a hot beat. I mean really hot (not just to you). An artist comes along and really likes it, so much so that they ask you if they can have that. You explain to them that the price is $150 for the exclusive and that you don’t do non-exclusives. Once again the artist goes into assessment mode only in this situation things are much different. The beat is hot but who is this producer they are as unknown as the artist. Also (and this is something I want to stress) an artist ultimate goal is usually finding a track that’s going to take them further into their career, however a lot of people do this and deep down KNOW THEY AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE. This is not meant as an insult. Just a fact. Of course everyone is going to say they are in it to be the best but most are just in it for an ego stroke, make tracks for their homies and maybe do a few local shows. Nothing wrong with that but you have to understand that this is gonna factor in HEAVILY to whether or not they are going to buy that track from you (at nearly any price). An artist that’s not THAT serious about their career isn’t going to drop hundreds of dollars on a beat anymore than a producer that’s not serious is gonna drop big money on any equipment. No they go and download a sequencer loop a couple of sound samples (“aye dog I got that dirty south synth samples volume three from motion sounds”) and call themselves a super producer. Rappers that aren’t serious are no different. They aren’t going to drop big cash on a beat for the career they aren’t serious about. THAT’S WEED MONEY!
Your thought process of course is going to be to think that they are suffering from sticker shock: they may be, but if they aren’t serious, your going to be dropping a looooong way down to the point where its not even worth it anymore.
Think about it, what does an artist (at any level) spend most of their career based money on. Pens and pads? Blue yankee hats? No; STUDIO TIME AND BEATS. That’s it. There is no real equipment required for rapping like production (again this is assuming You’re a serious producer who has paid for his/her equipment). A serious rapper understands that a purchase of a track from you means they think they can turn it into a quality record, thus it is worth the purchase (to within reason). If you have a name and a even better. A hobby rapper on the other hand is more concerned with an ego stroke from time to time. A hot beat is hot but it’s never going to mean anything more to them than a chance to play it in front of the homies or bump it in their 89 civic on the way to work at UPS. In other words a splurge purchase which would be nice but ultimately a waste of money.
Looking for serious rappers in what has become a sea of hobby rappers is akin to Prince Hakeem looking for a suitable Queen in A bar. I’m no “SOOPA PRODUCAH” by any stretch of the term, but I can give you a few examples of what’s worked for me.

[NOTE: these aren’t golden rules or nothing. Just what works for me. Take it as advice if you want.]

1. Don’t put the price of any of your tracks or your rates out there on the web, not even on your own site.

Ever notice that the more high end car dealers never seem to have the price of the car on the car? The specs are loaded up on there, the upgrades are listed but you always have to go to a salesman to find out the price. This is called “changing the power dynamic” by you asking the price you are instantly showing that you are interested in the item. Don’t list your price and the same will happen with you. You will get a few walk away from sticker shock but that’s acceptable. You also may not charge one person the same as the next (say an artist you really want to be on the track or a national act). Let all prices be on handshake status and make sure no artist tells another what your charging them.

2. Quality over quantity.

This is an obvious one but always put your BEST out front and understand the difference between a single and an album track. Having a billion album tracks on your website will lul some artist to sleep. Those are the ones that you show them after they already get that single from you. Its apple pie after the big mac.

3. Don’t put everything on your site.

The game is to be sold, not to be told. Likewise, your music page should give artist a strong suggestion of all that you can do, not all that you have done. You always want to have a few tracks available that others haven’t heard so that they feel as they are the only ones to hear it not in a deceptive way, you can let them know if you are shopping it but theres a big difference between shopping something to other artist or if you have it on a billboard to anyone.

4. Don’t be afraid to talk to the artist about their project.

To use another car reference, there is nothing that separates the high end lots from the kurt russel used car lots quicker than communication. If I come in looking for a four door v8 don’t try to smush me in the smart car because you are trying to get a quick sell. Actually ask the artist what they’re goals are. You don’t have to have an Oprah interview with them, but try to get an idea of what they want and how you can work with them.

5. Don’t let artist see your process (unless it really is some impressive setup).

I know I know “but Joey, some of the best tracks are some of the simplest ones done on some of the simplest setups” I know and I fully agree. The reason we know this however is because we know this AFTER its become a hit. Half the time it’s a shock to most people that some classics were rather simple tracks. Most artist (especially ones who don’t produce) don’t understand this and get a little under whelmed paying big money for a track only has a few simple parts to it or only took you a few minutes to make. I once had this heater of a track this artist was really digging. I do a lot tracks at my house, simple set up of a midi board and a few software plug ins. I brought this artist over once to go through some tracks and see if he heard anything he liked. Nothing was working, everything just “didn’t have that radio ready feel to it”.
A month later he we met up to hear what new stuff I had only this time we played tracks at the studio, with the bix mixing board and the mpc, daw workstation, lights and whistles there. He was digging the tracks and bought one on the spot.
They were the same tracks.
A simple process or uninspiring set up is always room for a rapper to to try and haggle with you “how you gon charge me XX when all you did was loop that and add drums to it?” let the product be all they see.

Hopefully these tips will help you dwindle down that pool of potential buyers from wannabes to serious inquiries.

MIXTAPES: evolution?

("whats?! mixtape is Evolving into....")

The American language has a rather nasty habbit of taking words and completly changing the meaning overtime through general social understanding. Take the word "Yankee" for example. a term originally used by the british which described a simpleton colonial transplant (akin to how suburbanites refer to rural dwellers as "rednecks") a blatant derogatory word most likely at the height of its controversy during the build up to the revolutionary war, now a common term in the states used in songs and a baseball team. They still call us yank in some spots in europe and they get mad when it has zero effect on us.

*snapping out of my history channel moment now*

Which brings us to the word Mixtape. Without goin too far back (like colonial times back) I will say that the word mixtape has changed a few times before. there was a point where it actually had mixes of songs. one blending into another, extended "party mix" versions of songs and the like. you could pop in a mixtape and play it straight through, a virtual dj in a can.

As the hip hoppers started to get in on the action the word slowly changed from the above, to simply a mixed collection of freestyles spit over already recognized (industry) beats. Used primarily as a way to get promotion, Mixtapes served as a perfect "work-around" against the momentum roadblocks that come with trying to create and release an album. As they were not for profit sample clearance was generally not an issue, grabbing an industry beat was a simple task thanks to the internet, and the artist had no fear of being "shelved" by his label as he/she had completly creative control of the release.

The formula worked and mixtapes became known for this new approach almost as much as for there wildly exuberrant covers. Everything about the notion of a mixtape suggested an "no holds barred" system where anything was allowed. this allowed rappers to ride this off into the deep end until the term mixtape became synonomous with laziness. Rappers were able to use the term to hide behind as an excuse for not having any damn business being near a microphone.

"aye man this album was fucking horrible!"

"awww it's just my mixtape"

"oh......well i guess its pretty good then"

Recently I have noticed that we are currently in the midst of seeing the term be changed again. There have been a few classic mixtapes as of late that bare almost no resemblence to the formula that held the same name a few years prior.

Big K.R.I.T. dropped his acclaimed "Krit wuz here" with all original production (done by Krit himself), around the same time Yellawolf dropped "Trunk Musik" another well thought out and detailed piece of music with original production. This in addition to efforts by more newcomers Wiz Khalifa, and redemption bound Chris Brown show a strong change in the formula of the mixtape.

MY OBSERVATION: the mixtape meaning has not simply been changing, but evolving. Emerging from a chrysalis stage to finally recognize its full potential. this last phase however, can only come with the shedding of the final skin of the previous mixtape makeup:

The Mixtape DJ

MY REASONING: Lets be honest, the Mixtape is becoming the poor artist album. with many of these artist reaching out to a different kind of music consumer (i.e. women) they are reaching people with different taste then the average rap fan. Recently Chris Brown rereleased a mixtape sans dj's after much complaining from his dominantly female fanbase. Furthermore, mixtapes are becoming less about building a buzz by showing off your skills as an emcee and more about building a buzz by promoting a possible strong single that could make it on the album. Wiz Khalifa's hit single "black and yellow" was all over the radio in 2010/2011 but few casual listeners will remember it started on a mixtape when it more than likely ends up on his upcoming album (it will be dead by then but it had a run that will definently help propel his album sales). The same can be said for Rick Ross and his mixtape anthem Blowing Money Fast. when your goal is to get people to hear a single as clearly as possible, the last thing you want is for them to hear a bastardized version of this single at the hands of some dj that wants to scream on the track or "bring it back" in the middle of the song.

This is similar to a scratch dj doing his thing at a club. in the right setting or competiton or even during a performance of a song the scratch dj is king, but no one wants to hear that at the club when they tryna hear there song (a girl will scratch your eyes out if you start scratching over her favorite Trey Songz joint lol).

Mixtape Dj's will have there place with certain artist. but the media is definently changing towards the poor mans album approach. look around. Artist are dropping leaks off of there mixtape......off of their mixtape! thats like getting a free sample of a free item. your hearing more and more songs with original compositoin and fewer samples (mainly on the song the artist intends to be the single as this song will make it to the album if its popular enough). smart artist looking to hedge there bets (such as artist Kid Ink's release "Crash Landing") are even droppin two versions. one for the streets with the mixtape dj included, and one geared more towards the casual listener and radio with no dj. Dj's don't even have the god like pull they used to anymore. that music master that used to have listeners hinging on every cosign he gave to an up and coming artist is now obsolete in comparision to a goliath like twitter. When Kush and Oj dropped it was a trending topic amongst millions of people with not one official nod from a notable dj to its name.

IN CONCLUSION: All in all, i feel the rap universe is still trying to settle now that the dark ages of post record label rule is settin in. We greeted the internet as liberators, but we didn't ask it to help us set up a better system so were gonna just have to wait and let the dust settle to see how things go. For now just pray your dj doesn't @#$@ up your mixtape tryna be the star.