Why Being a Hip-Hop Producer Sucks

Everyone is going to have different opinions and go back
and forth or correct each other but truth be told this
stuff is as easy as pie it's just easier said than done...

- You find a way to make money
- You reinvest that money
- You save some of that money
- Hope that you get a return on your investment
- You put your money into things that matter and not into things that don't

Navigating, knowing when to hold, when to fold and when to stick through
the hard times is really what molds a person.

As much as we think we all know, we really don't know shit.

I'll tell you this much though... death is certain for all of us, so go out
and do whatever it is you feel is right for you on your time here on earth.

Make it worth it.
 
the truth is that with the internet, there are no more producers anymore. There are only beatmakers. A producer is like Dr Dre, Rick Rubin, Pharrel, Timbaland, not just to name big names. but what they do is take an artist, singer or rapper, under their wings and build a career with that artist.

They stay in the studio together and share ideas, how the album should sound sonically, they help with laying the vocals down because most of the time they have more knowledge on music than the artist, because they had to learn to produce, an artist just need talent and a PRODUCER ! That is the thing artist forget nowadays, they can not do every thing alone. That's not how you create a full product, song. No one is born a talented producer, talented beatmaker yes, but producing is to learn music from theory to how the sound affects the brain to notes , to how effects affect the sound, etc.

With the internet, you have random dudes all around the world sending beats to artist, hoping they accept to record and release it. Another thread on here, speaks about this problem with the new 50 cent album, where it's just a compilation of songs he recorded in a 5 year period. So no one helped him produce a real album. He just picked his best 20 beats he recorded on from 200 beats or shit like that.

But if you look at Kendrick, even Drake. They have about around 3 in house producers that they work with only, from when they first meet til now. Or if they receive a beat they like, they will listen to it with their producers to see how they can turn it into a finished product/ song. That is why they are still recognized as the top artists right now, because they know the real process of making music, unlike some.

Look at Dr Dre's path. NWA-Snoop dogg, Eminem, 50 cent, The Game, Kendrick lamar. He sells mad beats here and there obviously, but he is a producer for one artist first and foremost.

BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BEATMAKER AND A PRODUCER, which one do you want to be ...
 
And that's exactly what you have to do to be a producer, develop the artist, and write completed songs. If you just make beats, unless your network is strong, you have to actually pay to make connections and get exposure to even sell your joints nowadays. Everyone is trying to producing now but everyone isn't making a beat and laying out full songs and dope concepts behind them.

You can't just be cold on a drum machine and only have ideas as to who you think would sound nice on your beat. You gotta write an entire song with your beats and shop them like that. That's how you build relationships with serious artists who understand creating good music is all about the right collaborations. Research cats like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who launched Janet Jackson's mainstream career. You gotta know music completely and not just how to sequence and make nice snare and bass drops on your intro.

A producer is exactly what my man said, but a beat maker is just a composer of music material. Get on your grind by finding and making connections with as many people on the same page as you as possible. Tough feat I know, but it will determine if you stay a beat maker or become a producer.

Cheers!
 
Chill out and enjoy your lives. Make music, find artists, other musicians. Be a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all. The rest will come, really.
Just concentrate on running every marathon at least a minute faster than the one before & you are making progress.

I read the thread from time to time and you almost start to sound Emo like him. Lighten up. :sing:

Have fun!!!

 
BeatbyAS said:
But if you look at Kendrick, even Drake. They have about around 3 in house producers that they work with only, from when they first meet til now. Or if they receive a beat they like, they will listen to it with their producers to see how they can turn it into a finished product/ song. That is why they are still recognized as the top artists right now, because they know the real process of making music, unlike some.
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I feel you on everything you said except the Kendrick portion - he had 13 different producers on 12 songs of Maad City. Section 80 has 9 producers on 16 songs.
 
"I feel you on everything you said except the Kendrick portion - he had 13 different producers on 12 songs of Maad City. Section 80 has 9 producers on 16 songs."
word, what I mean is, was he really in the studio with all these people when he created the songs. Probably not, most of them sent him a beat. And he listened to it with his in house producers and engineers [mixed by ali ] to really create a full vision. If he didn't, maad city and section 80 would not sound coherent at all. most rappers have that problem, they don't have in house producers. So they self produce their album.

Imagine how many beats where sent to him, probably more than 200... Obviously he will ask his people who his trust, is this beat worth it.

that's what I meant by his producers. He has ears he can trust when he is doubting his ears.

The reason they sound so coherent is because Ali receives the beat in stems and then Re-mixes them to sounds like the all came from the same producer. It's hard to see the line between producer and beat maker when 75% of the population don't know the difference.

Ali gets my respect all day every day ! :cheers:
 
BeatbyAS said:
"I feel you on everything you said except the Kendrick portion - he had 13 different producers on 12 songs of Maad City. Section 80 has 9 producers on 16 songs."
word, what I mean is, was he really in the studio with all these people when he created the songs. Probably not, most of them sent him a beat. And he listened to it with his in house producers and engineers [mixed by ali ] to really create a full vision. If he didn't, maad city and section 80 would not sound coherent at all. most rappers have that problem, they don't have in house producers. So they self produce their album.

Imagine how many beats where sent to him, probably more than 200... Obviously he will ask his people who his trust, is this beat worth it.

that's what I meant by his producers. He has ears he can trust when he is doubting his ears.

The reason they sound so coherent is because Ali receives the beat in stems and then Re-mixes them to sounds like the all came from the same producer. It's hard to see the line between producer and beat maker when 75% of the population don't know the difference.

Ali gets my respect all day every day ! :cheers:
Click to expand...

Ahh now I got you and completely agree! It's huge when you have that in-house producer and engineer to really help shape a project.

Example: Young Guru engineering every Jay album except for one, I believe.
Example: Brendan O'Brien produced each of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stone Temple Pilots albums - undeniable character and style to each one.
 
EXACTLY ! I find it pretty sad that the general public don't know that the reason they like certain projects so much is because of one other human's hearing. but they always say, the people who shaped history the most will not be remembered to the fullest.
 
wildinout8 said:
I agree with everything you said...

...except for you're "off Hip Hop" because you're all about making songs...not exactly sure what that means.

You're "off Hip Hop" because it's not played on the radio? Because I hardly call the rap songs played 89 times a day on radio "songs" IMO.

Just speculating, but if the thought is you need to make radio songs to be successful or have influence just ask Chief Keef and Bobby Schmurda how their pockets are looking nowadays.

I'd hate to see what cats are doing with their 401Ks and personal stock investments if life is all about what the current trend is...but just speculating on how I interpreted that one comment.
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Stop making beats and start making SONGS. Because the public doesn't consume BEATS....they consume SONGS.


So if you know how to actually PUT TOGETHER A RECORD for an artist, instead of just making a beat for them, that's where you make your money.


I charge more than the average "studio" in my area. And clients come to me anyway. Why? Because they know I'm going to PRODUCE their record. I'm going to come with the creative ideas, the recording techniques, and the mixing techniques that's going to make their record hotter than if they had recorded it someplace else.

And in the other genres, I'll write the song, and produce the song....mix it and master it too.


So while cats are selling beats for $20, I'm selling SONGS for $2000. (which is still crackhead prices, that's why i'm moving).
 
j.troup said:
Stop making beats and start making SONGS. Because the public doesn't consume BEATS....they consume SONGS.


So if you know how to actually PUT TOGETHER A RECORD for an artist, instead of just making a beat for them, that's where you make your money.


I charge more than the average "studio" in my area. And clients come to me anyway. Why? Because they know I'm going to PRODUCE their record. I'm going to come with the creative ideas, the recording techniques, and the mixing techniques that's going to make their record hotter than if they had recorded it someplace else.

And in the other genres, I'll write the song, and produce the song....mix it and master it too.


So while cats are selling beats for $20, I'm selling SONGS for $2000. (which is still crackhead prices, that's why i'm moving).
Click to expand...

I remember back in the early 2000's when I heard Jadakiss talkin about how he loved working with Swizz Beatz because he not only gave you a beat, but also a hook.

One of the VERY FIRST things I do when I work with an artist on a song is ask them What Is the Topic of the Song? What are you going through right now in Life? From there, we can grab a journal and begin brainstorming ideas, multiple meanings to a theme...so, I def see where you're coming from and agree 100% with that idea.

I was a bit confused, though, when you said you were off Hip Hop as if it wasn't possible to make a Hip Hop song with a centralized topic.
 
wildinout8 said:
I remember back in the early 2000's when I heard Jadakiss talkin about how he loved working with Swizz Beatz because he not only gave you a beat, but also a hook.

One of the VERY FIRST things I do when I work with an artist on a song is ask them What Is the Topic of the Song? What are you going through right now in Life? From there, we can grab a journal and begin brainstorming ideas, multiple meanings to a theme...so, I def see where you're coming from and agree 100% with that idea.

I was a bit confused, though, when you said you were off Hip Hop as if it wasn't possible to make a Hip Hop song with a centralized topic.
Click to expand...



I just don't make much hip hop anymore...because the hip hop music making process has become so detached.


Artist don't think they need a producer, that they can just pick a hot beat and instantly have a hot record.
 
j.troup said:
I just don't make much hip hop anymore...because the hip hop music making process has become so detached.


Artist don't think they need a producer, that they can just pick a hot beat and instantly have a hot record.
Click to expand...

I bet those other artists you work with (outside of hiphop) are more
open to follow your lead and view you as an expert at what you do.

It's less of a hassle when you deal with people outside of hip-hop.
 
wildinout8 said:
I was a bit confused, though, when you said you were off Hip Hop as if it wasn't possible to make a Hip Hop song with a centralized topic.
Click to expand...

Songs are much more than beats & rappers don't have to make "90s boom bop, straight up G".....it started with Disco beats and Electro, dancin' & breakin'.....and not beat tutorials on Youtube.

It got too introverted and people can't party anymore.

Besides, that whole "conscious" shit is so out. When the hood didn't have the internet, Hip Hop was "CNN of the Hood".

Now what you get out of the hood? Ghetto Fights and Ignant Shyt, not people who sound like the masturbate to Wikipedia pages they turn into verses.

Get a degree, write a bestseller about it, whatever
Or as Will Hunting's therapist said: "teach me something I can't read myself in a fuc**n book!".

Make people dance, party and have a good time, sometimes at least. And think outside of that box of musical influenc

Otherwise it's like watching only movies with your favorite actor, nothing else.

Open Your Mind.

Open Wide - Calvin Harris - Vevo
 
Zonic said:
I bet those other artists you work with (outside of hiphop) are more
open to follow your lead and view you as an expert at what you do.

It's less of a hassle when you deal with people outside of hip-hop.
Click to expand...



Actually, you'd be surprised. Aspiring artists are all the same. They think they know best, and don't want nobody to have any input on their precious, perfect art.

#gtfohwtbs


My hip hop clients actually WANT input, for the most part.



I just wrapped up this girls project last week. She was one of the most difficult clients I'd ever had....and hadn't EVER been in a studio or made a record.


This record was probably the most difficult one of the entire project. I mean, she fought me on EVERYTHING!



#GoFigure



 
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a lot of wannabe hip-hop producers are pretentious... they don't do enough research and they don't practise or even play an instrument..now i'm not saying you have to be able to play an instrument to make music, but it does help a lot if you want to take your music to another level. You have to be willing to learn from others to improve your own game. It's easy to sample some strings from a John coltrane track, add a hip-hop beat and loop it for 3 minutes it's just not original
 
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