Can someone give me some examples of Hip hop songs that are in a Major key???

W

World Wide

New member
I can't seem to ever compose any beats in anything other than minor. Every time I try to do something in a major key I always end up with something that is actually in the relative minor of that key instead.

I can only think of a few beats myself that I at least think are in a major key (I am by no means an expert so I could be wrong) and I hate those tracks mostly hahaha (IE Kanye West - Good Life. This song is way too bubbly and happy I could really picture a bunch of children singing the hook on Sesame Street).

So does anyone have any examples of major key rap songs???
 
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h to the izzo, I believe is in a major key
I'm not sure, but it seems like a good amount of the songs on DJ Khaled's new album have those 80's synths in major keys.
 
Danon BREZ said:
h to the izzo, I believe is in a major key
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funny, that's the only one i could think of right off the bat.

nicholasgomez69 said:
Still Dre by Dr.dre i think is in a major key. I remember seeing a video of Scott Storch playing it.
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no way. It's minor. THat's why it sounds dark. Probly that whole album is. I think minor key is part of the dre sound.

Maybe it's part of the hip hop sound. Everything I make comes out minor.
Yeah worldwide i'm thinkin the same as you.

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goldigger by kanye is major
i think through the wire is too

"oh yeah" by the big tymers is major key keyboard beat. I bet they're probly not as common as major key sampled beats

here's a major one by a former fp member
 
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lo tech said:
funny, that's the only one i could think of right off the bat.



no way. It's minor. THat's why it sounds dark. Probly that whole album is. I think minor key is part of the dre sound.

Maybe it's part of the hip hop sound. Everything I make comes out minor.
Yeah worldwide i'm thinkin the same as you.

edit-
goldigger by kanye is major
i think through the wire is too

"oh yeah" by the big tymers is major key keyboard beat. I bet they're probly not as common as major key sampled beats

here's a major one by a former fp member
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Are you sure??? That one you linked to doesn't sound major to me.

I haven't had a chance to check the others yet
 
G.R. said:
T.I. - Whatever you like. C Major I believe. Dm B F C.
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Put that up to F Major and you're right.

Jim likes that scale apparently, Lollipop was in D Minor (F Major's relative minor)
 
Heres a lil list that I came up with after doin a lil diggin and what not. I'll add some more if I find some for artist that i haven't posted here or remember some well known songs that are in major keys.

2 Pac - Do for love

2 Pac - All about you

50 Cent - God gave me style

The Game - Hate it Or love it

Kanye west - We Don't Care

Kanye west - family business

Lil Wayne - Let the Beat build

Lupe Fiasco - Super Star

Plies - Bust It Baby (Part 2)

T.I. - No Matter What

Terror Squad - Let Me Take you Home (not 100% about this one...but I get more of a major key vibe from it)

Mase - Welcome Back

Sheek Louch - Good Love

Young Joc - coffee shop

Young Jeezy - My hood

Puff Daddy - I'll Be Missing You

Jay-Z - Brooklyns Finest

Jay-Z - This can't Be Life

Cam'ron - Something New

Eve & Faith Evans - Love Is Blind

Nas - Revolutionary Warfare

Junior Mafia - Playas Anthem

NWA - Express yourself

Kardinal Offishall - Dangerous (more pop R&Bish in terms of the instrumental but I would consider it hip-hop)
 
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^^^ I checked out a couple of songs yall have mentioned and got all minors:

Game - Hate it or love it - g# minor

jay-Z - Brooklyns Finest - a# minor

Kanye - gold digger - g# minor


so I dunno what to think really.

"Whatever you like" I belive... because I hate that song hahaha. Same with the Big Tymers. I really just think 99% of rap songs are in minor scales and I can usually tell the 1% that isnt because I dont like them.
 
Hate it or love it is definantly major. Trust me. The first chord is a major 7th lol. I took Dear Mama off though because thats actually a minor key beat. Heres the ones i'm 100% sure about with some additions.

Jay-Z - Izzo

Cam'ron - Hey Ma

T.I. - Whatever you like

2 Pac - Do for love

2 Pac - All about you

50 Cent- God Gave me style

The Game - Hate it Or love it

Kanye west - We Don't Care

Kanye west - family business

Lupe Fiasco - Super Star

Plies - Bust It Baby (Part 2)

Mase - Welcome Back

Sheek Louch - Good Love

Young Joc - coffee shop

Young Jeezy - My hood

Puff Daddy - I'll Be Missing You

Jay-Z - This can't Be Life

Cam'ron - Something New

Eve & Faith Evans - Love Is Blind

Junior Mafia - Playas Anthem

NWA - Express yourself
 
SoulBoy said:
Hate it or love it is definantly major. Trust me. The first chord is a major 7th lol.
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yeah but it resolves the g# minor doesn't it? I'm def not an expert so I def could be wrong about this, but I would say this song is minor.

Any other opinions???
 
World Wide said:
yeah but it resolves the g# minor doesn't it? I'm def not an expert so I def could be wrong about this, but I would say this song is minor.

Any other opinions???
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Well the key is E Maj. The progression is I, vii, vi, iii (i think). So your g# min assumption is good but the key is still E Maj. It doesn't modulate.
 
What he said...^ The first chord establishes the key. Unless you modulate into the key from the intro (which doesn't happen in this song). The first chord is gonna be the key your in. The G# minor doesn't change the key (the notes in the chord are still part of that scale). Each major and minor scale has three minor chords, three major chords and one diminished chord. Its just the order that changes.
 
SoulBoy said:
What he said...^ The first chord establishes the key. Unless you modulate into the key from the intro (which doesn't happen in this song). The first chord is gonna be the key your in. The G# minor doesn't change the key (the notes in the chord are still part of that scale). Each major and minor scale has three minor chords, three major chords and one diminished chord. Its just the order that changes.
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Right no I understand that... and I'm no expert on music theory so I could def be wrong about this... but I just thought that a song usually resolves to the root?




PS Am I also noticing a trend that for some reason it seems most of the songs that are in major key involve 7ths for some reason?
 
World Wide said:
Right no I understand that... and I'm no expert on music theory so I could def be wrong about this... but I just thought that a song usually resolves to the root?




PS Am I also noticing a trend that for some reason it seems most of the songs that are in major key involve 7ths for some reason?
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Yea it does. The last chord in the sequence (G# minor in this case) is the chord before the resolution. First chord in the sequnce (at the begining of each bar/measure) is Emaj7th.

And its true that alotta these sounds use minor and major 7ths. Thats a common chord type to use for funk/soul music. Hence not all the songs sound super happy since major sevenths sound more mellow then plain major chords.
 
SoulBoy said:
Yea it does. The last chord in the sequence (G# minor in this case) is the chord before the resolution. First chord in the sequnce (at the begining of each bar/measure) is Emaj7th.

And its true that alotta these sounds use minor and major 7ths. Thats a common chord type to use for funk/soul music. Hence not all the songs sound super happy since major sevenths sound more mellow then plain major chords.
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Ah ha. Thanks for the info.


just out of curiosity man where did u learn so much about music theory? I took a class at community college and ive read a few books, but obviously i'm not QUITE there yet
 
No prob man. Learned most of my info from reading books (music theory, composition), learnin the keys, listenin/studying music. This combined together with makin beats will help you understand music a lot better.
 
lo tech said:
funny, that's the only one i could think of right off the bat.



no way. It's minor. THat's why it sounds dark. Probly that whole album is. I think minor key is part of the dre sound.

Maybe it's part of the hip hop sound. Everything I make comes out minor.
Yeah worldwide i'm thinkin the same as you.

edit-
goldigger by kanye is major
i think through the wire is too

"oh yeah" by the big tymers is major key keyboard beat. I bet they're probly not as common as major key sampled beats

here's a major one by a former fp member
Click to expand...
Lol yeah your right. I played the song along with my keyboard.:p
 
how do ya know if a beat is in major/minor key?


does it sounds sad or happy? lol
and if a song is in major key, what does that mean? is the root not the C note or how does this works?
i dont know, but i really would like to know. please help me out
sry for my bad english
 
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