So for me there are many sides to s piece of music that can impress me that much that I'd actually go to the store and cop the cd.
For me a music piece consists of three things:
1. the Artists spoken words (including the quality of the lyrics, sound of the artists voice as well as the way he or she pronounces the lyrics)
2. the Producers beat (including the melody, the structure as well as the sound which is based on a good instrument decision and a good mixing and mastering9
3. the cover- /artwork to the track or the album
If one of these individual things is overwhelming, it can fascinate me as much as that I would consider a music piece as "good/great" or whatever positive adjective you'd like to use to describe it.
Well now, let's break these three individual aspects down.
Frist of all: the Artists spoken words
Herefor I want to bring some examples to the table.
I just bought the new Slaughterhouse Album.
On there is a track called "Goodbye".
If we'd now forget the beat and just focus on the lyrics, I for myself regard the lines of a masterpiece.
Let me tell you why I think so.
Joe Budden as well as Crooked I tear their heart out within the two first verses, rapping about very very private and intimate experienced that have been on their mind. And they do so in rhymes, which is very fascinating to me since I stopped to realize that I'm listening to a rap track that rhymes as it's supposed to. I rathered listend to the meaning of the words, like i was listening to my grandfather telling me an old story.
I could listen to the track, focusing on the lyrics and afterwards I could tell you what they rapped about, but I couldn't tell you anything about the beat that was used to underline the words, since I didn't pay attention to that.
I would listen to the track a second time just actually hear and recognize the adlibs that make the lyrics sound even better.
Well know let's put the focus on the beat.
Herefor I want to refer to Young Jeezy's - Amazing.
I played the song over and over, listening to jeezy's voice, enjoying the amazing style he pronounced the words that all in all don't seem to have a deeper meaning.
It might seam strange but the words "If you can take a lot of dick I can talk a lot of shit" he said on that track might be regarded as stupid as hell if anybody would have said them, but in my opinion jeezys voice and his style of pronouciation jsut make this 'dumb' lyrics great.
You easily lipsync to this part cause you FEEL that Jeezy has fun rapping on the beat.
And that is an important aspect that makes me feel comfortable with track.
However, that is not what I wanted to point out about this song.
What I actually want to say is that I listened to this song for months until I first put my focus on the beat.
Herfor I believe you have to be a producer or have to played an instrument at some point in your life.
Cause I recognized an Instrument I never heared before on there.
And it was than that Ithe song seemed as brand new to me. It was like an entire whole new track to me.
In case the beat is dope as hell, but the lyrics sound horrible I might not buy the cd, but I would definitely see the musical potential behind the music piece.
I like it when producers take new ways. Even though I enjoy listening to those 'Maybach Music Beats' they seem very old to me.
Like I know the beat even before listening to the track.
For example I enjoy listening to J. Cole beats since I brought a whole new drum sound to hip hop.
It always differentiates from other songs.
Moreover, I adore Kane Beatz beats. Because he often collabs with Ashanti "The Mad Violinist" Floyd. It is something really new to hip.hop that a violonist records stuff in the studio and still manages to give the artist enough space to be creative on the beat.
I like the way Kane Beatz mixes his songs.
There is no one else that uses the room in the headphones as perfectly as him. And every instrument sounds great.
So in a nutshell I love to hear a producer try somehting new.
'Niggas in Paris' has a crazy beat, but it needed K. West and Jay-Z to put the public focus on such a spaced out beat.
I'm not sure it would be that big right now, if a local rapper would have used the track.
Nowadays it's like everything the big ones do is considered interesting and creative while other unknown artist would be insulted for being that uncommercial.
Last but not leats I want to put the focus on the artwork to a track.
I know of that 2 Chainz single 'No Lie'. I think it's a very average song, however the coverart is dope as hell as I think.
Others might think another way but still this coverartwork made me remember the track and made me talk about it.
And think about 2 Chainz Ablbum 'Based on a TRU Story'. You can think of 2 Chainz as you want, you can hate him or like him but the album artwork should be considered as a great idea.
So that's what I want to see/hear:
Lyrics telling stories that are heartfelt and which are pronounced that way, too.
The Voice should grab the listener and take him or her with it. Like motivate to lipsync or dance and stuff.
A beat that nearly overwhelms me with incredible melodies.
A mix that even gives me the opportunity to pay attention to every aspect of the beat.
And an artwork that puts some visuals to the sounds.
-The Beatsmyth