Ghostwriting in hip hop..when its cool and when its a foh situation.

[CracceR]

i aint gotta write rhymes, i write checks

ok hes right but he didnt even write this rhyme himself, somebody else wrote it for him

 

[5 Grand]

The ill thing is that when Kriss Kross came out Jermaine Dupri ghost wrote "Jump". Nowadays Jermaine Dupri uses a ghostwriter and Kriss Kross was never able to write their own rhymes.

It says something about Kriss Krosses skill as MCs (or lack thereof) if Jermaine Dupri of all people was their ghostwhiter and they couldn't come up with anything as good by themselves.

 

[5 Grand]

Alsdo, I was listening to "Still Dre" the other day and Jay Z ghostwrote it but Dre's flow was perfect on that song. That's an example of when a hot producer gets the right ghostwriter for a track and everything comes out perfect.

 

[mindright]

Utilizing a Ghost Writer is always a FOH situation..

3 words... Show and Prove

as an emcee if you can't write and perform you own shit you are useless, great work for the actual ghost writer tho, but I just don't see how someone can take someone else words and thoughts and pass them off as their own.

 

[Jabu_Rule]

HipHop is the only music that is afraid to mention that they have contributing writers even when their names are on the Credits. In Rock, R&B, and Pop, artist are expected to bring their voices to the table and it's accepted that they many not have a strong pen game. In HipHop, presence is just as important and a gifted writer may not have the presence of a complete artist which includes their voice, swagger and character portrayal as well as their ability to utilize what's written with oral skill. Still, HipHop ads a gladiator effort and expects one person to contain all those elements for everyone. Even though it is respected that artist in other Genres do their own thing on all levels, it's not expected. I'm not talking having know musical talent or writing abilities, I'm talking being able to step aside and have others work with you including writers to create a hit. That's collaboration rather then Ghost Writing though which is still not as bad as lip syncing but seems a lower respectability then fabricating your life. That probably gives HipHop more credibility when looked at honestly because more is expected at least amongst avid listeners.

I unno about all that. I get your point, but no. Rappers are essentially selling their words/poetry/stories so it's different. R&B artist sell their voices, Rock sell their instruments together the possible singing/vocals and there is no genre called Pop.

Pop is just short for popular. But since i get what you're saying imma just say that those artists are walking commercials & that's what they're selling. You don't listen to Kesha or anybody else for their voices or words. They just mark a popular look, style, words & whatever else is going on cuz it attracts the biggest market, which is young kids & teenage girls so they can sell a bunch of products or w/e.

Rap is a huge popularity contest and a battle of machismo or at least that's how it started and that's it's main focus even today. If they aren't selling an image, then what are they selling? I know pop isn't a Genre but many times the music that is in what is labled pop can sound like a particular genre. Nsync, backstreet boys, Britney spears. What would you label them as? Contemporary? What does that even mean? Rap artist have as much of a voice to sell as a crooner vs a soprano. Just ask Boosie. A terrible delivery, a awkwardly noticeable lisp, or just a plain horrible sounding voice or accent can sink a rapper so it's more then just words on paper at play.

I don't think you get what i'm saying bruh.

I was talking about the art of rappin'. A rapper is someone who's supposed to control the crowd with his words essentially, right? So that's their instrument, their words. How many R&B artists sing about love & break-ups & still have people listening? That's the point. Because Whitney isn't Keyshia Cole, Keyshia Cole isn't Beyonce etc. So their instrument is more about their vocals, hence the name "singing". Now, their stories might be different but it's still about how they sing. So therefor someone expected to rap/emcee the crowd with his story, his words & style & doesn't even do that then what exactly does he do? So obviously there's more expectations for a rapper to write his own lyrics than a singer, rock band or w/e.

I think you're talking about it from more of a business stand point but i'm talking about the art of it.

No I'm not talking about it from a business standpoint even though that would help to make you marketable. I'm saying it's delivery, flow, and the overall technique behind those words is also part of the art form and instruments aren't the be all.. Any lame in a music class can play an instrument with perfection but when you put your twist on it, then you're that dude. It's like taking a famous rap by slick rick and rapping like Snoop. They each have unique deliveries. If you have an identity already anybody can come along and help you to formulate words but it's still how you present those words.

I mean you basically describing poetry and even poets have a certain format to their delivery but hip hop is a bit more then that. Still as i said in my initial post, it is expected and especially respected that you write your own stuff even though it isn't absolutely necessary other then it being taboo, and writing doesn't do much for you if you don't know how to deliver it properly. You can do it for the art but nobody trying to hear you even for free. You may as well write a book or sell your rhymes to someone who knows how to perform them.

 

[sully]

Alsdo, I was listening to "Still Dre" the other day and Jay Z ghostwrote it but Dre's flow was perfect on that song. That's an example of when a hot producer gets the right ghostwriter for a track and everything comes out perfect.

Steve Stoute put that one together.

 

[dollarandadream]

I think it is only cool for the ghostwriter himself