How Rap Music Is Differant And Has Gotten Worse / How do I keep my sound original?

Question

In all of my rap songs, I really do what I rap about. Im not like these rappers who live in Beaverly Hills and talk about sellin drugs and stuff when they have no street cred. anymore. But I do talk about that stuff because I do it... I dont know what else to rap about. I rap about partying and studd but everyone raps about that. Late 80's Rap and 90's Rap was real cool because noone has heard stuff like that... Pac, Snoop, Eazy, Dre, NWA, public Enemy, they were all real. Now everyone sounds the same. Now I know I could easily be liked by Rap fans because most are stupid and only like hit songs and dont really know what Rap is about or what it really means. I want to make sure people know I am real and I really care about the Rap industry. Anyone else feel like this?

Answer 1

The problem is that you can't change the industry. It's bigger than the 'artists' who live off of it. Like some kind of shadow government conspiracy, the people in power in the rap industry decide who's hot and who's out. They decide how to promote you and what you're going to rap about. It's been like this since Vanilla Ice and it'll be like this long after Fifty Cent has been shot dead in some East coast vs West coast feud.

It doesn't really matter if you've really lived the life you rap about. It doesn't matter if the scar under your eye is from where a Buster tried to cut you for stealin' his ho' or if it's from where your sister was beating you on PS2 NBA 2k5 and you threw your controller down, breaking it and causing a piece of plastic to fly up and cut your face. If and when you make it, your producer and the people over him will decide what your story is and what made you so raw. And you'll do what the Hell they tell you to or else you lose your deal, your endorsements and your upcoming MTV Cribs special.

And it won't be until long after your money's gone that VH1 does a Behind the Music special about you and we get to learn who the real YungCaine06 was...

Answer 2

Go back organic digital tracks. The new stuff is all finger snaps and metronome beeps. There's no funk in that stuff. Get some smokin' beats played by drums, sampled is fine. Then throw some J.B.'s style horn hits, a simple yet phat bassline, some off the wall cello lick and a rythm gtr loop in for good measure. Have a distinctive vocal delivery. Don't sound ignorant ala "What You Know 'Bout Dat". You can be funky AND have some sense of diction when you speak.
Rap about puttin the guns down, gettin over with your smarts and your courage, or some girl trying to teach her friends that latest dance while you and your boys watch. Those are examples that just suggest that you flip it somehow. Don't be afraid of being positive or even smiling in your music. It has nothing to do with being soft.

The old stuff is better cause there was music involved. You need more than clicks, beeps, drugs, bitches and bling to break out and be noticed, and then be copied. Which is the thing that kinda tells you you're on the right track.