I am currently reading Raekwon’s book, From Staircase To Stage. Raekwon’s PRSPCTVS on his journey are inspiring me. I just finished the part where he and Ghostface Killah made the Purple Tape. What I found most interesting was what he shared about songwriting.
Getting these opportunities to glimpse into the creative processes of other people is fascinating. I’ve learned along the way that most of us approach songwriting differently. What I found helpful reading Raekwon’s testimony was that they sometimes had to put a lot of time into writing before finding the spark to make a song.
It took 3 days for them to figure out Rainy Dayz. Raekwon also expressed that learning to write with people, in new circumstances, was a challenge, because he, like many of us, had the ways we learned to write from when we started. Then life evolves. He got more comfortable and they released a classic.
The bus was where I made the magic happen
One of the hardest parts about work from home was learning to write music at home. I used to take the bus for a solid 45 minutes to an hour each direction. While the trip home was often filled with conversations with colleagues, the trip to work was more or less solo.
I would sit there on the 51, with my earbuds in and work on songs. I’d open my little phone notepad and write. The way I write songs is I come up with the first line. Then I rap that line, and see what comes next. Then I rap everything I’ve written, in order until I get to the unwritten part and see what comes out next. The first line of every verse, and chorus, serves as an anchor for the next part of writing.
This means when I do a 3-4 minute verse, I need to rap the entire damned thing to add a line or two at the end.
I got used to seeing people, watching the world go by and writing. When I went to events I would write. The upcoming single I have with MCO has this bit in the first verse:
There’s some friction from my shirt
As my body’s moved & jerked
By this train as it lurches
Moving forward on a circuit
I was on my way to perform at Just For Laughs in the summer of 2023, on the metro, as I wrote those lines. That part was partly inspired by the STM. With work from home, I had to break out of my comfort zone and learn to write in new locales. When Raekwon described his difficulties with change, I felt that.
I’ve never really written with many people
My journey into Hip Hop was pretty solo. I knew I could rap and had some level of game because the fine folk at Wagar let me know. While I’d get made fun of for plenty of stuff, people respected that I could write poetry.
I’ve been writing full songs since I was like 13 or 14. It wasn’t limited to Hip Hop, I just wrote lyrics since I understood that was a thing you could do. There is poetry from my elementary school days buried somewhere in my closet. While it’s questionable if I can emulate the Golden Era of Hip Hop with my style, I have spent more than half my life writing songs.
I’ve never been that much of a social butterfly. Once or twice I would almost start writing partnerships with people. It just never seemed to really work out. Conflicting priorities and all. There’s one extremely talented fellow from the Wagar days I would love to make music with, should it ever happen.
While I have worked with Chris Chrome a lot, often we didn’t write together. We’d come with our completed verses and just get it done. Blues Clues I wrote my verse in the stu, after everyone else had finished their verses ahead of time. I wasn’t even supposed to be on that song.
I’ve since had a few moments where I’ve written with people. But it’s a relatively new experience. No one really asks me to be on features much. I am available if you do want to do a track, just ask. I will start writing stuff with the intent of featuring more people on them. Sometimes I plan to do that and then I write 3 verses, a hook and a bridge.
I discovered Raekwon and Ghostface Killah would rap each other's verses at each other to make sure they sound good. I realized I really want to have that kind of artist partnership. A collective of people who work together to make the best art. Helping each other grow as artists.
Raekwon knew who he was making art for
Lately I’ve been feeling off when it comes to the direction of my brand. I’m going to be pushing 40 by the time I get where I want to be. That means I need to start thinking about who I will be at that point and what it all means. My early 30’s goals are less relevant to me now.
I’ve lived my life. I’ve grown in the ways I’ve grown. There are people who can hear my story and relate to my struggles and triumphs. One of the things I’ve struggled to do lately is identify what audiences I would be best suited for. For a while I figured I’d make sense with the more Rhymesayers side of it all. But that line of thinking is wrong, it’s like picking a team for the sake of the team without considering my value.
When you look at successful people’s bios, they list the artists they sound similar to. I honestly need to figure that out.
Raekwon knew he was making music for the hustlers who shared his experiences. He was able to clearly identify the market he was marketing to. He spent real time considering that. Meanwhile myself, and many of my peers worry a lot about ourselves primarily. Raekwon was focused on who the listener would be, and how to make dope shit they would relate to. He and Ghostface defined their client personas and had a frame of reference to work with.
This inspired me to think about my past. Start to really write down who I represent (like literally today). I want my future music to be better than anything I’ve ever made before. I gotta thank Raekwon for working with Anthony Bozza to get this piece of non-fiction created.
Do you read rapper bios?
Live Long and Prosper Everyone
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