How to write a song

Someone asked me how I write songs. I've wondered this same thing about other writers and I am going to open up a discussion about this subject. I think the issue here is the methods used to construct a work of verbal art that is 'sick', 'ill', 'dope', 'crack', 'fire' etc... This post can go one of two ways. You can get some vague unhelpful advice on songwriting, or you

can read on.........

Okay. First I'll share how I write a single stand-alone verse (written freestyle {lol}). Then I'll share how I write full length songs.

HOW I WRITE STAND-ALONE VERSES.

I just do. Let me explain. First I listen to the beat I'm writing to and take a max of 2 secs to evaluate the emotional direction I'll go in. Next, I'll activate a train of thought focused on the verse by thinking of previous lines I've written that go in the same (or a similar) emotional direction. Once a line or a full bar come to me, i write it down and that becomes the first line. Finally to top it all of, i just write whats in my head, which basically turns it into a freestyle I wrote down.

HOW I WRITE SONGS

Very similar process to how i write stand-alone verses. the difference being once i finish the first verse, I write the hook and tailor it to the first verse. Then I take a few minutes to decide what i want to do with the lyrics, the subject, the feeling i want to create, metaphors that i can't go without using, and the flow. For example, I'll decide i want to be simple, talk about world hunger, make people happy about it, make a metaphor about Sally Field, make the first line of a bar more syllables than the second line.

If anyone has a different way of making their art, let me know, I am very interested.

What is Hip-Hop?

What is Hip Hop?

Being that this genre of music has touched so many people around the world it becomes a little difficult to find one singular answer to what Hip-Hop is. That's exactly why this post isn't about whether Hip Hop is dead or Alive. This post is about what Hip-Hop is to me. In my opinion, Hip-Hop is a genre of music where specifically structured poetry recited over music. See how general that is. With that definition you could get anybody and any beat toss it together and call it Hip-Hop. For example, Ass Like That-Eminem over the beat from Poker Face -Lady Gaga can still be considered Hip-Hop. Back to the rhythmic poetry thing. You can easily argue that someone singing (as opposed to reciting) a poem over music can be Hip-Hop. That argument has merit, but....nah. To be Hip Hop the song has to have rapping. Another thing I want to say is that I wrote this to help get a universally accepted definition of Hip-Hop because, only then can we decide whether it is dead or not. I Just wanted to share that  (my opinion) with the good tourists of DB's World.



So what I want to ask now is................... What is Hip Hop?

About Damien Black

Who the hell is Damien Black?

This blog is all about the music and lifestyle of Damien Black. That means that this is MY blog, about ME, with MY music, MY thoughts and done for YOUR entertainment. Seriously, Damien Black is on some For You By Me stuff. For those that have no idea who or what I'm about, I took the initiative to jot down some things that represent me as a person and musical artist. Here goes:

1....I'm a fan of freedom of thought. which is the mother of...

2....speech, which is also a freedom I enjoy enjoying.

3....as much as i joke about it, there's no such thing as a 'nigga card'. Sorry to my jew friends.

4....to hate is to judge and to judge is to be God.

5....Only God can judge me, yet somehow it's not a free pass to act like an animal

6....if you understand someone else's point of view, you can help them understand yours

7....Hip-Hop is the best all around genre of music. Ever.

8....Words are powerful tools for change

9....A win/win is better than win/lose because losers hold grudges

10..The second I realize I fit into only one category i switch it up (have a conversation with me i'll prove it

That's basically it. I'm glad you decided to visit the blog. Feel free to browse the site, listen to some music, and hang witcha boy.