Thinking about going to a label . . . ., what do you think of the music

[BD231]

My Music

Need opinions, certainly a different sound and I'd like to know what people think. Thanks!

-Brian

 

[pyonir]

My personal opinion:

Gangsta rap is getting tired. I dig rap music, but this sounds like the same stuff every wannabe gangsta rapper spits. No offense. The beats are alright, but I listened to i think 5 different tracks and all had heavy snare drum. Makes all the beats sound the same after the first couple. Know what i mean? I don't claim to be an expert, and this is certainly better than anything I could accomplish, but I know what I like.

Another suggestion, PM anxi80 with a link to this thread. He's very knowledgable and can give you better asessment than I can.

What label, out of curiousity?

 

[BD231]

I know what you mean, it's not for everyone but it's mainly the stuff I like so that's why I make it.

Label would be Legal Hustle, they've shown interest at an event they had for up and coming in San Fransisco which I attended. Cormega himself has his hands on some of the stuff and from listening to his music it should be stuff he'd be majorly interested in.

 

[pyonir]

That's cool. If that's what interests you, then that's all that matters. Cormega started a label? didn't know that. Good luck to you though man! Seems that here in Phoenix it's tough to get crowds out to the "starving artist" shows, but you usually get to seem some great talent when shows come to town.

 

[anxi80]

these are my notes while listening. tracks 11 & 12 were dead for me. also, the songs are listed in the order i listened to them.

10-pretty good track. lyrics arent that bad, even though i much prefer the 2nd verse to the 1st one because like pyonir, i think the gangsta-theme is kind of played out and i personally would rather have street cred for being a truth speaker as opposed to trying to live up to an image. but personal beliefs aside, beat is pretty nice and seems to be on point.
1-recycled lyrics from track10, beat is alright, kind of sounds like a video game. snare doesnt sound too clean, and thats a thing i dislike about fruity loops. drums sound too "techie". if you have the means, get access to a program called 'bfd' by fxpansion software. its a really neat program that gives you a damn near authentic drum kit stage. mics were used to record the actual kits playing so you get cleaner sounding kicks, snares and hihats (which i notice you are quite fond of using).
13-something is missing from this track. something needs to be added to the ambience of the track or else it gets boring really quick. maybe adding some strings to the track would pick it up a little.
2-ah, here's my strings! i dont know if its rapping or one of your boys, but if you have somebody you could keep up, you could tighten up that bass line and close up the steps and make it a quick, funky track. kind of like what gift of gab does for blackalicious, or something similiar off outkast's stankonia album.
4-once i got to this track, i see what you meant by rap with an ambient sound. i dig that and all, but perhaps the lyrical content used on this song isnt really for this track. just doesnt seem to fit the theme well in my opinion.
5-after a few listens, i still feel underwhelmed and that this track is missing something. or has too much of something. i say focus on the piano portion, maybe change the length of the sample up a little bit. the same sample gets looped and i counted and it gets played 3 times per 10 seconds. imagine that stretched over a 3+ minute track. it may not grab the listener's attention and all of a sudden it becomes a filler track.
6-i like the beat on this one, and i like the ambient sounds building up also. perhaps tighten the drums up a bit and speed it up just a tad.
7-once again i like the track but try listening to the track with the keyboard that comes in at 0:29 lifted out. i was feeling the track but once that came in i felt a bit displaced by the song. it comes back in again at 1:27 (i believe again). once again, beat is good but the lyrics? hmm, for the genre you're aiming for, i think these beats would much be better suited with a more conscious rap. but its on you.
8-i like this song a bit also. the bass line though could perhaps use some help. sounds a little too much computer manufactured, need to give it a more realistic sound.
9-i was kind of torn on this track the first few seconds. first though, they keyboard probably needs a lower key to not give it that 'phantom of the opera's-sound. but i was impressed by the surprise and timing of the keys coming in at 0:19. i liked that. keep that in there. even the length of the sample of it is nice, right before it picks back up again. i even found myself bobbing my head to this one.

hopefully you dont take any of my criticism the wrong way. only trying to be helpful and constructive. honestly, i like the beats and ive heard a lot of amateur stuff created (especially with fruity loops) and this is one of the better listening samples ive heard. and of course, you dont have to take my advice, if there's a particular thing i mentioned that you are no-holds-barred attached to, then by all means stick with it. just stay with it, and i think you'll do fine. if you want me to check out anything else or have any other questions or need me to elaborate on something, feel free to contact me. good luck and most importantly, have fun man. late.