Reality Tv, Bran’Nu…Brand New Disaster?

Now it is known throughout the industry that once you do reality tv you are pretty much blacklisted when it comes to Hollywood. Yea reality tv in today’s market is kind of like printing money washed up celebrities + drama always = money. Now tonight I was forced (well kind of forced) by my mom to watch the Brandy & Ray J: A family business show, I reluctantly agreed. The episode I watched was about Brandy going into a “Bran’Nu” business venture she decides to start rapping…Following the Nicki Manaj trend? (Oh God I hope not!). But everyone is supportive with her decision except her mom. As Brandy prepares Ray J finds a way to bring attention to himself. He came into their business meeting with a hangover and decided to walk around playing his guitar at the meeting. Later on, the members of his crew as a present for his new office send a stripper to Ray J office while his parents were down the hall. Long story short mom got pissed, left and bailed for the rest of the day. Brandy performs with Timbaland under her new alias “Bran’Nu” and her mom is a no-show. This creates a fuss among the Norwood family and the show ends with a lot of arguing, crying and cursing.

Now after all that happen I did want to know more about Brandy as a rapper so I looked up her songs, as she mentioned on the show that she was featured on two tracks off of Timbaland’s Shock Value II album. I listened to the two songs and discovered that Brandy’s “Bran’Nu” rapping venue wasn’t horrible her delivery was nice, lyrics was decent and she didn’t do anything annoying with her voice like Nicki Manaj. BUT, her lyrics portrayed her as a strong, confident, take-no-mess kind of woman…but on the show we watch her cry and complain that her mommies like her brother more than her??? This can’t be a smart move. Its hard enough as it is to transcend from one genre to the next (As Tyrese who tired to rap under the name “Black Ty”…didn’t go so well)  but having a reality tv show too is killing the chances of anyone taking her serious. That’s when I realized how important it is to have a plan together. If Bandy had a marketing plan she would have known that if she’s trying to pass off as a hardcore female rapper she might not want to be seen crying on camera…or if she had planned this venue into rapping she should have not done a reality tv show around the same time because having the two together is asking for disaster.

Ne-chi’rye

Oh and if anyone wants to check out the tracks Brandy…I mean “Bran’Nu did with Timbaland here are the names of the tracks: “Symphony”, and “Meet in the middle” off of Timbaland’s Shock Value II album.

The End is only the Beginning

It’s the end of the month. And for most college students it’s close to the end of the Spring semester. Everybody is running around trying to get finals projects together and preparing for final exams, myself included.

But with the help of this semester’s intensely inspiring professors: Kimo Williams, Stan West, J. Parks, and Kate Dougherty They have all inspired me in very different ways. Kimo taught me to push myself to give my all or get out of the business. Stan taught me to speak out about things I believe in, critically think about what’s going on around me and be accountable for what I create. Professor Parks allowed me to see film in a completely different way, and gave me a new perspective on advertising as a whole. And last but not least Kate and her workshop allowed me to rekindle my love for writing and her feedback and suggestions has helped me push my work in directions I didn’t even know I could go.

I learned a few things in these 13 or so weeks. I learned that college is not just about passing grades and required courses. It’s about applying yourself, networking and learning doesn’t stop in the classroom.

This was hardest and yet most rewarding semester at Columbia. And I urge you everyone that’s reading to never take anything for granted, cease opportunities cause in life the good one’s only come around once. So I’m going to take my sharpened writing skills, my expertise in marketing, understanding of advertising, natural problem solving skills tied together with open eye to the construction of the media and how it works. I’m feeling good about this and it’s only more to look forward to.

-Ne-chi’rye

Columbia’s Biggest Mouth, The Turnout, The Marketers Dream.

As you know I am part of the Columbia College community. Last night was Columbia’s anual Biggest Mouth competition. It’s an event were the best singers, rappers, bands, and performers compete for a $2,000 grand prize, free studio time and a host of other prizes.

This year Columbia partnered up with the Metro to host the Biggest Mouth at the Metro this year. Now my first thought wad oh God they are going yo charge for tickets and a lot of students would go. But to my surprise the event was free, and not just for Columbia students, the event was free to the public.

I arrived 6:30 to find the place scattered with about 50 students roaming and socializing as people waited for the event to start. By the time the show wad ready to start the place was packed, if I had to guess there were close to 300+ people.

The house was packed, the acts was great and the college event had almost turned into a full fledged concert. It was amazing.

After the concert as promised bands, companies, and orgainizations Gage away goodie bags, free tee shirts, buttons, stickers and a host of flyers. All on all it was a sucessful event.

That night as I begin to about the event and what it meant to the people that hosted, the bands and artists that performed I began to realize that this event wad a marketers dream.

This was best form of buzz person-to-person marketing that any company would pay millions to pull off. The Metro host a free event for Columbia, service was excellent. And now every college student in attendence, every band that played, every artist in the buliding knows that. Which means they will run and tell everyone they know that Metro is the place to be.

Think about every artist that performed. All the people there came to see a free concert and therfore naturally didn’t expect much out of the show. But as each act came to the stage and blew the audience away. The crowd became excited and rocked to each artist. One group I particular took advantage of this and passed out free CDs for people to spread like wildfire.

Last but not the least the people that made it all possible. All the organizations at Columbia that help put the Biggest Mouth together they benefit too. From now on, everyone will want to come to their events because of how amazingly well this event went.

Moral of this story a happy consumer is the ultimate goal. If you can get a massive group of people all together in a happy envornment and are able to make them excited about your product that is a marketer’s dream.

The Wack Rapper Test

Whats Goin On Blog Nation,

Piggy-backing off my last post about Wack Rappers I have send Chuck P thru a week long test to prove if he has the right to diss wack rappers and prove to the readers that he is in fact as good as he say he is.

I arranged a week long (5 day) writing session as sort of a warm up exercise. You will be asked to write a song, verse, or hook everyday for a week. Seems typical for a prolific writer and rapper to generate as much work as possible.

There is a catch though: there are strict guidelines to what he writes and here they are:

No writing about the following things: money, cars, clothes, woman, sex, and drugs.
No cussing
And No Swagger jacking

Be original, be clean, and be real

Let’s see where this journey takes us…

This is how it will go.
He started Monday April 12, 2010 and you go till Friday April 16, 2010.
He was asked to write once a day.
And he was asked to keep a journal.

Which each day there was a guideline:

Day 1
Write the rhyme sometime during the day. About whatever as long is it adheres to the restrictions. As I stated it can be a hook, a verse or if you really inspired a whole song.

After you write I want you to think about what you wrote and in this journal write about this and also answer these questions: What it was like to write with these restrictions? How long did it take you? Are you satisfied with what you wrote? Did the restrictions feel limiting or liberating? Why or why not? As well as any general feeling you had about what you wrote.

Day 2
Follow the same pattern, but I want you to write a verse that you would rap to a group of 3rd graders. So pay special attention to content but don’t dumb down your lyrics just try and create a message to send to these kids. In the journal answer these questions:
Was it easier on harder the next day? Where did you draw your inspirations from? And just your personal thoughts about being more conscious about the content of your lyrics.

Day 3
I want you to write about an event in the news or in history say away from over used topics, try to find something unique and original and something you have an opinion about, or a story to tell about it.

After the rhyme reflect in the journal how that process of writing affected your flow? Did it feel natural or did you have to force yourself to spit about this issue? Was this hard to do why or why not? How was this day different than the other two? Rap up your entry talking about how the craft of writing and constructing verses built around an issue are different from a freestyled verses.

Day 4
Is a free pass day. No restricting talk about all the hoes, money and clothes you want to.

After writing that verse, compare it to the other three. How did you feel after writing this? Did you feel relieved that you can go back to doin you, or did you feel another way? Go into detail explaining how you felt about writing without the restrictions. Is this verse drastically different than the first three days? Which one was closer to your own style?

Day 5
This is the last day, the only day you are allowed to swagger jack.
Pick one of your favorite artists that has a song that is similar to the restrictions that you were presented in this test.

Then write a verse inspired by that song, you can use the beat or just use the lyrics to inspire your own.

When you journal just talk about what it felt like to write that verse. Then write about the overall experience of this test. Did it change you writing process any? Did it change your style any or made you adjust the content of your music? What have you learned as an artist? After this task do you consider yourself a wack rapper?

….Here are the Results

Day 1

life is a struggle every breath and every step
so i murda competition till i feel its no one left
wait, i don’t think i eva witnessed competition
cuz my only enemy is not havin a pot to piss in

she strippin 4 tuition see me i can believe that
messed up a few semeters and see now she really need that
but wait, i cant talk about the money or the women
but these is true stories what type of world do u live in

im all 4 lyrical excercise
flow nothin like ja but i mesmerize
im so so real y u tell those lies
too busy tryin to impress those guys

see, ima master at flows
flow was heaven sent even my pastor he knows
im doin chuck p and im glad u hatin
im doin me … no masterbation

Writing this rhyme i was only concerned with the fact that i could not curse. I feel like rapping is nothing but poetry in motion, and that you should never sugar coat your rhymes with less vulgar words. If u feel like sayin “fuck that” you should be able to say “fuck that”. But n e way. I went back to when i first started writing in high school. I didn’t use to cuss that much in my regular speech besides “damn and “hell”. So i put myself in that mind set and i wrote a raw ass verse

15 minutes

Day 2

I remember when i was about 9 years old
me and my homies outside in the blistering cold
throwin snow balls at girls i had crushes on
i say im sorry but now i got her in my zone

we zone out and now i got my first kiss
was nervous, now she need medical service
we was playin truth or dare at my guy crib
she was dared to kiss me, i think i like this

i freaked out and started actin like a hype kid
will she like it, and then i got excited
as she got a little closer i got a little closer
then accidently my head struck her like a boulder

now her lip bleedin and she wanna fight me
cuz i gave her a reason dont know if she like me
i told her im sorry and i aint really mean it
good girl turned bad nowadays she is the meanest

Talking to the kids is something that i feel very passionate about. To me where artists tend to lose the kids attention span is that they go over the kids heads and they do not relate. I figured i would talk about a real life experience that happened to me when i was a kid. My first kiss. I talk about he nervousness, the mistakes, i talk about all that. So they don’t have to feel pressured.

Writing with the restrictions was not hard at all. I can make all types of music. it took me 15 minutes to finish the verse. I usually do not cater my music to a younger audience , so i felt like that was cool, but honestly anyone can listen to this rhyme and it can take older people back in time to when they were a shorty, and kids can also fun with it.

Day 3

journal first this time

If you go to worldstarhiphop.com and type in waka flaka in the search you will see a video where he is being interviewed. he basically says that rapping is not about lyrics, and he also talks about how he has no lyrics. This video caused a lot of controversy. Method man Ghostface killah and a few other rappers have said things back to this rapper in defense of what hip hop is and what hip hop is not. My verse is a basic demonstr8ion of what i think hop is and i also make a reference to waka flaka in my verse.

My flow is a little slower on this one, and my voice is kind of laid back but full of emotion, i wanted the audience to really feel me on this one. I could see my self spitting this verse on Drop the World with Lil Wayne and Eminem. This was not a hard task, we are all emotional beiIngs no matter how hard we try to keep our emotions from leaking out. This day was different because my approach is usually a go hard approach this approach is more subtle.

I wake up and wipe the gunk out my eye
brainstormin ways i can take ova the chi
should i kill em witta hook or go hard in the rhymes
see its a new time, and im tryin to get some shine … but
waka say u aint gotta be lyrical
i know i go hard so im lookin 4 a miracle
I aint got cash 4 a trey song feature … but
when i hear that right beat i turn into a creature … that
nobody can emulate not even affion
outsiders lookin in like what they b on
another level, shout out to black street
they on the main roads im cruisin thru the back streets
and i aint even cruisin im walkin
searchin 4 the right path so my career might last
breath of fresh air u can’t breath without my cash
show me where its at and bets believe that i dash
so fast i aint lookin so i might crash
no geiko turn me into a psycho
kid full of hear break like shawn michaels

Day 4

killanoize been ready to pop
we finna blow and we gettin that dough like a bakery shop
homie u aint gotta like me
cuz im gettin money ova here and checks on the side like nike

despite me rell can spit that shit 2
if you come against him i feel bad 4 u
i aint even gotta intervene
single handedly whether its him or me we’ll eat ya whole team

try and act like u thug
ima hustler, after i kill u, i probably sell ya blood
can’t say i aint the best at this shit
cuz if u did thats like sayin that george bush was a really good president

see the industry missin me
yall som BET niggaz but charles p he “Cita’s World” differently
read betweeen the lines 4 remembrance cuz most of yall niggaz aint even get the last sentence

After writing this verse i felt good. I like concept writing, but in order to wow a crowd on the street, you have to have a good 16 in your pocket, and this is what that is. I talk what people can relate to “george bush being a bad president”, and i also give off a cocky confident that vibe, that anyone likes to have when doing something that they love to do. I didn’t feel relieved but i felt like i could show off during this verse. This verse is closer to my own original style

Day 5

journal

For the swagger jacking session, i didnt really jack his swag, but i like how he rode the beat to this song. He is lil wayne, and the song is called shoot me down from the carter 3. As the music enhances itself and as gets more climatic, his flow and his energy gets gr8er making 4 a perfect song. nas did this on one mic as well.

As far as this week long test goes, it has been a good experience, and i would do it again. it didnt change my writing process, but i will definetly think about balance when it comes to my music now. IM DEFINITELY NOT A WACK RAPPER HOMIE!!!!!!!! WAT ABOUT u!!!!!!!!!

Sicker than influenza
hotter than cinder
in love wit my style so i bend her like fender
now im all up in her
a time she will remember
no she not wifey 4 the time she a pretender
now u in a dream world
now u on a team girl
lookin like beyonce u can b my dream girl
bet i make u scream girl
like a movie scene girl
isley in the bed i between ya sheets girl
but when we done doin what we suppose to
im out like a pop fly kickin it wit pro tools
up in the studio lettin my brain leak
thought of gettin paid then blown away in the same week
cuz often i think about robbin
look at my cards feel like its no other option
sling that hard white yea we call it stockton
but that aint 4 me, i aint tryin to get boxed in
back against the wall tooley in my hand
duffle bag of snow im the fuckin man
until that fuckin man tell me to put it down
or he gon put 50 slugs right in my crown
thats how the story usually end
cuz if i do it the first time ima do it again
who don’t like fast money
dont like cash money
dont like bad bitches
wont fuck mad strippers
yeah thats the life
good american pie im tryin to get me slice
keepin god first so wateva the price
and when it come to this rhyme shit niigga IM NICE!

What are half-assed rappers?

What’s going on Bloggers and Bloggettes

I had a question that was asked “What are half-assed rapper.” My first thought was to give my definition of a wack/half-assed rapper, but that would be a disservice to my readers. So I decided to call upon my fellow music lovers via Facebook to get a clear and well rounded definition for you.

I addressed my Facebook friends with this status:

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson Need yall help I need to know what makes a Wack Ass Rapper or what makes a Half Ass Rapper? Gimme details, Examples, Cuz U and THA World knowsss there are ALOT of them MOGS!!!! <<<

The following are multiple definitions of wack/half assed rappers as well as my own:

Andre Robinson
what make a wake rapper is the lack of grind…. u gotta continue to grind and go hard…
45 minutes ago •

Jay Will
If they aren’t talking about anything meaningful in their music…like Gucci, Waka Flocka and all those other fools…
43 minutes ago •

John Bennett
Since u begged me to answer.. I think a “wack ass rapper” consist of one who only has one topic to talk about all the time, has no delivery or flow with his lyrics, uses the word “LIKE” in every verse, uses words that have 4 letters or less and….O that dont gotta style of their own, That good enough?
41 minutes ago •

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson
@John u havta be a ass huh? I do agree with part of your answer..but # of letters I mean if you talkin Fuck, Shit, and Damn every otha word is WACK! but words is all about how u put it together
38 minutes ago •

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson
@Andre very much agreed…Jada said it best..Hard work always beat talent, it talent don’t work hard…Gotta have both.
37 minutes ago •

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson
@Jay All them cats are WACK! but then why are they so hot in the Streets??? & How are these niggas sellin???
36 minutes ago •

Charles King III
I think the content, the vibe, consistency, and the ability to cleverly use metaphors or analogies really catches my attention. Too many cats don’t know how to read write, or intelligently say what’s in their head, that makes them super whack. The play on words in a rhyme wouldn’t be anything without a dope beat either. Just my opinion. CKIII
35 minutes ago •

Jay Will
It’s simple…they are wack rappers but great enterainers. They appeal to the masses cuz the masses don’t want to hear anything that’s gonna make them think. They want garbage with a good beat and that’s what they provide. It’s marketing lol
34 minutes ago •

Charles King III
Jay just said it all!!! If your accustomed to garbage all of a sudden garbage becomes normal or accepted. That’s pretty much the large majority of the music industry. Man I wish I would have sad that, on the money!!!
31 minutes ago •

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson
@CKIII hands down tha best definition I heard today. couldn’t agree more…that lack of intelligence and use of language reduces dudes(wack rappers) to MBC rappers:Money, Bitches, Cars and its more to rap…its more to life…
31 minutes ago •

Andrew Davis II
lol..think it comes down to being true to yourself, and using music depict yourself. Jeezy’s not the mostlyrical dude – but you BELIEVE his story. He’s a good rapper. It’s a TRUE image with originality in how you deliver your story to the world.

just my two cents 😉

-ADII… See More
30 minutes ago •

Que Squared
nursery rhyme rappers is what i call it,but i agree with everyone on this. I don’t understand why wacka,gucci,or any one word rapper is as hott as they are. I also feel it depends on the location of the fans,hood niggas like hood shyt,lol. and some people are afraid to listen to real music that challenge them. The industry has changed from making real music to selling bullshyt because it brings a couple extra dollars in their pocket
28 minutes ago •

Jay Will
I don’t think being true to yourself will cut it though. I think Jeezy is wack too cuz he don’t talk about nothing. Just cuz he lived it he still talking about the same old stuff…it’s garbage with a good beat. Where is the subject matter? Like where is the stuff that makes you think?
22 minutes ago •

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson
I Agree with ADII if you believe his story and what he raps about you are more inclined to listen…every rapper will not be the same and at the end of the day…if you can reach people with your music. get people to listen and come back for more in some sense you have done your job.
18 minutes ago •

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson
@Que thats where the Big 4 come in at.. Huge labels dont care about NOTHIN but makin $$$ they use data and #’s to come up with a formula to make money and they repeat this usin as many suckas who let them…and as consumers we either buy into it or we dont…
16 minutes ago •

Charles King III
JZ, one of the most prolific business minds of our generation, and he isn’t talking about one solitary thing. I wouldn’t buy his cd if it was .50 at the buy on get one free store. What an insult to intelligence or better yet a positive attack on the minds of our generation. Why do rappers continue to promote their past when their present is much more diverse. Help us to think a little harder, or on a deeper level. He’s a hustler and unfortunately he’s hustling the mindless.
11 minutes ago •

Charles King III
I quit!!!
10 minutes ago •

Monique Ne-chi’Rye Nelson
The art of rapping and the art of poetry is almost one in the same. We draw from our past experiences to share with the world that “hey I went thru that too” and people relate to that, people feel that. and that’s what Jay-Z does. He paints the picture of what he’s went thru to say “hey I made it” “Im no different than you” and at the end of the day if you can get that message across to your fans you will sell millions too.
5 minutes ago •

So to recap what everyone said I will create a wack/ half-assed rapper list:
• Unoriginal
• Lack of grind
• Lyrics lack meaning
• One topics rappers
• Delivery
• Inconsistent
• Unbelievable images or stories
• Trend happens
• And …
• Rappers that try to sound like other artists

That what we believe to be half-assed rappers.
But what do you believe?
Let us know.

-Ne-chi’rye

Stay tuned…Chuck P will be giving his defintion of wack/half assed rappers himself

Peace and music yall

And…
Farewell Fake Flow…

Welcome and Goodbye

Get to know Chuck P

When and how did you first become interested in music?
I first became interested in music when I was in the 7th grade. I was chubby, so I figures people were going to try and make fun of me. Having this mind set, I said “fuck that” so I started making fun of people b4 they could start with me. After that I started battling kids at lunch time. And the way the crowd reacted made me fall in love wit hip hop.

How long have you been doing music?
10 years, my first recording was done off of a computer microphone with the instrumental playing in the background off of my stereo.
What are your musical influences?
im influenced by a lot of people, pac biggie nas jigga juelz santana jadakiss styles p twista, and snoop
Does anyone in your family have any musical talent?
my cousin scott was signed to a major lable back in the the 90’s with a group named blazay bla
What else do you do besides play music?
I do everything, from promotions, to production, I have my hand in everything that I do, and in everything my team does.
Whats your process for writing and creating music?
honestly I don’t try to force it, I just chill and live life, and then when a concept ideas or line come up I either write it down or record it. Inspiration hits usualy when im in the shower or on the toilet …EWWW haha but its true
Do you write first then find a beat or write to a beat and whats the difference? I do both, sometimes what you have already written will not fit a beat, but sometimes what I have written does. It depends

What genre of music do you play?
Chuck p is a hip hop artist, although I write for all genres of music, the lable KILLANOIZE right now has three hip hop artists on it chuck p relly rell and dub, but has plans on expanding with a few local r and b artists, and a band
What would you categorize yourself as an artist?

What do you think about the music that hot right now? Music is okay right now, there is definetly room for some peolpe to come in and dominate, and killanoize da fam is a perfect movement to come in and fill that void

What is it about the way you play that song that makes it different than the other cats are doing?
I go in on every verse that I spit over a beat

What makes this kind of music “good” to you?
its soulful its fun its real its energetic its emotional its shockiing its in your face, what more can u ask 4
Why did you choose to play this kind of music?
I couldn’t sing haha