There is a lot of talk about what makes a good rap group performance. Is it all riding on the titest em cee in the group? Does it depend on the beats? "Why are so many people on stage at once" some have even asked. Other genres look at rap groups and profess their confusion. They are accustomed to the only stage people as being instrumentalists and vocalists. So when they see a rap group, they can't make heads or tails of it.
Allow me to introduce to you. .. the positions in a rap group (hopefully after this, you can stop with the negative and snyde remarks about hip hop -at least in regards to this element) . . .
There is supposed to be a set job to each person on stage -
the emcees . . . rap,
the djs . . .scratch and control the music board, etc.
the hypemen [which is where, undboutedly, the confusion seems to come from] their job?. . keep the crowd pumped up and buying the hype of the show
Now it may be argued and debated that a hypeman is not needed when it comes to megasuperstars like Jay Z, Lil Boosie, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, etc. afterall, their material is so well known, the audience has bought into their show before the artist hits the stage. In fact, the audience IS the hypeman for artists of this major label popularity level.
But-----especially for an unknown artist or an independent artist doing a song that is not popular or even unfamiliar to his or her core fan base . . the hyepmen can make or break "acceptance" of that artist or song!
The hypemen. . . their job is to animate the em cee . . that is . . anything that the hypeman can do which illustrates something the em cee says is . . an "add on" to the performance. This is especially true, since most people have to hear something over and over again before they really "like" it . . the hypemen chant certain lines in the background (especially the hook) to make the crowd join in .. or they behave on stage in such a way as to make the crowd "feel" and buy in to [and remember the next day after the show] what the song/artist was about.
Is it hard work? Hell yes!! When its being done correctly. There are some things a hypeman can say or do (staged) so he knows he will do it before he hits the stage. But there are some things you just come up with on the spot - trial and error. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. But you keep at it and especially if it doesn't work, you have to be able to get "out of the scene" and come back in such a way that the failed antic doesn't ruin the presentation/stage show.
Now if you have hypemen who are really just taking up stage space . . I suggest you have a group who hasn't put that much thought into the overall picture. Which still isnt that much of a problem b/c
1) the group might be just starting out and have to learn it over time
and/or
2) when there are multiple groups at a venue . . the sloppy ones make the good ones stand out all the more better . .
so . .its still alll good in the long run. the tite crews benefit from having terrible acts to "look better than"
So whether as an audience member or a group member, next time you see a group on stage, see if you pick out what each hype man is doing, why its being done, and how it works or hurts the group performance.
Last note - classic hypeman antics that always worked well - take a look at Public Enemy and when you witness the energy that Flava Flav brought - you will know . . not having a hype man is like being on stage . . NAKED . .
**feel free to comment/argue/debate with me on this topic. . . if you want to get a glimpse into who I am as an artist . .feel free to check out the music and videos that I have posted in my social web: reverbnation, myspace,facebook, etc. Gully Jewelz aka breadwinnaz (#1-there are at least 4 of us)
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BreadWinnaz / Blog
IF U CAN CONCEIVE IT, U CAN ACHIEVE IT
SUPPOSE U GOT A 3 ALBUM DEAL , & $100,000 SIGN ON BONUS... WUT WOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR MONEY... & WUT WOULD B YOUR TOP 3 GOALS, AND PLANZ? HIT ME UP AND LETS BUILD!
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COLLABO OPPORTUNITY
YO.. .I GOT THE HOOK READY... N IM PRESENTLY CHALLENGED! TRYIN TO DECIDE ON WHAT TRACK IT WORKS BETTER ON... SO HERE IS THE DEAL... IF U GOT A BEAT THAT'S FOR LEASE/SALE/ETC.. LET ME KNOW.. IF I CAN PHUCK WIT IT BETTER THATN WHAT I ALREADY GOT IM A BREAK BREAD WIT U... this is what i do!! i breathe it, eat it/ this is waht i do! i sleep it. need it/ this is waht i do! i bleed it. breed it/ this is what i do! i feed it keep it/ always on my mind aint no god dam secret! when i was down all u maaphuckaz kicked me/ hated n plotted, even got the landlord 2 evict me/ to git me up out my square but neva could/ been the illest chestafilla since hollyridge was my naybahood! http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_6551208
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y the racial tension
do black women get bent out of shape when they see "eligible" [aka attractive] black men dating outside their race? do white men and women have this same type of hang up?
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Play Ya Position - Don't Go Out There Naked (unless you are a stripper)
There is a lot of talk about what makes a good rap group performance. Is it all riding on the titest em cee in the group? Does it depend on the beats? "Why are so many people on stage at once" some have even asked. Other genres look at rap groups and profess their confusion. They are accustomed to the only stage people as being instrumentalists and vocalists. So when they see a rap group, they can't make heads or tails of it.
Allow me to introduce to you. .. the positions in a rap group (hopefully after this, you can stop with the negative and snyde remarks about hip hop -at least in regards to this element) . . .
There is supposed to be a set job to each person on stage - the emcees . . . rap, the djs . . .scratch and control the music board, etc. the hypemen [which is where, undboutedly, the confusion seems to come from] their job?. . keep the crowd pumped up and buying the hype of the show Now it may be argued and debated that a hypeman is not needed when it comes to megasuperstars like Jay Z, Lil Boosie, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, etc. afterall, their material is so well known, the audience has bought into their show before the artist hits the stage. In fact, the audience IS the hypeman for artists of this major label popularity level. But-----especially for an unknown artist or an independent artist doing a song that is not popular or even unfamiliar to his or her core fan base . . the hyepmen can make or break "acceptance" of that artist or song!
The hypemen. . . their job is to animate the em cee . . that is . . anything that the hypeman can do which illustrates something the em cee says is . . an "add on" to the performance. This is especially true, since most people have to hear something over and over again before they really "like" it . . the hypemen chant certain lines in the background (especially the hook) to make the crowd join in .. or they behave on stage in such a way as to make the crowd "feel" and buy in to [and remember the next day after the show] what the song/artist was about.
Is it hard work? Hell yes!! When its being done correctly. There are some things a hypeman can say or do (staged) so he knows he will do it before he hits the stage. But there are some things you just come up with on the spot - trial and error. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. But you keep at it and especially if it doesn't work, you have to be able to get "out of the scene" and come back in such a way that the failed antic doesn't ruin the presentation/stage show.
Now if you have hypemen who are really just taking up stage space . . I suggest you have a group who hasn't put that much thought into the overall picture. Which still isnt that much of a problem b/c
1) the group might be just starting out and have to learn it over time and/or 2) when there are multiple groups at a venue . . the sloppy ones make the good ones stand out all the more better . .
so . .its still alll good in the long run. the tite crews benefit from having terrible acts to "look better than"
So whether as an audience member or a group member, next time you see a group on stage, see if you pick out what each hype man is doing, why its being done, and how it works or hurts the group performance.
Last note - classic hypeman antics that always worked well - take a look at Public Enemy and when you witness the energy that Flava Flav brought - you will know . . not having a hype man is like being on stage . . NAKED . .
**feel free to comment/argue/debate with me on this topic. . . if you want to get a glimpse into who I am as an artist . .feel free to check out the music and videos that I have posted in my social web: reverbnation, myspace,facebook, etc. Gully Jewelz aka breadwinnaz (#1-there are at least 4 of us)
Reply