Every Friday on the OurStage blog, I’ll be featuring a great example of flow and lyricism in hip hop songs pulled from the OurStage ranks. I’ll get the artist’s thoughts on the song, as well as post the lyrics or best verse so fans can follow the flow themselves.
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre both rapped about Compton. Nas already rapped about New York City. When was the last time someone rapped about Maryland? Well, Chris McDonald took matters into his own hands, writing his song “Maryland Matters” and putting the Mid Atlantic state back on the map. Even if you’re not from Maryland, you can get the message. Check out what Chris has to say about the song:
Catch his thoughts, pump the song, and check the lyrics after the jump
Get 'Em High: RAS
According to their bio, RAS has a helluva mission on their shoulders: to “fight against whatever mainstream media and culture offers the masses today …uplift and create spaces where atrocities against people of the African diaspora can begin to heal … through remembering the past, exposing lies, expressing emotion and resisting self-hatred.” Not a job for the faint at heart. Luckily, the husband and wife hip-hop team has a whole lotta heart, and some mighty voices to back it up.
Winners of the 2008 Lennon Songwriting Award for hip-hop, RAS (Riders Against the Storm) is comprised of Rhode Island MCs Tiger Lily and JBro. Together, the duo vacillates between confessions of self-consciousness and chest-thumping demonstrations of verbal prowess. In “Never Alone,” JBro likens himself to Bobby Brown, “stressing every little step,” against a throbbing bass line and fluttering keys. Though lyrically anxious, the melody is self-assured. But its songs like “Ready or Not” that really show RAS at the peak of their potency. A remake of the Fugees hit, the track brings the drama with sweeping strings, reiterating percussion and the electronic hiss of synths as Tiger Lily and JBro chant, “RAS is right on target / First in the flame with the power to spark it.” It’s an explosive mantra for a duo that’s determined to burn down the house.
Cakewalk’s “Your Music: Anytime, Anyplace” Songwriting Contest is now open for judging! Cakewalk and OurStage need your help finding the best original tracks from up-and-coming rock and urban acts. This is your chance to help six talented artists win Cakewalk and Intel Core i7 powered mobile studios so they can keep making hits!
Need some incentive? The two fans with the best ears will be awarded mobile studios of their own! The top predictor of the final rankings for each “Anytime, Anyplace” Channel will win an Intel Core i7 powered laptop along with tons Cakewalk goodies including Music Creator 5 and Pyro Audio Creator 1.5 software and much more!
Click here to begin judging the “Your Music: Anytime, Anyplace” Rock Channel.
Click here to begin judging the “Your Music: Anytime, Anyplace” Urban Channel.
For more information on contest rules and prizing visit ourstage.com/go/anytimeanyplace.
Every Friday on the OurStage blog, I’ll be featuring a great example of flow and lyricism on a hip hop song pulled from the OurStage ranks. I’ll get the artist’s thoughts on the track, as well as post the lyrics or best verse so fans can follow the flow themselves.
Today’s “Friday Flow” comes courtesy of Doujah Raze. He’s been around the block a time or two, and is sick of the way things are. He’s been able to garner recognition by taking his own path; doing things his own way. With reasonable success in both touring the world and playing festivals in the United States, Raze has four albums under his belt (one of which was a Japan-only release). It’s pretty clear what this week’s flow is about, but let’s hear it straight from the source:
Read Doujah’s feelings on the song after the jump…
Every Friday on the OurStage blog, I’ll be featuring a great example of flow and lyricism in hip hop songs pulled from the OurStage ranks. I’ll get the artist’s thoughts on the song, as well as post the lyrics or best verse so fans can follow the flow themselves.
This week’s “Friday Flow” comes straight out of Nova, VA courtesy of a man who has come from everywhere through just about everything—Eito. Faced with tremendous struggles throughout his life, he (along with Waze) makes you feel it in his song “The Reason.” Eito filled us in with the backstory and details about his journey:
Read Eito’s thoughts after the jump
