Off Topic Should Rappers Write Their Own Lyrics?

It's a never-ending debate as to whether or not rappers should write their own lyrics or have them done by a ghost writer.

Ice Cube was quoted recently with saying, "As far as emceeing and being a rapper, you should write your own stuff.”

In other genres of music, it's common practice to have a songwriter write for the artist and it's widely accepted, of course. The issue is with Rap music. Rappers are expected to write their own lyrics and if they don't, they get clowned.

But is that right? I think so.

Ghostwriting In All Its Glory

Now don't get me wrong - I completely understand if a rapper gets someone else to help them with their lyrics, but to write the whole thing? Nope. This is because Rap music is based upon rappers that are speaking their minds and telling the listener what his/her life is like - the struggles, hardships, and also the fun times. So how can someone else just walk into a room and hand said rapper some lyrics? "Here are your lyrics, sir. It's about how hard you had it growing up in the hood".

WTF?

It's different with music production. If I'm working on a beat and another beatmaker or producer tells me I should change this or that, it's actually welcomed criticism because it will only enhance my beat. The same can't be said for Rap lyrics. How can someone write lyrics for a rapper and tell that rapper's story? Unless it's just regular stale lyrics like:

"I got enemies, got a lotta enemies
Got a lotta people tryna drain me of my energy
They tryna take the wave from a nigga
Fuckin' with the kid and pray for your nigga"
- Drake "Energy"

Straight up garbage like that can be written by anyone. This is why there's been all sorts of drama lately between Drake and Meek Mill, where Meek called out Drake, saying he didn't write his own lyrics:



As you can see, this is a perfect example of how people react to a rapper not writing his own lyrics (not that I consider Drake "Hip Hop" anyway, but that's a whole other issue).

It's All About Staying True

I was going to quote a Rap song from years ago to show the difference in style of lyrics from then until now but it's not about that (plus I don't know if those lyrics were ghost written either). Back in the day I'm sure there were plenty of rappers that had their lyrics written for them as well but we didn't hear about it like we do today with social media.

From a record label's point of view, I understand. They want a song to be recorded and they don't care how it gets done, just as long as it sounds great and can sell and go viral. So if that means that there needs to be 10 producers and 20 ghostwriters, then so be it.

However, from the point of view of a Hip Hop fan - hell no! How weird would it be if you saw a rapper freestlying in a cypher and it's lyrics that someone else wrote? It's like if there's a cypher and everyone's reciting lyrics to popular songs. Makes no sense.

And that ain't Hip Hop. What do you think?

 

[Earsblower]

Maybe i'm taking this a notch too far but I see it like actors in movies. They play whatever the writer wrote and then maybe add some spices on it. If the movie's a flop, it could still have some nice play, or the opposite. All in all, I prefer a rapper that brings its own lyrics no doubts but if everything works in the end, im cool with that.

Guess that we all decide to listen/like a song based on what we hear. If the lyrics is trash (looking at you Drake) then just don't listen to it. Some other people would obviously still listen to it and that's ok. You can't control that.

 

[unaufadox]

I hate how we've come to a point where we shit on rappers for having rhymes written for them but no one expects singers/vocalists to write everything

Fade alluded to the point about a rapper who is talking that talk...that street life talk.... having someone write that for him is not it. I agree with that point. When DMX raps 'I'm slippin I'm falling I can't get up' you feel that man. 'I've been through mad different phases like mazes to find my way' I feel like that is X and from what I know (like I really know the guy ) he really went through some stuff in his life. He bleeds onto the page and we connect with it.

I feel like rap and hip hop are a sharing of experience like a piece of them. Whereas R&B tracks are more of a performance piece, with the option of a sharing. I don't need to believe Whitney Houston was wondering the streets looking for someone to dance with haha because she wanted to dance with somebody I think I appreciate the performance aspect with singers more. Double standard and a contradiction.....maybe man....maybe. Maybe because in early rap I didn't see rappers faking it. Mobb Deep, Nas, DMX, Meth & Red & Wu Tang....I didn't get any sense that they were not about their lyrics. It was only later that this became a thing. Maybe that's what it is about for me. The whole faking it part more than someone writing for someone else. I had no problem with EM writing for Dre because Dre is a producer. His time is better spend behind the desk than on the mic.