A lot has changed since my original post about my son's rap writing endeavors. For one thing, my son is a year older and no longer a “teen.” But with that bump in age have come more noteworthy changes for him; among them, a maturity in his rap music. Now I’m not talking about his voice, though it may sound a little lower, or his sound, which is undeniably crisper, or even his beats and melodies, more varied and dimensional. No, as a mom and a writer, I’m referring to his stories, the substance behind his music. Specifically, his ability to put words together to express something meaningful, creative, intelligent, and engaging. That’s what writing is all about.
I’d like to believe I’ve matured, too, as the mom of a rap writer. And I think I have. The profanity doesn’t bother me as much, although I still prefer listening to the “cleaner” songs. More important, I get the point of rap more than I did a year ago. It isn’t just a fad or a culture or a mix of (sometimes confusing) words and beats; it’s an art. To be able to write rap—and do it well—takes time, talent, patience, reflection, and deep concentration. Mostly, though, it takes good storytelling.
With the release of his new mixtape “Jetta Tapedeck,” I thought I’d sit down and ask my son a few more questions, writer to writer.
Your new mixtape basically chronicles a night out in your car. Most writers draw ideas from their personal experiences. How personal is this tape?
It’s relatively personal, more so than my past music. I still wanted to keep things a little ambiguous, but I also wanted to portray character growth and how I’ve moved away from my childhood tendencies.
Explain how you organized the songs for “Jetta Tapedeck.” Did you start with an outline or a synopsis?
No, I don’t use an outline or synopsis. I usually have an idea of a track list and build on that idea. I like the first song on the album to be catchy and the last song to be more introspective and slow. Then I try to make it all cohesive as I go along. You’ll notice, for example, that there’s a reference to my car in every song.
What, in your opinion, is your best lyric from this tape or any other? Explain why.
“I found a mystery woman, I found a mystery woman, I thought if I repeated myself, then maybe history wouldn’t.” This is from the new tape. I like the double meaning of it, and it fit well in the context of the song.
One of my favorite expressions is from the movie Finding Forester, where Sean Connery tells his young mentee to first write with his heart and then go back and write with his head. Do you follow that advice when you write rap or do you prefer to go with your gut?
With rap, I think the writing comes from the heart and the recording comes from the head.
But most serious writers have to do at least some rewriting and editing to fine tune their work. What role do these processes play in rap writing for you?
These days, I’ve become less confined to my first attempt at writing. If something fits better, I’ll change a word or shorten a sentence. But as far as major editing, I don’t do that. That would take away from the raw emotion of the writing.
How do you think you’ve evolved as a writer of music? Has your education helped in that growth?
I’ve tried to make my lyrics more relatable. I stopped trying to impress people with clever word play and analogies and have tried to make my music more grounded, easier to interpret. I don’t want to confuse people with my music; I want them to understand it. And yes, my education has given me a better understanding of the world, and that helps with my writing. It’s also expanded my vocabulary.
Any ideas for your next project?
No…you don’t want to force writing. I’m just going to relax for awhile.
And that, as they say, is a wrap.
To read part one of Writing and Rap Music: A Mother’s Dilemma, click here.
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