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Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Hey guys. Remember that nervous breakdown I had in the last music thread I made? Well clearly I didn't have enough of that, because I'm back with another link. Yay. So if you could please give me any advice on this, please do so. K thx. https://soundcloud.com/user-290826967/clip-1

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
What is the overall message your trying to send? You sound like you want it to be spooky/creepy, but your lyrical content doesn't really serve that very well.

Smoking weed isn't exactly a big deal and no one is going to find a seventeen/eighteen year old intimidating rapping about that.

Anyway, your lyrics should work with your tone, not against it.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Not really the tone I was going for actually, and I'm just speaking about my actual experience. Not trying to scare anyone. Thanks for the advice though. :)

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Stay in school.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I am in school. Gonna be majoring in Music this coming semester.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Major in something you're actually likely to get a job in. To be cruelly blunt, music is an impossible industry to break into. You are fighting for a place against a literal shit ton of people who were born into more powerful positions and quite frankly, with a lot more talent. 

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

There was a point in time where I was thinking that to myself. I wasn't sure what other thing to major in though, I was in Theatre Arts but again, a lot more talent in that field. Nothing else really interested me, either.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Theatre Arts is even worse job wise. I'd honestly consider taking a more pragmatic look at other industries, because a lot of these artsy dream job paths end in living with your parents going into your thirties.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Maybe I'll do something with animals or some shit. Animals are cool.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not exactly sure how much research you've put into the idea of a music option. Maybe I'm wrong, and you've researched into the music industry extensively and talked to people actually working as writers or producers or whatever else and gotten a look at what it's like to work in that industry rather than just what people see from the outside. If so and you know you'd be happy if the rapping thing failed and you just ended up working as something like a recorder or producer or whatever unglamorous jobs there are there, by all means go into music.

If not, the world is a pragmatic place. I don't think many people dream of office work or cleaning toilets or all the shit jobs people have to do. But that's where the vast majority of people end up. The best jobs are either impossible to actually get or actually terrible. Trying to chase that impossible star is only going to end up with you failing and failing to achieve any even bearable job that you can ever be satisfied with.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I mean, being a rapper is my dream. But I guess I would be okay with becoming a producer or whatever.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, but everyone has dreams. 99.9% of people never accomplish them, and many who do find they're unhappy with it. All the bin men and office workers and accountants and so on had dreams of my actors or directors or artists or football players or yes, rappers. Those who abandon those dreams can manage to put the effort into jobs they're able to be satisfied with by getting a good degree in that field. The vast, vast majority of people who try for those dreams, including ones with far more talent than you have to put it bluntly, end up failing and then end up in their late twenties with no job, no relevant degree and nothing to their name. They'll end up sponging off their parents if they're lucky, in a shitty job that they despise doing something they hate, and if they're lucky, they'll go back to school and after a lot of very hard work they'll end up with the degree that was available to them. Music is a hard industry to break into, and even for any job there you'll be fighting against everyone else who's following their dream, and both have more talent, are in better positions and have done a lot more research into the music industry and what it's like.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Can I just work at McDonald's for the rest of my life? I mean, I'm sure I can work my way up in that industry and get decent money.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I mean, that's not the worst choice. General Managers get like fifty grand a year. It's perhaps a bit too low an aim, but not a terrible one.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

That's probably what I'll do then.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I mean again, it seems like too low a bar, but it's definitely a better choice than funneling money into a theater or music degree that'll just either put you into serious student debt or if you're lucky just damage your parents' finances only to waste it either way. Still, if you actually have the resources to get a degree that can actually help you like in Commerce or Law or something, that's the path forward, not ending up in a dead-end job at McDonalds, because 50'000 with no future career prospects is not enough to support a family.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Oh no, I'm not paying for any of it. My family is hella low income so financial aid pays for everything.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Does financial aid pay for every single thing? I thought that was only the case if you getting really good results.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I mean, I'm attending a community college and I'm only taking two classes at the moment. So maybe that's why.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
For the love of sweet baby Jesus, if that's the case, don't waste it. Theater and Music may not be good options, but there are plenty of pragmatic options outside of the sciences too. Economics, Business, Marketing: a lot of those programs will likely offer assistance for internship placement as well.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

So I should just throw away my dream of music completely?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, pretty much. I mean, we all dream to rise far above the rest, but everyone can't be better than everyone.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Ah, alright then. Though I think it's a bit too late to change my major, I already did it once and I signed up for classes. Though next semester isn't until January.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Ah. That's a serious issue. Quite frankly, you're kind of screwed if you don't change your course. Definitely look into changing ASAP.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I will. Thanks for the help.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I know that I'm kinda necroing this, but there is a third option.

Get yourself on stable ground, and then you can pursue music as a hobby. Isn't that what Endmaster does with writing?

Have you ever thought about going into a skilled trade?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not planning on just jumping into music. Might buy a microphone, sure, but I need a job before I just start doing music. A skilled trade, no. Just searching for jobs every week.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I mean, like a career.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Nothing really interests me. I want to do something creative.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
If you like rapping, keep doing it on the side as a hobby. Have fun with it. And if you do happen to get good enough and have the spare coin to rent a studio to do some legit tracks, then all the more power too you.

But measure yourself with a dose of pragmatism. I love football. I love writing. I was never going to be good enough to be a pro player, no matter how much I would have wanted. This would have been a very poor career goal. Writing is a hard way to make a living, but since I enjoy it, I write as a hobby. If I ever write something good enough to get published, then hooray! But if not, I'm still able to enjoy it without sending myself into debt chasing a fanciful unicorn.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

But if I'm going to do it as a hobby in the future, don't I need to start somewhere? Like, in classes where I can learn how to produce beats and whatnot?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Not really. 

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

?That's not entirely true. For example, people on this writing site know how to write (well... They probably should...). Where do they learn? Most people by reading. Now, does taking creative writing classes help? Maybe. But you don't have to use money for it. Go online. YouTube is a great place. Besides, if you want to do something as a hobby, you are starting somewhere - with interest for the activity.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Bad example. We do learn to write in school.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

My bad. I should've meant "the ability to write above average". I feel like I'm just confusing myself. Mind providing a better example?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Art, music, skateboarding, woodworking, programming, cooking, cleaning, shooting, freestyle rapping, surfing, tennis, animal grooming, stocks, languages, etc.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Listen to as much hip-hop and rap as you can get your hands on. From the big names like Kanye, J Dilla, and Madlib to the middle of the road guys like clipping and MF Doom to the small names like Kill Bill. Specifically to find out what makes their music work.

Also, maybe look at shitty rap acts to see why people don't like them, and what they might have done wrong.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
Study biology/chemistry and consider med school or vet school then. Bio and Chem give you a lot of options.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I was complete shit at Science throughout every school level.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
As EndMaster would say, "YOU LACK DISCIPLINE!"

Anyway, science and chemistry are things you can do well in if you put in enough study effort and commit yourself to getting better.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, but at the point where you're bad at science and not working hard at improving is a point where you hate science, and hence that's not the path for you.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I mean, the reason for me is that I'm an idiot. Like, I'm really stupid. So when they use big ass words I get really confused and I fuck up.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Ah. Then yeah, ultra-competitive industries like music or high education ones like medicine aren't for you. Business and Economics is fairly easy to understand and break into, seeing as its broad enough to get you a cushy job in an office.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Will that make me happy, though?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Will the job in itself make you happy? No. But a job you're satsified with is far better than a job you actively hate that makes you unhappy. With the former, the job will provide you with the resources to live, and you'll be able to find happiness in all the other things people find happiness in.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Very good point.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Examples? of Long Musical Notations: Anacrusis, imitative counterpoint, augmented triads, first inversion, second inversion, authentic cadence, model mixture, parallel/relative chords. It's no longer just those major, minor keys or the sharps, flats, and naturals.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Ok so this is a topic I actually know a lot about.

What slashy is trying to do is Music Production. This is something that you only need basic musical knowledge to do. A lot of it is the ability to learn the software which is something you can learn online. You really only need to know key signatures and chord progressions to make basic rhythms and beats to put rap music to.

If slashy was trying to become a conductor or orchestral composer, he could learn all of these things that you just copy and pasted from wikipedia (which honestly isn't that hard to learn online either).

Tl;dr

You don't need to major in music to learn to produce songs. The only reason music colleges offer production is networking opportunities that you won't get in the music program of normal colleges.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Everything you said makes sense... But I didn't copy and paste from Wikipedia. I had to study music theory for a competition... I didn't know that. But shouldn't the basics be expanded to make more unique pieces or whatever???

 

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Short answer, no.

Long answer, you don't need to know anything about music theory to make a unique song. Sometimes you just figure out what sounds good. Not only that, you don't even want to make that unique of a song for rap music. 99% of rap music involves a 4/4 beat and a repeating chord progression. The reason for this is it works. You want your music to be the background of a song mostly focused on the lyrics for rap music.

 

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

My bad, then. I don't understand rap too well.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

It's all good, but honestly the same thing applies for pop music. You probably won't see any cadences in most pop songs, some except for a few key changes.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

The flow was cracked. It didn't go smoothly. But the lyrics were ok.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'll have to work on that, thanks.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

No problem. Put more character in your voice as you rap too. Asking yourself questions in a song and answering them is popular in rap now too. Take this small part for example I wrote a while back.

 

Kill only if I got to. Spot you? best believe I'm goona rot you. No Mob style, but you would think I'm from italy, Knife for protection? Nah, it's for my enemies

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I liked that piece. Sounds dope.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Thanks

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Best advice I could give? Listen to more rap. You're in need of some Wu-Tang and DMX right now, you need to get that testosterone pumping, it makes the flow better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUogZWhlyt0 

Listen to the energy he puts on his bars in this song. He sounds like someone just killed his puppy and he's out for revenge, some straight up John Wick shit. That energy is the most important part about rapping, you need to hype people up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR9F8t39Az4

?Listen to the way they flow in this song. You sound like you're just talking in a microphone, you need to vibe. Practice with some instrumentals, whether they be aggressive like Wu-Tang or smooth/laid back like Drake is your artistic choice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KCWqnldEag

That's for if you're more into some laid back shit. Same thing as Wu-Tang, listen to their flows.

The link you posted just sounded like some generic kid trying to rap drunk at a party. Don't focus on bars right now if you wanna be good, you gotta clean up your technical/delivery skills first and foremost. Look at Lil Yachty for example, his bars are trash but his production and technical skills get people hyped as hell. It doesn't work the other way around. Nobody would listen to Eminem if he wheezed through all his verses, you feel?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
Piggybacking onto Playa's train of thought, you also need a spot where you can properly yell at the microphone. You're talking like you're in a library or something

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Lightweight, lol. Loud rap= Better rap is the same belief that led to a bunch of preteen kids to thinking Rap God is Eminem's best song, albeit switching out loud rap with rapping really fast.

It's more technical skills. I would always practice rapping license plates in a parking lot, until I could get them to flow effortlessly.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
If you sound like you're whispering sweet nothings, it's not good. There's a standard of volume you need to reach.

By all means, why don't you extrapolate some more opinions from my post.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Obviously, lol. But when you say stuff like "You need a place you can yell into the mic," it gives off the impression you're telling him to yell into the mic haha. 

I only brought it up cause there's rappers out there like Denzel Curry who do nothing but yell into the mic to cover up some weak ass delivery, and it's trash no matter how loud they do it.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Most yell-rappers are good like Meek Mill, Young Pappy, Prince Eazy, Montana of 300, etc

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Montana is alright, the rest are trash. Meek Mill has a couple good songs though, to his credit.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Young Pappy - Two Cups.

That'll make you change your mind about him anyway

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Alright, fuck yeah! That shit went hard!

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah I knew him best for constantly standing in front of the store and me constantly having to say excuse me every time I went in. He had mad talent though and overall a cool dude. R.I.P. to him.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
Colourful language on a writing site? Why, I never!

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Mizal is really rubbing off on you nowadays, isn't she?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
Mizal has been known to rub all sorts of people off.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm working on getting a better microphone at the moment actually, since I'm sure that my laptop's sounds like shit. Once that's done, I'll figure out everything with beats. I just wanted to mainly get feedback on my overall lyrics, flow, and voice. Thanks for the advice though, I'll definitely take all of it into making my skills improve.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Another thing, take everything Steve told you with a grain of salt. By all means, you shouldn't invest all your eggs into one basket when it comes to pursuing anything, let alone a music career. That's a one way track to bankruptcy, and all the things that come with it.

On the flip side, don't give up! Bucky was spot on when he said continue to pursue it as a hobby. I've been locked up with dudes who could rap better than so many of the major artists out there, but didn't pursue it because life got in the way. We live in the digital age, where a single rap could go viral and catch the eye of a record producer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf8dFu0xJQs

^Listen to this dude for example. His shit just popped up on my pandora station one day, and he's raw as fuck. Don't think he's signed to a label currently, and if he is not a major one. That said, if he continues making music I'd be extremely surprised if he doesn't make it big one day. All it takes is one record producer's kid to stumble upon you the same way I did this guy, show it to their dad, and have him make you famous. There's a plethora of options to explore to get your music out there nowadays.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

May I ask what I could do to improve my overall flow and such, and if the lyrics were decent? I'm still working on the beats and microphone. Never heard of this guy, but this shit is actually really nice.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Don't really recall the lyrics too well hours after the fact, which is a good sign they weren't that good.

When it comes to flowing, you've gotta figure that out for yourself. Who's your favorite rapper? Who do you strive to be? Do you like Eminem's lyrics more than Kanye's beats? Does Kendrick or J Cole have a better flow? Tupac or Biggie? Wu-Tang or Mobb Deep? Drake or 50 Cent? Lil Wayne or The Game?

I'm not saying rip the guys off or anything, lol, but you'll be hard pressed to find a successful rapper who wasn't inspired by and drew influence from someone who came before them. You're just starting out, don't be afraid to imitate someone else's style before making your own. 

Listen to the way the words transition when they rap. I'm not talking that dumbass Rap God Eminem put out, but notice the way they make the slightest of pivots in their proncounciation that gives the bar a whole new direction. Look up the song Black Friday with Kendrick and J Cole, and listen to Cole's verse. He rhymes the word nigga with nigga about 25 times in a row lmao, but it's fire because of the way he delivers the words in between. It's a craft, one you need to work on.

There's a few good ways to improve your flow once you recognize it. I always used to keep a beat in my head and freestyle license plates until I could do it effortlessly, that way I could focus on improving the flow and not have to think of lyrics to keep rapping. Another thing to do is play an instrumental and just rap. The lyrics can be shit, and they don't have to rhyme or make sense, just keep flowing so you can improve.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I think that's my problem, I fuck with so many rappers that I want to flow like a lot of them.

That's actually a good idea. I'll give that a shot, just to practice.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Check out "Joc Da Block - Beef no Chicken". That's the best example of flow and hype you need in rap. Unfortunately he's rapping about someone he's just killed so it ain't for the faint hearted

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

That song was straight trash hahaha.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Lmfao. You have to know the events leading up to the song to fully appreciate it.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact I didn't like it lol. A good song doesn't need me to have context to appreciate it, though.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Maybe it's just the love I have for my city I'm blinded by. But most Chicago rappers are good.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, I got some love for Chicago. Kanye, Chance, and Common are all pretty raw.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Appreciate that man

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Hey, it's better than Cleveland man, lol. All we've got is MGK and Cudi.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Just imitate ICP, you'll be fine.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

He's got a good point.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Fuckin' magnets.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Oh yeah, and if you're going for that stoner rap definitely check out some Kid Cudi and Wiz! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7IMwop3RHs

^That's a raw ass song. If you're into beats, look at this song and Kanye's old stuff.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Oh yeah, Kid Cudi's the shit. Hella hyped to check out his new album.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

honestly i think you should post more material, i for one would like to hear more. It's kinda hard to give critique when the only thing you got is a couple of lines spoken into a crappy mic. It really feels like you could do a lot better with more effort put in and i want to hear your best rather than give critique to something i assume u whipped up in like 30 seconds. but of this is your best... i think playa has the best advice: listen to some more rap and improve your flow. i assume the reason why it seems like you're just talking into the mic rather than actually rapping is because you have 0 production and you're just reading something you wrote down prior to this. try writing to some beats. make sure you're hyping up your listeners rather than just awkwardly half whispering / talking because thats boring. it kinda sucks but improving your lyrics is your desicion I think. if you manage to get some amazing production (somehow) people probably won't care too much about your lyrics, but i guess it depends on what you want to focus on (keep in mind spitting bars and good production are not mutually exclusive.)

Definitely don't give up on this either, at least for now. but imo you probably shouldnt just 100% bank on this

lastly heres a kid from my school: https://m.soundcloud.com/blumbo88/street-life-1 . You're 18 right? im guessing hes like one or two years younger than you. and he obvs isnt the greatest rapper in the world, but honestly between you and him id assume a record company would give him a deal because he has a lot of things you don't. again he'/s not perfect but hes on the right track: he actually has some production, he has a good flow that gets people vibing, and his lyrics (in this song at least) have some substance.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Hey Fazz, good to see you. Haven't seen you around recently. I wrote these lyrics a couple months back and yeah, they're not my best. I'll whip up some better lyrics and around Christmas I'll be getting the microphone, so hopefully I can test that out and who knows, maybe I'll have something done in the way of beats. Thanks for the positive energy though. :)

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I see you've been told to not do your dream thing. My advice is, do your dream thing. Try hard. It's a skill, like everything else, and you learn by doing, even if that process is slow. Nobody here was born good at writing, we all told cringy stories as kids, some of us still do. Thing is, if you throw your shit away, you're going to spend the rest of your life wanting to do that thing, and then when you have your midlife crisis, you're going to be really shitty at it because you didn't spend the time trying to do it that you would have if you went full-on die-hard do-the-dream-thing.

You will inevitably endure a ton of bullshit for years and years and years. That's great. You want to be an artist, so you'll be able to tap into that, and people will eventually give you money for it. You're going to be trapped in a terrible job while you struggle to write music and shit. Wonderful, you'll get better at it and you'll have a wellspring of inspiration. Nobody just rises above unless, like Steve said, they're born into it. But sheer probability says you're going to do it eventually if you're really willing to sacrifice most of your goddamn life for it. And why not, right? It's what you're meant to do, according to yourself, it's something you're happy doing. If you would like to be imprisoned for 7-8 hours a day before you can move on, that's fine, some people have to do that, but if you want to do an artsy job that doesn't require set hours to get into anyway, for the love of shit don't submit yourself to it. Dedicate yourself to improving and being qualified for the job that you want to have. Other jobs will be somewhere.

Remember the motto of the true musician/author/artist/graphic designer: "If you have to starve to death to become what you want, do it. I mean, seriously, if that's our only skillset and, as far as we know, the point of our existence, why should we stick around for something shitty and less than ourselves? A failed artist doesn't exactly have as much to contribute to the gene pool as, say, a failed athlete or a failed scientist or some shit like that. Push forward at all times, or else you're just holding everyone, and yourself, back. But don't kill yourself or anything when that looks impossible. That's for pussies. And besides, it's a wasted mismanagement of your resources. Imagine all that time you'd spend being dead that you could've spent trying to be the thing you want to be! You might have pushed through!"

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I understand what you're saying. My issue is that like, my self-esteem is complete and utter shit. So I'm never going to think that I'm good, in a sense.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

He who knows he has room to improve will never stop improving. Keep going your own way and leave the opinions up to your customers. If you have any qualms, look into fixing them yourself, incognito if need be.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

See, the problem with that is while no one's born good, people are born bad. Natural talent is a huge element of success, and if you have it, no amount of hard work will get you there, because you're facing people with both the natural talent you'll never get and who are hard working.

To say that people will eventually give you money for it, or sheer probability is in your favor is just wrong. The odds really aren't in your favor. For the vast, vast majority of people, it doesn't work out despite them dedicating their whole life to it, because they're still competing against massive numbers of people who are working equally hard. Even if they have the talent and work ethic, it's still unlikely given the vast amount of people who want this.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not sure I get what you're saying. People can be born bad, but others have natural talent? Either way, it's not really something I believe in. Anyone who tries hard enough, long enough, will get good eventually. I was a WC-quality piece of shit once, and that wouldn't have changed if I didn't practice writing new stories and such almost every day. I had to learn, and I still do. Slasher has some learning to do as well, and that's not really inherent. Everyone is born bad at everything, that's the key point of the phrase "A kid could've done this!" a kid doesn't have experience. Slasher's experience doesn't extend very far either, but he's learning. With dedication, he'll be able to do it.

And yeah, it's unlikely, but oh well. That's what we have to deal with. If you don't follow your dreams, what's the goddamn point? There isn't one, so you just have to dedicate yourself to what you're doing and hope for the best. What it comes down to is the willingness to settle for a life that sucks vs. spending that sucky life trying to build a life that doesn't suck. His life is going to suck either way, either because he can't follow his dreams, or because he's trying and failing to follow his dreams, but only one of those paths is going to lead to a remotely happy ending.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

What, you don't think people can be born with natural talent? Of course they can. Some people will be naturally better than others in this field. If you're up against people who are working as hard as you with more natural ability, as you will be in the music industry, this is what'll happen. 

The chances that this'll work out for him are infinitesimally small, and don't lead to a happy ending, most likely ending up with him in a shittier position than he would've otherwise achieved. I don't know if Slashy ever wants to have a partner or family, but I'd sure as hell hope not with this path, seeing as he won't be able to support them. This path will almost certainly lead to failure and soul-crushing depression as you're forced into a job you hate to continue a shit life as whatever dependents you have are screwed over by your own choices.

The other option is clearly better. With choice, he'll be able to find a job that he's OK with, if not ecstatic. Then, he can find happiness in everything else people find happiness in. His job won't be a source of crippling depression, his family/dependents whatever won't be screwed over and he'll actually be able to carve himself a reasonable life. Because dedicating everything to this and failing does not put you in the same position as not doing it at all.

All this really is false hope that'll quickly be crushed, along with all prospects in life. The dreams of grander you have when you're a teenager are not all that's important in life, and it's important people recognize that.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I don't think there is such a thing as natural talent, unless you compare someone's skills to that of someone with an actual disability that impedes them in that field. Or something similar. Someone with smart parents will probably be smart, someone with athletic parents will probably be athletic, but that's very general. Nobody is naturally talented, they've just practiced certain skills and sets of skills earlier than most other people, or at least, they learned certain things about those skills earlier. Someone who works hard enough can compete with and even overtake someone with natural talent, particularly if one's started to stagnate in the field, which easily happens to people in subjective mediums. It's nobody's fault in particular, they just aren't learning anything new or significant. At that point, somebody else can pass them by no matter how hard they're working at it. Not to mention what an incredibly nebulous concept talent and potential are anyway. JB got big because he had a mediocre voice and the charisma to get people to like him, then someone made him a deal. Infinitisimal chance, of course, but similar things happen all the time.

So he should aim for the mediocrely shitty position instead of going out in a blaze of glory as he genuinely tries? What the hell's memorable or "happy" about that? There's a better chance he'll end up doing something he genuinely wants to do this way.

I just don't think so. He wants to do art, which is supposed to be unique to every person. He'll die a sheep in a job that's soul-crushing in a way he doesn't even notice. He'll be a slave to his chemicals, living the same life as everyone else and producing nothing substantial except the chance to have a kid that has better chances than he does at having their dreams fulfilled. There is no adventure for someone who submits to something they don't want to do because it's less scary than the thing they want to do... And the simple answer is just not to do the whole partner thing unless you're trying to write tragic romance raps. Remember what I said about the whole gene-pool thing.

It's not really false hope, it's just hope in general. I've already submitted myself to the idea that if I can't support myself with my own dream and some safety nets in the botany industry, (Sitting in an office waiting for plants to grow leaves ample time to write shit) I'm going to go out having a good bum fight and publishing whatever I can out of prison. Maybe I'll suicide bomb a van full of drug cartel henchfucks and somebody will write about me well enough that it'd be considered a contribution to the art. Maybe I'll get my own spot in a Cracked article or something if my fallback plan is violent enough. It's the people crazy enough to commit their dreams that go out into the world and finally do it after years of banging their heads against the wall.

It's like the inverse of that shit movie version of H.G. Wells' Time Machine. He would have been happy like everyone else, but his shitty times caused him to do something that was amazing and greater than himself... Although, if that stupid brain-spined alien fuck would've answered his goddamn question correctly, he might have been able to solve the problem and have both his girlfriend and his time machine, but that blue guy probably never got laid in his life so he was just jealous and didn't want to tell him the truth. Although if Disney didn't ignore that bit of plot hole, we wouldn't have this glorious hidden meaning that I'm sure they intended and weren't just trying to crank out a live-action for the families to pay for...

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
You seem to be claming there's no such thing as natural talent, then? I'd have to disagree with you on that. In my opinion, natural talent exists and is a huge part of doing well in your job of choice. Lets take singing, for example. One person might be exelent at it, having a voice so beautiful angels would cry, while the other, being through the same amount of training, will only be decent or maybe not even that. Some people just have a better voice, ears or mind for it. While you could acheave good results even with not much talent by exercising and trying hard, some people just aren't ment for some things, no matter how much they try. If that is so for the poster of this topic I don't know, but if he wants to prove Steve wrong there's a lot of work before him. And while following your dreams is the main plot of a lot of movies, in real life sometimes it's better to change your dreams to something you can follow.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

OK, there is definitely such a thing as natural talent. Some people are smarter, or stronger, or faster, or have better rhythm, thanks to genetics and natural talent. That's just a fact. Sure, someone who works hard can be better than someone with talent who slacks, but in a competitive field like music, you're facing people with natural talent and who are working hard, who you'll never catch up with.

Blaze of glory? What's glorious about dedicating yourself to a field, failing miserably and accomplishing nothing? What's glorious about ending up in a shitty, low-rung position where your family are being screwed over by the choices you made because you wanted to pursue your dreams in a hope-filled delusion of grander rather than be smart and realistic?

Art really isn't unique to everyone. The majority of people are average and similar

What, so failing in art is more fulfilling than raising a family? Everyone has dreams and hopes. That's how we evolved. To say that someone is a sheep because they choose the realistic option is ridiculous. If anything, he'd be a sheep if he wandered off towards the path of "You're special! You can do it!" that comes about from trying to be a rapper, and end up screwed because of it. He can get a job that he's actually OK with if he heads that direction, otherwise he's ending up in the bottom rung jobs that people are forced to do and despising it. Surprisingly, my crushing realism seems to be the more optimistic of our two viewpoints. There is endless adventure and joy in the average life.

It's definitely false hope. The fact that you have such delusions of grandeur that your options are becoming a big writer or this "botany" which you seem to think involves a lot less work than it does or attempt to be some big, grand figure in your death that you weren't in life means nothing. I'm sure you identify with Slashy's struggle and want him to go for his dreams because you've deluded yourself to think success can be achieved if you just work hard enough, but you're not. The vast majority of us are pretty much average: you, me, Slashy. We can either find peace with that and find joy in life, delude ourself with images of success that will never come about and end up achieving nothing as a cautionary tale for a smarter man to tell his kids, or if neither of those options appeal to you, I'm sure that's why option three is why so many people take the "There's the door" option to the whole shebang.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Hard work doesn't always equate to learning things. It is not a constant rate of skill increase. Sometimes people working hard stagnate. With luck and a variety of advice, someone without the natural +1 bonusses can pass someone who has it and is doing the same amount of work to improve. And since taste and skill are so nebulous, there will always be people of varied skill levels working in the market. I think it doesn't take any talent to make Dubstep music, but lo and behold, that's a thing people somehow make a living off of. All kinds of people with varying degrees of musical prowess make music and live off of music, and a great deal of them only got there by banging their heads against the wall.

There's glory in trying, as any Dwarf Fortress Player will tell you. You may end up with a shaggy dog story, but at least your story will be worth telling. You may accomplish nothing, but you tried, and ended up in a uniquely trying situation. This is a story you can attempt to tell to the world, or at least make a final stand in the midst of your failure. Where's the glory in doing the exact thing everyone else does? There's no point in that, you don't create anything new, you just give up what makes you happy so that another generation of people can not do their dreams because you're still not rich or connected enough. And then you're shitty at what you do for not having practiced it, and would have even less hope of doing what you want, where anyone can fail in at least an amusingly different way.

Everyone has their own spin on things, and their own worldview. Even cult members differ slightly. In the right medium, anyone can create or interpret something different. That's what art is.

If you really derive fulfillment from doing artsy shit, then yeah. Personally, raising a family would be a parasitic feeling for me. I do love my family and appreciate what they do, but the act of starting a whole nother branch isn't something I'd be able to do for fulfillment. I don't find endless adventure in average life, there isn't that much variety in it. I'd be glad to live comfortably, but I'd also be glad to live uncomfortably and have every day be a different dealio if it meant that I could write for a living. Someone facing tribulation doesn't fall into a routine, unless that tribulation is the routine itself. Someone fighting for their dream has their dreams to hold onto until the end. If I end up reproducing, it's either going to be a horrible accident, a false accusation, or something I do because I can do that without compromising the work I want to do.

You misunderstand me, I don't at all think I'll be a big writer, I'm not sure I want to be a big writer. The fact is, I want to be a writer, with a sizable audience, even as a part-time job. That's something I'm going to pursue no matter what. I don't want to be a grand figure, I want to contribute to something that fulfills me. I can keep trying and going or whatever, and have a job in something else to supplement it. If I can't make a living off of writing, I won't sweat it, because I'll have built a life where I'm financially okay to just keep trying. If botany goes, then odds are I'll probably find something else. If I don't, I'm willing to do desperate shit just for the hell of it, because why not? There's no other point for me, I don't have genes that need to be passed on, I don't have to overpopulate the world with along with the other people who gave up on being satisfied with themselves without other people. Quite honestly, the idea of quitting that in order to have kids is an idea that depresses the fuck out of me more than a dead-end job. And hell, if there is a natural skill that allows me to write things, it'd be evolutionarily beneficial to cull my line of inferior writing genes rather than fill the planet with more people that it doesn't need.

Although it's probably wise for Slashy to note that I'm going to be in a very different position in college, because colleges do offer degrees for plant jobs, and not for specialising in creative writing. Definitely make sure you can have a day job, but don't stop if it's something you want.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, people can stagnate. But Slashy is fighting against massive numbers of people with both talent and work ethic. Even if he works hard and doesn't stagnate, the odds alone say he'll be against people who worked hard and didn't stagnate either. Hell, Slashy might be the one to stagnate as well. The point is simple. To do this would involve facing off against a lot more talented people who will work just as hard. Is there a chance someone can overcome this? I guess. But they're so infinitely small he'd be better off putting everything he has into the lottery so he can invest his winnings in his rap career.

No, there's not. Trying and failing is not some grand thing, because life is not a game of Dwarf Fortress. You're not some movie character with an interesting tale. You'd end up being one of many, many people who just failed in life. It takes some serious levels of narcissism to believe your tale will be one of glory. No, we're a species of billions and you're not unique. The only question is whether you do what a lot of people do and do it well, or whether you do what a lot of people do and pursue dreams that won't work out. Don't delude yourself with thinking that going for your dreams is a unique option. It's not. Only instead of being like the average, you'll be like the sub-par people. 

Everyone has slightly different worldviews. But the majority of people are generic and boring.

"Someone fighting for their dream has their dreams to hold onto until the end." Yeah, sure, they can cling to their delusions of grandeur and their false hope. What of it? You seem to think there's some more variety in a shittier life. There isn't. You end up in a shittier job to support yourself, and that's the routine. Your routine becomes constant failure, but it is a routine. There's no more adventure in that life than any other.

Being a big (relatively so) writer is necessary to get "A sizeable audience", and most people won't achieve it. Huge numbers of people want this. They work hard at it. They're talented at it. Yet they fail. To think that is something you'll achieve is a feat of extreme narcissism, as you either think you're vastly luckier than all these people or better at writing than the rest of them.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

See, that's just the thing, it's a game of chance. There is no chance if you don't try. If it's something you want to do, then don't stop trying. It seems simple enough to me.

Oh, yeah, I'm uninteresting, but who's to say life isn't a game? It really is nothing and largely pointless in the long run, and so wonderfully absurd that quite honestly I don't think it could be anything else besides a very emotional game. I want to dedicate my life to this bizarre thing I was apparently minmaxed for, and if it doesn't happen, fuck it. Yeah, going for your dreams isn't something unique, I know that, but what people tend to do when they're in situations of duress is, more often than not. If nothing happens, I'll just resort to desperate measures for the sake of having done something noteworthy on my own terms. It's the closest thing I have to a purpose, and I don't intend to lose the game any time soon.

Maybe I should visit Ireland sometime. I don't think I've met enough boring people.

We seem to have different definitions of sizable. Sizable, to me, is more than a couple, which is one less than a few. Sizable is 5 people buying a book because I told them to. I want to at least achieve something like 6-10 people showing up on my promotional site or some shit because some Redditor finds it and thinks it's good/endearingly bad enough to share on some shit corner of the internet. I'd like to have maybe 2 or 3 (A couple or few) people I've never been acquainted with unironically like what I'm doing, to have come across it because someone I bothered to talk about it said something. When I'm dead, I want to go into the Skeleton War knowing I told an okay story or 8 to a bunch of okay people... Or 8. Everything else is wonderful new territory.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, it's a game of chance. The odds are insanely against your favor though, and it's not as simple as keep trying, because you're sacrificing your chance at anything else. If this is really the only thing you value in life the yeah, I guess you go for it. But if rapping or writing or whatever childish dream people have is the only thing they have is the only thing they can find worth living for, they're a shitty person.

Life isn't a game. Life has consequences. Life serious affects other people.

Maybe you're so bland find boring people interesting.

Well then, if a few people reading your story is what you'll sacrifice your life for go do it, but that's an almost despicable waste of a life.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I mean, there's friends and family and stuff, and they're wonderful, and no person should go without them, but if the thing that I can do makes me happy is writing, not having kids, I'm shitty? That's kind of a narrow scope. Who's to say I'll be any good at having a family?

And why is it serious? Life is only serious according to life's own rules. Who's to say anything we do matters to us before or after? It isn't, there's nothing for us anywhere else. I'll do my best not to impede anyone else while I try to pursue what I want to do, but I'm not going to quit. Quitting goes against my personal win conditions, and it'd go against the conditions of people I grew up around who at least want me to be a different flavor of mediocre.

Maybe you're so easily dismissive you don't notice the differences in people outside of all those internet demographics you keep hearing about.

Oh, and bringing more average pointless, dreamless lives into a world that has more than enough of them is somehow going to make me vastly superior to the version of me that actually tries to get good at the one thing that he wants to do? Wholly commiting my existence a shit job that I never wanted in the first place just because it pays better than the thing I probably was never going to do full time anyway is somehow fucking heroic of me compared to the shit I'd be doing trying to be an author?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, if nothing but writing can make you happy, I'd say you're a waste of a human being.

Life is serious because people can suffer serious consequences from it. The fact that you'll willing to choose a shittier level of averageness isn't special or commendable. The fact that you've labelled fighting a losing battle winning means nothing. 

No, I don't think so.

The fact that you consider average lives pointless is retarded. You seem so self-obsessed you think yourself unique and different to the average man, but that doesn't diminish other people's lives however average. As I've said, yeah, if sacrificing your life to get a few people reading your stories is how you want to spend your life, that's a waste of your life. Is that's the only way you can find meaning, you're a shitty person who should've found meaning in doing something that actually contributes to society like helping others.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Of course there's other shit that makes me happy. Writing is just a constructive thing that I can do, so I'm going to do that. I'm not going to stop doing that because it's not practical to try, because, big surprise, I like doing it.

People can suffer serious consequences from it, of course. And me going off and becoming an Ag worker who writes books is going to be so fucking destructive to everyone involved. Especially the aphids. Thor have mercy on my soul for the shit I'm about to do. Life's a game if you want to give it a point, the point is to be better than average at something. I'm better than average at writing things, so I'll gladly live a less-than-average life for the better-than-average result of being an author that people enjoy reading. That's my win condition. I'll go into heaven, hell, or a blank emptiness happy knowing I did that.

Remember that one Jeff Bridges character that said something relevant to this part of the conversation?

I'm not unique or different, but I aspire to be one day maybe, that's not the point. All life is pointless, and that's fine. We're allowed to have psuedo-points to get us through to the end. I'm not sure I understand why you find me having a point that's not about your ideals is so upsetting to you, but we're really never going to change each other's opinions. I'm just glad to know that not becoming Mother Teresa or a dad when I'm not cut out for either of those tasks makes me inherently worse than everyone. I'm also glad that devoting time to helping people, but not my life makes me selfish. I'm fine helping others, that's something I enjoy doing, but writing is the thing I aspire to do. Just because it's ridiculously unlikely isn't going to make me stop doing it, because honestly I find that idea to be fucking ridiculous when I'm clearly not a dad nor a person who could perform the tasks necessary half as well as I do the thing that I genuinely want to do.

If I make people happy with what I write, that's enough. That's my dream, that's what I want to do with the flash that I have in the uncaring toilet bowl. If that makes me Human AIDS, then that's just fine by me, at least I won't spend my life dedicated to creating additional earth consumption and competition for everyone already playing, or struggling to save every starfish with a skillset and willpower I don't have. I'm not going to pretend that fiction writing is vital, or contributes largely to the world at large, but I want my name in that lottery, because fuck it, that's what I do. That's my thing. There are many things identical to it, but fuck it, it's mine, and if nobody signed up for this lottery, the world would be a much more boring and inane-feeling place.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

So then yeah, writing's not the only thing that makes you happy. So to give everything up for it when that too will fail is a stupid and moronic decision.

Yeah, life does have consequences. It's not a game where the goal is to be better at average. Shit, everyone's better than average at something, if only by a little.

...no.

All life isn't pointless. Perhaps for you it is, but not for others. I don't find your approach to life upsetting, I find it to be a waste. That you have such a callous regard for life, but your own and other people's, is pretty awful, though. And yeah, when you're willing to abandon all your potential to actually improve the world in order to get a dozen people reading your books, that does make you an inherently worse person than the average. The fact 

Yeah sure, it's your choice. I'm not disputing that. That doesn't change the fact that it's a waste of your life. If you're as you said OK with that, so be it.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

It's not like I'll spend 24 hours a day doing it. I'll probably always have friends and colleagues and family members, I'll probably always try to see if I can make random people smile because it's contagious, what I want to do, though, is write. So arborism or whatever I'm about to do isn't going to be the focus of my life. Fuck me, right?

Yeah, and I want to try and use that better-than-averageness to leave with better-than-average fulfillment.

Well, he's an overused reaction GIF now. I'm sure you'll find him somewhere.

Yeah, all my average-person potential to make a real, tangible difference, right? The odds of me doing something useful when I'm actually trying to do something useful are the same as the odds of me getting recognition as a writer. I may as well do the thing that I'm better-than-average at and fail while trying to help people along the way than do something I'm not prepared for, in skill or psychology, for the rest of my life. I'm putting my potential into something that I can do that can help people, probably. I don't have potential in the community service or other "Helping people" fields. I can make a dozen people happy. That's the beginning and end of all my likely potential. It's not some valiant, noble cause, but I can do it. I can't go to college for 8 years and try to save lives. I can't sign up for a hotline and spend the rest of my existence reading off a sheet. I can't move to Africa and struggle to help people for a day at a time tops. I'm not psychologically able to just watch people die, but something I can do is make a dozen strangers happy, and that's what I'll live for, petty and shit as it may be. I guess it is technically a waste, though, but what isn't? Fuck my own goals.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, not literally every second of the day is being sacrificed for it. So?

Since is everyone is better than average at something, being better than average at one particularly thing is still average overall, so no, that's not how it works.

Alrighty then.

Yeah, your average-person potential to make a difference. No the odds of achieving recognition as a writer and doing something useful aren't similar. not even slightly. The odds are insanely different. Getting recognition as a writer is very unlikely, as you admit. Doing something useful does not nearly have the same odds stacked against it. Not everything is equally likely. You act like you have potential as a writer that you don't have in any field. You can do a lot of things. The fact that you don't want to, or aren't "psychologically able to" means nothing. Fuck, build wells in Africa. Spend your free time volunteering. These things aren't impossible. So yeah. It is a waste. And fuck your shitty goals.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

So my life isn't just about me, only my hobbies are. I apologize for not being an ant.

I never said being better than average at something makes me better than average, I said I was going to build my personal life goals around something that

Oh, yeah, my free time can be spent helping people. I do that when the opportunity presents itself, sure. I'm not going to dedicate my life to the serious "Holy shit I'm going to become a Doctor Rehab Worker Prison Counselor Rescue Worker" because that's very serious shit I won't be able to do, but you fucking bet I do community service when I'm not doing my job, making people I know happy, or writing. I've tried to go on several projects at a church I don't really believe in because it feels nice to piss in the sea of morality, gone to Minneappolis to help people. Charity is something people do, it's not like not dedicating your life to helping people means you're not going to help people. I'll be wasting time in your eyes, sure, but so are you by being on the damn site.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, but you seem to be building your entire life around this one thing. That's what you're arguing for. You've been saying nothing else can give fulfillment, and if this one thing is what your life is being dedicated to and built around, that is a spectacular waste. The fact that you're spending free time helping people is great, but it seems if anything that this means you're not actually dedicating your entire life to writing and instead doing other things that help people, so yeah, that's great.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Like, I'm okay with doing other things, I like all kinds of different facets to life. If writing was the only facet, I wouldn't be able to write, but I've derived more satisfaction in my life from writing than anything else, and I want that to be my thing even if it's really unlikely. I'm never going to stop trying to be a writer, but that's not going to be the only thing I do. I'm just not schizophrenic enough.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't write, or it shouldn't be a big part of your life. I'm saying it definitely shouldn't be the only thing that fulfills you in life because that's a waste, but if that doesn't apply to you, cool, whatever. I'm saying people shouldn't be throwing their lives away to chase dreams that can be never achieved. I think that's a waste. But if that's truly what you want, not succeeding in the field but just going down that path, then I suppose go do that.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I think I was arguing a more extreme point when I started than I am right now. Thank you for helping me figure out what my actual opinion is, again.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Admittedly, I almost certainly had a more extreme point at the start of this, although in the fog of sleep deprivation I no longer remember. Anyhow, best of luck finding fulfillment and that.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Oh look at that, a debate.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

DO YOUR DREAMS SHADOW

BUT NOT ALL THE WAY JUST KEEP TRYING SPECIALIZATION IS FOR INSECTS.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Well Steve just lost this debate for advocating building wells in Africa. If there was anything that was a biggest waste of your time, that would be it.

Unless you're actually an African, then go for your dreams of getting clean water for your tribe.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
1) Sound confident. Or fake it til you make it. Honestly, you sound as if you're gonna get caught by your mom. You need to inject some energy into your rap.
2) Work on the flow. Idk if it's lack of practice or not knowing where you're weak at, but the flow is mediocre right now. If you really wanna rap, then you can't just practice rapping, but everytime you do, you gotta analyse it as well. Listen to it, add a beat if it's necessary, and then ask yourself "Would I listen to this?" If the answer is no, then figure out why. If the answer is yes, you're not trying hard enough.
For example, idk if you wanted to end it off strongly, but the end sounds rushed instead. That's your lasting impression.

Also, Steve isn't wrong, but he is a little extreme. Yup, STEM subjects are where most people are gonna find jobs. And especially for the music industry, where you either need connections, or extreme talent and hard work to get noticed. I'd say to either wholly dedicate yourself to it, or give up (the middle ground is to make it a thing you do on the side). [For example, I thought I'd be a photographer a few years ago, but I realised it was something that I wouldn't do as a job, and I gave up on it, but I still love photography and take pictures as a pastime.] Either way, be realistic.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Steve's never wrong! Steve's a motherfucking genius! STEVE!

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Whoa, calm down there buddy.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not your buddy, guy.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

yes finally the terms of endearment

I'm not your guy, pal.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not your pal, friend.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not your friend, chum.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not your chum, buddy.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm not your buddy, hermano.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

No. We went back to buddy, so it was over. Your attempt to continue it has not only quashed the tiny bit of growth our relationship had went through, but quashed it further.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'm sorr-

It was fun while it lasted. 

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

And I on the other hand, am a complete stranger wink

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yes. Yes you are.

Hello there, stranger.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

1) Yeah. I kind of panicked and it was a one take thing. Didn't listen to it at all, just sent it.
?2) My problem is again, my self-esteem is shit, so like, I hate my voice.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Another thing, play with your voice a little bit. Rappers are always using different accents for different songs, so don't be afraid to mix it up a little.

And don't let Steve's "life is hard so why bother trying at all because you're just going to fail and end up hating yourself," rhetoric get the best of you. By all means, find a way to support yourself first and foremost, but don't give up on your dream. We've got enough cynical assholes in the world already, we don't need another one. You're young, and you still have so much potential ahead of you, rapping is a craft that takes years to hone, but if you stay committed, you never know what you can make out of it. It's one of the biggest cliches out there, but 90% of life is showing up. 

You might make it to Top Dawg Entertainment, you might not. If this is a serious goal for you, even if you try and fail spectacularly, at least you won't be asking yourself what if. 

And who knows, maybe you'll find a nice middle ground. You might not be known nationwide, but maybe you put on a couple performances for a few hundred people every weekend? Wouldn't that pretty cool in of itself? :)

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I'd be happy just knowing I impacted a few hundred people, honestly. That sounds just fine to me. :)

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
It's not life is hard so don't bother trying. It's real life isn't a movie where everyone gets their dreams. As nice as it might be to be optimistic and say follow your dreams, you're wrong and you only spread misery and disappointment. I don't care how much it's your dream to fly like a bird, you shouldn't jump out a window to see if it works. To say 90% of life is showing up is pretty much say the majority of people in shitty situations didn't work hard enough.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Nobody here is advocating jumping out of windows though, lol. Just that with the way the world is set up nowadays, all it takes is one viral video to launch yourself to fame. Look at Justin Bieber, the reason he got noticed is because a former marketing executive stumbled upon one of his Youtube videos, and was so impressed he brought him on, even though he was only 13 years old at the time. 

Who cares if he doesn't make it? Lol. As long as he's not living on government assistance and blowing off child support payments, there's nothing wrong with him pursuing rap as a hobby while keeping his priorities in order. Nobody said he's going to make it big, but giving up just because the cards aren't in your favor is weak minded behavior. If things turn out well, great. If they don't, not so great, but at least you tried to see what you could make of it. Short of blowing off your responsibilities, there's no reason for somebody not to pursue their dream. All that leads to is a life of regret if taking the safe route doesn't pan out so well.

And that's nothing like saying people in shitty situations didn't work hard enough. Life is shitty, and shitty situations lead to further shitty situations. Life happens, people don't get what they want, but that's still no reason to give up what you enjoy doing.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago
Eh. With jumping out a window, you have a better chance of not ending up screwed over. The fact that you can point out someone who got noticed is as relevant as the fact that I can point out someone won the lottery in a recreation of him winning the lottery. With the way the world is nowadays, your chances are even worse and most people going up in the world have more talent and connections than you.

Yeah, he should probably keep it up as a hobby if that's what he's like. He shouldn't major in something entirely do to the pursuit of his dreams, though. I'd definitely recommend he raps as a hobby, and with a good job he might be able to actually put some money into it if he so pleases. But this "Well at least you tried, champ!" is what's leading to a bunch of people ending up with shit lives because people told them all their lives they were better than what they were and they could do anything.

You either have to admit the majority of people in situations didn't work hard enough, or they simply weren't lucky or good enough. If it's the latter, telling Slashy that 90% of life is showing up on time is bullshit, because it's not. It's luck and talent.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Yeah, but there's such a difference between winning the lottery and becoming a famous musician that it's not even worth discussing haha.

Everything you just said is quitter mentality. Rap is a craft you can hone, it's not like anybody wakes up one day and starts cyphering lol. The work and effort you put into it is what translates into talent, it's not like being an athlete. You don't have to be 6'5" and run a 4.4 forty yard dash to be a rapper, it's about dedication and perseverance. When it comes to connections, the internet conquers all. Knowing a famous record producer, alright, yeah that's a bit of a trump card, but social networking in the right groups of people isn't as important now as it was back in the day. Record an LP, put it on Youtube, get your friends to start sharing it. If it's good, it might catch someone's eye. It might not. You never know till it happens, though.

I fail to see how people pursuing their dream leads to them having a shit life. If they go about like a moron, then yeah, you've got a point. Nobody was advocating him majoring in music in college. Telling him to make sure his priorities in order was actually one of the first things I told him, lol. Telling people not to bother pursuing their dreams at all, because they're not good enough to make it and never will, that seems like a pretty good way for someone to fall into a shit life. Taking the safe route isn't necessarily safe, and if things fall apart they're going to wonder what could've been if they took the risk instead. Not to mention the obvious blow to their self esteem. 

I mean, with your logic, what's to stop him from not going to college altogether? Just because someone majors in engineering or architecture, for example, doesn't mean they'd be a good engineer or architect. Maybe they're not passionate enough. Maybe they're not smart enough. If it's going the safe route all the way, just become a day laborer, because even in a world with a shortage of architects or engineers, they're always going to need someone to build the shit for them. Pays well too, with benefits. Not everyone can be good at what they do, so why not avoid the massive student debt altogether? 

And as for your last paragraph, definitely the latter, but 90% is still showing up. You can't fail in a situation you didn't show up for, now can ya?

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

I think Steve is talking more about something like this with the whole pursuing your dream thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOOw2yWMSfk

 

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Even majoring in music is stupid.

Edit: Aw... what a poor, poor retard.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

He surprisingly had a very faint glimmer of hope where it was used in some minor senior Olympics event I guess, but it was hardly enough and he finally quit after 36 years and deleted his website.

Not as funny as this one though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdUMy9HzdWo

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Leather. With rhinestones.

LEATHER PISSCOAT WITH RHINESTONES.

Rap Advice Part 2: Because I Hate Myself.

7 years ago

Not really, in terms of odds.

You can call it quitter mentality if you like, but that doesn't change the fact that's it the better mentality. You act like because it doesn't have physical qualifications, it must all be dedication, which is utter bollocks, and then act like being on the internet is some great ability, which since every bastard who wants to be a rapper is on it, that doesn't mean anything.

See, he was advocating majoring in music, seeing as that's the path he was going down. I simply said it's a bad idea, rather than mindlessly enforcing the generic mentality that "Hard work is everything! Everyone has a chance!", which it clearly is. I've said before if he wants rapping as a hobby he should. To say taking the safe route isn't always safe is true, but it's far safer. If knowing they're average is a huge blow to someone's eager, they're a narcissistic prick.

Majoring in something will most likely improve them at it. The difference between engineering and music is he's far, far more likely to get a job in the former than the latter. So no, you've misunderstood my logic. It's about balancing risk and reward, not forgoing one.

So, yeah, it is luck and talent that gets you in, but then no, it's showing up. You can't say its both there, buddy.