What Do You Want From An Album?

[Chad]

everybody in here is on point, so al I can do rehash what everybody ahs said....Stick to one producer/production team, Cut down the features to only a few, be creative & original, put 10 -12 tracks on an album (not 22-30), and get off the industry formula!!

[WILL-I-DIE]

I want an album that spreads a special kind of feeling from the first to the last tracks. You wnat examples?
DJ Quik - Safe + Sound
3X Krazy - Stackin Chips
U.D.I - Under Da Influence
MC Eiht - We Come Strapped
Roscoe - I Luv Cali
Lil Rob - Twelve Eighteen Part 2
Messy Marv - Bandannas, Tattoos & Tongue Rings

Look, I also named some newer albums to show that also albums that aren't from the golden age of 1992-1998 can be dope cause they are consistent.
And I wish me some funk. Deep basslines with Vibe like in "Keep It On The Real" of 3X Krazy for example, I hate to hear stupid bass sounds so often like for example on "Get A Light" off the new Snoop record, the same tone all over the song. I also miss the "gangsta whine" these days, funky worm sound you know? Funky synthesizer sound.
The best thing you can do these days, let your album be produced 100% by Fingazz

is "Lil Rob - Twelve Eighteen Part 2" out already?

[XL Middleton]

damn ok this is one helluva response, thats what im talkin about!!! i think everyone is real on point, there's definitely a general consensus here and most of the things yall are lookin 4 are what im striving to do with my next project...the one thing i disagree with is the one-producer theory. i think that when one producer handles a whole album that there can be great results, but i dont think its necessary, some examples that come to mind immediately are "All Eyez On Me", "Capital Punishment", "Streetz Is A Mutha", even "Ready 2 Die" although I know that for the most part Big was fuckin with a certain set circle of producers.

what i do agree with the most is the need to try new concepts and to just create music for YOURSELF...i definitely feel that if you're comin from a real place that most people will feel it. for me personally, one of the most important realizations ive had as an artist is i'm NOT on a major label, i'm NOT getting rotation on the mainstream radio or in the club, so why make music that caters to a crowd that I don't even have? i figure that most people who have a mind thats open enough to listen to a dude who's not all over MTV or XXL are generally listening to a dude like me because they're sick of what's out there in the mainstream, right???

on that note i really gotta hand it to Bishop Lamont, his new mixtape was dope, not even so much because of the music itself (i liked some of the songs but not all of em) but because it represented a new direction for hip hop...a dude like him being under someone as big as Dre means that there's definitely a market for something other than rappin about movin weight, killin muthafuckas, being rich etc.

with that said, i gotta put my money where my mouth is - on my next album i'm trying to cover a lot of new ground, im takin it beyond the party, i feel like ive always done that on every project but i haven't emphasized it enough so a lot of yall might think that all i do is party records...

anyway we got a cool discussion crackin here so lets keep it pushin...

[Si-Chiggedy]

I want an album that spreads a special kind of feeling from the first to the last tracks. You wnat examples?
DJ Quik - Safe + Sound
3X Krazy - Stackin Chips
U.D.I - Under Da Influence
MC Eiht - We Come Strapped
Roscoe - I Luv Cali
Lil Rob - Twelve Eighteen Part 2
Messy Marv - Bandannas, Tattoos & Tongue Rings

Look, I also named some newer albums to show that also albums that aren't from the golden age of 1992-1998 can be dope cause they are consistent.
And I wish me some funk. Deep basslines with Vibe like in "Keep It On The Real" of 3X Krazy for example, I hate to hear stupid bass sounds so often like for example on "Get A Light" off the new Snoop record, the same tone all over the song. I also miss the "gangsta whine" these days, funky worm sound you know? Funky synthesizer sound.
The best thing you can do these days, let your album be produced 100% by Fingazz

is "Lil Rob - Twelve Eighteen Part 2" out already?

early april I hope...

[Sanford - V. President of the Dangerous Crew Movement]

a Freddy B and Ant Banks production.   

[XL Middleton]

Those albums you're refering to sounds like compilations and are one the few that mastered that formula. 95% of the artists that try to duplicate that formula fail badly. While those that go the one producer/production team route 95% of them succeed.
But hey it's your album,I was just speaking in general and hope that other artists read this thread.

i was actually speaking in general too, for the most part i produce my own stuff and generally if i work with any other producers its within a set circle of cats who know my sound and can help maintain the cohesiveness of a project. i was just naming a few albums that had a lot of different producers that still came out hot, for the sake of conversation.

[Laconic]

Major respect for starting a thread like this.  There seems to be a genuine sincerity with independent artists such as yourself that doesn't exist in the "mainstream."  The fact that you are on here conversing with folks validates that substantially.  On that note I'd love to hear some songs with REAL issues(fucked up gov't, disease, war, etc.) being addressed like "Shotgun."  Something akin to a Paris record, perhaps.  Is that Barliament Drunkadelic still coming out this summer?

[XL Middleton]

Major respect for starting a thread like this.  There seems to be a genuine sincerity with independent artists such as yourself that doesn't exist in the "mainstream."  The fact that you are on here conversing with folks validates that substantially.  On that note I'd love to hear some songs with REAL issues(fucked up gov't, disease, war, etc.) being addressed like "Shotgun."  Something akin to a Paris record, perhaps.  Is that Barliament Drunkadelic still coming out this summer?

you said it homie...basically the angle im going for on Barliament Drunkadelic is nothing as in-your-face as a Paris, Kam, or Public Enemy, but something a little more cynical, a little funnier and easier to relate to, but basically addressing the same issues. if you think about it, NWA addressed a lot of the same issues that PE did but in a whole different way. instead of telling you why the government is fucked up they gave you stories and examples of shit they were dealing with everyday that illustrated WHY things are fucked up.

here's a few examples of what i'm working with:

"Don't Hate": a song addressing how I don't like the idea of "don't hate on such-and-such artist he's just getting his money". i hear a lot of artists get a lot of passes for dropping wack shit on based on this theory, so i'm asking the question, would you still say "don't hate he's just getting his money" if you applied it to people like, say, George Bush or Donald Rumsfeld or any corporate big wig.

"Beautiful People": talking about what it takes to look good on the outside, and the great lengths we go to in order to do that while we feel like shit on the inside.

"Falling Down": a story rhyme based on the movie with Michael Douglas but told in today's social climate.

oh yeah, and im keepin the funk in it!!!!

[Si-Chiggedy]

oh yeah, and im keepin the funk in it!!!!

real talk

[jeromechickenbone]

Major respect for starting a thread like this.  There seems to be a genuine sincerity with independent artists such as yourself that doesn't exist in the "mainstream."  The fact that you are on here conversing with folks validates that substantially.  On that note I'd love to hear some songs with REAL issues(fucked up gov't, disease, war, etc.) being addressed like "Shotgun."  Something akin to a Paris record, perhaps.  Is that Barliament Drunkadelic still coming out this summer?

you said it homie...basically the angle im going for on Barliament Drunkadelic is nothing as in-your-face as a Paris, Kam, or Public Enemy, but something a little more cynical, a little funnier and easier to relate to, but basically addressing the same issues. if you think about it, NWA addressed a lot of the same issues that PE did but in a whole different way. instead of telling you why the government is fucked up they gave you stories and examples of shit they were dealing with everyday that illustrated WHY things are fucked up.

here's a few examples of what i'm working with:

"Don't Hate": a song addressing how I don't like the idea of "don't hate on such-and-such artist he's just getting his money". i hear a lot of artists get a lot of passes for dropping wack shit on based on this theory, so i'm asking the question, would you still say "don't hate he's just getting his money" if you applied it to people like, say, George Bush or Donald Rumsfeld or any corporate big wig.

"Beautiful People": talking about what it takes to look good on the outside, and the great lengths we go to in order to do that while we feel like shit on the inside.

"Falling Down": a story rhyme based on the movie with Michael Douglas but told in today's social climate.

oh yeah, and im keepin the funk in it!!!!

I agree 100% on the "don't hate, he's just gettin that paper".  I understand anybody getting their money any way they can, but there's no way I'm gonna hold that particular hustler with the same regard as an artist.  Some individuals are 80% art 20% hustle.  Some are 50%/50%.  Some are 80% hustler / 20% artist. 

Some people love an individual that's a hustler, love his style, his swag or whatever.  Me personally, it doesn't do anything for me.  I couldn't give a fuck less what someone looks like, how much $ they have, how many units they push, etc.  It means shit to me when I'm bumpin their music.  They have to have some redeeming qualities musically or it's a waste of time.  That goes for Hip Hop, Rock, Pop, whatever.

And what you have now is mainstream artists that are subscribing to such a strict formula for their singles: Club Banger (fucking hate that phrase), Ladies joint (usually MAAAAAAAD corny).  And cats will give them a pass like "Oh, they're just trying to get that teeny bop money, I ain't mad".  Say what?  Do you even like music?  There was a time when the single might be the best song on the album, nowadays it's usually completely worthless compared to the rest of the album.  The hilarious part is that they don't know that they're alienating their hardcore fanbase.  And people wonder why sales are declining?

And while we're here, I wanna bring up the internet.  All the major labels instantly point the finger at the net for their fucking horrible sales.  IT'S COMPLETE BULLSHIT.  And I'll tell you why: 

   1)  How many of yall motherfuckers watch / DL porn on the net?  I guarantee you more porn is watched on the net than music is DL'd.  People been DL'n porn since the internet was invented.  And porn is still a multi BILLION dollar industry.  A fuckin quality porno will still cost you $50 in stores!!!!  A goddamn cd is 10$!!! You don't see those motherfuckers going broke.  Now you might see a problem if they stopped fuckin and started gardening and shit and calling it a porno, which is in effect what is happening with Hip Hop.

  2)  XL Middleton.  I won't front, I never even heard of you prior to being on dubcc.  I've seen a thread where you were showcasing some beats that you were selling (which were nice).  I see you interacting with REAL Hip Hop fans.  I see you asking our opinions.  If I relied on mainstream media for my music expsosure, I'd likely never heard of you (at this stage in your career).  But here we are, you coming across like an intelligent dude who gives the appearance that you're concerned with putting out quality product and concerned with what people are thinking.  So off top, I'm gonna check for your shit and I'm 90x more likely to purchase your shit verses all that bullshit that's out there.  So there you have it, without the internet, XL Middleton never sells an album to me.

Sure, there are 1000's of illegal downloads that DO eat into sales.  No question.  But it's not THE driver behind horrid sales.  If there is perceived quality by the consumer, they will buy it. 

[XL Middleton]

yeah man quality music is quality music. of course a good push promotionwise doesn't hurt lol...but the problem we deal with nowadays is how the quality of music in general has declined to the point where we expect shit to be wack. it's no wonder that a lot of people just download albums for the 2 or 3 good songs. i hate the fact that everyone, including myself, tends to grade hip hop on the curve now, to where if there's 4 or 5 good songs a lot of people consider that good because most artists only have 1 or 2 good songs, or how OK/mediocre shit on the radio gets a pass from people just because it sounds better than the horrible/wack shit on the radio. but it's a hard mindstate to escape when you wanna hear new music and there's not a lot of quality product available. its like these labels are tellin us that "beggars can't be choosers" or some shit.

[Blu Lacez]

yeah man quality music is quality music. of course a good push promotionwise doesn't hurt lol...but the problem we deal with nowadays is how the quality of music in general has declined to the point where we expect shit to be wack. it's no wonder that a lot of people just download albums for the 2 or 3 good songs. i hate the fact that everyone, including myself, tends to grade hip hop on the curve now, to where if there's 4 or 5 good songs a lot of people consider that good because most artists only have 1 or 2 good songs, or how OK/mediocre shit on the radio gets a pass from people just because it sounds better than the horrible/wack shit on the radio. but it's a hard mindstate to escape when you wanna hear new music and there's not a lot of quality product available. its like these labels are tellin us that "beggars can't be choosers" or some shit.

--hey XL..Wots Good??

How's the a Music going??

[Maxin in the Shade]

I'd like to see more albums with just one producer taking care of all the production. I'm tired of those compilation sounding album with all the hottest producers and it would dope if it was a in-house producer that actually sits and work with dudes in the studio,not some hired dude that mail his beats.
All the albums out,got the same producers and features,fuck that shit. Cut the shit down to 10 bangin tracks(the old school way),fuck the fillers

couldnt have possibly said it better myself

but sadly it seems, gone are the days where an artist works with one producer. it gave the albums a more even and consistent sound.
today, as you said everything sounds like a complilation - different producers for different tracks, guests on most songs.

its complete bullshit

[OG Snoopaveli]

I want an album that spreads a special kind of feeling from the first to the last tracks. You wnat examples?
DJ Quik - Safe + Sound
3X Krazy - Stackin Chips
U.D.I - Under Da Influence
MC Eiht - We Come Strapped
Roscoe - I Luv Cali
Lil Rob - Twelve Eighteen Part 2
Messy Marv - Bandannas, Tattoos & Tongue Rings

Look, I also named some newer albums to show that also albums that aren't from the golden age of 1992-1998 can be dope cause they are consistent.
And I wish me some funk. Deep basslines with Vibe like in "Keep It On The Real" of 3X Krazy for example, I hate to hear stupid bass sounds so often like for example on "Get A Light" off the new Snoop record, the same tone all over the song. I also miss the "gangsta whine" these days, funky worm sound you know? Funky synthesizer sound.
The best thing you can do these days, let your album be produced 100% by Fingazz

agree for DJ Quik, Roscoe & MC Eiht

I can add -->
Doggystyle from Snoop DOGGY Dogg
7Th Day Theory from Makaveli The DON
Dogg Food Tha Dogg Pound
G-Funk Classics from Nate Dogg

All I want is some G-Funk muzik like take it bacc to 93 !!

[akcranker - The Dangerous Crew Movement]

Wow I can't believe I missed this thread.. great read.. we need to contact all the artists we can and get them to read this thread.

I'll post my feedback here in a bit when I collect all my thoughts.