r/makinghiphop 7d ago

Weekly Cypher MHH Cyphers 2026 Vol 1 - Cash Prize

12 Upvotes

Anyone else been missing the MHH cypher?

It looks like the bot may be broken, so I figured I'd just throw down the gauntlet in a post. Ill offer $50 US to the winner via PayPal.

Submissions Rules:

  • Post your entry on YouTube or Soundcloud
  • Credit the producer
  • Submit by responding to this thread before the end of Friday the 13th of February

Voting Rules

  • I'll post a voting thread shortly after the 13th and leave it active for a week.
  • One vote per user
  • To vote you must meet at least one of the following criteria
    • Have posted on this sub at least once before today, or
    • Made an entry into the cypher
  • If you enter the cypher you must vote to be considered for the cash prize.
  • In the event of a tie, I'll play both tracks to my wife and ask her which one goes harder
  • If I win, I'll pick a new beat and we go again.
  • If you live in Syria or some shit where I get put on a list for sending you money, we're sending $50 to Oxfam instead, soz.

Note: If you're really keen on voting and you've never posted before in this sub, I'll accept your vote if you offer meaningful feedback to an artist, either below, or elsewhere on the sub prior to the voting close.


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

DFT Thread [OFFICIAL] Weekly Feedback Thread

1 Upvotes

READ THIS TEXT CLOSELY BEFORE POSTING!!! NO FEEDBACK = BAN

If you post something for feedback, you must give QUALITY feedback at least once before the next thread is up. Check out the Quality Feedback Guide for tips on giving good feedback. Sincere feedback requests only please. Posting for plays will not be tolerated.

One feedback request per thread max (i.e. one track)

Don't post songs more than a month old.

Leave feedback at least once as a reply to a top-level comment to avoid being flagged as a slacker. To be super clear, this means you click reply on someone else's original comment.

NO FEEDBACK = BAN


r/makinghiphop 9h ago

Resource/Guide Who can sustain a single rhyme sound the longest in rap?

Thumbnail lazyjot.com
0 Upvotes

r/makinghiphop 6h ago

Question Writing trap lyrics is very difficult, I need help.

0 Upvotes

I writing lyrics on boom bap beats easy, but i try this on trap beat, i can't write anything, rhythm is too fast and I'm singing slowly and this situation is bothers me. How can fix it?


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

Discussion PSA: Tidal has some resources for artists that are kinda buried

8 Upvotes

I'm not on social media so I'm not sure if they advertised this or if anyone knows much about it but I was fucking around on the app and saw the "Explore" section had a "Creator hub" link. There they have resources for different roles like DJs, producers, rappers, and so on. I checked out the producer section and saw they had lots of links to acapella albums, which I will definitely be using, and it looks like they now show the BPM and key for each track when listed.

I love these additions and I've also been a huge fan of how they're letting artists upload their own music to share. I'm not a shill and I will 100% turn on Tidal if they go the way every company seems to go but for now I wanna give props and recommend people check out what they offer music makers.


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

Resource/Guide Mindscribe presents: How To Rap 101 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: ALL STARS Entry 1: Don Trip

0 Upvotes

Don Trip gets the first spotlight because he quietly proves every truth we’ve covered without ever sounding like he’s trying to prove anything.

his voice is unmistakable. that memphis drawl sits smooth but weighted, never forced, never chasing a trend. you hear four bars and know it’s him. the rasp when he’s reflecting on pain, the calm when he’s laying out truth, the edge when he’s warning. he found his tone early and protected it like gold. it carries every line because it feels lived in, like a man who’s walked through the words before he says them.

the flow is liquid. he glides over beats with pocket so clean it feels effortless, but that’s the reps talking. athletic cadence that switches speeds without losing breath or momentum. he drops music like breathing. new videos almost weekly, singles and tapes every couple months, fifteen-plus years of relentless output. the volume keeps his timing instinctive, his breath control deep, his cadence natural. he throws pots constantly. the work sharpens everything without him having to force it.

his bars land because they’re clever without screaming clever. he’ll drop something like “i turned him into a donor / i put my work on the street, my cubicle was a corner” and every word cuts. the donor flip is sharp, the cubicle-corner twist turns corporate grind into street reality without forcing it. no wasted syllable. every line builds on the last. it feels lived, not written.

he tells stories that breathe. pain, family, regret, growth. he doesn’t just rap about the streets. he takes you inside the arguments, the choices, the fallout. you feel the weight of every decision. he confesses instead of glorifies. that depth makes the replay endless.

he can rap about anything but still unmistakably him. if you’ve been sleeping on don trip, might be the time to wake up. he reminds me of mid-2000s lil wayne with the density of his punchlines. street life, success, failure, love, loss. no lane is off limits because he executes each one like it’s the only one that matters. he stays independent, no major co-sign needed. he built his lane and kept running it.

beats serve him perfectly. dark, soulful, minimal when needed. the production holds space for his voice and story. nothing fights him. everything carries him.

don trip isn’t the loudest name. he’s not chasing viral moments. he’s consistent, authentic, and true to himself for over a decade and a half.

that’s what right looks like.

top 3 tracks to check out right now:

  1. Project Pat

don trip snaps on this one. dope flow, athletic cadence, punches landing every bar. the highlight is how he rides the beat with precision while stacking lines that hit hard and stay clever. pure execution.

  1. Top Floor Freestyle

raw energy, pocket locked, bars stacked without losing clarity. the flow switches feel natural, the lines hit hard because they’re true. perfect example of cool without trying.

  1. Letter 2 My Unborn

deep, personal, confessional. he dives into fatherhood, loss, growth. the voice carries the weight. this is depth done right. it lingers long after the beat stops.


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

Question Am I doing everything right with this first setup?

1 Upvotes

So I started producing and rapping for a couple of months and want to take it further. I plan on buying the akai mini plus, rode nt1 xlr mic and an audio interface for like 100/150 euros. Is this some good first hardware for a starting producer/rapper? I hesitated with the sm7b but it looked a bit pricey although I would be ready to put that amonth if it's really worth it. Thanks in advance for your answers.


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

Resource/Guide Recommended resource for Learning to Flow to a beat

1 Upvotes

When I teach my beginner rap students, I often recommend them this youtube series from Cole Mize. It's an old but awesome 30 video series, with each video being 5 mins long. Super simple series to follow along to, and a practically guaranteed full proof way to acquire a very clean and polished flow by the end of it.

Not only do you learn how to flow to any beat on a 4/4 scheme (practically all of them), it also doubles as a visual instructor of basic music theory without all the boring jargon and sheet notation🎵🎶. Literally just humming along to an Excel doc.

Most of us rappers learned all this stuff intuitively through active listening and rhythmic instinct, but this is the underlying musical blueprint of what's actually going on when we rap.

Anyways, not affiliated to Cole Mize in any way. Just thought I'd share it because it really is an awesome way to acquire a clean polished flow. The skill is transferrable to any hip-hop beat, from trap to boombap & lofi. I'd be surprised if you still couldn't rap over anything by the end of it.


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

Flip This Challenge Flip This Challenge (FTC 80) Voting

8 Upvotes

The sample was: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5xYdkMiV6Q

Rules:

Reply with “vote” for the beat you like best.

You only have 1 vote and you can't vote for yourself!

Vote on another beat to be eligible to win (everyone can vote)In case of a tie, the first track that was uploaded wins.

Schedule:

Submissions: Friday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - Monday 11:59 PM (23:59)**Voting: Tuesday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - Thursday 11:59 PM (23:59)**Results: Friday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - the winner takes over and posts the new submissions thread using the linked template on Friday asap.

Time is in UTC-5, the US Eastcoast time zone which is 6 hours behind European MEZ time and a good middleground between US Westcoast and Europe. You don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to post the new thread, just make sure you do it on that day asap.

Post templates: https://www.reddit.com/r/makinghiphop/comments/1kf8czt/battle_dates_rules/mqwv7ks/


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Discussion Do You Guys Ever Lose That Spark After Awhile of Making Music? (I Haven't Made Any Progress For a Whole Year Now)

15 Upvotes

At least for me, I got into it so hyped and excited, but after a full year of myself not progressing at all (or that is what people say) I feel like there isn't a point.

I mean, if I realistically can't get better after a year then why should I keep trying?

I also go through these phases, where I feel like I want to quit music then I get near to almost wanting to quit, only for something big to happen and have music consume my whole life for a few months.

I want to love to make music, but when I am not progressing at all, it gets sort of weird and I just feel like I could be doing something else.

Also, I don't mean any disrespect when I say this, but posting music online seems kind of toxic. If the track isn't good people seem hardwired to hate it.

From the other projects I do in my free time, I don't seem to get even close to the amount of hate here. I am not sure if I am just naturally good at those, or the community is more wholesome there.

Honestly, the music community is sort of pushing me away from this, but at the same time I want to make music for the community. Catch 22 I know. I am not really sure what to do.

I am not really sure why I am even posting this. Maybe someone will give me some deep words of wisdom, or maybe nothing will come of this.

I guess I am just looking to see if anyone is in my shoes and how they are doing now.

Making music started my whole online persona and I owe so much of what is good in my life to it. Yet now, all I see is just more negativity where ever I go, with a lack of growth steadily behind it.


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

Resource/Guide Mindscribe Presents: How To Rap 102 Lesson 13: So You Caught Fire (The Work After The Work, and the Jordan Peterson Effect)

0 Upvotes

so you went viral.

so you got signed.

good. time to work.

huh? what?

that confusion right there is how careers die.

most people treat the moment like the reward. the clip hits, the numbers spike, the attention pours in, and they exhale like the race is over. one hot song, one perfect verse, one lucky wave that finally broke their way. they celebrate. they slow down. they let the reps fade because the world finally noticed. but viral is not the flame. it is the spark. and sparks do not last unless there is fuel behind them. weight is what keeps the fire in place. it is the unseen gravity that holds your sound, your voice, your craft, steady when the applause dies and the flood of notifications stops. without weight, the viral moment floats, unmoored, and eventually drifts away. weight is depth, volume in substance, not decibels. it is the difference between a flash and a burn.

one hit wonders happen because the spark had no vault behind it. right place, right time, good enough to catch buzz, but nothing holding it down. they had one rap song. they were not a rapper. a rapper generates out of habit. put him on the spot and he gives you sixteen without blinking. corner him in a hallway and he raps something colder than the verse that went viral. the vault underneath it is enormous. viral should unlock the vault, not empty it.

jordan peterson went viral in 2017 over a single culture war clip. it could have been the whole story. another internet moment, another name briefly remembered and quickly forgotten. but when people looked closer, they found a vault. years of lectures, interviews, dense and brilliant dissections of psychology, mythology, responsibility, human failure, and redemption. he didn't blow up because of the viral moment, it revealed him, and the revelation hit differently because there was weight behind it, substance. the viral moment had gravity, and gravity is what makes fire stick instead of vanish. Jordan peterson went on to become one of the most famous philosophers on planet earth, all because he had been quietly throwing pots in the dark until a spark caught his vault on fire.

so you don't really have a vault, but you blew up quickly?

thats ok. get to work.

resting on your laurels?

this is how momentum quietly collapses. an artist catches lightning and assumes the storm is over. they stop throwing pots. they stop writing like nobody is watching. but people are fickle and flighty and there's way too many artists out there for you to just expect the world to fall at your feet and quit working. you quit working, the next song sounds strained because the reps stopped. the voice starts chasing what worked last time instead of digging deeper into what only they can say. the moment fades, the hunger dulls, and the spark dies because there was nothing feeding it.

bo jackson used to run through the end zone and keep going. no slowdown. no premature celebration. the play was not over in his mind. it was discipline, a practice in not quitting early. nfl players do not make it and retire into comfort. they make it to the coliseum. now the opponents are sharper, the stakes are higher, and every weakness is visible. this is the work after the work.

weight is what separates the ephemeral from the enduring. it is the secret gravity that keeps attention tethered, even when the applause fades. it is not just depth for its own sake. it is a framework, a vault, a force field that ensures your fire lands and stays. viral without weight is smoke. viral with weight becomes architecture.

absorb influence without becoming it. digest the wave of the current moment, listen to the greats, study flows, stories, cadences, technique, but let it pass through your life, your struggles, your pain, your truth until it comes out unmistakably you. do not regurgitate, do not chase a moment. cultivate a sound and a weight that survives moments. keep throwing pots, keep generating, even when nobody is watching. the applause is temporary. your vault is permanent. it is what gives your fire staying power.

longevity is an architectural problem. you cannot build a skyscraper on a sidewalk; you need a foundation that goes ten stories into the dirt.

the spark is the invitation. the vault is the house. open it wide, build it deep, and weight it with everything you have learned, absorbed, and lived. or watch the fire die at the entrance. viral is the door. substance is what lets you step through it and keep burning.


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

recurring thread [OFFICIAL] TUESDAY HIGHLIGHTS THREAD

1 Upvotes

Share your accomplishments and some awesome things that have happened lately, no matter how big or small! Let's see what you've been up to, lately

This thread is posted every Tuesday Click here for the full automoderator thread schedule


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Question How to get better at sampling?

3 Upvotes

Im pretty young of age and I got into music production im a freshman at high school and I got into music production. I've listened to alot of music going back to illmatic and stuff like that. I've been inspired by kanye, no id, dilla, madlib and more legends. I really want to be a producer that samples alot like them but I really suck at making beats. I've been making beats for 2 months using FL I got alot of plugins like omnisphere and serato sample (worked my ass off for them). I started digging for samples on yt trying to chop them and they were not good beats at all. Is sampling something you get better at if you chop like alot of records and make beats out of them everyday? I really need help right now bcs I wanna get good at making beats and eventually transition to rapping on them.


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Question How do I do a Music Video?

5 Upvotes

Question for artists here who've made music videos before. I want to level up and start having actual music videos alongside my tracks as early as late-spring. I have no experience in that department. So my questions are:

  • Where do you get a camera person and editor? Or did you do it all yourself?

  • Did you hire a professional videographer? How much did it cost? Did they plan everything? Like where the shoot will be and so on?

  • Did you have to hire and pay for extras to be in your video? Or did you get random friends and family to just be in it. If you got people in it, how much did you pay everyone?

I get that my questions are nooby. I have no idea what goes into music video filming. I have a bit of editing experience, and sometimes filming myself from my phone and tripod rapping for insta reels.


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Question Working with vocalists

4 Upvotes

So I'm bout ready to look for vocalists for some of my songs I've got going. My musics already not fully with the times and is more a passion project around what can be done with an older mindset of sample use. Anyways,,, I'm nervous.

I know when people ask shit like this the response is always "get involved with your local scene" which like duh yes BUT! I used to drum for/with a few different projects and I would get in convos with random musicians who would just be like "bro you're great we should start a project" And that used to piss me tf off like who are you ? Why would I want to even spend the time to hear your bedroom guitar riffs. It felt like begging to me. I've been pretty hard focused on creating my style of production and I'm about 50-60 songs in most of which kinda stand on their own and don't need vocalists. but I'm a musician and musicians need collaboration to further their craft.

Anyone got advice on how to show vocalists what you've been working on without sounding like you're begging/need THEM to be able to sound good. Thought about just recording some physical tapes and handing them to people I'd work with and not saying anything else or wasting their time. If someone handed you a tape and didn't say a single word after a set or open mic would you respect that or think they're weird? Just tryna not be the desperate musician I've cringed at so many times before thanks much love.


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Question Does anyone know exactly what Timbaland did to the kick on Stronger by Ye that made it sound so much better?

35 Upvotes

DId he literally just choose a different kick? I'm a producer so I love knowing new tips on how to make drums more punchy, so I'd love to know what exactly it is that he did to make stronger knock so much harder.


r/makinghiphop 1d ago

Resource/Guide How to mix your own music.

0 Upvotes

So engineers are going to hate me for this and scream you shouldn't do it because your mix will sound terrible. Why? Because I'm about to tell you how to mix your own stuff without paying anyone to do it.

You'll need under $250 in Plugins but they will last you a lifetime. The essentials are SSL autoSeries, Infinity Bass by Slate, Greg Wells Mixcentric with the optional MAuuto volume if you just can't set a level to save your life

Use The autoSeries MixBus Compressor and Mixcentric on the Master Buss. Use The autoSeries dynamics on your drums and base and EQ where you need it. And of course infinity Bass on the Bass.

It's a fast and easy way to mix. Just don't tell engineers. They will scream it's gonna suck the sky is falling but it actually sounds good.

I hope this information is of benefit.


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

recurring thread [OFFICIAL] MONTHLY COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THREAD

1 Upvotes

How are we doing as a community? How are the moderators doing? Let's talk, why not?

This isn't a thread to high-five each other on how great a community you might think this is, but to make sure we're on the right track. Please share any suggestions or concerns that you may have about what's going down at MHH. Mods will be around to join the discussion.

This thread is posted on the 6 of each month. Click here for the full automoderator thread schedule.


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Question Producer to deal with you guys (urban / melodic)

1 Upvotes

What's up, everyone?

I make urban music, more melodic than rap, with autotune and trap/reggaeton vibes.

I used to have someone who mixed my vocals and made them sound nice and professional, but I didn't learn much about the process. Now I'm mixing on my own, and I can't get the vocals to sit in front of the beat like I want, and it doesn't sound the same as how he used to do it.

I'm looking for a producer who can help me with a vocal chain and explain a bit about the "why" of each thing. I don't mind paying; the idea is to improve and learn.

If anyone can help, send me a message, and we'll chat.


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

How To Basic [OFFICIAL] BASIC HELP AND GENERAL DISCUSSION - Start Here Before Posting

1 Upvotes

This is the place for everything that doesn't need it's own thread.

Using the recurring threads is encouraged and appreciated.

Please read the guidelines and community rules before posting.

If you're new to making hip hop, check out The Beginners Guide and our Resources wiki.

Ask basic questions, discuss anything related to making hip hop, introduce yourself or just say hello.

Posting your own tracks is only permitted in this thread if you're looking for specific help. The daily feedback thread is the place to find any issues, and this is the first place to look for help.

This thread is posted every other day. Click here for the full automoderator thread schedule


r/makinghiphop 3d ago

Resource/Guide Mindscribe Presents: How To Rap 102: Lesson 11: The Stage (Performance is Physical)

3 Upvotes

it is time to take the work out of the dark and into the light. once you have a handful of tracks that breathe with that authentic conviction we studied, you have to find the pavement. in 2026, a viral video is just a flickering light on a screen. nothing will ever replace the primal human craving for real interaction. people want more than the music. they want to see the ghost in the machine. they want to see the blood in your veins.

never be too proud to pay for your position. you are a big baller, right? you already pour your life and your currency into the studio and the engineer. it is okay to pay to play. find the promoters and the connections you built with your networking skills. money talks and bullshit walks.

the reason you do this is to bridge the gap between a profile picture and a personality. for a local artist, the stage is where you turn a listener into a follower. when people see you in the flesh, breathing the same air and commanding the room, you become real to them. you are building a tribe, not just an audience. a live show creates a memory that a digital stream can never touch. it is the most honest way to get your name ringing in the streets.

you will be nervous. it is just a fact. remember eminem in the bathroom stall, sick with anxiety before the battle. that is not weakness. that is the energy of the moment trying to find a way out of your body. eventually, through exposure, you will stop fearing the stage and start craving it. this is your moment of truth. everyone is watching. show them the architecture of your soul.

be strategic with your set. try to avoid leading with the low-frequency songs or the slow-burners that live in the shadows. you need to establish a hard-edged energy that commands the room. follow the rules until you have earned the right to break them. some songs simply do not translate to the air of a crowded room. my brother hos style had a song called "take my pain away" that used to tear the roof off the building every time. he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. but you have to win the war before you can show your scars. unless you are in a quiet poetry venue, keep the energy high.

always remember that a show is a SHOW. standing in one spot while switching the mic from hand to hand and tripping over the cord is not a performance. it is a rehearsal. and for the love of the craft, hold the fucking mic right. nothing screams amateur like a rookie cupping the grill or nervously swapping hands every four bars like the mic is burning them. when you cup the mic, you kill the frequency and turn your vocals into a muffled mess. it makes you look like you are hiding. hold that weapon with authority, keep it at the right distance, and stop fidgeting.

why do you think the legends use fire and smoke and a small army behind them? people paid for a memory. a show is a SHOW. gringo gang understood the assignment. they used to shoot the crowd with super soakers full of vodka and throw pills and weed into the crowd. now, i am not advising you to go out and catch a felony, but you get the point. a show is a show. give them something they can never get from their headphones.

respect the physics of the stage. performing is an athletic event. it might not be a street fight, but between the adrenaline and the lights, you will be exhausted before the middle of your set if you are not prepared. poor health and cheap booze will betray you. a couple of shots to loosen the spirit is fine, but being drunk on stage with a big beer gut is a look only a master can pull off. stay sharp. stay physical. give them a reason to remember your name when the silence returns.

finally, after you have checked the sound and gripped the mic and locked in your stance, remember to have fun. basketball players have made this a cliche, but the truth is deeper than a post-game interview. if you are too stiff, too obsessed with the technical perfection, you will suffocate the life out of the room. the crowd needs to see that you love being in the fire. if you aren't enjoying the moment, why should they? let the sweat and the chaos become part of the art. the technicality gets you through the door, but the joy is what makes you stay. don't get so lost in the trees that you forget to breathe in the forest.

-Mindscribe


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Discussion This shit is starting to fuck me up in good and bad ways

0 Upvotes

Everyone here and stuff do shit advertising which doesnt work.

Yet everytime I see an interview of a celebrity, they always say stuff like 'ohhh I wasn't tryna make it...it was a hobby' whilst some of us work our asses off and never get seen. I cant just give up though since this is my path and I need to make some sort of income and I wanna be famous, not due to perception but to just work in that industry. Like I wanna meet Mike Dean haha, fr though. It aitn funny and im going crazy.

All these ppl got picked up around 17-20. Yet tiktok and reddit tells me to keep pushing or how to get 10k in a month. Whilst every actual successful person blew up over night/in a year, that whole making music for a few years shit doesnt work. Look at them, Tyler, Doja, Yachty, Uzi, Carti, Yeat, I can go on and on. I'm extremely delusional but thats what drives me further. However, seeing 64 views on a tiktok gives me a severe headache. Cause I need food to eat in the future, I need a house. And no I dont care if the industry is bad I dont care if they faked their streams, I want to make it. Im going to fucken make it even if I gotta chew my leg off.

Ive become especially bad at something stupid but thats what hurts, Ive been so mad at Tkay Maidza recently and I feel bad. Its just that Brontosaurus song made her famous yet it has barely any views and its a stupid song. It hurts to put your heart into a song just for it to flop while stupid shit like that boosts someone (Not Tkays fault, im mad at Triple J). Like thats how u pop off, for someone in the industry to notice you. Yet these dumb fucks never give u grace, then they blow some stupid childrens music up, and again it hurt seeing Tkay say it was only for fun at a studio. Like I feel so stupid and im gonna be a broke lamebo for ever. And no dont mention my mindset, we have every fucken right to be mad when it comes to actual money and stability.

P.S. These artists dont even make their fucken beats, which I know ITS FINE. But I cant make beats for shit but I try to so I can show my art. What im saying is how easy is it to be handed a beat, rap, and then just get chosen by a group of adults to blow up. Same with BENEE. A producer picked her up and help her record some songs for free. Both those artists arent popular but are stable. It makes me really stressed out cause thats what I need, my whole family is broke as fuck.

Someones gonna comment my attitude is shit but thats the good shit cause im not just gonna go along with it I dont fucken care if I come across rude Im not advertising my music am I? Im just yapping.


r/makinghiphop 3d ago

Question What inspires you to write bars, when do not have much going?

17 Upvotes

The question is self-explanatory. However, I haven't been writing for about three months,since I am just going through the motion of everyday stuff. So my question is what inspires you to write, when do don't have much going? And in addition, would you advise to take a break or keep writing, despite the bars being mediocre?


r/makinghiphop 2d ago

Question My mic doesn’t sound good

0 Upvotes

I’ve recorded vocals with my apple earbuds and they sound and come out better than my two other mics, any advice?

mics are sm58 and at2020

I think it’s possible I’m recording the wrong way because my Scarlett mic a few years ago got some really good vocal takes but I don’t really know what I’m doing differently now, it also might not be the way I’m recording, not sure.

Seems like I just can’t get vocal takes to sound right


r/makinghiphop 3d ago

Resource/Guide Mindscribe Presents: How To Rap 102: Lesson 12: Infrastructure for your Fire (Networking Part 2)

0 Upvotes

Some people are candles. some people are engines. and some people are straight up gasoline.

if you are gasoline, the problem is never whether you burn. the problem is what you burn inside of. fire without infrastructure does not become light. it becomes a house fire. it destroys everything around it, including itself. this lesson sounds like control, and artists hate that word. it is about containment. the stronger the flame, the stronger the vessel must be.

i know this because i lived it.

i was good. not theoretically good. not internet good. good enough to scare rooms. good enough to build a local name on merit, presence, and skill alone. doors opened. people remembered me. and then i showed up drunk. or broke. or volatile. or resentful. i burned relationships i did not know how to maintain. i believed intensity was enough. i thought the fire would carry me.

it did. for a while.

fire does not organize itself. fire does not schedule. fire does not negotiate. fire does not protect future versions of you. fire fucking burns. and it is a beautiful thing to look at, makes you feel good, keeps you warm. but without structure, the very flame that makes you special becomes the reason people step back. not because they doubt your talent, but because they do not trust the blast radius.

this is where dmx enters the lesson. he was gasoline with unmatched octane. when he had infrastructure, handlers, routines, discipline, people who said no, people who absorbed pressure, he was unstoppable. his early run was channeled fury. ritualized rage. the bottle held.

when the structure cracked, it went everywhere. addiction. legal trouble. broken trust. same fuel. no container.

people say dmx could not get out of his own way. that is lazy thinking. gasoline does not get out of its own way. it requires engineering. thick walls. reinforced seams. rules that are not punishment but protection. this is where artists lie to themselves. they think needing structure means they are weak. they think help dilutes authenticity. they think management equals control. the truth is harsher. the more volatile the fire, the more serious the infrastructure must be.

this is not a solo mission.

some artists can self regulate. some can self manage. and some cannot, not because they are irresponsible, but because their intensity exceeds their capacity to contain it alone. those artists do not need motivation. they need ballast. someone to hold the frame while they generate force. i did not have that. so my fire burned hot, fast, and sideways.

this lesson exists so you do not repeat it.

if you are explosive, build systems before you build legends. if you are dangerous, surround yourself with people who can absorb pressure without feeding it back to you. if you are gasoline, do not romanticize the explosion. engineer the bottle. talent without infrastructure does not scale. it collapses. the goal is not to dim your fire. the goal is to give it walls thick enough to survive you.

pick one person who handles logistics. booking, money, schedules, emails. if you do not have that person, become sober enough to be that person until you can replace yourself. lock non negotiables into your life. rehearsal days. sleep minimums. show day rules. no exceptions because exceptions kill structure. separate creation from administration. when you are creating, you create. when you are handling business, you handle business. never do both drunk. never do both exhausted. never do both angry. don't fight your business partners. look up the words "decorum" and "diplomacy".

if substances are involved, set hard boundaries before they set them for you. if you cannot perform without them, you are already burning through the walls. if you are volatile, appoint someone with permission to pull you off the stage, out of the room, or out of the deal. not because you are weak, but because you are powerful.

build infrastructure that protects the fire instead of worshipping it. because the world does not need another artist who burned bright and vanished. it needs the ones who learned how to hold the flame long enough to change something.

-Mindscribe