How serious is ghostwriting in HipHop ?

Easy-E

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ehh, My post dont have an agenda.

I asked what is rap supremacy from the standpoint of this thread.

That is something fans care about( and when I say fans I mean hiphop heads who take rap too seriously)

Jay said it best " I rather be overpaid than underrated"

I dont think rappers are in the booth rapping to prove that are the top rapper in the game... its just subject that can be used in records.
That's my point; pick a side, commerce or culture.
 

Way Of The Gun

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Its the most normal thing ever.

Especially if you are a revenue source for a label.

This is how it goes.

When you first get on since you are fresh, new and creative a lot of your work is often given to the rappers that have great money making potential and are on an album run (look at Torey Lanez writing for Meek, Jay Elect writing for Nas, Weeknd writing for Drake, Young Chris writing for Jayz, Wale writing for Ross)

After you are established and you start becoming a little redundant with how you approach songs you start taking ideas and songs from the new fresh artist

Rinse & Repeat since forever

Receipts please.
 

1-8-7-Skillz

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I wonder how many songs by well known rappers were actually written by someone in their crew or sumthin...
 

ISO

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It's show business, common industry practice there's a lot of threads on here on the subject and some older posters with industry ties have exposed some secrets. The first rap hit was ghostwritten.

The other day Honorable SKJ spoke on Skillz and a NY mixtape rapper who he did not name writing for Ma$e on Harlem World I'm guessing Cardan, not to mention verses lifted from Cam'ron from the Children of the Corn days both guys recycled verses. Ma$e wrote B.I.G.'s verse on 112's Only You and supposedly wrote his verse on Mo Money, Mo Problems too.

Art Barr has spoken on MC Juice writing Summertime and not Rakim for Will Smith. He's spoken on Gillie and Mikkey Halstead ghostwriting for Wayne (he sued Cash Money). Nicki also has writing credit on Lollipop and Drake on I'm Single.

There was a producer out there who claimed to have wrote verses on Jay's B*tches and Sisters. Also, the rumor that Lupe wrote on The Black Album exposed by one of Lupe's mans. Ma$e has writing credit on I Just Wanna Love U.

There was a thread on here talking about Stat Quo, Yung Berg, Roscoe Dash, Skeme, Kid Ink, Ty $ being major industry ghostwriters.
 
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ISO

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Twista, Scarface, Cube admitted to it and Ghostface statement on Superb writing for him on Supreme Clientele wasn't exactly a denial...
 
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1-8-7-Skillz

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It's show business, common industry practice there's a lot of threads on here on the subject and some older posters with industry ties have exposed some secrets. The first rap hit was ghostwritten.

The other day Honorable SKJ spoke on Skillz and a NY mixtape rapper who he did not name writing for Ma$e on Harlem World I'm guessing Cardan, not to mention verses lifted from Cam'ron from the Children of the Corn days both guys recycled verses. Ma$e wrote B.I.G.'s verse on 112's Only You and supposedly wrote his verse on Mo Money, Mo Problems too.

Art Barr has spoken on MC Juice writing Summertime and not Rakim for Will Smith. He's spoken on Gillie and Mikkey Halstead ghostwriting for Wayne. Nicki also has writing credit on Lollipop and Drake on I'm Single.

There was a producer out there who claimed to have wrote verses on Jay's B*tches and Sisters. Also, the rumor that Lupe wrote on The Black Album exposed by one of Lupe's mans. Ma$e has writing credit on I Just Wanna Love U.

There was a thread on here talking about Stat Quo, Yung Berg, Roscoe Dash, Skeme, Kid Ink, Ty $ being major industry ghostwriters.

shyt seems to run deep in the game :ohhh:
 

TrebleMan

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Ghostwriting in music has been around much longer than hip-hop's lifespan.

It was only a matter of time once hip-hop got into the studio that it'd get hit by it too.
 

shhh-kull & bones

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was a formadable ghost (no pun):whoo:

He talks about it on this track

 

bordeaux

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wasnt there some kinda small controversy about street life being method man's writing partner years ago. i cant find it anywhere. maybe some wu fans can shed some light.
 

old_timer

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since mid-80's i would hear about established artists getting "help"
a verse here, or a concept there
maybe just a line or two- a few more punchlines or a bit of humor
and some new people couldn't get signed unless a "reliable" earner was co-writing their first single for them or agreed to do a verse

but nowadays.. someone actually needing assistance with their flow
and needing to be coached through performing the song
that's another level of "help"

but compare it to modern movies..
the screewnwriter craig mazin has spoken about "writer's room" on the podcast he co-hosts
they'll pay a bunch of comedy writers to sit in a room together and go through a finished script
lookign for extra jokes
doesn't necessarily change the story
but sometimes those "extra jokes" are used in the preview to sell the movie ticket

i can kind of understand the temptation..
commercial pressures, etc.
but it also makes everything homogenized and blended into mush
everything sounds the same because it came from the same sources
 

IllmaticDelta

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Yea, its always happened to a certain extent except its never been brought into our (fans) consciousness until recently.

If the whole Drake/Meek thing never happened, this thread wouldn't exist.

this....the most important hiphop song of all time,The Message was ghost written.
 
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