Hip hop is in its truest form as a
culture of resistance to a history of oppression, as a form of artistic
individuality and as a do-it-yourself mentality. In hip hop,
there is so much emphasis placed on being real and staying true.
Hip hop (as a culture and also as a music genre) stemmed from a place of
struggle, pain, and oppression. Early hip hop was best known for the
gritty yet honest social critiques, testaments, and challenges presented in its
lyrics. Mumia Abu-Jamal enjoys much of rap for "its vitality, its rawness, its irreverence, and its creativity" (Abu-Jamal 23). The majority of rap artists write their own lyrics, drawing
influence from the circumstances in which they grow up, the
struggles/oppression they have endured, and the community with which they are
surrounded. Their attitudes are not merely for show; instead they are
“both one answer to, and the logical outcome of, the violence, racism, and
oppression in American culture” (Dyson 65).
Hip hop serves as a personal outlet for people. Dyson
writes that the rap concert "creates space for cultural resistance and
personal agency, loosing the strictures of the tyrannizing surveillance and
demoralizing condemnation of mainstream society and encouraging relatively
autonomous, often enabling, forms of self-expression and cultural creativity”
(Dyson 62).
However, hip hop has since evolved and become much more
commercially popular. Rather than being simply a means of communication
within the poor Black community, most of commercial hip hop is now a product
that is packaged for its (mostly White teenage) audience. Abu-Jamal argues that it is "American corporationism that transformsrap's grittiness intothe gutter of materialism" (Abu-Jamal 23). One example of
the way that hip hop has migrated to a more profit-oriented mindset is the use
of ghostwriters.
So.. What exactly is a ghostwriter? Film music magazine defines a ghostwriter as: "A person who composes music or lyrics for another composer but is not
credited on the cue sheet or in the final product in any way. In a
ghostwriting situation, the person hiring the ghostwriter takes credit for
writing the music and the ghostwriter is usually not allowed to reveal to
anyone that he/she wrote the music or worked on the project in any way."
Controversy
The controversy surrounding ghostwriters in hip hop dates all the way back to 1979. The Sugarhill Gang (left), assembled by record mogul Sylvia Roberts, was the first hip hop group to have a Gold single with their hit "Rapper's Delight" on Sugar Hill records. This song is arguably what first brought hip hop to the attention of the mainstream audience.
Rapper Grandmaster Caz of the Cold Crush
Brothers claims the Sugar Hill Gang actually ripped off his lyrics, and he's
never been paid. Caz even sang a rebuttal to "Rapper's Delight" (called "MC's Delight," which can be heard here).
In the video below, Grandmaster Caz, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Big Bank Hank discuss the song and its surrounding controversy.
Since then, with the explosion of hip hop in the mainstream, ghostwriting has grown as well. Ghostwriting is still very covert, mostly due to the large value placed on authenticity in hip hop. After all, as Boyd argues, "what could be more individualized, and in turn argued for as authentic, than the personal experiences of one's own communal existence?" (Boyd 73). In a culture and art form that places so much weight on "realness," it seems that the use of ghostwriters would not be well accepted by the public audience.
Some of the most recognizable names in hip hop have been associated with rumors of ghostwriting. There have been rumors (and confirmations, for some) that artists such as Big Pun, Bow Wow, Dr. Dre, Diddy, Fat Joe, Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim, and Will Smith have used ghostwriters for some of their songs. At times, writers will be credited in small print in the liner notes of an album, but stage names are usually not used. For instance, the lyrics of Will Smith's "Uuhhh" was credited to Lynn Lonnie Rashid in the liner notes. Lynn Lonnie Rashid is better known as rapper Common. Even when credit is technically given to the writer, it is the public hip hop artist whose face is associated with the song (and whom is assumed by the audience to be responsible for the lyrics).
As hip hop has become more commercialized, record label executives have become less concerned with the artists themselves, instead placing emphasis on the marketability of the image, trend, or gimmick associated with each artist. Although artists are (supposedly) free to express their opinions, the current corporate hegemony plays a large role in what is actually given monetary and media attention. At times, a certain artist may be pleasing to the eye of the public because of a gimmick or a pleasing backstory (i.e. an attractive young female or a father-son rap duo). Ghostwriters typically receive payment and (unpublicized) "cred" within the hip hop game, while the performing artist receives credit and fame for the song. The record label profits, and the perversion of hip hop by commerce continues.
In the song "Bad Boy for Life" (see video below), Diddy sells his image as a rapper who is "living large." Diddy places wealth and fame at a higher priority than lyrical creativity and integrity when he says "don't worry if I write rhymes, I write checks" in his verse.
In the song "Back Again" (see video below) Evidence of Dilated Peoples counters Diddy's verse with the lyric, "don't worry if I write checks, I write rhymes." With this line, Evidence attempts to bring the focus away from marketable images and back to lyrical content.
A song is often analyzed based on four of its most important qualities:
production: the beat and melody usually dictate the feel of the song.
lyrics: the message of the song can be depicted creatively, honestly, soulfully, playfully, etc.
delivery: the clarity and flow of the message is arguably as important as the actual content.
voice: distinct qualities in an artist's voice can make his/her music stand out.
In other genres, singers often sing someone else's lyrics. In hip hop (especially the more underground, less mainstream hip hop communities), lyrical content is arguably the most defining characteristic of a song. Although some rappers have very distinct voices (i.e. Snoop Dogg, DMX, Eminem, Jean Grae, Mos Def), the bulk of the song is still defined by the lyrics and the beat. Hip hop has always been consumed by an obsession with "cred." In emcee battles, for instance, rappers commonly attack each other's streed "cred" and lyrical prowess. In current ongoing battle between Gillie Da Kid and Lil' Wayne, Gillie says that Lil' Wayne does not 'keep it real' and claims to have written most of Wayne's rhymes on "The Carter." In a culture that idolizes the spirit of "freestyle" and feeds off of the rawness of true life, it is clear to see how accusations of ghostwritten lyrics might harm an artist.
Artists who have already had commercial success can usually afford to write rhymes for another artist without getting publicly credited. Two of the biggest ghostwriters with little mainstream recognition are and Royce Da 5'9 and Skillz.
Royce da 5'9 contributed as a ghostwriter for Dr. Dre's album "The Chronic 2001."
He ghostwrote several tracks, including "The Message" and the original
version of "Xplosive." Manager Kino
Childrey mentioned something to a reporter about the ghostwriting. When Royce
refused to dismiss Kino, who was a long-time friend, his ties with Dre
and Eminem were severed. Although "The Message" was still released on the album, Royce was never payed for his efforts. He references this in "What I Know" from Death is Certain:
"Who could raise me / after I been amazed by Dre / — and N.W.A. — / and
you couldn't pay me / to back the staff for free. / I will believe it
ain't nothin' Shady in the Aftermath. (It's me!)" By speaking openly about writing rhymes for Dr. Dre, Royce 5'9 "violated one of rap's unwritten taboos" (Rabin, "Curse of the Ghostwriter"). Since then, his mainstream career has not recovered.
Mad Skillz (a.k.a. Skillz) has ghostwritten for some of the biggest names in hip hop. He is also well known for his "rap-ups," in which he recaps the pop culture events of an entire year. He combines humor with detailed observations, and proclaims himself "your favorite rapper's favorite rapper" (Chris Yuscavage, AllHipHop.com). In 2005, Skillz released an album called "Confessions of a Ghostwriter." Although Skillz publicly admits that he has worked as a ghostwriter, he does not teveal the names of the people he has worked for.
At a live show, Skillz performed "Ghostwriter" in Denver and used real artists' names (see video below). He has kept the names a secret for so long, however, that there is no guarantee that the names he leaked are truly a part of his clientele.
The implications of ghostwriting in hip hop are quite complex. Music has become such a visual art, especially with the intricate album covers and music videos that accompany each artist. Ghostwriters, especially those who are not already publicly recognized for their own music (unlike Jay-Z, Nas, and T.I.), end up silenced even though their lyrics are blasting through speakers worldwide. Ghostwriters usually end up making some money, but do not get publicly credited for their lyrical creativity. As hip hop continues to be flooded with "marketable" images and characters, the true lyricists rarely get the public recognition they deserve. In a world where money is commonly equated with power (or even with mere survival), artists are often forced to sacrifice either their integrity or their desire for fame in order to get ahead. The underground hip hop scene keeps the appreciation for musical quality and content alive, but larger corporate-funded record labels ultimately dictate the one-dimensional representations of hip hop (and, in turn, representations of Black people) that are fed to the public.
Works Cited (Non-Electronic)
Abu-Jamal. "A Rap Thing." The Vinyl Ain't Final. Ed. Dipannita Basu and Sidney J. Lemelle. London: Pluto Press, 2006. 23-4.
Boyd, T. "Am I Black Enough for You?" Popular Culture from the 'hood and Beyond. Indiana University Press, March 1997
Dyson, Michael Eric. "The Culture of Hip Hop." That's the Joint. Ed. Murray Forman and Mark A. Neal. Routledge, NY, 2004.
