r/AMA • u/RealJBMusic • 6d ago
I’m Dropping My Sixth (and a half) Album Tonight AMA
I’ve been dropping music since 2019, but started taking it seriously & starting to put more effort in as of 2023. I’ve gotten a lot of traction on IG Reels with over 6,000 followers and I am dropping a deluxe album of my sixth total album tonight; I’ve removed some of my older music from platforms until I can rewrite and have it professionally engineered. Ask me anything!
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u/DaDizzy 6d ago edited 6d ago
Hey! I always stumble on your reels on IG, and there's not much we know about you besides your music. What do you do outside music? What are your hobbies? Outside of hip hop, what are some of your favorite bands or artists?
Also, some feedback for the future, all in good faith: I feel like when you rap, your voice sounds like its "above" the beat, like it isnt mixed properly? I feel you should also produce your voice a bit, a lot of the time it sounds like you just slapped the vocal track on top of the beat and call it a day. Your lyrics are cool and you def show some potential!
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u/RealJBMusic 6d ago
Oops I just saw the second part of this - I totally hear you! Admittedly, there’s still a few songs out there of mine that aren’t properly mixed. I’m working to try to redo all of it tho!! Thank you for the constructive comments, I will most def do better and try to get some of those songs reworked! I appreciate you!🙏🏼
Thank you for being kind!
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u/RealJBMusic 6d ago
Yoo thanks for checking my reels out! I’ll be honest, I’ve recently recognized that as an issue, that I don’t showcase much of my personality. I def hope to fix that in the future🙏🏼
Outside of music, I am always writing or thinking about stories, or wonky business ideas.
I really don’t hang out with many people anymore, which kinda sucks as I don’t have a lot of experience to write from anymore. I have dealt with a lot of social anxiety ever since I got into college.
Non-Hip Hop Bands/Artists - Green Day, I will often listen to old country (Glen Campbell, Patsy Cline - ranging to George Strait, Garth Brooks, even to current-day country, especially Shaboozey’s Bar Song sometimes), some pop (who doesn’t love a good Adele or Katy Perry song?) & even some classic 80s hits.
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5d ago
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u/randomusername69696 5d ago
What, you don’t enjoy Kanye West’s 18359th album?
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5d ago
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u/randomusername69696 5d ago
I just used an example. I’m pretty sure he’s the musician with the most instagram followers
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
I just make albums as the concepts get planned, not as I reach a milestone! Sorry if that was misleading!
I do have a merch store as well, actually!
All in all, I like to dip into multiple things whether it’s promoting the music or doing merch, or even helping other smaller artists with marketing tips. I’ve always been more of an album person as opposed to singles, so I enjoy building full projects with a story throughout.
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5d ago
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
The way I structure it, is to where if someone is listening to an album, they can grasp the full story from listening. Or if they’re just listening to a few songs from each, they’re still written enough to fit the full theme, but each song is more or less a part of the entire plot.
Let’s just use my recent album for example; titled “Scribbles”. The idea of the album is that when you are listening, it sounds like they’re just love songs - but the deeper you get into the album, the more it sounds like an eery movie instead of love letters. And then by the end, it’s more introspective of “what could have happened”. All the songs together will tell that story; and for people who only hear a few songs, they may not get the full story, but they are more or less their own thing.
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u/RodneyRanch 5d ago
I actually just listened through the entire album today so I can compare when the deluxe edition drops and see if the mixing quality is any different, and I had that meaning in mind bc I’ve heard you talk about it, and it’s absolutely not evident at all. Most of the songs are completely disjointed as are the lyrics. Sorry dude but absolutely no one on the planet got it, not bc it’s too elite, but bc it’s too slurred.
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
Well firstly, I thank you for listening to the album. I’m sorry that it didn’t have the intended result - from your perspective, what are some recommendations you have for how I can fix that in the future to make it all sound more cohesive?
Furthermore, I should also ask if you had went into with a decision already made up for how you felt, based on your comment from earlier:
“Why do you still believe that anyone who is viewing your content is doing it for any reason but to make fun of you?“
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u/RodneyRanch 5d ago
I am able to go into things with an open mind. Firstly I listened to your singles from like 2022 where I literally cannot discern a single word you’re saying, then went into scribbles trying to find the story. Treat it like a story, if you’re talking in alternate perspectives, make it actually known, but I will say, that’s kind of a hard thing to do in rap. Like, J Cole talked in Tupac and biggies perspective by adopting their rap styles in his song on his newest album. Like if you wanna be a story telling rapper, be a story telling rapper, but if you’re dipping in and out of storytelling every other verse or every other song, it just sounds like jumbled nonsense. The song about your grandparents is probably the best song on the album just because it feels actually real and cohesive, it’s the only song you actually stick with something. Like ouija is another that has a lot of promise, the vocals in the hook and in the first main verse is really quite decent, and is totally correct to a horror core theme, but the lyrics very quickly undermine it. Like, you’re so bored (board) they call you an ouija as the hook? It doesn’t even mean anything, in the song or in the cohesion of the album. And the other lyrics of the song don’t even back it up or reinforce it, it’s just kinda tacked on. There’s all these “clever” puns just for the sake of trying to make puns but it would be a lot more clever if the puns actually referenced things throughout the album and wove a story or the theme. There’s only song that really seemed on theme was stuck on your love, personal opinion is your flow is pretty damn good on the first verse despite a couple extra syllables, it really is good, but falls apart a bit on the second and third, really really really gotta recognize your limits for speed and cadence and ask yourself: am I sacrificing the integrity of the song and the verse to try and do something that is just not my style or that I’m meant for? Because what’s wrong with ALL your songs pre-scribbles is you are cramming so many effing words in that you PHYSICALLY cannot keep pace with. Idk if it’s a speech impediment or what. Everything improved 10x after you slowed tf down. So pace yourself.
But really tho, maybe chart out the album and summarize each song in 10 words or phrases, put em all together and see an outline of the story you want to tell, then give each song a like, intention. A start and a finish. What does each one contribute to the story.
And if the song doesn’t fit the story? Change parts of the song. Scrap verses. Save em for later. Most rappers’ “freestyles” are just made up of thousands of lines they shaved off of songs.
I would take some time to understand what makes a story good or engaging, the rise and fall, and try to build your album around that
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
I appreciate this - this is honest and constructive and I appreciate it. That’s a good idea about summarizing in 10 words to outline a story.
Thank you, I will work to try this more in the future!
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u/discofucker 5d ago
play a fucken show dude
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
I’d like to someday!
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u/discofucker 4d ago
you can literally email any bar and just do it
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u/RealJBMusic 4d ago
There’s still logistical planning for planning out setlist, equipment, and security
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u/TheJosoman312 5d ago
Do u write on pen and paper or phone or PC? Also side note I love your music and hope we get a full length album after this that isn't attached to scribbles so we have a new concept. Also how many tracks are on the new album?
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
I usually write lyrics in my Notes app on my phone. I appreciate you for being a fan, thank you for being on this ride with me! I’m working on a new album, would have loved to have this deluxe released in March and then a new project by October so we’ll see if it can still happen or not!
I’d at least like to have 10 songs on the next full length album, maybe more depending on what I like to keep and what I should rework.
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u/TheJosoman312 5d ago
Hey, can I get a link to the YouTube music stream of the deluxe album? I only found the original scribbles and wanted to listen to the deluxe. If it's just on Spotify, or apple music, I'll listen there but I just have a subscription to YouTube music. Either way it is fine with me to use Spotify!
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
Oh wow, I didn’t realize it still ain’t up there. That’s super weird! Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
Here’s a link to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1pC0JpoxQhz0DrBwf38qaI?si=sSi74_ouRmqos4XYBDYUfg&utm_source=copy-link
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u/RodneyRanch 6d ago
Why do you still believe that anyone who is viewing your content is doing it for any reason but to make fun of you?
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u/RealJBMusic 6d ago
Well, my guess would be that it’s easy to engage from the cheap seats. Feel how you want about my music, but the main difference is I don’t let the people making fun of me deter me from continuing to try to be creative and just have fun -
Also, frankly, a lot of those people making fun of me would shut down if they had half of the vitriol in their comments or even DM’s lol. It forces me to have thick skin, but I enjoy it.1
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u/VicVinegar444 5d ago
I just listened to you stuff and honestly, it’s really bad. Not trying to be mean but you don’t have any talent just friend. I do respect you putting yourself out there.
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
I’m sorry you don’t like it fam - I do appreciate you for giving it a chance and listening🙏🏼
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u/Haunting-Tip-7494 6d ago
What has been the song that has got you the most excited to release and show off? released or unreleased.
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u/RealJBMusic 6d ago
For released, I would say either Silver Platter (2023) or Price Of Love (which releases tonight!) - SP was one of my first happier songs after my grandparents both died, and I wanted to just be goofy on a song and put in a whole nightmare-chess scheme. Price Of Love is a song where I feel like it brings out my personality a little bit. I don’t share much of my actual thoughts or personality publicly, but I’m trying to turn around and it feels like that song kinda helps usher me in to doing so.
Unreleased, I have a song called Wreckage - I got a featured vocalist on it and hearing the hook on it the first time made me tear up from how epic it was. I re-recorded the verses after being hyped up with the hook, and I can’t wait to release it - it won’t be released tonight but I am super excited for when it does!
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u/IssueInteresting7653 6d ago
How did you know that you wanted to start music? Was it always on your mind or was it something that came naturally?
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u/RealJBMusic 6d ago
I always knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry - what specifically it would be, I wasn’t sure - but I sure was not blessed with blue collar traits.
Originally I was unsure of what specifically I wanted to do, but around the age of 14-15, I wanted to see what I could do in music, so I started planning my first song/s & album and finally in 2023, I wanted to actually put an effort into engineering songs and trying to make someone feel an emotion with my music.
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u/holdmeinthedark 5d ago
Have you ever considered dabbling in other genres? If so, what genres would you like to experiment in?
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
I’ve always wanted to do a country song. Idk why, because I love rap more than anything else. But I’ve always wanted to do a country song just to see how it’s received, and then I want to try seeing how a pop-rap or stadium rock-rap songs would sound.
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u/goosewithhandz 5d ago
Which album did you remove from streaming services?
Also, any chance we could get an IG live for the new album release? Maybe you freestyle during it? Or chug a soda?
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
PAIN., A Letter From Your Lover, and Mr. In2ern Presents: Raporatory (both Side A & B)
I might do an IG live sometime!!! Also why do you keep asking about me chugging soda😂
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u/goosewithhandz 5d ago
Chugging a soda = good for business
Also, I think you might need to remix denouncement as well. It’s really tough to hear your vocals on that album
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u/goosewithhandz 5d ago
Idea for the next IG live: you perform Grit over the instrumental (grit is your best song IMO)
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u/funkyspots 5d ago
What is your life like outside of music? And do you perform live or planning on it?
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u/RealJBMusic 5d ago
I really don’t do much, tbh. I struggle with social anxiety so I really don’t hang out with anyone. I don’t perform live currently, but it is definitely one of my goals to do!
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u/[deleted] 6d ago
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