I’m not going to try to do anything fancy here. I’m ready to make some new music.
I have almost two whole verses written over the back half of Primo’s “A Million And One Questions” instrumental. That’s it. But I’m trying to make myself accountable for actually attempting to release new music. It hasn’t worked so well in the past, but we’ll see what happens.
I first considered this prior to the Soundvizion Reunion of 2018. How hard could it be to throw together a new mixtape and an album by November when you had 3 months notice? Pretty difficult when you have no beats and you haven’t written a viable bar in a few years. So that came and went but I continued to look for beats for a project that probably wasn’t going to happen (and still might not).
At some point, I had started an Excel sheet with song titles, instrumentals for mixtapes, sample ideas (if I ever learn to produce, it’ll be a miracle) and potential song covers I wanted to try. I hoped the song titles would motivate me to record somehow; they did not.
I know at one point I considered calling my next album Memorial Bridge Drive but then 2014 Forest Hills Drive came out. Then I became obsessed with this version of Mac Miller’s “Objects In The Mirror”:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gbl-IDp1qc&w=560&h=315]
This is back when I thought I could sonically switch up my sound somehow and I was thinking this and a few other songs would end up being my inspiration. Long story short, Bruno Mars’s 24K Magic is the album I wanted to make in my head but was never capable of, just in case you were wondering.
I decided on titles for my two projects that were supposed to be out for last year’s Soundvizion Reunion: Thunderstorm 2 and Hyphen. I’ve always been dying to record another Thunderstorm and if I’m ever going to do it, why not now? And Hyphen just seemed like a fitting title for my second album. It says it all while saying very little.
So I can tell you, I still plan on making both of those projects.
To be honest, between losing two moms about 5 years (!) ago and now with Matt moving to New Zealand, I’ve been through some loss that I feel can only express properly through music. Not to mention having Aaliyah now has definitely changed my perspective. As the day drew near last month for Matt and his family to leave the US, I had the bright idea of making “Death Before Dishonor Part 5” as a going away present. Except, there was no “DBD Part 4″…
I suppose I’m at the part where I tell you my plan. I have this little fantasy that all this will be done in 2020 but with Hyphen Nation, A Podcast Called Fresh, Victory Jumpoff Radio, another possible pod, and being in charge of Hyphen Podcast Group, excuse me while I crying laughing emoji myself to death.
😂😂😂😂
Project 1 – Thunderstorm 2: I know I can’t stream it but this really has to be checked off the list. A bunch of dope instrumentals with me flexing all over them; what could go wrong? I’m thinking this will be about 10 tracks.
Project 2 – The Mind’s Mixtape volume V: This is where “Death Before Dishonor Part 4 & 5” will be located. More industry instrumentals but a few originals songs too. This is going to be where I’ll do my heavy lyrical thinking. Probably 10 more tracks but I wouldn’t be scared to add a few extra.
Project 3 – Hyphen: The follow-up to Soon You’ll Understand. I’m not sure what this ride will be but I’m thinking no more than 14 tracks.
Project 4 – ????: All I can tell you is this is a collaborative project, if and when it gets off the ground. Ever hear how ?uestlove and D’Angelo would watch live Prince performances for hours and then start recording during the Voodoo sessions? Something along those lines.
Project 5 – Covers: I’m going to clean up my YouTube channel to properly house things where they belong. Once that’s done, I plan on doing some covers at some point. As long as they’re good. Lord knows I’ve never been a great video artist so if anything, you’ll get in-studio stuff and live performances.
And that pretty much sums it up. This post will either forever taunt me as a task left unfinished or I start checking some of these things off. But I do know, that I’m officially back in the music business. You know, as time allows.
Edit: Found some old photos I’d be hanging on to for this post. I used to put all my song titles on poster board and check them off as I went. I’m way too early in the process for this now but I still think they’re cool.
Also: I’m doing new music solely for me. If people listen, great.