Front Matter

The BeatTips Manual

6th EDITION

THE ART OF BEATMAKING, THE HIP HOP/RAP MUSIC TRADITION, AND THE COMMON COMPOSER

The BeatTips Manual: The Art of Beatmaking, the Hip Hop/Rap Music Tradition, and the Common Composer

By Amir Said

A Superchamp Books Sixth Paperback Edition

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without the expressed written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Superchamp Books, a Division of Superchamp, Inc. P.O. Box 20274, Brooklyn, New York 11202-0274; (347) 263-7865.

www.beattips.com; Twitter: @BeatTipsManual; Facebook: BeatTips

BeatTips™ is a product and trademark of Superchamp, Inc. BeatTip™ is a trademark of Superchamp, Inc.

Assistant Editor: Amir Ali Said

Photographs:

Print History:

June 2013: First printing. July 2013: Second printing. December 2013: Third Printing. February 2015: Fourth Printing.

The BeatTips Manual: Beatmaking, the Hip Hop/Rap Music Tradition, and the Common Composer / by Amir Said
Sixth Edition

Beatmaking 2. Hip Hop/Rap—Production 3. Hip Hop—Histroy 4. Rap Music—Performance

Practice 5. Rap Music—History 6. Hip Hop—Producers 7. Music—Technology 8. Music—Popular

Music—Social Aspects 10. African Americans—Music—History and Criticism 11. Popular Culture—United States 12. Music History I. Title

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013943132 ISBN 978-0-9893986-0-2

For my son, Amir Ali Said.

Amir, nobody can be a better you than you. (“When the door opens for opportunity, walk through.”) Insha’Allah…Al-Humdullilah.

DISCLAIMER: This book is designed to provide information on understanding, creating, producing, marketing, promoting, distributing, and selling hip hop/rap beats and music. It is understood that the publisher and the author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services of the like. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent and qualified professional should be sought. The author and Superchamp Books shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this book.


FOREWORD	xvii
PREFACE	xix
INTRODUCTION	1
PART 1: HISTORY	13
1 BACKDROP TO HIP HOP<br>The Story of the South Bronx Disaster	15
2 MOVE, ROCK, DANCE, SUCKA’<br>The Coalescence of Hip Hop Culture and the Birth of Hip Hop/Rap Music	30
3 LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT BEAT<br>The Birth and Rise of the Hip Hop/Rap Beatmaking Tradition: Seven Periods of Distinct Development	60
PART 2: TECHNICAL BEATDOWN—INSTRUCTION	87
4 GEAR AND SOUND FUNDAMENTALS<br>Understanding Production Setups, EMPIs, “Sounds,” and Other Prerequisite Factors	89
5 DRUM SOUNDS AND DRUM PROGRAMMING<br>The Nature of Drum Sounds and Drum Programming in Hip Hop/Rap Music	115
6 HOOK A BEAT UP AND CONVERT IT INTO HIP HOP FORM<br>Composition, Programming, and Arrangement—Coming up with the Ingredients and Putting them All Together	144
7 THE ART OF SAMPLING	193
8 PRACTICE MAKES BETTER	234
PART 3: MUSIC TRADITION, CULTURE, AND THEORY	261
9 FLASH BATTLED MOZART AT THE FEVER, AND MOZART GOT BURNED<br>The Hip Hop/Rap Music and Beatmaking Traditions, Its Theory, and How It Does and Doesn’t Jive with the Western Classical Music Tradition and Its Theory	264
PART 4: THE BUSINESS OF BEATS	311
10 KNOW WHERE YOU STAND	313
11 IT’S YOUR’S; NOTHIN’ TO IT BUT TO DO IT<br>Know the Angles, Because You Have the Control	335
12 THE “BUSINESS” OF BUSINESS	359
PART 5: THE INTERVIEWS	385
Marley Marl	387
Buckwild	401
D.R. Period	417
DJ Toomp	423
DJ Premier	439
9th Wonder	447
AFTERWORD	457
EPILOGUE	467
APPENDIX	477
GLOSSARY	492
INDEX	496

Front Matter

The BeatTips Manual

Assistant Editor: Amir Ali Said

Table of Contents