What Does It Take

7PM/Purple Haze

Fading Colours

Give Me A Chance

This Project will also feature 3 skits

My Choice

High

No Choice

This helped inform how I should articulate myself and the kind of language I should use to make a convincing impression of me being under the influence.

https://ucguk-my.sharepoint.com/personal/998446_my_cwc_ac_uk/Documents/Links.docx?web=1

I dont even like the feeling no more

I dont want this no more 

This ain't what i signed up for

(Rough verse)

These drugs got me fighting a war

I can feel it in my pores

Im looking for my friends but I don't know where they're at

They left me in a ditch out here smoking on crack 

Looking back yhyh I'm tryna bring that back

Back to the days when I was just normal lad

I was on my grind everyday with the pen to pad

Tryna finish this track was tryna make me a rack

These drugs got me fighting a war

I can feel it in my pores

Baby do you still love me even when in my worst state

Cause if you don't I know the drugs can take me back anyday

I'm paying for vices and I didn't think it twice 

But I didn't know that the price would be my life

I just want another chance baby lemme get right 

Oooh these drugs have taken my life 

How you let these drugs consume you and take over your soul

Back in the days we would talk about how we'll make it (out the struggle)

But now i just gotta sit around and watch you take it

Bro i cant take it

Your addicted you cant break it

Bro my heart you broke it

I just want you to know this

Did you notice it's been like 3 or 4 months since you seen your kid

Since then lil man's really grown

These drugs got you moving so slow

I just walked in your room u just had an overdose

None of this make sense

Cause I just saved your life but im the one who ruined it introducing you to these vices

I been in the clouds up in here you don't have no worries

Family upset Im doing this please tell em sorry

Cause when Im here I ain't got no shame

Smoking up at 7pm to the sight of the purple haze

. A pitch shifter in the chorus would be useful to add a more sinister feel to the track

. Reverb on the vocals to give a spacey and eerie feel

. Delay on the vocals to add layering since we did not record ad libs for this song

In the skit section of this song, the instrumental needs to fade into the background and not be at the forefront of the track ( we can achieve this by splitting the track and adding heavy reverb)

The vocals need a bit more mixing as they sound dry

Add some reverb and a little bit of flanging to make it sound spacey

Add a small bit of panning to make the vocals sound trippy

Bring Donny's Verse Back into the right timing

Remove laughing at the end

They need to be levelled better

The ad libs are too quiet

There is reverb on 1 line on Donny's verse?

Juniors ad libs need to be a lot quieter

Donny's part in section 2of the song is good, nothing needs to be changed here

The last "De'Andre" needs to be have delay added in 1/2 timing

The first verse sounds slightly dry

Chorus effect needs to be added

The back n' forth verse between Donny and Leticia sounds like 2 completely different EQs, they need to correlate with each other

Also the mix sounds yet again dry.

These drugs stay on your mind

These drugs taking over your mind

Slowly puffin away your soul 

Your addicted these drugs they slowly taking up your life

These drugs stay on your mind

These drugs taking over your mind

Slowly puffin away your soul 

Your addicted these drugs they slowly taking up your life

(Verse)

Not once not twice not 3 times but 5

I caught you on the blunt tryna toke away your life

I ask you how you doing you gave me a blunt reply 

I ask you why you do this yet again a blunt reply

You said i can't lie i dont know why im alive

And when you told me that it cut me like a blade 

Like a knife

But your numb to the feeling so you want more and you dont care even if you die

No you dont even care if you die

I know these sticks and stones may break your bones

But these drugs are breaking up your happy home

Your kid misses you, when he calls pick up your phone

You know were always keeping watch like a f***ing drone

Your childs mothers don't like the man youve become 

Your family misses you but they think your too far gone

And I just miss my day 1 i miss the times we record

And watching football tryna keep up with the score

And now your on the streets tryna find a score

(Chorus x2)

These drugs stay on your mind

These drugs taking over your mind

Slowly puffin away your soul 

Your addicted these drugs they slowly taking up your life

These drugs stay on your mind

These drugs taking over your mind

Slowly puffin away your soul 

Your addicted these drugs they slowly taking up your life

(Donnys Verse)

(Chorus x2)

These drugs stay on your mind

These drugs taking over your mind

Slowly puffin away your soul 

Your addicted these drugs they slowly taking up your life

These drugs stay on your mind

These drugs taking over your mind

Slowly puffin away your soul 

Your addicted these drugs they slowly taking up your life

Take a puff take a pull take a 2s then pass the zoot

If you dont belive me then just follow what i do

(Verse 1)

Your stressing your stressing so let me hit you with this blessing 

I promise once you blow a cloud youll be in the clouds like its heaven

Dont worry tho you wont be too gone you might just feel a lil vibe

Just a lil suttin to redden you're eyes you wont be fried

(Donny)

Yhh but now it's time for a switch up your low mood needs to lift up

You got writer's block but hit this and you will just lif off

(Donny)

(Chorus x2)

Take a puff take a pull take a 2s then pass the zoot

If you dont belive me then just follow what i do

(Verse 2)

What does it take for you to take a break

For you to make this mistake 

Just get it over with you cause you know that this blunt will be your fate

Just try before it's too late

Cause as i said you know this blunt will be your fate

(Donny)

Stop acting like a baby 

My brudda spare me from all of dat talk youre moving crazy

(Donny)

What!

You know that lil man there is my nephew

All im doing is asking you to chill and just smoke a few

You know that lil man there is my nephew

All im doing is telling you what i knows best for you you should-

(Chorus x2)

Take a puff take a pull take a 2s then pass the zoot

If you dont belive me then just follow what i do

(Skit)

I been in the clouds up in here you don't have no worries 

Family upset I'm doing this please tell them sorry 

Cause when I'm here I ain't got no shame

Smoking up at 7pm to the sight of purple haze

(Verse 1)

This loud got me feeling peace bro I hope the feelings mutual 

Way above the trees if I fall down it may be brutal

But for now I'm chilling i dont give a damn bout.. nothing 

Album drop in 2 weeks but dont worry just smoke what im puffin

Said I'd only do this once but here I am again 

Up in the lonely clouds but this time i done brought a friend

Yo brodie tell me suttin, how you feeling 

Cause i just feeling freedom and i hope thats a mutual feeling 

Backstrap and we smoke up the reefer

Take a toke im as high as burj Khalifa 

Traffic light rotation thats the foundation of how we smoke up like a rasta Jamaican 

Dont panic don't panic my bro don't panic just take a 2s and pass me the zoot

Then lay back and get faded

I swear this feeling is amazing 

My eyes are starting to get lazy

My sight feeling so hazey so hazey

(Bridge)

Said I'd only do this once but here i am again

Said I'd only do this once but here i am again

(Chorus x2)

I been in the clouds up in here you don't have no worries 

Family upset I'm doing this please tell them sorry 

Cause when I'm here I ain't got no shame

Smoking up at 7pm to the sight of purple haze

(Donnys Verse)

(Chorus x2)

I been in the clouds up in here you don't have no worries 

Family upset I'm doing this please tell them sorry 

Cause when I'm here I ain't got no shame

Smoking up at 7pm to the sight of purple haze

(Outro)

Said I'd only do this once but here i am again

Said I'd only do this once but here i am again

How you let these drugs consume you and take over your soul

Back in the days we would talk about how we'll make it (out the struggle)

But now i just gotta sit around and watch you take it

Bro i cant take it

Your addicted you cant break it

Bro my heart you broke it

I just want you to know this 

Did you notice it's been like 3 or 4 months since you seen your kid

Since then lil man's really grown

These drugs got you moving so slow

I just walked in your room u just had an overdose 

None of this make sense

Cause I just saved your life but im the one who ruined it introducing you to these vices 

Ooohh desperately im trying

To convince myself it's not my fault youre in this spiral

But now I know I'm lying (X2)

We need to have:

. Better stage interaction

. Better stage movement

. Better crowd engagement

. I need to do things to engage the crowd when not rapping

I will accomplish these by taking wider steps on stage being aware of my movement, having more eye contact with Donny, and when not rapping, doing things like ad libs, and interacting with the crowd

1. What does it take?

This track will introduce the character in the studio recording verses for tracks, as he’s doing this, he messes up lines and becomes audibly stressed. He takes a break and expresses his desperation to become successful from his music. Whilst this is happening, his friends are in the studio with him smoking, they see his stress and offer him some of what their smoking, however the main character declines. (This will happen over a skit of around 30 secs). It will then transition into the actual song. Over the song, the chorus will be the main character making clear, he does not have any wishes to partake in smoking, and the verses will be his friends taking turns trying to convince him to do so, saying things like it will help him relax and be more productive. By the end of the song, they will have been successful in convincing him to partake and the main character takes up on their offer due to the constant peer pressure.  

The song will end with another roughly 10 second skit in which the main character and his friends are smoking together, and his friends are congratulating him for it.

Production:

The theme for this track in terms of mood will be eerie and smooth

The vocals must sound intimate, and the beat must be slightly minimal with dark and spacey vibe.  

It should be around 80-100 bpm

For inspiration, check tracks such as:

Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter’s Daughter – Kendrick Lamar

Ruby Rosary – A$AP Rocky & J. Cole

Notes for writers/lyricists:

This song should be written in such a way that the 2 characters should be speaking to each other. I have not yet decided who should play which role, but a key thing to note is there will be a character which represents sin and a character which represents being naive.

The character of sin must deliver lyrics in a tone of convincing certainty almost as if what they’re offering is bound to be of benefit to the character of naivety

The character which represents naivety begins the track with a strong will, however over the course of the track, the character has a change of heart and listens to the character of sin.

This should be voiced in a slightly timid kind of voice where the listener should be able to understand this is abnormal behaviour for the character.

A great example of a song to listen to for the inspiration of lyrics and delivery for this song is the Damien trilogy by DMX

This track is about the main characters high kicking in. The character feels extreme relief and feels he’s escaped all his stresses, he begins to feel numb and starts to worry and care less about his success in music and begins to become lacklustre.

This song will be performed over an RnB inspired production which will have elements of cloud rap.  

Production: This song should be at around 70-80 bpm and should have a floaty ethereal feel with a blend of guitars and chord progressions from an RnB production however with reverbed synths and pads to give ambience and a laid-back feel from the genre of cloud rap. It should also feature lofi drums with a hip hop kind of rhythm.  

For reference check tracks:

Peso – A$AP Rocky

On My Level – Wiz Khalifa

Purple Swag – A$AP Rocky

From a vocal perspective, this track must have a slurred pronunciation on words and a laid-back flow almost as if you are falling asleep to indicate to the listener that you are “high”

Production wise:

This song will have 2 parts. The first section of the song must be mellow and simple and quite ambient (this will make it feel isolated and lonely). This section of the song will be his friend speaking to him saying he's losing himself to drugs. The song will take a pause, then become more intense. In this section his brother will have a go at him.

Production wise this song should be melodic and mellow at aroud 80 bpm, reefer to the playlist for tracks for inspiration.