MC's!

[DREWDANK]

how often do you guys got someone on your tracks? i been looking for an mc but cant find one ha but i was wondering do you tune your tracks for vocals or just for beats? and if you do for mc's how do you find them? just want some knowledge nutrients!

[balazs]

I pass CDs out locally sometimes and had a few people say they want to ryhme or they know someone that wants to ryhme over them.

[HxC]

Scout out some local events/shows/open mics and roll out and go up to lyricists and personally initiate contact. Also keep an eye on friends that may not think of themselves as MCs but have potential and convince them to give it a whirl.

Or do the long distance thing- holler at unsigned Myspace artists that you like and see if they're organized enough to do a YouSendIt thang- I've never really done this but if the person on the other end is dedicated it can work.

Hawk your local Craigslist in the community music section, and if all that fails say "fuck it" and just vocalize over your own tracks- even in a dub or overeffected style- think Lord Quas

[HxC]

I've got to add that the game has really changed in the past few years with MCs and beats. If an unknown MC wants to get buzz they will just do the "mixtape" thing and rap over known commercial beats.
This makes sense from their standpoint because they catch listeners with something they're familiar with- it's "free"- if it's their goal to get maximum exposure this is what they do. "We" are not really in demand unfortunately.

Check out this great honest interview with A&E (Masta Ace & Edo G)- Ace even says he'd hate to be an MC just coming out in this day & age:
http://exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticle ... fid1=44110
You guys have heard "Little Young" right ?

Think about expanding outside of rap- we all listen to different kinds of music - holler at rock groups and stuff see if the singer wants to do a Gnarls Barkley thang or find a poet and go all Ursula Rucker- life is a mash up!

[Les Braun]

I hand out CDs locally, too, but I've gotten the most requests to spit on tracks through Myspace.

I've never pitched a track before, but some MCs wanted me to extend the track, which can be a bitch. This is why I always keep the files for every beat I do.

[shmedy]

if you make the beats, they will come.

well that, and a little bit of luck. i think its similiar to finding your soul mate, or even just a good friend. your beats and their lyrics will draw each other together.

soooo... what i guess im saying is a combination of determination and good luck should get you 1 or more mcs you can work with.

[SLEEPS NUMB]

I can rap on your beats

[DREWDANK]

I can rap on your beats

im game. wait you live in san diego? fool ima have to come down there sometime and go diggin wit you

[Sinapse]

Build locally as much as possible, go to Hip Hop events and open mics...you have to seek out the talent that will be a good fit for your production. Too many people don't understand that and they get the wrong rappers on their beats....I started off as an emcee years ago so I see it from the other side first, picking the right beats to rap on, but it works both ways. the internet can be useful for connecting with people that have similar styles but in general you come across a lot of really amateur type shit. Do you really want some guy in Delaware rapping on your beat sounding like he's in a wind tunnel? No. So if you are going to work with someone online make sure that they are serious about their sound and have decent engineering. Nothing makes someone turn off a track faster than lousy mixing of vocals.