songwriting: the X factor. (MTB4 commentary)

last year, i became a huge fan of diddy and MTV’s Making The Band. i never saw the OG MTB. MTB2 (Da Band) left a lot to be desired, i saw it as a half baked, haphazard attempt to put Real World and Star Search in a room and get ‘em fckin. talent was negligible, the grouping was questionable, and it ended up being The Real World Tries To Cut A Record.

we all know the success of MTB3a (Danity Kane). i didn’t watch that, largely ’cause i was put off by MTB2’s bad idea jeans-ism. i’m wondering what i missed though, ’cause MTB3b (Day26 & Donnie J) was awesome. the drama wasn’t overbearing, it was very natural and you got to see some really talented kids put their skills through the ringer and get a legitimate shot at making viable music.

anyway, i digress.

this season finds last season’s winners and Danity Kane shoved into a house in Miami, charged with knocking out their debut and sophmore efforts, respectively.

so far this season, the young ladies of Danity Kane have been at odds with the direction diddy & co. have been pushing the album in.

they been bitching. crying. throwing tantrums. moaning & groaning. unhappy with the songs they’re getting. the songs have been too slow. too un-independent. too too too.

i’m like, yo- the fock?

B/TCHES WRITE A SONG THEN!

and this is not isolated, folks. i can’t tell you how many brass-types i’ve come across that want producers to bring a full package to the table when shopping tracks. they want beat, concept, hooks, hell if you got lyrics you’re GOLDEN.

and i know it’s not anything new…hit machines have existed almost as long as pop has; it’s part of the reason why a good songwriter/performer is so celebrated (see: Beyonce or Mariah Carey)- in “urban” music, where artist/brand cultivation (no matter what they say) isn’t the priority it used to be, the songwriter/performer is a premium.

artists are ushered into the booth, given a look and a sound, a couple of lyrics sheets and a rack of beats. next thing you know, there’s an album.

now, i’m not necessarily knocking this process. but when you feel- as Danity Kane clearly does- that the time has come to grow as artists, and you want to assert your artistry on the product you’re putting out, you want to buck the brass and do what you feel, why isn’t the first inclination to pick up a pen, maybe hire somebody to hone the notion and start writing songs?

i don’t get it. it’s like a body builder who’s *only* in the gym doing squats and deadlifts. you’re half the person you could be.

i’m nitpicking, though. there’s a gang of artists i love that probably do the same sht. it’s just that i get to see it real time and it irks me.

anyway, all of this brings me to this point: producers in training, LEARN HOW TO WRITE SONGS! preferably good ones, but you know. these days, almost anything will do. Ne-Yo’s cleaning up and his sad-sack sapsh!t is average, at best. IMO of course.

son got grammies.

get that r & b cake, my niggas.

______

all that being said, this is a good show, and when the two groups and Donnie J aren’t flirting and whatnot, you get a glimpse at these kids living that life us bottom dwellers are hustling for. it’s fun and informative.

and it lets me know i gotta step my game way up to walk with them dogs.

*writes some songs about being sorry for running game on hoez or something*