Respecting Hip Hop Culture

 

This blog post is basically a response to three interview videos by Hard Knock TV.  If you need a little background information about what I’m talking about, check out these three videos below.

How Kid CuDi Changed My Life

The first album that I listened to by Kid CuDi was actually his first album, Man on The Moon:  The End of The Day.  I don’t quite remember how I was introduced to Kid CuDi, but I do remember listening to this album in high school.  I also remember how greatly this album affected my life during those dark times.  This album was literally the soundtrack to my life.  Kid CuDi’s first album affected me so profoundly because of its overall tone, sound, and message.  

When I first listened to this album, I was initially attracted by how dark this album sounded.  I had never before heard such a rapper go so deep into specific human emotional states and translate it so well through music.  I also appreciated how this album unfolded like a story that Common was narrating.  It was like I was going through an emotional experience as I listened to each song play.

I also loved how the sound of this album was SO different from traditional Hip Hop music I’ve heard before.  I loved how Kid CuDi did his own thing and actually made it work out in the end!  It was as if Kid CuDi wanted to go beyond Hip Hop music and wanted this album to transfuse different sounds in order to create the album that HE wanted to make. 

What I appreciated the most about this album was Kid CuDi’s message throughout the album.  Although I now realize that most of the songs on this album were REALLY drug influenced, what I took away from the album during that time that I listened to it was that Hip Hop music could be more than just about money, hoes, and clothes.  Kid CuDi delivered an album that spoke to the soul of loners around the world.  This album was sad, trippy, upbeat, and inspiring.

Man on The Moon:  The End of The Day has greatly influenced the making of my debut album, Loving All My Demons, in many ways.  It had taught me to create not just a great album, but an experience for the listeners to relate to.  It taught me reach beyond traditional borders that we think are hindering our progress and to think outside the box.  Finally, Kid CuDi’s album taught me to write about my story, because THAT’S what people want to hear.

If you would like to listen to some of my music I have released so far, you can listen to my music on my Soundcloud or my official website.  If you would like to stay updated with the progress of my debut album, subscribe to my email list.

Thank you for reading this blog post!

Live The Life YOU Want To Live: Part 3

So in the last part of this series of blog posts, we left off with a poignant question of how do we know if we are following somebody else’s perceived path to happiness?

I Started Rapping Because of Drake

Sorry for the delay, but better late than never!

The first project that I listened to by Drake was So Far Gone.  In my opinion, it was a game changer for Hip Hop music in general and it had a huge impact on my decision to become a rapper.  As a matter of fact, the first “bars” that I wrote were influenced by So Far Gone.  So you could say that Drake was the one responsible for planting that idea of becoming a well-known rapper into my mind.

Officially Launching Internet Radio Station

Click here to view the live broadcast.

I have big news!  Today, I am officially launching my own Internet Radio Station on Live365 called, "Brainy Hip Hop Radio!"

If you’re a long time reader of this blog, you know that I used to post up an “Artist of the week” blog post every week featuring artists who I think are great and deserve more recognition.  As much as I liked that series of blogs, I wanted to take that great idea to another level.  That’s when the idea of Brainy Hip Hop Radio was created.

At Brainy Hip Hop Radio, we play current Hip Hop music that promotes positive, intellectual, and introspective messages through lyricism.  We support major label rappers and independent rappers.

We play music from mainstream rappers such as Eminem,  Big K.R.I.T., J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, and music from independent rappers such as Hopsin, Gavlyn, Clear Soul Forces, Dylan Golden, Alex Ruffin, and Trigz.

So if you like what we represent, please check it out and share it with your friends and family.   

If you have any suggestions of music that should be a part of Brainy Hip Hop Radio’s playlist or any suggestions on how to make the broadcast better, leave a comment below or click the contact button at the top of this blog in order to send me an email and you may hear it on our live broadcast!

If you think your music should be a part of the broadcast, click on the "Contact" link at the top of my blog or go to my official website (http://www.davidhayder.com) and contact me through other mediums such as Facebook or Twitter.


Here is the current schedule of my broadcast:
Independent Broadcast 
- Starts at: 8:00 AM
- Listen to the latest Hip Hop music by Independent Rappers

Mainstream Broadcast 
- Starts at: 6:00 PM
- Listen to the latest Hip Hop music by Mainstream Rappers

How Joe Budden Inspired Me

The first project that I listened to by Joe Budden was Mood Muzik 4.  It was a great introduction for me because that project quickly turned me into a fan of his music.  Before listening to this project, I didn’t really know too much about Joe Budden or his work other than one song that gave him mainstream success for a period of time.

Download Mood Muzik 4 on Datpiff

Although many people may know Joe Budden because of that one song, what I really liked about Joe Budden when I seriously started to listen to his music was that there was more to him than being just a one hit wonder.  He has proven time and time again to have the lyrical skills to match the best rappers in Hip Hop music (Check out his “No Church in The Wild Remix”).  Not only that, but he also has an introspective side to him, which is what I really liked about him because it’s what I’ve been searching for a lot in Hip Hop music.

Because of Joe Budden, I was inspired to become more vulnerable and introspective as I wrote songs for my debut album, Loving All My Demons.  Most importantly, I was taught that it was OKAY to explore this side in Hip Hop music.  As I got more familiar with Hip Hop music, it seemed silly for somebody to show a more personal side in an environment that is so competitive until I heard more rappers like Joe Budden speak so openly about his past and such.

If you’re a fan of Joe Budden, how has his music affected you?  Please leave your thoughts in the comments because I would love to know what you think.

-David Hayder

How Childish Gambino Changed My Life

Download Culdesac at Forever Childish

Around two years ago, I remember going through my daily websites and checking out the latest Hip Hop music on my favorite Hip Hop music blog when I stumbled upon a mixtape that immediately piqued my interest.  Apparently, a rapper that I never heard of before called Childish Gambino was releasing a mixtape called Culdesac.  What caught my attention was that Childish Gambino was also the actor/comedian named Donald Glover. 

At the time, I only knew Donald Glover as a character named Troy Barnes from the television show called Community, which I watched religiously.  Before I ever watched Community, I never knew that Donald Glover was also a rapper.  Because I loved his character so much on Community and because of sheer curiosity, I decided to check out the mixtape---and boy, was I in for a pleasant surprise.

I was lead to a website which contained the mixtape and I remember seeing his face plastered on the back cover.  After I played the first song on the mixtape called “Difference,” I will admit that I got teary eyed at the end of the song.  It had touched my heart.  It was a great intro because I immediately connected with the lyrics in the song, mainly because of the combination of the light piano melody and the eerie echoes of hearing Childish Gambino saying, “I am just different…”

This intro affected me so profoundly because of what was going on with my life during that time.  I was in high school when I first heard that song and I always felt different from everybody else.  I always felt like the outsider looking in.  I was a loner.

As for the rest of the mixtape, each song was exactly what I wanted to hear from a Rapper.  Donald Glover was coming from a different perspective than many other popular Rappers I heard before and his music hit close to home.  After Culdesac, I continued to stay updated with Childish Gambino’s work.   Once he finally released his debut album, Camp, I knew I had to buy it.  Camp was also the first album I had ever bought by myself (with my Grandmother’s money).

To be honest, I cannot think of a song that I don’t like by Childish Gambino.  His whole catalog from Culdesac to Royalty has been solid, in my opinion.  Childish Gambino also influenced the way I write songs when I decided to take Rapping seriously.   As a matter of fact, “Freaks & Geeks” was actually the song that inspired me to write my single, “Keep It Real.”  

 Listen to Keep It Real

Childish Gambino played a large part in my decision to continue pursuing a rapping career.  Childish Gambino expanded my perspective of what Hip Hop music could be---an experience that is meant to inspire anyone working towards a dream.  Childish Gambino inspired me to keep going with my decision, and I thank him for that.  This is how Childish Gambino changed my life.

I would like to invite you, the reader, to share a conversation with me.  How has Childish Gambino affected your life?  Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.  I'd love to hear what you have to say about this topic.  If you have an idea for what I should write in my next blog, please comment below if you would like as well.

Thank you for reading this blog post.