Hip Hop Help - why did this one get returned?

[nicotina]

I created this hip-hop track https://soundcloud.com/vincent-s-nicoti ... op/s-xyk7Y
trying to aim for something like Meek Mill "Going Bad" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3lKEb0Cs94

I thought maybe they would reject it for being too close to the target, but instead the reviewer said:

Your track its into the Hip Hop genres, however, this listing is targeting a sound and style with more marketability. Using a current melody and beat ideas are key.

Can someone who know hip-hop offer some specific advice? Is it the mix or the drums, keyboard sounds, or maybe the transition clips I stuck in?

Thanks,

Vince

Listing is below

Y181217HI
CURRENT-SOUNDING RAP/HIP-HOP INSTRUMENTALS are needed by a Leading Music Company that just started a new Music Publishing Division. They're aggressively looking for talented, Rap/Hip-Hop Music Producers to sign.

Please listen to the references below to get in the general wheelhouse of what might get this Publisher interested in what you’re doing:

WARNING: Some of the references have explicit lyrics and/or images. Listener discretion is advised.

“Drip Too Hard” by Lil Baby & Gunna

“Going Bad” by Meek Mill ft. Drake

“Better Now” by Post Malone

Although the references have vocals, this request is for Instrumentals only!

Please submit well produced Rap/Hip-Hop Instrumentals (not film/TV Cues) that are modern, polished, and inventive. Your submissions should be rhythmically and melodically engaging, with speaker-knocking drums and current-sounding instrumentation. Give them something innovative and fresh that could elevate the career of whoever raps on it!

NOTE: For this request, you’d be wise to submit THREE Instrumentals per submission, so they can see if you’ve got depth in your material. It’s NOT necessary to land this, just a suggestion!

Your production and recording quality needs to be clean, clear, well balanced, and good enough to represent your Instrumental well. Please submit as many Instrumentals you’d like online or per CD, include photos and bio. All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis by a TAXI screener that’s been handpicked by the Publisher – Short critiques only. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PST) on Monday, December 17th, 2018. TAXI #Y181217HI

[ttully]

Hi nicotina,

I have done a ton of hip hop tracks.
Here is what I hear......

The examples have way less reverb and a bit of a brighter mix.
Your track is also a bit darker...or gloomy sounding.
On your track, when the piano is playing by itself... the airy sound almost hurts your ears...it's overpowering.
Also...your risers are too loud.

My 2 cents worth..... I hope that helps!
Tim

[Paulie]

The screener said "Your track its into the Hip Hop genres, however, this listing is targeting a sound and style with more marketability. Using a current melody and beat ideas are key."

So, this tells me that it was returned because the screener felt that the melody and beat were not current. Puzzling, since you piano motif is quite similar to Meek Mill's Your beat is current as well, but from a mix/sound standpoint it is not as clean as the reference. If you A/B your mix to Meek Mill, you may notice that your bass is muddy by comparison and your hi hats are thicker (not as crisp).

The screener didn't say anything about the song form or mix at all. Personally I think your style is right but the song needs some more variety. The piano motif goes on for a long time, I was waiting to hear for some sort of break. It could also use an edit point or two to give the editor some options.

What did the listing ask for as far as track length? If you cut this in half, from 3:00 to 1:30, or maybe 2:00, and then add/remove elements every eight bars -- including the piano -- you would have a nice track.

in a nutshell, I don't think the screeners comments make sense as the sole reason for the return. I would have returned it for the musical reasons I described above, not for "style and marketability."

Hope this helps.

Paulie

[nicotina]

Thanks, Paulie,

It puzzled me too- that's why I posted. They wanted a 3 minute instrumental track that people could rap to, not a cue. So I gave em' what they wanted.

It may be like you said: my sounds and mix weren't quite as good. And what Tim said about the risers being loud rings true. And Meek's kick rhythms are more varied and interesting then mine.

I guess that's what I needed to hear. THAT stuff I can work on. But I don't know how to get hipper then what Meek Mills does when I'm already copying him and he's in the Billboard top 10.

Thanks guys,

Vince

[andygabrys]

Take this review with a grain of salt:

I have found it a good idea to listen to all three of the refs and make a list of the elements in each that are working and that give it genre specific strength.

So if you listened to the one song that is a one chord vamp, its going to be hard to match the "marketability" of a tune that has a chord progression - which arguably puts in more in the "pop" area.

"well produced Rap/Hip-Hop Instrumentals (not film/TV Cues) that are modern, polished, and inventive. Your submissions should be rhythmically and melodically engaging, "

When they say cues - they often mean a single motif that you build up and break down over time.

When they say instrumental - they mean something more like a "song" where you have different sections, or at least a chord progression to give it a different flavor. In this case, look back through the refs and see what makes them more of an instrumental vs. a cue. Better now is likely the best example of something LEAST like a cue.

Melodically engaging might seem tough in a hip hop or trap style. Meaning - a beat, an 808, and some kind of repetitive piano arpeggio seem to be the usual building blocks, but if thats all you got, you don't have a lot to try and make the song "melodically engaging".

Last thing is a rehash of the other comments - mix and production have to be top notch. They don't want to sign a production that they have to recut to let somebody sing on it - they want something that is good enough straight out of the gate.