How many hooks on an album is enough? (Need Your Opinions)

[DJ Redrum]

I would like to get some of your opinions about albums which happen to feature alot of hook based tracks, and if you think having to many could make an album lose some of it's replay value after time and make it repetitive.

The reason for me asking is i've been putting together a 2pac (G-Funk) album for over the past 13-14 months and now that i almost have a complete tracklist which i'm happy with, i've noticed that out of the current 9 there is 7 which feature either female/male vocals.

So i would like to know how many you think is plently for a 12/13 track album.

 

[LDB]

I would like to get some of your opinions about albums which happen to feature alot of hook based tracks, and if you think having to many could make an album lose some of it's replay value after time and make it repetitive.

The reason for me asking is i've been putting together a 2pac (G-Funk) album for over the past 13-14 months and now that i almost have a complete tracklist which i'm happy with, i've noticed that out of the current 9 there is 7 which feature either female/male vocals.

So i would like to know how many you think is plently for a 12/13 track album.

Maybe I'm just a "dumb ass" but don't 99% of hip hop/rap songs have a hook/chorus? Maybe I'm not understanding the question!

 

[God]

I would like to get some of your opinions about albums which happen to feature alot of hook based tracks, and if you think having to many could make an album lose some of it's replay value after time and make it repetitive.

The reason for me asking is i've been putting together a 2pac (G-Funk) album for over the past 13-14 months and now that i almost have a complete tracklist which i'm happy with, i've noticed that out of the current 9 there is 7 which feature either female/male vocals.

So i would like to know how many you think is plently for a 12/13 track album.

Every song needs a hook- which is called a chorus.

standard rap song can be:
chorus - verse1 - chorus - verse 2 - chrous - bridge - chorus

Or a variation thereof, maybe an extra verse, maybe no bridge, but there's always a chorus. Generally if there isn't a chorus, it's to accentuate the lyrical skills of the MC. Think "Shakey Dog" by Ghostface Killah off the album "Fishscale." That's all about telling a story, and Ghost is lyrically strong enough to pull it off.

If you have a whack rapper, you can't do stuff like that.

 

[Elgen]

God pretty much nailed it.

Also, do you mean a sung hook rather than a rapped hook? Do you think maybe you had too many hooks sung on the album rather than rapped?

Just tryin to understand..

 

[DJ Redrum]

As mentioned in my original post - either from male/female singers, not the usual rap hook(s) as some of you may have got confused with.

 

[Kontents]

Well in my opion 2-4 should be it. Dont water down the album with too many of them.

 

[God]

Choruses sung by a hired gun (male/female singer) are generally for catchy choruses with a pop feel. These are the more commercially successful of the bunch. "How Do U Want It?" by 2Pac featuring Jodeci exemplifies this. Depends on how you want your album to feel.

It's not bad to have somebody singing, it just depends on your style and who you're trying to market to. Compare "How Do U Want It" with "Tradin' War Stories" and see how different the two feel. Imagine if "Tradin' War Stories" had Jodeci singing a hook-- it wouldn't work. It depends on the song.

That's your judgment as a producer.

 

[Bobby Ffitch]

to be honest with you, that sounds a lot of hooks for a g funk album... would keep it classic and try to limit the amount you dillute it with other vocalists. just me tho.

 

[DJ Redrum]

Choruses sung by a hired gun (male/female singer) are generally for catchy choruses with a pop feel. These are the more commercially successful of the bunch. "How Do U Want It?" by 2Pac featuring Jodeci exemplifies this. Depends on how you want your album to feel.

It's not bad to have somebody singing, it just depends on your style and who you're trying to market to. Compare "How Do U Want It" with "Tradin' War Stories" and see how different the two feel. Imagine if "Tradin' War Stories" had Jodeci singing a hook-- it wouldn't work. It depends on the song.

That's your judgment as a producer.

Yeah i get what you mean, the reason for the amount of tracks which have vocals is down to it having quite a very mellow/upbeat vibe rather than any harder type tracks such as '' Tradin' War Stories '' stricty G-Funk.

to be honest with you, that sounds a lot of hooks for a g funk album... would keep it classic and try to limit the amount you dillute it with other vocalists. just me tho.

I've re-checked my tracklist and there is 5 out of 8 which feature guest vocals. I plan to have it as a 13trk album with an Intro/Outro so that leaves me with 11 tracks to work with, i'll have to see what i can do to lower the amount as for some reason all of the best suited tracks for the album happen to be with vocal hooks.

Thanks for all of the replys.

 

[Fury]

as long as they sound dope theres no limit sometimes u mite want a nice catchy hook and another one u mite want a DJ to while out and does his thing na mean..w.e sounds dope no lmiit

 

[DJ Redrum]

as long as they sound dope theres no limit sometimes u mite want a nice catchy hook and another one u mite want a DJ to while out and does his thing na mean..w.e sounds dope no lmiit

True that's what i was originally thinking, but thought to many could be to much. I'll try to work on a few extra tracks which aren't featuring vocals so that it gives it some balance and see how it all comes together in the coming months when the project as been fully mixed/mastered and given a week or two for me to vibe with before i put it out.

 

[Fury]

True that's what i was originally thinking, but thought to many could be to much. I'll try to work on a few extra tracks which aren't featuring vocals so that it gives it some balance and see how it all comes together in the coming months when the project as been fully mixed/mastered and given a week or two for me to vibe with before i put it out.

u gotta myspace or sumthin wit ur beats on it i wanna hear em?

 

[DJ Redrum]

u gotta myspace or sumthin wit ur beats on it i wanna hear em?

I happen to have a MySpace page but currently their isn't anything on there to preview. I'll see what i can do once i have moved to a new PC in the coming week(s) as everything as been backed up for this move to drop something in the showcase section.

 

[Relic]

use only 1 hook for the whole LP, by the time they get done listening to the thing all will sing it!

 

[Ash Holmz]

lol @ this thread .... its called producing.... as the producer of the album thats YOUR decision as to what the hooks should be like. Do whatver sounds goods to you. YOU are the producer right? do what u feel.. at the end of the day its your name attached to the project so make it sound how u want it to sound.

 

[DJ Redrum]

lol @ this thread .... its called producing.... as the producer of the album thats YOUR decision as to what the hooks should be like. Do whatver sounds goods to you. YOU are the producer right? do what u feel.. at the end of the day its your name attached to the project so make it sound how u want it to sound.

This is a general topic for any type of Hip-Hop album, it just happens to be linked with a project of mine which i've been working on.

I think everybody already knows what you've mentioned when working on any project, but it's always good to have some opinions from the average listener or anybody other than yourself.

 

[wizard]

man not for nothing!! make the whole album hooks!!hahah!! call it the hook!!!hahaha!!
na but on da real man u dont have to follow guide lines just be ya self!! if u have more hooks than u usually do in other project than fine just be ya self!!! dont do any hooks or do as many as u want!! not every thing has to folle by the rules man!! be creative!! and goodluck!!! much respect

 

[DJ Redrum]

man not for nothing!! make the whole album hooks!!hahah!! call it the hook!!!hahaha!!
na but on da real man u dont have to follow guide lines just be ya self!! if u have more hooks than u usually do in other project than fine just be ya self!!! dont do any hooks or do as many as u want!! not every thing has to folle by the rules man!! be creative!! and goodluck!!! much respect

I'll see how it is in a month or so as by then there could be newer tracks to replace some of the previous ones that aren't featuring guest vocals, either way the album will be OFF THE HOOK!

This topic can be locked now for any mods viewing, as it seems people don't care to much whether or not a track features guest vocals - as long as the track itself is good and works together well.

 

[Relic]

Honestly, we have a member on here Lil Jason who has hit on somthing with hooks.
At first I was Reeeaaal resistant to the idea but I think he's got "it" .
Most of us just started rappin cuz we love it and wanted to be like so and so..
J went to the clubs first and saw what people like, and noticed all they really like are the hooks so thats what his trax moslt are now.
Notice he actually went and researched it first THEN started rapping !
so he goes with the 8 bars 16 hook structure and by jove I think hes onto something there..
At least around here(in the south) that is. lol

 

[wizard]

This topic can be locked now for any mods viewing, as it seems people don't care to much whether or not a track features guest vocals - as long as the track itself is good and works together well.

na man!!! its just that u have to go with what u feel!!!
but not for nothing!! most music these days is all about the hook!!
and what is in!!! just like relic said!! headz get hooked with whats in or not !!!
so u got to ask ya self what kinda of audience u trying to grab!!
good luck fam!!!