Arguments For And Against Hip Hop And Ghostwriting: Opinion Essay

In July of 2015, popular rapper Meek Mill released several tweets on Twitter claiming that fellow rapper Aubrey Drake Graham utilized ghostwriters in some of his songs (Ex). Accusations were flying all over the place, putting many fans in a difficult spot; many came to defend Drake while others looked down upon him. Although it seems rather harmless to have the help of others produce a single, the use of ghostwriting is particularly taboo in the hip hop community. An issue prevalent since the beginnings of hip hop, this “beef” caused a resurgence of this debate that had died down prior to this. Fans of the hip hop community, and music in general, should have some concern over this since it will significantly affect the music and artists that they listen to. Ghostwriting is often frowned upon, and many use its use in music production as a way to undermine the artist when it instead should be viewed in a more positive light due to its benefits to the industry and society as a whole

Ghostwriting is a person that is hired to write the work for another person. These people are typically “uncredited and receive upfront payments” (Robehmed). The use of ghostwriting has been prevalent for centuries. People have employed others to write books, pieces of music etc. In those cases, many people have accepted its use. In the case of hip hop, its use has been a controversial subject. Hip hop is music that embodies “MCing, DJing, dancing and graffiti” in which “authorship is tied into [its] DNA” (Ex). The key point in this definition is that the content that is created in hip hop must be coming from the person themselves. They are allowed to use various beats and samples from other sources, but the lyrics that come from their songs must be authentic and original. Those in the hip hop community tend to look down on artists who use ghostwriters since they are straying away from the fundamentals of the genre. In the case between Drake and Meek Mill, the accusations can bring upon many negative connotations for the accused.

Ghostwriting has had many positive effects for the music industry, specifically that of the hip hop community. Hip hop had often remained in the shadows of other genres in the past. It contained a rather small group of listeners that pales in comparison to that of genres such as rock and pop music. Looking at a report from Nielsen Music, hip hop accounts for 26% of music consumption while rock is a close second with 23% (McIntyre). What has caused this rise in popularity for this genre? The use of ghostwriting may have a contribution to its acceptance into society. Take a look at other genres. Artists such as Elton John and Whitney Houston did not write the lyrics for some of their most popular songs, yet they still were the leaders on the charts (Ahmed). In the eyes of the listener, many of them do not care about how the music was produced, instead focusing on how the artist is able to perform that song. Had it been sung by the ghostwriter, the song would not have been as popular in comparison to being sung by talented individuals like Houston. Hip hop has also seemed to adopt this. Many rappers today all have some type of persona that allows themselves to garner many fans. Whether it been a tough look to an eccentric, colored filled persona, they all have some aspects to them that attracts listeners. Many of those people have little care over who is writing the lyrics; as long as it sounds good, they will like it. It is because of this thought process that has allowed hip hop to insert itself into the mainstream market.

On a similar note, hip hop does not have to be bound by the definition that it was given during its heyday. The process of making music has evolved, shouldn’t definition of hip hop too? Many significant rappers that contributed to the popularity of hip hop seem to agree. In an interview with Ice Cube, former member of the famous rap group NWA, stated that “all people care about is how the record sounds, not how you put it together” (Feeney). Another rapper, Rick Ross, states that its use is acceptable when “the focus is really the talent and the different things you bring to the game” (Feeney). Both of these artists have similar opinions; they feel that its use is acceptable on a contextual basis. When one is a battle rapper, its use is virtually unacceptable. Upon being a performer, its use is generally accepted since they are merely showcasing their talents to their audience. Many of these artists had rather staunch views on ghostwriting in the beginning of their music careers. Ice Cube himself had shared his disdain for ghostwriters in some of his songs (Tardio). Nonetheless, one can see that his perceptions of both ghostwriting and hip hop have changed. Legendary members of the hip hop community have begun to accept the use of ghostwriting. Listeners should take that into account and shift away from the negative views they currently hold.

Proponents of the other side have many problems with the use of ghostwriting. The main point is that it results in losing the meaning of hip hop. It is supposed to be authentic, genuine, original. Hip hop was defined as music that allowed those to express themselves from their perspective. By using a ghostwriter, many of those artists are presenting listeners with a façade of who they are. In reality, hip hop does not lose its roots simply because of ghostwriting. With Drake, it is true that he has some people who would be considered as his ghostwriter. Regardless, his producer stated that Drake is a “musician and a producer and a creator” (Feeney). Looking at this, one can interpret this as Drake having a huge contribution to songs that he makes. Even though the idea of him having ghostwriters is still up in arms, one can agree that many of these artists play a huge role in the outcome of the song. They may not be writing their own lyrics, but they can influence the style and sound to the lyrics. In the end, the tracks being created still adhere to the fundamental points of hip hop.

The perceived notion that rap music must be this art form that comes from the heart is no longer as prevalent. The genre has changed drastically to where this still holds true, but straying away from it is acceptable. Others argue that lyrics must be original, yet do not hold the same standard for other parts of a song. The composition of a song is usually a combination of samples, beats, and lyrics. Sampling is the borrowing of another person’s music. The use of sampling can also be considered somewhat unoriginal due to the artist merely using another person’s work instead of creating their own. People get up in arms when one does not write their own lyrics but chose to turn a blind eye towards sampling. There are multiple producers that play key roles in the making of a song, whether it be mixing the music, creating the beats, or providing input. They are essentially ghostwriters since they are aiding in the overall creation of a song. Some artists repeatedly use the same beats, samples, and lyrics over several of their songs, making it much more unoriginal in comparison to using a ghostwriter. It is rather hypocritical for listeners to have a disdain for ghostwriting when they are perfectly fine with the other aspects of music production.

At its core, hip hop is about expressing oneself. Plenty view ghostwriting as some sort of cheat when creating music. In reality, it allows many of those artists to get ahead and create something for themselves. Had it not been with the help of others, some may not have been successful as they are now. Look at some of the artists that people listen to today. All of them had one or two artists that were influential in the music that they create today. Had people chose to alienate some of them for a particular reason such as using ghostwriters, many of those people would not have risen to the heights they are at now. Subsequently some of your favorite artists today may not be playing in your playlist. The acceptance of ghostwriting will only lead to an influx of artists that will contribute to the community that many hold close to them.