MUSIC : Songwriters & Ghostwriters
A songwriter is an individual who writes the lyrics, melodies and chord progressions for songs
A ghostwriter is a person who is hired to author books, manuscripts, screenplays, speeches, articles, blog posts, stories, reports, white papers, or other texts that are officially credited to another person
Few days ago, I was jamming up Rihanna's Needed Me then I saw a notification from "Genius" (an app that shows lyrics to songs) asking me If I wanted to read the lyrics to the song playing. So I decided to click on the notification and read up the lyrics.
Pretty good lyrics, nice tempo with a catchy chorus...all written by couple of people. This was not surprising though, it's how songs are made for most high profile artists.
Which brings me back to the arguments I had with a pal of mine few months ago. He was so pissed as to why Artists should make use of songwriters. The argument was originally about Meek Mill accusing Drake of using a Ghostwriter on a particular song he featured him.
Quentin miller wrote some or all of Drake's verse on the track Meek Mill featured him. How true this is....we might never know.
Now I was of the opinion that the use of a Ghostwriter in Rap music is not the best. I mean it changes everything...from the brag to the flows, punchlines e.t.c The originality of rap is the self expression that comes with it. The hip-hop world frowns against Ghostwriting.
I am not against the use of Ghostwriters in other genres by the way.
The use of Ghostwriters, is quite understandable given that the particular artist might be too busy to actually come up with a verse or a full song or he/she might have writer's block.
Interestingly, Drake was credited as a songwriter on a Dr Dre's track but that was waaaaay waay before he was well known....now he hires Songwriters and Ghos.....you know the rest.
Most of the Popular artists make use of Songwriter's on their songs. It's not a new thing.
Anyways, I feel the Major difference between a Ghostwriter and a Songwriter is the credits given to the latter. And of course when it comes to royalties on a hit song I doubt if Ghostwriters can obtain that unlike Songwriters.
The Dream, Keri Hilson, Frank Ocean among others are great examples of Singer-Songwriters.
