Need Rap/street slang in screenplay

[Inarius]

It's kinda embarrassing question. Along with my Sci-Fi story, I'm writing a screenplay about a rap singer. I don't live in US, and I don't know people from there, so nobody can help me with the Afro-american slang. And that's important. I know a few things of course, but there's a black character who talks much, so I need him to be like a real guy from the hood. Where can I get slang idioms or something like that? I wanna make it real.

 

[maz]

I'm guessing you don't know what the letters VD are commonly associated with? As in sexually transmitted disease?

If you do with voXDrop, might be better off with XD as a logo/nickname etc.

 

[Inarius]

I'm guessing you don't know what the letters VD are commonly associated with? As in sexually transmitted disease?

VD is associated with SOOO many things, not only the venereal decease)

But yeah, XD sounds better

 

[time2focus]

or "Drop" by itself, to me that sounds more realistic as a rapper's name. I also don't understand how he's cheating. Are you saying that he is using a computer program to change his voice but passing it off as his own voice, lip syncing his performances and so forth? Right now it sounds like he is changing up his own voice without outside help which does not really seem like cheating.

 

[Inarius]

time2focus, you got very close, so I'll have to reveal the idea.

He is using a gadget that helps him to control his voice. But it's not exactly a computer program from where he controls his voice... it's an application at his iPhone. There's an equalizer that he tunes. Imagine this - he needs to change his voice to rap? No problem! He pulls out his iPhone and gives himself the voice exactly as he wants by playing with the equalizer.

At the bottom line, it's a cheating. The protagonist himself has a very childish voice. That's why he was rejected by many producers... Until he got the device.

Now about the gadget. Today's technologies have Artificial Vocal Cords. So I decided to take that concept a little further. In my story, it's a small gadget that can be simply inserted into the mouth and filter the voice accordingly to the presets in the application. The user can sing and talk in that voice, but there is one obstacle - as long as the gadget is working, it eats the phone battery VERY FAST. There are times in the story, where the protagonist almost gets busted because his iPhone runs out of battery.

P.S. Maybe it's a little bit Science Fiction story

 

[Birdman]

Since when do you need an iPhone App to be a rapper?

I thought the only prerequisites for being a rapper was having your underwear showing, a meth pipe and prior felony conviction.

-Birdman

 

[time2focus]

time2focus, you got very close, so I'll have to reveal the idea.

He is using a gadget that helps him to control his voice. But it's not exactly a computer program from where he controls his voice... it's an application at his iPhone. There's an equalizer that he tunes. Imagine this - he needs to change his voice to rap? No problem! He pulls out his iPhone and gives himself the voice exactly as he wants by playing with the equalizer.

At the bottom line, it's a cheating. The protagonist himself has a very childish voice. That's why he was rejected by many producers... Until he got the device.

Now about the gadget. Today's technologies have Artificial Vocal Cords. So I decided to take that concept a little further. In my story, it's a small gadget that can be simply inserted into the mouth and filter the voice accordingly to the presets in the application. The user can sing and talk in that voice, but there is one obstacle - as long as the gadget is working, it eats the phone battery VERY FAST. There are times in the story, where the protagonist almost gets busted because his iPhone runs out of battery.

P.S. Maybe it's a little bit Science Fiction story

This sounds way more interesting now I do think though the device may seem more believable if separate from the I-phone. That sounds like a stretch to me but I'd love to see if other people feel differently (it could just be me).

 

[maz]

This sounds way more interesting now I do think though the device may seem more believable if separate from the I-phone. That sounds like a stretch to me but I'd love to see if other people feel differently (it could just be me).

I don't think it would be a stretch necessarily if the iPhone were simply an interface to enable settings to be changed etc (if the device is small enough to fit into the throat there is unlikely to be any way to make changes other than through some client software).

The problem then is that there is no plausible reason why the battery on the iPhone would have any bearing on the device itself. That would be easy enough to fix though, as the device itself must have some sort of power source which is unlikely to be unlimited.

 

[JoshL]

Hey, you don't need a voice that's low to make the microphone gold

Seriously though, lots of good places you could go with that.

 

[Inarius]

This sounds way more interesting now I do think though the device may seem more believable if separate from the I-phone. That sounds like a stretch to me but I'd love to see if other people feel differently (it could just be me).

I don't think it would be a stretch necessarily if the iPhone were simply an interface to enable settings to be changed etc (if the device is small enough to fit into the throat there is unlikely to be any way to make changes other than through some client software).

The problem then is that there is no plausible reason why the battery on the iPhone would have any bearing on the device itself. That would be easy enough to fix though, as the device itself must have some sort of power source which is unlikely to be unlimited.

The idea is to make it difficult for the protagonist. In that story I want to show, that cheating is very difficult and sometimes doesn't pay off. So I make that gadget depend on the iPhone App, which eats its battery. Yes, you can cheat, but you gonna fear to be busted.

Now about the battery. There are Apps on iPhone that really eat the battery. And the App for the current gadget is more like WiFi. When you iPhone is actively searching WiFi connections, its battery goes down faster.

Since when do you need an iPhone App to be a rapper?

I thought the only prerequisites for being a rapper was having your underwear showing, a meth pipe and prior felony conviction.

That's another reason to think, how much our society depends on iPhone Applications

Hey, you don't need a voice that's low to make the microphone gold

Seriously though, lots of good places you could go with that.

Unlike Pop or Rock, to be a worldwide known rapper, you can't rap with childish voice. The fact that there are no famous rappers with childish voices in the world proves it.

 

[maz]

The idea is to make it difficult for the protagonist. In that story I want to show, that cheating is very difficult and sometimes doesn't pay off. So I make that gadget depend on the iPhone App, which eats its battery. Yes, you can cheat, but you gonna fear to be busted.

Now about the battery. There are Apps on iPhone that really eat the battery. And the App for the current gadget is more like WiFi. When you iPhone is actively searching WiFi connections, its battery goes down faster.

If I'm honest, I don't like the idea that a plot device is unrealistically flawed just to make things harder for the protagonist, but I'll wait to see your movie before criticising any further

 

[Inarius]

I don't like the idea that a plot device is unrealistically flawed just to make things harder for the protagonist,

It would be stupid if it wasn't flawed. According to the story, the device has just been developed. It wasn't even given to mass production. The world doesn't know about this gadget yet. There is only one prototype. It was stolen by one of the developers and certain circumstances lead it to the protagonist. Like every first version of any project - it has flaws.

And even if it's difficult for the protagonist - does he have any choice? He's dying to be a rapper, so he's gonna use everything to get it

 

[maz]

It would be stupid if it wasn't flawed. According to the story, the device has just been developed. It wasn't even given to mass production. The world doesn't know about this gadget yet. There is only one prototype. The was stolen by one of the developers and certain circumstances lead it to the protagonist. Like every first version of any project - it has flaws.

And even if it's difficult for the protagonist - does he have any choice? He's dying to be a rapper, so he's gonna use everything to get it

It's not the fact that it's flawed that's the problem... it's the fact that it depends on the iPhone for no reason other than just to make the plot work. I'm not a big fan of stupid computing (and there's plenty of it in Hollywood movies), so this bothers me, but it wouldn't bother millions of other people, I'm sure

Is there a reason why the device itself can't have an unreliable power source?

 

[Birdman]

Inarius,

I was also concerned over the role the iPhone plays in your movie. If a producer had your script in hand this very moment, you're looking at minimum of two full years before it would be released. You don't know what changes could happen in cell phone technology in that time.

Just think if your script was based on a dial-up modem from the late 90's.

Look at it this way: You need a device that alters a voice pattern and a power source that activates the device. That leaves your imagination completely free to develop these two elements of your screenplay. Do it to where ten years from now it would still be a viable solution.

-Birdman

 

[mad_hatter]

...to be a worldwide known rapper, you can't rap with childish voice. The fact that there are no famous rappers with childish voices in the world proves it.

Really?

So how would you describe this....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IH8tNQAzSs



Or, from back in the day....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBWXgVdAJiY

 

[Birdman]

We'll, C'mon now, ...let's be fair to Inarius. The general perception of "Rappers" is that they are bad ass, street wise bad guys that'll steal your woman and pop a cap in your ass if you get in their way. Just because a couple out there break the mold doesn't change the general perception.

On the flip side , Inarius "could" have his character find a way to use his "childish voice" as an effective tool in creating good rap music as a way to resolve the entire movie.

Personally, though, rap music is a weak venue in my opinion. You have songs in just about every other venue that have stood the test of time. Rap tunes are good for maybe two years at the most and then they"re forgotten forever. I can only think of a few rap songs that have obtained any longevity ("Ice, Ice Baby", "Can't Touch This", "Baby's Got Back").

You'll hear these at karaoke bars ...and that's about it.

-Birdman

 

[mad_hatter]

We'll, C'mon now, ...let's be fair to Inarius. The general perception of "Rappers" is that they are bad ass, street wise bad guys that'll steal your woman and pop a cap in your ass if you get in their way. Just because a couple out there break the mold doesn't change the general perception.

If that is the “general perception”, then the two examples I posted above fit that perception in exactly the same way as any other rapper. Neither of these two breaks any mould. I’m not referring to their personalities or their character traits, just their voices. The statement that there are no rappers with childish voices is false. Ghostface Killah has quite a high-pitched voice, while Lil’ Wayne sounds like a crack addicted chipmunk. I’m sure there are dozens of other examples, these ones just spring to mind.

As a plot device, I don’t think the guy having a childish voice, so lowering it to sound more hip-hop, works. Maybe as a comedic element, but not as a dramatic one.

Personally, though, rap music is a weak venue in my opinion. You have songs in just about every other venue that have stood the test of time. Rap tunes are good for maybe two years at the most and then they’re forgotten forever. I can only think of a few rap songs that have obtained any longevity ("Ice, Ice Baby", "Can't Touch This", "Baby's Got Back").

So, you’re not a fan of hip-hop then? I can’t stand much of what passes for hip-hop nowadays, but I’ll happily listen to stuff from the 80’s, 90’s and early 00’s. To fans of hip-hop, lots of artists have obtained longevity. I’m a huge fan of NWA, Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Beastie Boys, etc.

Perhaps it’s a bit of a sub-culture, you can’t really judge the longevity of hip-hop on mainstream charts and karaoke bars.

 

[Birdman]

To clarify, I'm not saying Inarius' rapper finds a way to lower his voice and sound "bad ass" to resolve the conflict. What I am saying (based on your examples) is that Inarius' rapper can learn to ACCEPT his childish sounding voice ..and find a way to make cool rap music with his strange voice.

"Rap Movies" remind me of the movie, "Drum Line" where the whole movie was about high school bands' drum sections competing against each other in drum competitions. I know "marching band people" love marching band. Hell, I played trumpet in my high school band. Back them I loved it. But now the very last thing I would do is drop $15 to go watch a bunch of high school kids battling over some completely "life irrelevant" musical niche.

Same goes for a rap movie .

- Birdman

 

[Birdman]

Inarius,

Obviously you know my feelings on rap music ...so take whatever I write as being biased against that venue. That being said, I'm going back to my original comment to you.

Buddy, you're sitting on a gold mine movie script and you don't even realize it. You are in frickin' ISRAEL and your looking for an idea for a script? Lose the rap crap and do something life-changing!

Have an Israeli child and a Palestinian child be childhood friends in the midst of all the conflict going on over there. Have them grow up and find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Have them grow up to be arch enemies! Then find a way for them to look past all of the insanity, become friends again and bring about peace.

Show the fucking world how Inarius would solve this Middle East problem with your keyboard!

No politician, doctrine or military force is going to fix what's going on over in your side of the world. The only way you're going to see any changes is if someone like yourself comes along and offers everyone a new perspective ... And does so in a wonderfully creative way.

Change the world, Inarius! ...Do it with a frickin' SCREENPLAY!

- Birdman

 

[maz]

Personally, though, rap music is a weak venue in my opinion. You have songs in just about every other venue that have stood the test of time. Rap tunes are good for maybe two years at the most and then they"re forgotten forever. I can only think of a few rap songs that have obtained any longevity ("Ice, Ice Baby", "Can't Touch This", "Baby's Got Back").

You'll hear these at karaoke bars ...and that's about it.

-Birdman

What a strange comment. Yes, a lot of hiphop is easily forgotten, but the same goes for any kind of art. On the flip side, some hiphop tracks/albums/artists are classic, and considered hugely significant musically, and are enjoyed decades after release. Basing the value or memorability of music on its presence in the charts is nonsensical. Basing the importance of a vocally complex lyrical form on its availability in karaoke bars is even worse!

 

[Birdman]

Maz,

When did I render any opinions on Hip-Hop?

The operative word in this is not, "charts" ...or "Karaoke, ...or "significance". The operative word is, "LONGEVITY".

I noticed you quickly tossed inarius' rapper into the Hip-Hop category ...which I would fully expect you to do in an effort to salvage any credibility rap music supposedly has. Rap is Rap. Hip-Hop is Hip-Hop. You can't use one to salvage the other.

BTW: you can turn on your radio today and hear "Comfortably Numb" and it sounds like it could have been released yesterday. Same goes for "The Beatles", "U2", and many others. There are true "musicians" who have made music that has stood the test if time before these Rappers had their diapers sticking out of their pants.

Many bands have dead band members from old age ...yet they still crawl not the stage with whoever remains and play their tunes like the day they first came out. ...Do you seriously expect Eminem to crawl out on stage when he"s 70 years old and bust out a killer rendition of "Ass Like That?"

Inarius needs to write a screenplay for a movie that will be just as relevant twenty years from now as it is today.

-Birdman

P..S. My bet is (like most of them) Eminem will die well before age 70.