Rakim's Seventh Seal - Quite Possibly the Worst Master

[smccarthy945]

I love Rakim and I think his latest album the Seventh Seal has some dope tracks on it, however, the mastering on this album is HORRIBLE! It just sounds like the engineer or producer just pushed the meters to the red before the tracks distorted. When you max the volume on the IPOD, you can hear the track just fall apart.

I just don't understand how these major label guys who have been in the game 10+ years don't stick with the good engineers or mastering houses? Rakim knows the best people - The mastering on Paid in Full was amazing. How hard can it be to maintain those contacts or stick with people who have a proven track record.

It sounds like amateurs mastered this album. Shit, I could have done a better job with L3 and a limiter. Why the hell do major artists end up with shitty productions? How can it not possibly be reviewed? This is something I have always wondered about but never understood.

Does anyone have any insider insight on how this can happen? I know the question sounds basic but in reality its mind boggling. I think the mastering pretty much ruined the Seventh Seal.

[bgrotto]

How do you know this is a fault with the mastering?

[PeeWeeGee]

Don't know whose fault it is, but I have agree that the album sounds terrible. This the first time I've ever been really disappointed with a Rakim joint.

[beat you down]

i guess artistically / musically the album was such a disappointment... i didn't even pay attention to how it sounds technically.

he should release an acappella version of it cause boy is there a huge gap between the quality of his raps and the beats he picked.



get @#$@# primo next time ra!

[terrytee]

Originally Posted by beat you down

i guess artistically / musically the album was such a disappointment... i didn't even pay attention to how it sounds technically.

he should release an acappella version of it cause boy is there a huge gap between the quality of his raps and the beats he picked.



get @#$@# primo next time ra!

thumbsup

[drethe5th]

Id agree with GET AT PRIMO next time, but I just listened to Royce da 5'9 newest album and it was executive produced by Primo and a few tracks even produced by Primo and it sounds bad and I would l like to blame the master and not Primo, being that his trakc record is so brilliant, but maybe it was producers including Primo, or maybe it was the Master, either way if Primo was the executive on the project, I dont see how it passed for a green light to be released sounding like that. And the bad part is the album is very good, but either the mix or the master is terrible.

[smccarthy945]

What is it? Are the budgets just cut so low that the masters are getting worse? I mean all of us with over 10 years experience could make these releases sound so much better with our knowledge.

I don't understand how an artist like Royce and his label release an album with such terrible mastering. I just truly don't get it. There are brilliant people on this forum who are not that expensive who could do a much better job.

[subaltern]

I was also disappointed in the album. From what I understand, most of the songs were recorded in his house, because he chose to release the album under his own label. This obviously translates to major budget costs. Also, imagine how much a Primo production (if he's available) would cost Rakim with no major backing? It is a real shame that the beat and sonic quality of the album sucked.

[WideawakE]

man, you know Ra is on his own right now...I wouldn't doubt that he recorded it in his home, or just a dude from around the way

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by smccarthy945

What is it? Are the budgets just cut so low that the masters are getting worse?

What budgets? There are no budgets for these kind of rap records anymore...

[beat you down]

even with no budget...

he could easily get beat makers from all over to give him waaay better beats for free.

i know i would.

[longbongsilver]

Sad...

It's friggin' RAKIM! For how much he virtually singlehandedly shifted lyricism dude should get a production discount. Hell, I'm with beatyoudown on this one, I'd do somethin with him just to be able to say I did it, off the strength.

[Mudnoc]

Originally Posted by beat you down

even with no budget...

he could easily get beat makers from all over to give him waaay better beats for free.

i know i would.

I thought the same thing... There are few tracks on there I like but for the most part I was really disappointed in most of the beats that he picked.... And yes, the mixing and/or mastering had me scratching my head as well....

[Masterer]

Originally Posted by smccarthy945

What is it? Are the budgets just cut so low that the masters are getting worse? I mean all of us with over 10 years experience could make these releases sound so much better with our knowledge.

I don't understand how an artist like Royce and his label release an album with such terrible mastering. I just truly don't get it. There are brilliant people on this forum who are not that expensive who could do a much better job.

It doesn't take a lot of money to have your album mastered by someone that knows what they are doing as long as you have your shit together.

Don't get me wrong, you can spend a shit load if you want. Ask Diddy what the bill for his last album was.

Budget is not an excuse.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Masterer

Budget is not an excuse.

Co-signed.

[MotifCity.Com]

I just don't understand how these major label guys who have been in the game 10+ years don't stick with the good engineers or mastering houses?

So true! I don't understand it either. I hear bad masters all the time in new releases. How do they even get out the door? Beats me

[Studio507]

Originally Posted by drethe5th

Id agree with GET AT PRIMO next time, but I just listened to Royce da 5'9 newest album and it was executive produced by Primo and a few tracks even produced by Primo and it sounds bad and I would l like to blame the master and not Primo, being that his trakc record is so brilliant, but maybe it was producers including Primo, or maybe it was the Master, either way if Primo was the executive on the project, I dont see how it passed for a green light to be released sounding like that. And the bad part is the album is very good, but either the mix or the master is terrible.

Somewhere in manufacuturing things got ****ed up...The version that left the studio sounded great...Very disapointing.

But yea the new Rakim album sounds terrible

[beat you down]

mixing and mastering might be bad but the real problem is the beats he picked.

even with perfect mixes and the best mastering ever the album would be crap.

[Busdeez]

I totally agree on this....Sorry I posted before on this subject but want to make things clear, one of my beats was used for the album, with no contracts or credits...anyway we're clearing things out and it's gonna be official (the track is "Working for you") and that's good.Just to let you know they took my 2002 (!!!!) rough mix, rapped on it.That's it.The album sounds bad, i would have done it for free and with more love, who wouldn't (speakin as a true fan of course).Things like this are common these days, MOP album (same process, ruff beats) sounds awful.I was speaking with Les from The Beatnuts he was ashamed that some artists released some productions he made without even mix the tracks, and without telling him.I think its time for underground hip hop to take a serious stand and go back to quality!

[smccarthy945]

Originally Posted by Busdeez

I totally agree on this....Sorry I posted before on this subject but want to make things clear, one of my beats was used for the album, with no contracts or credits...anyway we're clearing things out and it's gonna be official (the track is "Working for you") and that's good.Just to let you know they took my 2002 (!!!!) rough mix, rapped on it.That's it.The album sounds bad, i would have done it for free and with more love, who wouldn't (speakin as a true fan of course).Things like this are common these days, MOP album (same process, ruff beats) sounds awful.I was speaking with Les from The Beatnuts he was ashamed that some artists released some productions he made without even mix the tracks, and without telling him.I think its time for underground hip hop to take a serious stand and go back to quality!

Your studio looks really nice. I think the business is pretty much done. During my MBA, there is a business theory that if an industry becomes too easy to enter (IE. Too many people can enter with little expertise), the industry will ultimately become cheapened and de-valued. I think this is pretty much where music is at now.

I am mentally working myself out of music and the time I put into it. It just isn't worth the sheer mental dedication and frustration for getting nothing out of it. If a guy like Rakim cannot get any type of label support or backing, how the F will I ever make it anywhere.

[MYAMS]

Originally Posted by smccarthy945

Your studio looks really nice. I think the business is pretty much done. During my MBA, there is a business theory that if an industry becomes too easy to enter (IE. Too many people can enter with little expertise), the industry will ultimately become cheapened and de-valued. I think this is pretty much where music is at now.

I am mentally working myself out of music and the time I put into it. It just isn't worth the sheer mental dedication and frustration for getting nothing out of it. If a guy like Rakim cannot get any type of label support or backing, how the F will I ever make it anywhere.

You got an MBA? Whatchu dealing messing with hip hop

[pdiddy boy]

Originally Posted by smccarthy945

During my MBA, there is a business theory that if an industry becomes too easy to enter (IE. Too many people can enter with little expertise), the industry will ultimately become cheapened and de-valued. I think this is pretty much where music is at now.

Spot on !tutt

[pdiddy boy]

Originally Posted by beat you down

mixing and mastering might be bad but the real problem is the beats he picked.

He should have been patient and stayed with Aftermath then his album would dropped after Detox, which should be due out in 2050 or sumthin !

[IM WHO YOU THINK]

Originally Posted by smccarthy945

Your studio looks really nice. I think the business is pretty much done. During my MBA, there is a business theory that if an industry becomes too easy to enter (IE. Too many people can enter with little expertise), the industry will ultimately become cheapened and de-valued. I think this is pretty much where music is at now.

I am mentally working myself out of music and the time I put into it. It just isn't worth the sheer mental dedication and frustration for getting nothing out of it. If a guy like Rakim cannot get any type of label support or backing, how the F will I ever make it anywhere.

What you are discussing is the the fact that there are no barriers to entry of competition and also the theory of Economist James Tobin, and the equation known as "Tobin's q". The market value of a company can't remain for too long above its replacement cost for if it did competitors would try to replicate the firm and the competition would drive down the value of all of the firms till they fell into equality with the replacement cost. (Tobin's q is the ratio of Market price/Replacement cost and it should tend toward one)



I learned this when I got my MBA

[IM WHO YOU THINK]

I listened to the record. The mixes and tracks aren't bad. (Well I should say as not as bad as people are saying but I did hear it on the net). They are not what make this a not so great album. The blame lies right where people don't want to put it. With Rakim. The topics and the songs just seem like him trying to find a place. The hooks are amateurish. Rakim came out in an era where DJ's filled the hooks so he didn't have to. All he had to do was spit. Now his spit is cool but the concepts/hooks/songs are not great. Makes you wonder how much Eric B had to do with the creative process back in the day.

[beat you down]

Originally Posted by IM WHO YOU THINK

...Makes you wonder how much Eric B had to do with the creative process back in the day.

listen to his solo album... it'll tell you he most probably had little to nothing to do with it.

[IM WHO YOU THINK]

Originally Posted by beat you down

listen to his solo album... it'll tell you he most probably had little to nothing to do with it.

Yeah BYD I forgot about that one LOL (It was forgettable)

[EddieTheRed]

Originally Posted by smccarthy945

I could have done a better job with L3 and a limiter.

Erm tutt

[carllock]

No excuse at all!

There are mastering guys right here on GS (Mainly Mastering Forum) who have incredible mastering gear and experience (10-30+ years) who will blow the doors out your two track for pennies ($35-100) getting world class results...I bet he has sneakers that cost a lot more than what a good mastering engineer here on GS charges .....for the whole damn album I bet he spent more on his Ipod and cell phone collection. I am very very pissed.

[sd-cd]

I'm listening to it right now and don't have a fkin clue whatcha talking about guys. Dope LP.