June 13-20 and July 4 - August 1st, 2020: "Rockstar" by DaBaby, featuring Roddy Ricch, is holds the no.1 position for a total of 7 weeks. Like many songs analyzed "on the 0's," I am completely unaware of not only the music, but the artists involved as well. So I listened, transcribed, and will now attempt to analyze.....this one is way outside of my wheel house, but I am hoping the guiding premise of the project, uncovering core qualities of a good song, will prove valid and common ground between songs, regardless of decade, can be revealed.
In terms of form, it doesn't get more simple than this one. Three statements of the chorus are interrupted by two verses. Each verse houses a very different rap from DaBaby and Roddy Ricch, both of which are HEAVY. As simple as the form is, the song doesn't need anything else. It clocks in at just over three minutes, so it certainly doesn't wear out its welcome.
Throughout the song, there are numerous texture changes with plenty of musical ideas sprinkled in to keep things interesting. Note the tempo as well, which will be more relevant after looking at the transcribed raps. The range of the vocals is fairly sprawling, covering varying timbres between the two raps and the chorus.
In writing this opening, I feel like I am "covering" for the tune. I can't decide if I like it or not. On its face, I am not a fan, mostly because of the lyrics and the lack of any real development throughout the tune. But it is catchy and the rap verses are something to behold. Hopefully by the end, I can make up my mind.
Chord Progressions
"Rockstar" is built on a singular chord progression running throughout. It is set up in the intro with syncopated guitar chords:
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| Guitar - Intro m.1-4 |
G#min B / F# E
i III / bVII bVI
Consider "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem and Rihanna (2010), which uses the same chords, only mixed around (i - bVI - III - bVII). Other songs in minor keys love to incorporate bVI and bVII ("Genie In A Bottle" (1999), "In the Year 2525" (1969), "Hello, I Love You" (1968), which creates pleasant harmony within the tonality.
Another reason this progression sounds "correct" could be its major key equivalent:
G#min B / F# E
vi I / V IV
These chords are also very familiar. "Old Town Road" (2019) is the exact same progression, in the same key, only replacing G#min with G# major, which ends up sounding minor in that song anyway....In other words, the chords make sense and sound familiar!
The progression goes through a few different treatments, including this 16th note arpeggiated version:
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| Guitar - intro m.5 - 8 |
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| bass/kick drum rhythm |
There is a third variation, which occurs at the beginning of each verse. The acoustic guitar drops out and we get a lower string like synth (this could even be a guitar), dancing around the harmonic rhythm yet again:
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| harmonic variations - beginning of verses |
Melody
The intro provides us with foreshadowing of melodic fragments to come. Most notably, we hear the "ooh's" in the back ground, which appear in several sections of the song.
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| Intro Vocals |
Immediately out of the intro, we hear the chorus. This section is repeated three times by the end with little variation between statements.
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| Chorus |
The melody of the chorus is comprised largely of rhythmic figures on F#, the minor 7 of G#. The F# is resolved downward to D# and C#, 4th and 5th of the key, 6th and 5th of the passing chord change (F#).
In the 3rd, 6th and 7th measures, we get a secondary theme, F# descending through D# and C#, landing on B. Extending the first descending line an additional note, to the minor third of the key, adds yet another color to the balance out the percussive attack of the 16th notes involved in each phrase.
Notice the added in "oohs" (notated stems up in measures 5 - 8) taken directly from the intro. These, as well as lower instances in the intro, will appear during the first verse as well. Speaking of the first verse.....
The construction of the rhythmic themes through the verses is truly admirable. I realize that when most listen to rap music, they listen for the lyrics and overall vocal presentation, then gauge that based on their perception of the performer. In the case of many artists, this is where videos and Tik Tok exposure come in... [1] When I listen to rap music, I account for the rhythmic composition first and consider lyrics second....
Both rap verses in "Rockstar" are 16 measures long and follow a similar trajectory of blisteringly fast, personal assaults that fizzle out into slower passages. DaBaby kicks things off in the first verse ("chop" is the last word of the chorus):
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| Verse 1 |
On a purely musical level, I can get behind anything that pulls off that many 16th note triplets with such ease! While the rhythmic attack is reminiscent of Eminem in "Love the Way You Lie" (2010), there is a relaxed, behind the beat quality in this verse, much like Snoop Dogg in "California Gurls" (2010). DaBaby channels both rappers in his quasi singing delivery, which is ultimately more sang than spoken.
The first 4 measures use a two note repeated 16th note motive (B and G#) which begins to incorporate a 3rd note and the triplet feel by measure 5. The melody then shifts to C#, D# and B with the triplet feel again, which feels like duplets because of the alternating 2 note feel. Very cool effect.
The entire verse devolves towards the end with spoken lines and lots of space. After all those 16th notes, a half note rest feels like an eternity. How does one follow such an ambitious verse? Roddy Ricch has that unenviable task as he takes the reins for verse two.
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| verse 2 |
He introduces an interesting dotted 16th/32nd note syncopation in measure 2 which he returns to in measures 5 and 6.He also incorporates more of the G#minor (B) pentatonic scale, venturing all the way down to low B. He ends measures 5-14 with a long-short syncopation. The final notes descend D# to F# through the minor pentatonic scale, slowing the rhythm down, just like verse 1.
These two verses compliment each other well, repeating rhythmic and melodic motives often and even borrowing from one another. The flow and timbre are different, so they never get stale. Less is more. By the middle of Eminem's third verse in "Love The Way You Lie," the rap felt tiresome, until he added an extra measure about burning the house down with the girl still in it. "Rockstar" does a nice job of getting in and out without becoming redundant.
Musical Sticking Points
"Rockstar" does a nice job of keeping the same chord progression interesting. The same 4 chords are given several treatments that keep the momentum moving forward. We get arpeggios, syncopation, drums, no drums and rhythmic variations to boot. These are great examples of how to get the most mileage out of the same 4 chords.
The rap verses are ridiculously good. I listened at 75% and 50% to find the actual rhythms being sang. If you count the eighth note, the 32nd note syncopation sticks out and it is a feat to behold. In fact, when listening at slower speeds it felt fast. Some of DaBaby's parts are fast, yet seem almost behind the beat at times. I thought Eminem's rap was a challenge to transcribe....it's only logical that ten years down the road someone would up the anti.
The production on this track is excellent as well. The verse and chorus are filled with "yeahs," "oohs" and echos that provide just enough distraction to make you forget how impressive what you're hearing truly is. The raps themselves are also edited together to flow quickly and smooth, often overlapping entrances.
The entire song is, in part, an exercise in minimalism. Small amounts of information, whether it be the chord progression, rhythmic flow, or melodic choice are manipulated to the nth degree to create 3 minutes of excitement, all based around minimal core information.
Lyrics
This is where I jump off the band wagon for how cool this song is. I am, admittedly, "not a lyric guy." I appreciate a clever lyric but put much more stock into instrumental elements. That being said, I actively dislike these lyrics.
A song's opening lyrics often provides the premise for the subject matter. Think of "Close To You" (1970) and the opening line "why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?" It sets up the motivation for the rest of the song. Consider Drake's "In My Feelings" (2018): "Kiki, do you love me, are your riding, say you'll never ever leave from beside me." These lines set the stage for what is, lyrically, to come.
"Rockstar's" opening line, which I consider the melodic and lyrical hook, is as follows:
"brand new Lamborghini fuck a cop car
with the pistol on my hip like I'm a cop"
The verse, while impressive in performance, depict some harrowing imagery. A few lines stand out to me:
My daughter a G, she saw me kill a nigga in front of her before the age of two
(based on real life events [2])
Keep a Glocky when I ride in the Suburban
'Cause the codeine had a young nigga swervin'
Both of these instances, presumably based on true events, leave a sour taste in my mouth, not for their genuine sincerity, but for the glorification of such practices that are reaching a widespread audience.
Bingo....I think I found the inherent problem I have with this song. In a time when tensions are high and differences are put under a microscope in order to examine to death, I am baffled as to why a song that boasts negative perceptions is loved by listeners across the United States. I have trouble buying into what could be perceived as a cautionary tale, but is presented in a way that seems to celebrate the very actions rooted in division. (check out the BLM Remix.)
Common Threads
In this round, "on the 0's," I have compiled a list of common musical elements present in no.1 hits across decades. Here is that list with "Rockstar" in mind.
- Repeated melodic motifs - This one delivers big here. Lots of rhythmic and melodic motives are used throughout each rap section, and repeated within the chorus.
Strong harmonic motion from V to IBackground singers contribute to melodic/harmonic textureModulation-New material presented at the end- Hook that uses the title of the song - the "hook" is debatable. I tend to think of "brand new Lamborghini fuck a cop car" as more of a go to than "have you ever met a real N-word rockstar?" That being said, they use the same rhythm and melody and are basically interchangeable.
Contains a lyrical refrain
Final Takeaways
So I'm still not sure where I stand on "Rockstar." I think the performance is exceptional. I am a fan of the rhythmic and melodic construction of the verses and like the way the song uses minimal information to weave a compelling and exciting track.
I am still not a fan of the lyrics. How a song can include the "N-word" in the hook (14 times total) in these times is a little perplexing and disappointing. I actually mentioned this song to my neighbors today. I asked them if they knew it. They both nodded in agreement and then made desperate efforts to change the subject. Keep in mind, the song is no.1 in the USA at the time of this conversation and the time of this writing. ...
In any case, I'm glad I stuck with the transcription which, at times, was very difficult. Kudos to both DaBaby and Roddy Ricch for crafting such exemplary rap verses!
What do you think of "Rockstar?" Am I alone in my discomfort with the lyrics? Is the music alone reason enough for the song to sustain no.1 status? Leave me a comment!
Where to next???? I will finish my original song, informed by songwriting lessons learned from no.1 hits through the decades, in time for the next entry. Stay tuned for that!
I also plan to analyze whatever the next no.1 hit song in 2020. I enjoyed checking out something modern and would like to sprinkle in hits from 2020 as I continue with these analyses. I have decided that, after a round 3 wrap up, I will probably tackle "on the 1's," heading back to 2011, 2001, 1991, 1981, 1971 and 1961, most likely focusing on the first week of August, once again.
After taking a few days off to write my own music, I have missed this process and look forward to continuing for the foreseeable future, hoping to uncover "what makes a good song good."
[1]https://kulturehub.com/who-is-dababy-charlotte-rapper/
[2]https://genius.com/20164897
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