RM Sea Lion Results!!!

I will also be giving my own song choice for each Round (not the one that necessarily fits the category best but the one that I'd enter into the competition with RM as the host, aiming to score high).

You three have entered. Now we must consider who the real champion is...

These songs were meant to 'blow my mind'.

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WARNING, DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS SONG IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO DARK TOPICS OR UNDER THE AGE OF 16 (in my opinion)

It is a very extreme song and topic.

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Mild Epilepsy Warning: YouTube Music Video has some small moment of flashing images (not strobe light but somewhat similar effect)

DWTD was something I felt/knew that Supadudz or Warren42 would use in the Dark Theme round but Supadudz didn't enter this and Warren42 seemed to feel it would blow my mind (or lacked a song to 'blow my mind').

Before proceeding with scoring, let me show you a song I would have entered into this round towards RM:

Now, I will score them but Warren gets boosts because his song significantly 'blew my mind' more than the rest, though the musical aspects of the song be brought (as opposed to lyrical) did not entirely 'blow my mind' and Disc did compete in that regard. Speedrace's song was not my style at all but may have done well for the 'chill vibe' Round.

All these 3 songs clearly were put forth as genuine effort for the category, thus no points are docked for dodging the category and slanting a high scoring score by avoiding it.

I will do the scoring in the next Post.

Originality - 17/20

The topic and way it was portrayed were extremely revolutionary for the genre (being severely anti-gangster especially) but the reason it's not a 20/20 song is that the production elements of the song are generic and the flow isn't something phenomenal at all. While it's extremely poetic and that alone got it that decent score, I feel that there's an issue about the topic and it clearly was IT going over the top reciting a fake story that was so extreme and grotesque almost 'for the sake of it' to get his song talked about it. It's not a child-friendly song yet it won't be too hard for sensitive people or minors to come across the song and that to me doesn't earn an 18+/20 ranking. It's extremely original but it played dirty to get there in a way.

Obscurity - 15/20

All rap fans who get seriously into 'conscious and/or lyrically intense rap' end up coming across this song at some point. It's a niche interest though and while it's one of the most well-known raps among that niche interest, the fact that it's only prominent at this point in time amongst a tiny group of fans out of all musically-inclined people scores it a solid enough 15/20.

Aura/Vibe and how it makes me feel.  - 13/20

It is important to understand that this isn't the dark theme Round. I don't deny that the first time I heard the song it really made me genuinely feel shock and sick to my stomach. That feeling isn't pleasant though and this isn't just empathy for the victim, this is real deep rage towards the wrongdoers and the fact that someone made a song so sickening. For me, the fact that the song is fictional only increases the anger one feels post-listening to it as all that agony and empathy towards this character was for nothing. While the poetry is intense and the imagery extremely vivid for a rap, the feeling itself is so negative that it's like I passionately hate the song. The sound of it is girating (including his voice) and doesn't please my ears whatsoever, the lyricism is skilled in content and rhyme scheme consistency, it nonetheless significantly lacks flow.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre - 18/20

Look, it's good at this. I'm not denying that but a 19/20 or 20/20 lyrically developed song needs smoother flow and better metaphors. This was a storybook that happened to rhymes, you could call it the mature-version of Dr. Seuss. I also feel like the lack of internal rhyming meant even though the actual imagery and storyline were strong, it felt lazy in spite of it in a sense. The raw content and brutal imagery is not normal for the rap genre and that is significantly boosting both its originality and quality of lyricism content-wise.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery. - 6/20

It's listenable but barely so. This is both his voice and the production quality. The melody itself is not super catchy even though it's repeated throughout.

How relistenable it is - 8/20

You almost definitely will listen to this song 2-3 more times after first hearing it. Just because of the pure shock that a song even would go that far content-wise and the fact that it's such an epic/iconic song amongst underground rap fans. That said, you are not likely to enjoy listening to it the second or third time around and the displeasure to the ear of the sound of his voice and the overly repetitive melody just undersell its reslistenability (I know that repetitive melody can make a song catchy but in this song it didn't). I also think because it's such a severley inappropriate song to show family and more sensitive friends, it reduces the chance you will even indirectly relisten to the song when it comes to your mind to introduce your friend to the genre or even to the artist. IT has far better songs than this if we talk about 'appeal'.

Originality - 15/20

While it seems generic, if you look at the stringed-themed melody and the way it has constant altering between singing and melody (rather than a lot of singing and then a period of just melody) it's not actually generic, especially not for the era of 2005-2010 songs. It was a massive hit but that wasn't because it was blending into the genre, it was because it was so soothing and intriguing at the same time. This song, despite not being a rap, has incredible flow in the lyricism. It is unrealistic to rank it above 15/20, it was clearly going for a 'dance along to the song and don't worry too much about the lyrics' vibe and that doesn't 'blow my mind' nor is it hugely original for the aim of a song. The part where the song goes 'ooo wa oooh oh' in the background towards the ending is a fantastic example of simple layering making such a subtle yet deeply felt vibe difference in a song as it progresses.

It was a great song.

Obscurity - 2/20

Everyone who is generally into music of that kind knows this song except for some strange hermits or people who are not at all into that genre or era of music. It's an extremely popular band and that song is one of their GOAT hits.

Aura/Vibe and how it makes me feel. 14/20

Nice for a bop, would have scored 16/20 in the dance round. It is not a god-tier phenomenal song it is just a very hard-to-hate song from so many angles making it difficult to deny that it's a great piece overall. I like the vibe but it isn't good for a 'blow my mind' kind of song nor do I feel passionate about it.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre 16/20

It was good, if you actually look up the lyrics there is wordplay and flow to it. Internal rhyming is extremely unusual for artists to care about at all in pop or soft rock. This was very good for the genre in the lyricism, the chorus itself is also not generic in its lyrics like most 'hits' are.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery.  20/20

Absolutely nothing about it displeases my ears at all, not even the pace or voice or anything. There is literally not a single point in the song where I feel bored of it or dissatisfied by the sounds hitting my eardrums.

How relistenable it is 18/20

You will always enjoy this song again after a while of not having listened to it but can it get brutally stuck in your head against your will? Yes. Is the hypnotic effect of the song pleasurable? Yes but the fact it's so extremely so isn't entirely nice. This is the type of song you listen to again and again and then by the fifth replay you're like 'oh goodness, that's my dose of it for the next 3 months.'

Very curious as to your thoughts on a few of the songs I submitted. Like I told you in the PM there were a decent number of songs I felt it was hard to find a song I know and like (which feels like a precursor for submission to me personally, I should like the song I submit) that fits the theme and you would also like, but also not trying to pander. I feel like there's one you'll not enjoy or maybe even dislike but be able to appreciate, and a couple more that might also fit that to some extent.

Yes I am being harsh but fair, at least it is my aim. 

What about the rest of the categories?

Been busy sorry, I will come up with it later. The problem is it's hard to pinpoint the score but I'll do it don't worry.

Aura/Vibe and how it makes me feel: 11/20

There is nothing special about this song to me. It's good background music though and doesn't deserve sub-10 score. I'd say if played on lowered volume it's alright but the issue is that the intense parts don't allow it to stay as background music and that's always an issue I've had with dubstep in general.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre: 12/20

This is ordinary for the genre but it does have alliteration and a nice 'flow' to the lyrics while they're delivered earning it 2 above the half-ways mark.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery: 12/20

It's alright in this regard but the problem it has is that the chill parts are marketed to a background music vibe while the intense parts make it impossible to ignore. I dislike dubstep and find it very harsh on the ear but this was soft enough for a dubstep piece that it wasn't unbearable.

How relistenable it is: 9/20

I could listen to it again (and again) easily but it's very boring to me during the calmer parts and unpleasantly intense (because it's dubstep and that's how the drops always are) during the intense parts. It was unwise to use dubstep for me, I am not sure where Speedrace thought I like dubstep but that said it was a very good piece for what it was.

These songs were songs 'for dancing to'.

Fit it the most: Disc-Did

Before proceeding with scoring, let me show you a song I would have entered into this round towards RM:

Originality: 9/20

This was a very ordinary song for the genre but it did have some uniqueness like the 'ooh-ooh-ooh' and general melody being not so close to other songs. 

Obscurity: 1/20

What exactly do you want me to say here? This was one of the greatest hits of the era. If you ignore that it's remastered and look at the original and if you knew that era of music, you'd not score this above 1/20 at all. It's only 1 and not 0 because I think that the new generation don't know this song super well but will still stumble across it at some point probably.

Aura/Vibe and how it makes me feel: 16/20

It does decent to get me moving but 'dancing' requires a more passionate piece that's less 'smooth' than this. There was no 'whiplike' movement with the pacing or intensity that is required for a dance piece. It doesn't make me genuinely move much but it definitely makes me move a little and is dancable to. I dig it for what it is and it definitely is a hit.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre: 13/20

It's okay in this department, but 'okay' is all.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery: 18/20

Very pleasant but not deserving of higher. For instance it 'lacks' a layer to the music, I feel. It also could use better variation rather than literally repeating over and over. Nonetheless it does please my ears a lot.

How relistenable it is : 16/20

One thing about this song is that it hypnotises you to a degree. You can't deny you don't hate it when you relisten to it. It doesn't massively entice you to relisten, it's kind of boring but it's a hit and there's no denying it.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre: 8/20

There are moments where things that don't even rhyme at all are said after each other even though the placement in the flow means they had to rhyme. The entire content of the lyrics is generic, shallow stuff that Snoop Dogg's generic ghost writer could have come up with and written with more flow and better punchlines. This is score 'for the genre' and it actually deserves lower than this but I give it 8/20 because it's also Pop and not just Rap even though Wikipedia says it's [Hip-Hop] Rap.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery: 15/20

Kid Cudi usually have an extremely annoying voice that is hard to enjoy but in this song he somehow made it pleasant enough. It wasn't hard to listen to, just boring.

How relistenable it is: 11/20

I understand why others would enjoy listening to it twice for sure, it's replayable for many but for me it's boring on the first listen and harder to bear on the second and third.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre: Lol.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery: 15/20

When the extreme drop robot humping dubstep sound isn't there, I actually do enjoy the song vibe-wise. If I am ready and willing for the brutal drops it actually is pleasant but that's not my style yet if it were my style I can see why I'd enjoy it.

How relistenable it is: 10/20

I could listen to it again if I was into that stuff. I am not at all into that stuff. So...

There is no Spotify version.

Before proceeding with scoring, let me show you a song I would have entered into this round towards RM:

Originality 12/20

It's kind of generic mumble-esque rap and just a chill hip hop type of half RnB half Rap fusion and honestly it's not bad but it's not super original that's all.

Obscurity 4/20

For what it is, it's very famous. It's not so famous that it deserves sub-4/20 but it is kind of a bad choice if obscurity was the aim.

Aura/Vibe and how it makes me feel: 19/20

Chill as fuck. Impossible to not slow down as you listen to it.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre: 9/20

It's lazy but to be fair I left it as an RnB track, not a rap for this ranking. It has flow and the rhyme scheme isn't terrible but the contents? Meh.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery: 15/20

It's alright for sure but not the most spectacular. He has a nice voice and it does indeed chill me out.

How relistenable it is: 16/20

If you're in the mood for that type of chill track, it's for sure reslistenable but it's very dull in some ways and I suppose it's hit or miss whether it's your 'thing'. It's not my 'thing' but I do chill out to it and would listen twice easily if I wanted to really relax to an RnB track.

Originality 17/20

Great stuff and this was not normal back then for anything. It has elements of all kinds of genres fused, this isn't fully soul, blues, jazz or anything it's a very original track but when we observe the repetitiveness of it... Yeah, that's its only downfall.

Obscurity 6/20

I think that this is a very well known track amongst those who have any interest into the related genres but it deserves above 4/20 with a 2-point boost because I am sure that many people who otherwise would have found it simply assumed that Gangster's Paradise was an original track in and of itself with no sampling.

Aura/Vibe and how it makes me feel: 17/20

I don't feel super chill while listening to it but I do enjoy it quite a bit.

Quality of lyricism for the Genre: 20/20

This is far more lyrically developed in every single regard than any soul, jazz, blues or funk song of the era and that's for certain. It has slick flow, rhyme scheme consistency and the contents are very deep.

Sexiness/pleasure of the Voice and instruments to my eardrum AKA Delivery: 19/20

It's very good, great even but there's just some kind of offset between how harsh the voice is vs the instruments and this is supposed to be a chill track not upbeat but honestly it's extremely pleasurable to listen to and does qualify as chill in a passionate sense.

How relistenable it is: 18/20

I don't listen to that much at all and it isn't my cup of tea but when listening to it there is 100% something that draws you to listen again and enjoy it all over again the second time and the times after that. It's not a hateable track, just not superb enough for a 19 or 20.

Yeah obscurity is definitely the category i was weakest in

I wanted a balance between me liking a song, you probably liking it, and the category, obscurity was an afterthought

Lol no complaints, 1/20 sounds right to me. I just knew as soon as I saw the categories that I had to do a Beach Boys song for dancing and a Savant song for production.

For some reason when I opened this up I thought this was your 'song to chill to' submission...

Lolllll

yeah... I figured I was wrong about 3 seconds in.