Dope Writers - Andrea Martin

I have never been a big Melanie Fiona fan. I think that she is a good singer. But quite frankly I never felt like her songs were that great. I couldn't really connect. But then I heard "Gone and Never Coming Back" This was the first Melanie Fiona song that I could actually vibe with and I ended up really digging it.

Recently I stumbled upon the writer of that record, Andrea Martin. Turns out she has written so many hits dating back to early Monica and SWV. Always nice to see women with great catalogs! Men can seem like they dominate the charts sometimes.

Congrats to Melanie on the two GRAMMY wins. Check out Gone and Never Coming Back!

Dope Writers - R. Kelly

Say what you will about R. Kelly in his personal troubles. But one thing remains, he is one of the most talented musicians of our time. R. Kelly is one of those people you just always hoped got it right. He seemed to always be struggling with his spirit and his flesh. I hope that in the wake of such the sudden death of Whitney Houston that many of us will start to choose the spirit.

This song really didn't stick to me until now. I don't think at the time it was released that I really even thought about it as a spiritual record. But in the wake of all the buzz with Whitney's death, I turned on the radio one day and this was playing. It just meant something completely different to me now. Just a beautiful record! And it was written by R. Kelly. I really wanted to hear him kill it at her funeral, but I understand he was emotional. I hope that one day I can hear a version of R. singing this. I feel like it meant a lot for him to do this song with Whitney.

Anyway, Check it out here.

Dope Writers - Marsha Ambrosius

I actually heard this song for the first time when Marsha Ambrosius performed it live at a concert. Didn't even know that this was a Jamie Foxx song until a lot later. Anyway, who can't love the girl from London that says Jawn and reps Philly everywhere she goes. Definitely one of the writers I would like to be able to pen a song with one day. She's honest, raw, and she has a flow like a rapper sometimes.

Check her out as she was a writer and featured on this record with Jamie Foxx.

Dope Writers - Jessie J

Sometimes music is the greatest form of therapy. It is really something when you can take something that your feeling and articulate it this well in a song. I don't know exactly what Jessie J was feeling when she went to co-write this record, but it conveys such a strong emotion that I believe resonates with so many people. 

"Brushing my hair do I look perfect?

I forgot what to do to fit the mold

The more I try the less it's working

Cause everything inside me screams

No, no, no, no, no, no, no"

I mean if you have never been trying to go along with something and everything in you tells you no, then you're a robot! LOL. But really just such poignant words and the vocal performance on this record is phenomenal. 

Check her out here. And support her latest single "Domino" co-written by a Dope Writer alumni, Claude Kelly. 

Dope Writers - Sterling Simms

Marsha Ambrosius really did her thing on her solo debut, Late Nights & Early Mornings. Not only is Far Away nominated for a GRAMMY this year, it also showed the resurfacing of a Philadelphia native, Sterling Simms who was a co-writer on the record. Sterling has had some solo success of his own, but has most recently been writing for other artists. Many will watch as they cheer on Sterling along with Marsha and Just Blaze.

Check out the record below ...

Dope Writers - Linda Perry

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have known the chicks from 4 Non-Blondes would go on to define the sign of two extremely influential artists in our time. I'm talking about Linda Perry. She has carved out such a sound for artists like Pink and Christina Aguilera, among others that is like no other.

Her lyrics are raw and honest. Those deep feelings that one may be afraid to say, but is relieved someone else said it for them.

The song "Beautiful" really struck a chord with me. That was before the video which really hit home for many people. The feeling of not being good enough, is one most can relate to!

Check out the record below, composed by the great Linda Perry.

Dope Writers - Cee Lo Green

So, the first time that I heard this record I really fell in love. I mean plain and simple, I was floored. The arrangement and feel are sick on this song. Cee Lo really just did it with this song. Who would have thought that the little weird guy from Goodie Mob would make such classic music. I have developed such an appreciation for Cee Lo. That boy sangs which is so much more than you can say for many artists today. Don't let the feathers and the costumes fool you. There is some real artistry going on when Cee Lo steps into the lab. My interest was initially peaked with the Gnarles Barkley project and I've been hooked ever since. Always looking forward to his new music.

Check out Fool For You written by Jack Splash and Cee Lo Green. And Lady Killer is an awesome album. You should definitely check out the whole thing.

Dope Writer - Priscilla Renea

Rihanna's career has exploded. I mean I never thought the Pon da Replay girl would have this type of career. But with the right people behind her, she has really become one of the biggest players in the industry. I'd like to think that is in part to the great producers and songwriters she has behind her as well. That includes Priscilla Renea. A talented artist in her own right, she helped co-write "California King Bed" which is a song that really grew on me! She also has a cut on the new album Talk That Talk called Watch N Learn, which I haven't heard yet, but everyone has been talking about it. In any case, check out California King Bed in the meantime!

Dope Writers - Kevin McCall

This record really killed it for me. It's a little heavily sexy which I rage against often. LOL. It's just in general I feel like it's over done at this point in music, but this one was executed well enough for me to disregard my disdain for super sexed music. Haha. Nonetheless, Kevin McCall is the man that many are citing as one of the reasons that Chris Brown is having such a great resurgence. Check him out as one of the composers on No BS.

Dope Writer - Carole King

You are talking about one of the POP songwriting queens of the world here. Carole King was such a beast when it came to writing catchy tunes that had you tapping your feet. I remember this song being in so many films and it has lived well beyond the era in which it was created. Which is what most of us songwriters really need. Who cares if your song is #1 on the billboard chart for a couple of weeks. I want to write records that live beyond time frame. Carole King, a classic songwriter. Check her out!

Dope Writers - Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

This is one of my favorite songs ever from New Edition. Sorry folks I was too young to really appreciate the "Candy Girl" days. But when I heard this song I definitely fell head over heels. I still sing my heart out to this on the regular bases. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are some of the most talented songwriters of our time! You probably don't even know how many of your favorite songs are written by them. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Haha. "Again" by Janet is one of my favorite records of all time as well! I didn't even know they wrote it. Check it out!

Dope Writers - Frank Ocean

It has taken me a while to get on this boat ... one because he is just a bit strange, let's just get that out there in the open. But I realize I like Novacane a lot. I think it's a great song. I really like the vibe. I also was browsing through the Beyonce 4 credits and I saw that he was a co-writer on I Miss You. This record is really low key and easy going but it is something I really like about it. The simplicity. I'm not sure how involved he was in vocal production but I like the way she sings this record. The melody is slightly off beat at certain points which I enjoy.

Check it out!

Dope Writers - Diane Warren

This is one of my favorite songs ever ... I just remember being young and not being all that familiar with Aerosmith. But when I heard this song .... wow, it just really hit me. And I know this was a stretch from the normal music that they do. But this really made me pay attention to them. It wasn't until a while later that I saw Diane Warren on Oprah and learned that she was the songwriter behind such timeless hits. Please check it out and enjoy!

Dope Writers - Andre 3000

So .... I was talking to someone today about Dope Writers and they mentioned Andre 3000 and I had to agree. The Love Below was CLASSIC. I mean outside of the fact that he is just a dope lyricist. This is one of my favorite songs probably ever. Just so vibed out. And one night I had the pleasure of hearing a cover by one of the Aaries sisters. (You know they're twins, I can't remember which one it was. lol.) But she murdered it! So anyway ... Check it out!
Prototype_ Outkast the love below by lasc35

Dope Writers - Solange

Sooooo many people hated on Solange doing music. No disrespect but I found myself a true fan of Solange's Hadley Street Dreams and I haven't bought a Beyonce album ever. I like her, I can just catch her on the radio. But I was blasting Solange on the regular bases. And she is a very talented writer! I think that she is very creative and RAW! Sometimes as a writer there are things I am afraid to say because of how they may be perceived. But I realize that is definitely an obstacle to overcome quickly. The music has to be honest and that is a very vulnerable place to be. Well ... Solange goes there! There are so many records that I love. But here is one that she co-wrote for her sister. "Why Don't You Love Me." Check it Out!

Dope Writers - Adam Levine

So besides being the only white boy I would take home to my mother, Adam Levine is one of my favorite songwriters of all time. The pure emotion and imagery in his lyrics, I can't help but feel it even if it's something I never went through before. This particular song ... I sing my heart out to consistently. I mean "Every time I wind up back at your door?" Who hasn't been there before? I love the arrangement. Written with bandmate Jesse Carmichael, this is one of my favorite Maroon 5 songs of all time. I mean "Moves Like Jagger" is cool and everything, but I love when Maroon is in this bag. Check it out!

Dope Writers - Claude Kelly

So I am a little late on this train, but I have been hearing so much about Claude Kelly lately. I was talking to one of my mentors, Ivan Barias and he said "Do you know who Claude Kelly is?" As I stared blankly he said "You wanna write songs, you need to know who Claude Kelly is," So after a quick google search, I was up to date. This is probably the only Miley Cyrus song I will ever hear in my life, but I love it. Such a feel good song, you can't help but jam to this. Check it out!

Dope Writers - John Mayer

This record gives me everything. I had the pleasure of choreographing my own modern dance to this as well in one of my dance classes eons ago. I mean the guitar chords are pretty simple, but what he does with it is just great. I love John Mayer as a guitar player. He gives me the motivation to keep trying to play. I mean who hasn't felt like gravity was working against them before??? It's the only thing keeping me from flying. Check it out!

Dope Writers - Amos Lee

So one day I was at my internship at Propulsion Media Labs and I heard this music billowing out of the office next to the intern desk. It takes really good music for me to go ask someone what it is. I'd like to say Thank You Jon Yucis for introducing me to Amos Lee. One of the first songs I learned on guitar ... his lyrics and story telling are so compelling for me. I promise I was a guitar slinging singer/songwriter in another life.

Check it out!

Dope Writers - Bob Dylan

This is one of my favorite records. Although I was introduced to it by Adele, I absolutely salute Bob Dylan as one of the greatest songwriters of this time. I am a sucker for love songs. Sometimes it is the simplest lyrics that really make a song. I promise in my heart I am a folk, singer/songwriter. Maybe once my catelog is boss, I'll put out a folk record. lol.