Production Breakdown: Can You Top The Incomparable Shakespeare’s “Lonely People”?

This week in the Booth, Northeastern emcee The Incomparable Shakespeare added his name to that list with “Lonely People,” a reader-acclaimed track sampled from The Beatles' “Eleanor Rigby.” The Revolver inclusion is a cut plenty of urban artists have successfully flipped in the past (including B.o.B and Talib Kweli), and there's a reason that they gravitate towards it: it's got a signature string riff that everybody knows, and a simple, sing-along chorus that offers a creative rapper plenty to work with: “Oh, look at all the lonely people.”

Shakespeare's spin on the classic track (produced by Silver) was, Booth readers and staff agreed, a dope one. But with that said, I feel like “Eleanor Rigby” has become, like quite a few other Beatles records, a little overexposed. Which got me thinking about all the deeper cuts ripe to be dusted off and made into dope beats. Since I'm no great shakes as a rapper or producer (to put it lightly), I figured I'd just, you know, throw these ideas out there. Feel free to use them – and send me the Mp3s when you're done, so I can laugh my ass off marvel at your skills.

“Taxman”

Universally appealing theme? Check! Sing-along hook? Check! Killer bassline? Double-check! Everyone hates taxes, especially high-rollers, so this George Harrison-penned head-nodder (off Revolver) is a shoo-in to be flipped into a paper-hoarding hit. And it's timely, too – with all the tax-related hate being slung at the Obama administration by the 'Tea Partier' set, I'm seeing major potential for a “hip-hop conservative” anthem. What's that? They already made a “Tea-Party Rap,” and it was a crime against humanity? Never mind.

“Why Don't We Do It In the Road”

While this White Album cut (not sampled in Dangermouse's Grey Album, for the record), may sound like an off-the-cuff blues number about doing it in the road, it's actually... well, it's an off-the-cuff blues number about doing it in the road. What could be simpler? There's plenty of room for lyrical artistic license here: is it an inner-city street? a rustic dirt road? How did you get there? Did you remember to bring a condom? What were you and your girl drinking when you decided that doing it in the road would be a good idea? Throw in some heavy bass, paint a steamy word-picture, and boom – you've got a banging rock-infused sex jam.

“Run for Your Life”

OK, I didn't remember this song existed till just now, when I was combing through my collection of Beatles Mp3s, but the title definitely sounded promising – the contents did not disappoint. This Rubber Soul closing track finds Lennon in one of his darker moods, singing lines like, “I'd rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man.” And, you know what? While infidelity and jealous rage are common topics in urban music, I think this one might be a little too dicey for many of today's emcees. It would, however, be a great track to flip on when your parents – or anyone – start harping on about how hip-hop promotes misogyny and violence. Turns out, your favorite rappers were simply learning from the rock greats!

So, those are just a few fresh concepts I've come up with. I'd ask for a cut of the profits from whoever uses them but, considering the risk of a big fat lawsuit, I'll leave well enough alone. Got any great ideas of your own? Post them in the “comments” section below or email them to nathan(@)refinedhype.com!