Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Bonanza, and if many of you know me, you would know that I completed my fifth solo album, Penrage, a few weeks ago. However, due to the low response to my "Questions and Answers" topic, I've taken it upon myself to give the people, if they care to read this long wall of text, a detailed biography on how this album was conceived, the meaning behind the songs I crafted, and the numerous setbacks I endured during the recording process.

Part One

The album title, Penrage, came about in my head during my last semester of college in Lynchburg, Virginia. I remember being in one of my English classes, and I just happened to write the word on a blank sheet of paper in my notebook. I hadn't a clue what it meant, but I loved the word. Besides that, my fourth effort, BNA, was still being made little by little. I'm not sure how many songs I had by then, but I do remember that I would come home on some weekends and do some recording on my now defunct computer microphone.

When BNA was completed (a week after getting my degree), I actually took a break from crafting anything that would be put into an "album." I did manage to squeeze out some collaborations with some of the exisiting Soundclick music artists, while at the same time venturing into the real world, looking for a job. It took me nearly three months to find the current job I'm working.

When I was ready to begin working on my fifth project, tentatively titled "Penrage: Demon's Excalibur, I had wanted the first song to be called "My Enemies," and I already knew which beat I was going to use for it. Then, came a huge problem: I had no idea what I was going to say. I barely managed to squeeze out one verse, and the chorus I had written was pretty unsatisfactory in my eyes. I'm thinking to myself, "How am I going to finish this song?" With it being only 1/3 complete, I saved the file, and tried to figure out what I was going to do next. The answer soon came as I was listening to some of the new instrumentals posted on Soundclick. There was a beat called 'Stuntin' from Bossclick Entertainment, and the melody was so catchy, that I immediately wrote and completed a ballad called "My Life," in which I chronicle the changes I went through during my high school and collegiate studies to become the individual I became today. The first version was recorded with the computer mic before it broke due to it being cheap and what not. I knew that when I was making this album, I wanted to incorporate more rhythm and blues, because it worked out so great on my last effort. The chorus to the song really spoke to me because since I was speaking from a really sincere point of view, I wanted the listener to know how I felt about the opposite sex and explain how the aim of pursuing a romantic relationship is relatively slim.

With one song in the bag, I immediately began to brainstorm other song ideas, while collecting a plethora of beats from the Soundclick music page. However, it was during this brainstorming that a current collaborator of mine suggested strongly that I invest in a new microphone (this was primarily the reason recording at my "studio" was halted, since the computer mic gave way). Giving in, I spent 100 dollars on my own money getting a USB condensor mic, which then arrived at my house in early January of this year. This purchase became a defining moment in raising the quality of my album.

-End Part One-

Part Two

I'm afraid I'm going to lose direction with the narrative on how this album was conceived, so I'll just list the track list, and a small story behind it.

1. My Life: This was my first completed song from the album. It was first recorded with a computer mic, but later mastered with better quality and a better mic. This song chronicles my current view on society when it comes to the opposite sex.

2. My Enemies: Originally supposed to be my first single, writer's block prevented the completion of this ballad. The first draft was merely a verse and a chorus. A few months later, I managed to squeeze out one more verse before I handed it to my good friend, Jix Konnection, to complete. We finished one verse in early April, but I wasn't content with my vocals. We finalized the song in September of this year.

3. Don't Give Up: I wrote this song in November 2008, but I didn't record it until April of this year. It's basically a keep-on-trying ballad, where I share victories achieved by my mom, dad, and finally myself. One of my personal favorites.

4. Closer: Wrote this song in early January, recording a beta version that suffered from blown out vocals. I mastered the song in late September of this year. This song is another one explaining my perspective on some of the opposite sex.

5. G.O.A.T.: I had the beat for this song for several months, and decided I wanted to use it for this particular song. The original plan was for me to be on verse one, another individual on verse two, and BMH (another collaborator of mine), on verse three. When the second person never showed up, I added a verse to the one I wrote in November 2008.

6. Night and Day: This is one of the darkest songs I've ever written. It's about my older half-brother, currently incarcerated. Mind you, I hope no one in my family goes what he went through, and the writing process was a very lengthy 2.5 hours (20 minutes for verse one, and the rest of the time struggling with verse two).

7. Changing Up The Game: I recorded an early version in April of this year with only two verses. I had found the collaboration on Dope Beatz, and I wanted to hop on it. In October of this year, I mastered it, adding another verse. I credit my brother, DKD, for co-writing because he helped me with a very nice bar in what is now my second verse (first verse in my previous version). I met the singing artist, Ms. Bella J, in June 2008, and with her aid, I was able to venture further into the genre of rhythm and blues.

8. Tell Me What I'm Doing: I originally wrote a version from the female point of view for Bella J last year, and I liked it so much that I wanted to do one from my perspective. I tweaked the lyrics, and added a rap portion in verse two. The song is about how I'm dealing with an ungrateful woman, and my mission to simply detach myself from her.

9. Eat A Little Right: This is one of my personal favorites. I had the beat for it since...late 2007, early 2008, but I had no idea what I wanted to say. It all came earlier this year, when I wanted to tell a story about how I was dieting and trying to live a healthier life. This repetitive beat served as a good model, so I wrote down some lyrics to it. I didn't need a hook because I had improvised one months earlier. I tend to listen to beats and just wing it sometimes, and if I happen to remember what I said, I'll keep it. One of the positive tracks on this project.

10. My Life Part Two: I wrote this song quite recently. I initially had no plans of doing a sequel to my life, but this song was important because I had gone through some unnecessary drama on the internet, and consequently, I felt I needed to take a closer look at myself. I know I wasn't a perfect individual, but I wrote this song mainly because I have a passive-aggressive attitude, and it prompts me to take actions which I later regret. Listen very closely when you hear this one.

I'll go over the rest of the songs in Part Three.

-End Part Two-

Part Three

11. The Time is Right: I had had a hook for this song since late 2008, but no lyrics. I also had no access to the beat since it wasn't a free download, so I asked my man Ray if it was okay to use it, and he accepted (I did two songs on my last album using his beats). This song was very fun to write, but I didn't like how the first version came out. It sounded like I was reading off of the paper, little emotion, and the only good part was my chorus. I finalized the song in September, and I must say, it sounds much better than it did before. This song is basically a radio-friendly jam about how I found the perfect girl in my life.

12. Your Mother's Eyes: This was actually a LATE addition to the album. I had enough songs where I was satisfied with a full LP (even though I had only a few songs finalized), but after a lengthy hiatus, I finally get in touch with my man, Jix Konnection (he was on "My Enemies"). He shows me this beat, and I am just hooked on it. We started pitching ideas to each other, and within a few days, I had my first verse and a hook to go along with it. The premise is that Jix and I are trying to convince this guy to steer clear of the dangerous clique he runs with, and that the more he associates, the more heartache he gives his single mother. It's a bit similar to Guilty Conscience, except both Jix and I are trying to be good models. Jix did verse two, and on verse three, he and I were supposed to share lines. However, being that he was no where to be seen, I edited my verse, and added some new lines to help complete the song. I also had a version where I sung the chorus differently, but I didn't like the way it sounded, so I kept the originally recorded hook.

13. Where I'm Comin' From: Well, Flawless actually has a big portion of this album, because the man makes really good beats (I used his beats for 'G.O.A.T.' and 'Tell Me What I'm Doing'). When I first heard the beat, the lyrics reminded me of that old Jackson Five song "I Wanna Be Where You Are." Anyway, considering the hook was attempting to tell someone where they came from, I decided to put my twist on it and tell the listener how I represented Virginia. I did verse one, and I asked my friend BMH, a Maryland native, to add the rest. He did his thing on the second verse, and the rest is pretty much history. One of my favorites on this project.

14. Former Friend: This isn't one of my favorite songs, I admit. I don't think I executed the song the way I wanted. Enough with the criticism, though. I wrote this song earlier this year as a ways of reflecting on how I lost a seven-year friendship with someone I met in high school, and then attempted to reconcile without success. It's from my point of view, and I never really got her side, even after many attempts to reach her. I saw the girl back in late September at the ARGS 10 year celebration, where I formally apologized. We never really got to have a one-on-one after the celebration ended, and well, I've actually given up trying to patch that bond up. On another note, the beat is by Flawless.

15. Another Man Done Gone: I had my friend Obright (from the Pavilion) craft this gem for me earlier this year. I had heard his beat "I Hear The Tree" and wanted something a bit similar to his Electronic style. With the beat made, all that was needed were lyrics. Well, it was during this period that I suffered a major bout of low inspiration and writer's block, and for many weeks, Obright would ask me if I had written anything for the instrumental. I guess you could say that this was one of the only songs on the album where I FORCED myself to write, even when I had no clue as to what to write down. I had conceived some kind of idea of what I wanted to write, and ended up scribbling about something else. A beta version and final version were recorded months apart, and when I look back on it, it's actually another favorite song of mine. The song is a bit political, something I haven't discussed since my bonus track "In America" was added to the end of my last project, BNA. Mind you, this has some mature themes, so the feint of heart should steer clear.

16. Sallie Mae: Another beat by Flawless. However, this was a really old one from mid 2008. I had listened to it several times, but had no clue what to write down. Well, things started coming round when the bastards at Sallie Mae kept calling me, asking when I would have payment for my college loans. Mind you, I'm working less than 30 hours a week, so all I can do is defer, sadly. Anyway, I really needed to vent, and this song was a great way to do it. The beta version wasn't really a favorite of mine, so I rerecorded it, and added an ad-lib within the hook to convey a better sense of irritation. One of my favorites, and this actually marks the "official end" of Penrage.

However, folks, it turns out that my album included a plethora of bonus material, so I decided then that I would add it to my album. I'll post about two of the six songs in this post, and write about the last four in my next edition.

Bonus Track 1. Victory: Originally billed to be on the album, I axed it at the last minute because my previous song, "Don' Give Up" already spoke of victory, and I didn't want my album to be redundant in theme. However, I figured tacking it on the project wouldn't hurt, since my man BMH did the damn thing on the track, and I really wanted to add a verse of it. BMH actually has this song on his album "The Unpredicted." The basic theme is he and I giving brief backstories of our lives, and how we overcame the odds to be who we are today.

Bonus Track 2: I'm A Star: It had been quite some time since I visited the Soundclick boards, and I happened to gaze upon this open collaboration with a teen U.K. rapper named Mr. CEO. I was intrigued by his lyricism and the beat he was using, so I added my take on it. Another person, besides myself, actually answered the collaboration. When CEO heard both mixes, he said we both did well, but he believed my version was far more superior than the other's. I was very humble about it. This song took a little while to write because I was experimenting with a quick flow, multisyllabic lyrics, and a well-timed execution. I think I did quite welll, don't you think?

-End Part Three-

Part Four

Bonus Track 3: Gangsta: This is another collaboration with that UK cat, Mr. Ceo. Now, the original chorus of the song is "I be on that g ish," but CEO turns it around and instead says "I ain't on that G ish." The reason being is that Mr. Ceo is trying to show the negative aspects of gangster life and that we simply need to rid ourselves of it. I really liked the message he was portraying, so I did my twist on it and added a verse. Once again, I was not the only person to respond to this open collaboration. When it came down to it, Mr. CEO once again gave the other guy and myself props, but believed my version was simply better. This was a bit difficult to write because the beat changes rhythm very often, and so you don't really know when your verse ends unless you write some of your verse down and do a few runs through the beat. After I overcame that obstacle, the rest is history.

Bonus Track 4-5: A Milli Killer: Once again, this was planned to be on the album originally, but I scrapped it because by then, A Milli was really getting on my nerves. I find the beat to be completely average, but no disrespect to Bangladesh. Anyway, Johnny Juliano did a nice imitation to it, and so in November 2008, I wrote a verse. When the Penrage album was finished, I went back to this song, rerecorded the vocals, and posted it in the Soundclick boards for an open collaboration. Two people ended up answering and did magnificent covers of it. The first responder was a Puerto Rican group called P.C.P, which consisted of Skampoe and Jigsaw. Honestly, both cats have different rap styles, but Jigsaw completely murdered his verse, and by the time I was finished listening, a part of me didn't want to rap anymore because that verse was so vicious, my own verse looked weak in comparison. The second person to answer was Too Smooth from Jook City Boyz. I was pretty flattered because he did his verse on Youtube, with my verse playing in the background before he laid out the cut on his music page. Overall, both artists did great jobs. The song, to me, is more of an introductory track for Penrage, and one of the first songs I ever wrote for this album.

Bonus Track 6: Gotta Be Magic: Another track using Flawless' beats. I had this beat for quite some time, but I had nothing written for it. I knew I had an idea when my friend, who also goes by Magic, was talking to me one day on AIM. I said I had a tribute song in the works and that I would have it done by mid June of this year. Well, that's the same time writer's block set in, and I didn't finish the song until late last month. It all paid off, though. I was able to convey the sheer awesomeness of my friend, and he was really humbled when he heard the track. Hey, it's gotta be magic. Now, the main challenge is to find out where that damn sample came from.

That's the basic rundown of my songs from Penrage. I would type some more, but I think I've said enough. Please go to my music page, download the album, and tell me what you think about it. Bonanza, signing off!

-End Part Four-

Very interesting write-up, Bronanza. I shall do something similiar for AM.