Makeba Riddick: Songwriter Extraordinaire
Published: Monday - March 9, 2009
Words by Carl Lamarre
http://www.ballerstatus.com/article/features/2009/03/6470/ (Link For Interview)
Many people lack the innate ability to simply pen a masterpiece. With a dose of precision, mixed with a hint of witty lyricism, the penmanship of Makeba Riddick has proven to be fierce. Her ability to pen a record with the speed of Sonic the Hedgehog, but with the diction of a scholar, has the young songwriter collabing on arguably the biggest hit of 2008 -- T.I.'s "Life Your Life." Thanks to this hit, the eclectic Riddick has allowed herself to be uttered in the same breath of -- dare we say -- Brian Michael Cox, The Dream, and many others.
Makeba has entered the upper echelon with her amazing writing prowess. In an interview with BallerStatus, Ms. Riddick has decided to let her hand take a break, and let her voice doing the talking.
BallerStatus.com: What was the process going into the "Live Your Life" record?
Makeba Riddick: Well it's an interesting story behind that record. That was a collaboration at its best because I was in London working with Black Eyed Peas doing some stuff, and I was on my way home. My manager called me with T.I.'s A&R and were like "Oh, we want you to work with Rihanna on this T.I. record." I was like "Great," because I was in London, and she was in Italy, and we needed to do the show in Italy because she had a show there.
BallerStatus.com: In terms of rappers and lyricists, who are you fond of?
Makeba Riddick: Growing up, I was a huge Nas fan. I would dissect Illmatic, and write down lyrics to every song. I could recite it to you backwards, and forwards in middle school and junior high school. Big huge Nas fan. Big huge Jay-Z fan, of course. I even liked A Tribe Called Quest, and Busta Rhymes. Yeah I think those were like my favorites until along came T.I.
BallerStatus.com: For the fans out there, can you tell them the records you have done?
Makeba Riddick: I've been on every one of Rihanna's album. I've been on [Beyonce's] B-Day. I co-wrote songs on her last album like "Upgrade U", "Get Me Bodied", "Deja Vu", "Suga Mama". I've worked with Tony Braxton on her last album. I've worked with Jessica Simpson, JoJo, B2K and Omarion when I first started out. So yeah, I worked with a few people.
BallerStatus.com: That's a real diverse group. How big do you think diversity is in terms of being a songwriter?
Makeba Riddick: Well, I mean it depends on what type of writer you want to be. I can't be put into a box, and just be titled or tagged as an "urban" writer because I'm not. I listen to all types of music. I listen to John Mayer, The Killers, Pink Floyd, Faith Hill, Slim from 112, and Beyonce. So, I have such a broad range of music that I listen to that comes out in my writing. That's just the type of writer I am.
BallerStatus.com: Out of all the people you just mentioned, which was the most enjoyable experience?
Makeba Riddick: I've enjoyed working with all the artists that I've worked with. I think working on the B-Day album, it was so much fun. It was like a slumber party. Everyday it was like a party up in that piece, and it wasn't a lot of us. It was her (Beyonce) team that she wanted to work with, ultimately, and closely with. We had a ball. Like when you hear Beyonce, you think about the biggest artist alive of our generation, but it didn't feel like "I'm coming to work with Beyonce." It was just a lot of fun.
BallerStatus.com: You would think somebody of her stature would have such a huge ego.
Makeba Riddick: Oh my goodness. I think that's why we were able to come up with the fun records that we did because she was so cool. I mean, at the end of the day, all these artists are regular people. She's a regular girl just like me, you, or anybody else. Like her sister, her cousin, and anybody else. That's who came in the studio everyday. It wasn't Beyonce, the "superstar." It was Beyonce the girl who has feelings, who gets happy, excited, mad, and disappointed. So all of that came out in writing those records.
BallerStatus.com: Coming up who were you influenced by?
Makeba Riddick: Coming up, I was influenced by Mary J. Blige, just being in high school listening to her records. I was very influenced by Mary. I was very influenced by -- this may be before you time -- but a group called Jodeci. I was very hugely influenced by Devonte Swing, who was the producer and writer of that group. I would look at the credits like "Oh my God, he produced all of this. He's a genius." That really inspired me to want to be in the music industry. Also Andre Harrell. That whole Uptown era, I think, put the sparkle in my eye to say, "I want to do that". Missy Elliot, of course. Just to see her name on the credits as a female producer really inspired me so.
BallerStatus.com: As for songwriters, are there any songwriters you look at, and you're like "Yo, that person is dope?"
Makeba Riddick: Pharrell being one of them. The Dream: I think he's incredible. He has incredible swag on his records. Johnta Austin: I think he's a very classic, soulful songwriter.
BallerStatus.com: Was there anytime you were like "All these records I'm putting out, they're hits, but at the same time, instead those person's vocals, they should have been my vocals?"
Makeba Riddick: Nah. I never get like anything "should of been" because if "should of been," it would have been, in my opinion. I'm not driving. I have God driving. He has the wheel. So when it's time, it will happen. I'm never looking at anything like it "should of been," because everything that is suppose to be is going to be.
BallerStatus.com: So I'm assuming it's going to be God's decision on whether we will see an album come out from you?
Makeba Riddick: Hopefully yeah. Hopefully, one day, that door will be opened for me, and it will be the right situation that I feel I want to walk into.
BallerStatus.com: You already know we're in a recession, like Jay said "It's depressing" (laughs). But in terms of being a songwriter, are you "balling?"
Makeba Riddick: (laughs). I think everybody's definition of balling is different. Compared to Jay-Z? No, I'm not balling by any means. I'm blessed. I've came a long way from where I used to be.
BallerStatus.com: You know the misconception about songwriters is that they write the song, and everything. How much credit, in terms of money, do they receive?
Makeba Riddick: Well, it's really based on airplay. Then there's royalties. There's performance royalties. Then regular airplay, video airplay, getting your songs on TV, film. Of course, album sales, digital sales, and ringtones. So, it's kind of hard to be in a recession when you're in my profession. I mean I'd hate to put it like that (laughs).
BallerStatus.com: So for example let's say the "Live Your Life" record, how much money have you grossed thus far?
Makeba Riddick: Well it takes nine months for the domestic royalties to be tallied up. Then it takes another nine months, which would be 18 months to see the international royalties. So it's no way for me to tell six months into the record. You could go to Media Base or BDS to see how many times the record has been downloaded to a ringtone. You could kind of gage maybe, but you never really know, because you don't know how many times it's been downloaded in the UK or in Japan. Or, how many times it's been used for commercials in India. You don't know until those checks come in.
BallerStatus.com: How many records have you had in the top 10 at the same time?
Makeba Riddick: Probably around last year during the B-Day phase. "Deja Vu" was like #2. "Upgrade U" was like #12. "Get Me Bodied" was like #10. So it was like three records in the Top 10, Top 20. So it was good. You have those moments when you have those multiple records out, and when you have these moments when you have a record that's just unstoppable. Just the biggest record of the year.
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