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How to Match Chords to Your Singing – Overcoming the Struggle

September 18, 2024

Creating music often feels like an intricate puzzle. You might have a melody that you love, but when it comes to pairing it with chords, you feel stuck. If you're in this situation, you're not alone.

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The Top 10 Free Tools Every Indie Musician Needs to Succeed

September 18, 2024

As an indie musician, creating professional music while sticking to a budget can be challenging. You might not have the resources to afford high-end software or pay for expensive marketing...

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Miley Cyrus Sued Over ‘Flowers’: The Fine Line Between Inspiration and Infringement

September 18, 2024

Music creators often walk a delicate line between drawing inspiration from their favorite songs and unintentionally infringing on the work of others. The recent lawsuit filed against Miley Cyrus...

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Breaking the "Second Verse Curse": Tips to Keep Your Songwriting Flowing

September 16, 2024

This is a predicament that many songwriters encounter: You're thrilled with the direction your song is headed, the melody feels great, and you've nailed the first verse and chorus. But then you...

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Improving Vocal Samples After Pitch or Tempo Changes: Tips and Tricks from Music Producers

September 16, 2024

Vocal manipulation, such as pitching up/down or changing tempo, is a common practice in music production, especially in remixes. However, these changes can often lead to unwanted artifacts...

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Overcoming Perfectionism in Songwriting

September 16, 2024

“How can I write songs with perfectionism?”If this sounds like you, you're not alone. Many songwriters, even those who are otherwise confident in their creative abilities, face a similar battle...

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How to Find Your Genre: Narrowing Down Your Sound and Streamlining Your Music Creation Process

September 16, 2024

When you're creating music on your own, it can be tough to define your style, especially with so many genres and influences out there. You might feel like you’re trying to piece together a puzzle...

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Unlocking the Art of Cryptic Lyricism: Strategies to Transform Your Writing

September 16, 2024

Writing lyrics that are metaphorical and cryptic can feel like a daunting task, especially when you hear others do it effortlessly. It’s easy to feel that your lyrics come across as literal or...

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Efficiently Providing Music Lessons for Younger Children: Tips for Teaching Piano, Drums, and Guitar

September 9, 2024

Teaching music to young children is a rewarding but challenging experience, especially if you're used to playing instruments yourself rather than instructing others. Whether it’s drums, piano...

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Finding Your Unique Voice in Music: Lessons from the Greats

September 9, 2024

Every great musician has a distinct voice that defines their sound. Think of Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses, or Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. Imagine Green Day...

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The Impact of Technology on Modern Music Creation: How to Maximize Tools like DAWs, Sampling, and AI

September 9, 2024

In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven music world, having musical talent is just the beginning. Technology has transformed the way music is produced, offering musicians unprecedented access to...

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The Art of Creating a "Luxurious" Sound in Instrumental Music: Lessons from Legends

September 9, 2024

Many aspiring music creators are captivated by the lavish, grandiose quality of certain beats. Tracks like Kanye West's "Devil in a New Dress" or many of Westside Gunn's productions embody this...

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Howard University Revokes Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Honorary Degree Following Release of Cassie Assault Video

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Howard University announced on Friday that it would revoke Sean “Diddy” Combs’ honorary degree, originally conferred in 2014, in light of recent revelations concerning the disgraced rapper and music mogul. The university’s board of trustees unanimously voted to rescind the degree following the release of a 2016 video showing Combs attacking his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. “Mr. Combs’ behavior as captured in a recently released video is so fundamentally incompatible with Howard University’s core values and beliefs that he is deemed no longer worthy to hold the institution’s highest honor,” the board’s statement read. “The University is unwavering in its opposition to all acts of interpersonal violence.”

The disturbing video, which surfaced last month, depicts Combs running out of a hotel room in a towel and chasing Ventura toward the elevator. He is seen grabbing her by the neck, throwing her to the floor, kicking, shoving, and dragging her by her sweatshirt. Later, he returns to kick her again and throws an object from a nearby table at her. In addition to revoking his honorary degree, Howard University has also terminated a 2016 gift agreement with Combs, disbanding the scholarship established in his name, returning his $1 million contribution, and canceling a 2023 pledge agreement with the Sean Combs Foundation. The statement clarified that no payments had been made toward the 2023 pledge, so no funds needed to be returned. Combs attended Howard from 1987 to 1989.

Following the video’s release, Combs issued an apology via Instagram. “It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” he said. “I was fucked up — I hit rock bottom — but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable.” Combs and Ventura were romantically involved for over a decade. Last November, she accused him of repeated rape and physical abuse throughout their relationship. The lawsuit, which also implicated Combs’ label, Bad Boy Records, and Sony Music, alleged that Ventura was “trapped by Mr. Combs in a cycle of abuse, violence and sex trafficking.” Though the case was settled shortly after filing, Combs faces multiple new lawsuits this year, accusing him of rape, sexual assault, and sex trafficking, which he denies. In March, his homes in Miami and Los Angeles were raided by Homeland Security.