GOLD STREET | Eric Michael Cap - Productivity Tips Transcript

00;00;00;20 - 00;00;43;24
Eric Michael Cap VO
Welcome to the Gold Street Podcast; Real-world stories, clips and tips from our 20 plus years in business, featuring some of the most talented Creative Entrepreneurs in Southern California and beyond. Content and topics covered include: voiceover & podcasting, music & audio post, video production, editing & post workflows, photography & design, business & marketing, project & team management, productivity & leadership, and giving back through community & church service. Join us on our journey to bless and inspire our fellow Creative Entrepreneurs @ Gold Street.

00;00;43;24 - 00;01;09;10
Eric Michael Cap VO
G'day., I'm Eric Michael Cap, and welcome to the Gold Street Podcast. It's a new year and we're excited to relaunch our podcast content on a monthly basis with a short series from our Productivity for Creative Entrepreneurs course, and a few special bonus episodes covering audio & video production, workflows and content marketing.

00;01;10;23 - 00;01;38;05
Eric Michael Cap VO
In today's episode, I'll be sharing some of the things I do on a regular basis as a quote unquote "A.D.D" Creative Entrepreneur to optimize my productivity and performance in my role as Founder and Creative Leader at Gold Street. I hope you enjoy these tips, and I'll be back at the end with some information on how you can go deeper into this subject matter through our in-house Gold Street Content, Courses and Coaching tools. Enjoy!

00;01;40;04 - 00;01;58;14
Eric Michael Cap
Productivity Tips for "ADD" Creatives and Entrepreneurs. G'day I'm Eric Michael Cap @ Gold Street. And in this video I'm going to share my top productivity tips for my fellow creatives and entrepreneurs. with A.D.D..

00;01;58;14 - 00;02;36;15
Eric Michael Cap
1. SLEEP. Get 8 hours of sleep or whatever you need daily. I have a 9 p.m. evening shutdown ritual with alarms and Wi-Fi smart plug to turn off my powered electronic devices like a TV to ensure I'm in bed with lights out by 9:30 Sunday to Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday to Saturday. I also take a sleep aid to help me stay asleep. Know, your sleep chrono-type (I'm a bear), and track your sleep with a smart watch or fitness band; I use a Garmin VivoActive 4 and love the sleep and body battery data provides.

00;02;36;15 - 00;03;31;10
Eric Michael Cap
2. EXERCISE. Exercise daily. This is an absolute Must-Do for me with my mild A.D.D. to dear my mind, unwind, think, sleep better, have more energy and focus for the next day., not to mention maintaining my cardio health and weight. I have a 5 p.m. workday shutdown alarm to wrap up, change clothes and get out the door by 5:30pm daylight savings time or an hour earlier in winter. I usually hike with a podcast, listen to a sermon up the hill and pray downhill and listen to some worship music. I have three weekly routes and track workouts and RunKeeper and Garmin Connect using my VivoActive 4. This quiet time helps renew my Mind, Body and Spirit. In winter, I can substitute weights for a P90X workout when it rains. I also use a Wyze smart bluetooth scale.

00;03;31;10 - 00;04;22;10
Eric Michael Cap
3. MEDS & SUPPLEMENTS. While I've known I had A.D.D. for years, it wasn't until 2019 that I sought medical help. Discipline, willpower and habits weren't enough. And while I was quite capable of performing when I had to, there was something missing. After being diagnosed as having mild A.D.D., I was prescribed Adderall which helps make up the chemical imbalance in my brain. I'm on a low dose - 10mg twice a day, and I also take a magnesium supplement occasionally. I've learned to harness my A.D.D. hyper-focus superpower, which is allowing me to lose myself in deep work, and understand my weaknesses and make sure I simplify and focus on one thing at a time in my Passion, Proficiency and Profitability zone.

00;04;22;10 - 00;04;45;16
Eric Michael Cap
4. MOURNING ROUTINES. - WORKDAY START-UP RITUAL.. After going through my morning routine, I have a 60 minute hour-of-power ritual. I go through before starting work on my number one M.V.P. Here's what that looks like. I open my MacBook Pro and start a pomo timer. I take my Adderall with my smoothie that my wife makes for me.

00;04;45;16 - 00;05;06;27
Eric Michael Cap
I Pray. I do a gratitude listing in my Journal; What I'm grateful for? What would make today great? I write an Affirmation which usually comes from a Bible verse or something that I need to focus on for that day. I record my sleep and body battery measurements to see how much energy I have so I can adjust my schedule accordingly.

00;05;07;16 - 00;05;38;04
Eric Michael Cap
And then I go in and I transfer my big three tasks for the day into my Productivity Planner and end with a little bit of prayer as well, and just asking and inviting God into my day. And I highlight my number one main priority or my main focus, and that's what I'm going to focus on from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. usually. And I begin work and I start my 30 minute promo timers to track everything that I'm doing.

00;05;38;22 - 00;06;03;11
Eric Michael Cap
5. WORKDAY SHUT-DOWN RITUAL. I set an alarm reminder to wrap up my workday, do a final email & message check, review my Planner daily page and scores for the day; just my RescueTime productivity %, the number of hours that I've worked, how I did on my big three. And then I wrap up the day - I shut down the computer and I get out for my evening exercise.

00;06;04;01 - 00;06;30;14
Eric Michael Cap
6. PLANNING TOOLS. I use paper and a digital planner and like the Michael Hyatt Full Focus Planner or the Intelligent Change Productivity Planner, coupled with Todoist. I use both types, paper then digital, in a hybrid system to plan my Annual, Quarterly and Weekly goals., Capture clarify & calendar my daily work priorities with alarms and reminders.

00;06;30;14 - 00;06;50;28
Eric Michael Cap
The key is to prioritize and focus on a few tasks, that is 1-3 a day that will help me accomplish my weekly and quarterly goals. - high leverage high return on investment activities that will move the needle, that will make money, versus being controlled by outside or other people's demands.

00;06;50;28 - 00;07;31;04
Eric Michael Cap
7. FOCUS ON ONE THING - The #1 Thing.. Focus on the #1-Thing and work on one thing, one project, one task at a time. Our brains work sequentially. Multitasking is a myth, and there's a price you pay when you task switch, especially those forced by interruptions or jumping from one unrelated task to another. Try and theme your day or mornings or afternoons to groups. Similar types of work during the same period I find I do best with one morning priority and one to two afternoon priorities that last about one to 2 hours each, and then some time for emails, returning calls, social media at the end of the day.

00;07;31;04 - 00;07;56;06
Eric Michael Cap
8.. INDISTRACTABLE. Have an indestractable focus. Stay focused on the one task you're working on at that time and eliminate distractions. I use the PromoDone App timer in 30 minute intervals which is connected to my Todoist tasks. Not only does this keep me focused, but I have a daily and weekly time report breaking down how much time I spent on each task.

00;07;56;23 - 00;08;21;06
Eric Michael Cap
This complements RescueTime, which gives me a computer work time-sheet breakdown by category and apps; In other words, how much time I spend on business, on creative, on communication, on research, et cetera. Activate Do-Not-Disturb on your phone and turn off computer and phone notifications. And if necessary, put your phone in another room or in a bag or a case.

00;08;21;17 - 00;08;43;27
Eric Michael Cap
You can also try apps that block distracting social and news sites like Self-Control or Freedom. I try very hard to not check my emails and messages or social until around lunchtime after completing my number one priority for the day, and again at the end of the day as part of my Workday Shutdown.Ritual

00;08;43;27 - 00;09;40;00
Eric Michael Cap
9. AUTOMATE. DELEGATE. ELIMINATE. Use Templates and presets for reoccurring projects. Create systems and checklists. Use. Ai. Do the delegate math and outsource to Fiver or UpWork lower leverage work that needs to be done, but is outside your strengths, your passion, your proficiency, your profit zone. Autopay your bills and go paperless. Download bank statements and import them into QuickBooks or your accounting software. Use CRM and email services like MailChimp, and Active Campaign to automate your CRM and sales funnels, and social post schedulers like HootSuite that can share one post to multiple platforms. Listen and watch business content at 1.5x times speed or 2x times If you want to follow along and read with the book, and listen and watch book summaries.

00;09;40;00 - 00;10;17;19
Eric Michael Cap
10. EXTERNAL REMINDERS - Stationery and Printing. I use Post-it notes, index cards and a whiteboard to visualize complex goals and projects. I also use erasable FriXion pens with my Full Focus Planner or Productivity Planner. I have a folder with printouts of my Annual and Quarterly goals, Goal Planning sheets or GPS, as I like to call them, Todoist Projects breakdowns, Checklists, Budgets, P&L's, and weekly and Quarterly Previews, Work Rituals, Ideal Week, Vision - Mission statements, Business Marketing Plan worksheets, all of those in a folder.

00;10;18;00 - 00;10;46;28
Eric Michael Cap
11. NUTRITION and DIET. I feed my body Healthy Energy food. It starts with a smoothie freshly made by my wife every morning. Breakfast is usually a whole grain bread with cheese or a veggie muffin. I eat a light lunch - wholewheat sandwich, and enjoy nuts & granola, fruit snacks and juice. during the day. I limit my coffee to two cups a day, one full during the morning routine and two or three smaller servings up until 2:00 or 3:00 o'clock.

00;10;47;08 - 00;11;13;27
Eric Michael Cap
I eat fish, especially salmon and poultry, vegetable based products, no red meat. I drink Almond milk occasionally, take some protein powder., Greek yogurt. I love mozzarella and low fat Swiss. I start each new year with a Friday dawn to dusk fast every Friday in January. And that really helps me to focus. And I'll do intermittent fasting as well when I'm working on a big project or if I just need to lose some weight.

00;11;14;12 - 00;11;53;20
Eric Michael Cap
12. MENTAL HEALTH. Input equals output. I limit what I listen, watch and read to positive, helpful and inspirational media and news; what's on my Podcasts, what's on my Facebook timeline, what I watch on YouTube, etc.. Most of my close friends share my faith based values and being part of a community of like minded people is critical. I limit how much negative political news I consume, preferring to skim headlines and watch a few brief clips in the evening on YouTube from my trusted sources, i.e. not mainstream media. Check out the links below to download a list of my favorite podcasts.

00;11;53;20 - 00;12;29;08
Eric Michael Cap
So I hope these real world tips are helpful and that they help you prepare and plan each day., stay focused and eliminate distractions to get more of the right things done. If you'd like more help, check out my Coaching packages, which include courses, templates & tools designed to help you Be & Do Your Best @ GoldStreet.net under the Coaching menu tabs. And if this content has blessed you, please subscribe and share it with others. Cheers.

00;12;29;08 - 00;12;50;18
Eric Michael Cap
Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you'd like to review this content, check out our Productivity and Coaching Blog Posts @ GoldStreet.net - link in the show notes. And if you'd like to go deeper, I'd encourage you to check out our Productivity for Creative Entrepreneurs course @ GoldStreet.net. Again, the link will be in the show notes.

00;12;51;06 - 00;13;17;23
Eric Michael Cap VO
So as we wrap up, let me ask you a question; What's the one thing you can do now from all the things I mentioned that would help you the most? Is it protecting your sleep or exercise time? Is it having quiet time to read, journal, meditate and pray? Is it implementing a work day, start up ritual or routine to plan and prep for a great day? Let me know in the comments.

00;13;17;23 - 00;13;46;03
Eric Michael Cap VO
And if you got some value from today's content, please take a minute to Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe - so we can grow the channel to reach and help more people just like you. Tune in next month for another inspiring episode of the Gold Street Podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs. I'm Eric Michael Cap, wishing you a fruitful and productive month in your creative business and entrepreneurial journey as you create and multiply. Cheers.

GOLD STREET | Jasmine Mila Cap - Kayne Gospel Music Transcript

00;00;00;20 - 00;00;44;17
Eric Michael Cap VO
Welcome to the Gold Street Podcast; Real-world stories, clips and tips from our 20 plus years in business, featuring some of the most talented Creative Entrepreneurs in Southern California and beyond. Content and topics covered include: voiceover & podcasting, music & audio post, video production, editing & post workflows, photography & design, business & marketing, project & team management, productivity & leadership, and giving back through community & church service.. Join us on our journey to bless and inspire our fellow Creative Entrepreneurs @ Gold Street.

00;00;44;17 - 00;01;28;06
Eric Michael Cap VO
Today's special bonus episode is for music lovers and also for people of faith. Earlier this year, my daughter Jasmine recorded a podcast review of Kanye West's groundbreaking gospel album, Donda for a music class at UCLA, titled Musicology 71 - Art of Listening. So you're going to hear some music clips from a couple of songs from the album, including Jesus Lord, Praise God, Hurricane and the remix of Diamonds from Sierra Leone. We'll put links to the songs and album in the show notes, so sit back and enjoy some great music and commentary. And I'll be back at the end with a few closing thoughts.

00;01;28;27 - 00;01;47;11
Jasmine Mila Cap
Hello, everyone. This is Jasmine Cap, and today on my podcast we will be talking about our feelings. I listen to music when I want to feel a certain way or enhance my current feelings. And sometimes such emotions are felt involuntarily, as I listen to songs for the first time. The tones, delivery and structure of a piece can translate into such responses.

00;01;47;23 - 00;02;00;17
Jasmine Mila Cap
The top artists of this generation implement musical techniques and sciences to convey a narrative that provokes emotion and secures our engagement with the piece. While listening to songs by Kanye West, these elements can be detected.

00;02;00;17 - 00;02;10;29
Jasmine Mila Cap
Kanye West released his tribute album, Donda in August of 2020, with stadiums and headlines filled with shocking and incredible visuals to support his artistic take on death and life as a black religious man.

00;02;11;14 - 00;02;27;16
Jasmine Mila Cap
As Armond White mentions in his National Review article, quote, "West has fashioned his own secular gospel pop music molded from traditional gospel music stylings but so preoccupied with the worldly concerns, that it often sounds as anguished as the most bitter, street-tough rap records".

00;02;27;16 - 00;02;34;22
Jasmine Mila Cap
A gospel sound mixed with rap lyrics is nothing new for Kanye, and he's certainly mastered the blend in this song.

00;02;34;22 - 00;02;46;06
Kayne West Music
See this in. 3-D? All lights out for me. All lights out for me. Lightning strikes the beach.

00;02;46;28 - 00;03;08;09
Jasmine Mila Cap
There's a four bar deep bass introduction. The vocals come in for four bars over the top of the bass then the drums come in with the lyrics, followed by an additional drum variation in between the main beats. The bass note in the first bar starts off low with a rumbling timbre, and the second bar & the third bar are repeated G notes basically of a higher pitch, followed by an inclined bass run in the final bar.

00;03;08;21 - 00;03;30;16
Jasmine Mila Cap
The entire song is built around a four bar bass loop. The loop includes three bars over four bass notes, followed by a one bar bass ramp up at the end. This is over slow & steady deep kick and hip hop snare. The Weeknd's vocals have heavy reverb and delay which gives it an echo effect so that the lead vocals introducing the song are ethereal or heaven like, fitting with the worship memo.

00;03;30;28 - 00;03;38;13
Jasmine Mila Cap
The imagery presented by the lyrics is an allusion to the Bible with the story of Peter the disciple walking on water, made possible by his faith in God.

00;03;38;26 - 00;03;46;27
Kayne West Music
And I want you to see, I can walk on water, 1000 miles from shore...

00;03;47;15 - 00;04;17;23
Jasmine Mila Cap
Familiarity with illusions, can increase engagement as it stimulates memory, but so can repeated listening. As stated by researcher John Ace Loboda in his research article, Music Structure and Emotional Response - Some Empirical Findings quote; "The emotional response to a piece of music can grow during repeated exposure to the same piece as one discovers more of the subtle structural features," end quote. Such discoveries and results of frequent exposure include memorizing the lyrics, noticing the bass runs, or appreciating the contour of the piece.

00;04;18;10 - 00;04;31;08
Jasmine Mila Cap
Psychology - the study of how our minds influence our behavior, is assessed here in relation to musicology. The more musical structures that can be actively identified, the greater the physical and emotional response to such music becomes.

00;04;32;16 - 00;04;39;14
Kayne West Music
Father hold me close Don't. let me drown I know you won't

00;04;40;28 - 00;05;01;24
Jasmine Mila Cap
The phrase "Father hold me close" is a vocal solo where the drum variation drops out and the lyrics are synchronized with an organ synth arpeggio & strong bass notes, producing a gated effect; It is staccato-like where the notes are short. Then the lead vocalists in the choir sing the verse "Don't let me drown" in consonant harmony, tying in with church praise.

00;05;02;04 - 00;05;25;08
Jasmine Mila Cap
Right after this there's a sudden musical rest that causes a sudden dynamic change from a loud packed and round timbre to, well, nothing - followed by a solo saying, " I know you won't", were all of the music and beats are cut out along with the choir. This drastic change from the full, round, wide range of pitches that swarmed into my earbuds got caught by this musical break to give an element of surprise,

00;05;25;15 - 00;05;42;29
Jasmine Mila Cap
add to the texture and introduce the listener to a new segment of the song vocally, but still follows the same four bar bass loop. Combined with the low bass notes and bass runs, this introduction gives it a serious gospel tone, which then goes into confessional parts of rap, but still focusing on the singing. Let's check out the bridge.

00;05;43;13 - 00;05;53;08
Kayne West Music
I know that you look over us, so we silently sleep.

00;05;53;14 - 00;06;21;04
Jasmine Mila Cap
The Weeknd goes into a falsetto signaling delicacy and a floating sensation. The main instrument that comes in during the last rap verse is an organ sound played on a synthesizer, giving a gospel aura. The repeated "Mm, Mm, Mm-Mm-Mm" is synonymous with "Wow" as he reveals to the listener that the soloist is distraught about a recent finding, coming to a realization about his life. The tie of organ and praise music drives physiological reactions.

00;06;21;24 - 00;06;46;09
Jasmine Mila Cap
Armond White supports the statement, quote, "Those choral harmonies and organ chords apply rich, emotional sweet and divine communal support that nothing in R&B can match", end quote. In Kayne's verse, there are added beats that introduce the repetition of phrases like "down, down, down", accelerating the rap verse melody and enhancing the listeners focus. The beat cuts out for "everybody's so judgmental" and the repetition of that line.

00;06;46;27 - 00;06;48;10
Kayne West Music
Everybody's so judgmental.

00;06;48;28 - 00;07;12;21
Jasmine Mila Cap
This is the point that the listener really pays attention to the lyrics;. no music, no beats, just a bass and bass run - delivering the moral of the story followed by the conclusion of the song provided by The Weeknd. As Armond White notes, quote, "He repeats certain words, ideas, like mantras to get his point across", end quote. The changes in texture and depth keeps the listener intrigued and engaged with the progression of the piece.

00;07;13;20 - 00;07;44;15
Jasmine Mila Cap
Sloboda mentions that physical reactions such as chills and lumps in the throat are, quote, "part of the innate autonomic response system of all human beings", end quote, meaning they come naturally and are not something that is necessarily taught or learned. These reactions are in response to what we notice musically, such as the vocal intensity and depth when The Weeknd sings with the choir, for example. The conclusion of the piece gives the overall melody a rainbow shape as it mimics the introduction almost exactly besides some lyric changes.

00;07;44;28 - 00;08;13;04
Jasmine Mila Cap
This contributes to the storytelling as the verses transform from seeking God to finally seeing him in 3D. The lyrics also compliment what is happening harmonically. Kanye West is known for his artistic take on different aspects of life. Continuing examining the album Donda released in 2020., what better way to pay homage to his late mother, Donda West, than to first off name the album after her and secondly incorporate her vocals and speech into one of the pieces as heard in the segment of Praise God.

00;08;13;23 - 00;08;36;17
Kayne West Music
That she wrote, "Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress -Toward". Say to them, say to the down-keepers, the son-slappers, the self-soilers, the harmony-hushers. Even if you are not ready for the day, It cannot always be night.

00;08;38;12 - 00;08;56;15
Jasmine Mila Cap
The vocal delivery is rhythmic, with specific emphasis on some words and the dragging of others, a wide range of pitches and strategic change of tempo within lines to enliven her message. There's no music while she is speaking and as seen during Hurricane, musical cut outs emphasize the spoken words.

00;08;56;15 - 00;09;29;22
Jasmine Mila Cap
As elaborated by Joanne B & Michael J Orwin in the article - Vocal Expression of Emotion, acoustic properties of speech are associated with emotional intensity and context. Emotions expressed by listener correlate to vocal cues. For example, higher intensity of a speech as indicated by frequent pitch changes and high volume increases emotional activation. Such acoustic indicators improve the success rate of the speaker, Inducing a psycho physiological response. From such responses, engagement increases as the listener becomes emotionally impacted and invested in what's being said.

00;09;30;19 - 00;09;49;27
Jasmine Mila Cap
The song Jesus Lord by Kanye West, another song off of Donda released in 2020, has a repetitive counter melody compared to the changing rap melodies. The choir and organ are heard during this section and using listening skills from the previous two songs, I'd like to combine the two focuses of choral music and rapped narration while listening to the segment.

00;09;51;07 - 00;10;12;09
Kayne West Music
Tell me if you know someone that needs (Jesus, Lord) Uh-huh, in the. name of the true and Living God The beneficent, the merciful (Hallelujah) Thank you for bringing me up the rough side of the mountain like Ertuğrul (Jesus) Every knee bowed & every tongue confessed and paid homage (Lord) To the monk who visited Rothschilds like Thelonious did iPannonica (Shoo)

00;10;12;22 - 00;10;38;17
Jasmine Mila Cap
A prayer is made under the simple organ and bass. The change in notes provides movement to the segment along with the rhythm of speech. As mentioned when looking at Hurricane, understanding, either musical or lyrical references can cause a deeper connection to the music as a whole. The line "every need bowed" comes from Romans 14:11, a verse from the Bible, and as seen in Praise God, the delivery of a speech helps it develop into an impactful phrase.

00;10;39;01 - 00;11;00;14
Jasmine Mila Cap
In this song, the musical accompaniment supports the monologue. The bass travels from a B note to an E-flat, D-flat and G-flat. The notes underneath the organ are single whole notes held out for one bar until each of the D-flat notes are played, in which it is held out for one and three quarters of a bar. Then the G-flat note is played for a quarter of a bar.

00;11;00;14 - 00;11;28;08
Jasmine Mila Cap
Overall., the bass and the organ are in a major key, as determined by the first B major chord. Presented with data to support the observations, Authors Gregory D, Webster and Katherine G. Weir provide analysis for how the mode of a song influences emotional response in their article - Emotional Responses to Music - Interactive Effects of Mode, Texture and Tempo. There were statistically significant differences obtained between major and minor modes, with the emotional response recorded.

00;11;28;08 - 00;11;51;23
Jasmine Mila Cap
When the listener heard major keys, the majority of the respondents indicated feeling happier than when listening to minor keys. Since this song's instrumental is in a major key, worship music elements such as a choir, testimonials and biblical allusions, in relationship with the key itself produces a positive feeling. This emotional connection aids in the goal of hopeful reflectiveness rather than simple praise music.

00;11;51;23 - 00;12;15;13
Jasmine Mila Cap
Also fitting this emotional theme. Webster and Weirs' research article concluded that increased tempo while the music is in a major key, was associated with increased happiness. As a comparison, the tempo of Happy by Pharrell Williams is 160 beats per minute, while Jesus Lord is at 106 beats per minute. Therefore, there can be an emotional variation within the listener, which reflects West's emotional journey.

00;12;16;05 - 00;12;42;02
Jasmine Mila Cap
This specific mode and tempo interaction maintains the song and album theme of an optimistic search for fulfillment and salvation. following immense grief. The same three organ chords B, E-flat and D-flat are played throughout the entirety of the song. This is the same for the introductory bass notes. This instrumental repetition accompanied by the repetitive choir choral harmonies, allows Kanye to change the lyrics or flow over the top of it.

00;12;42;26 - 00;13;09;23
Jasmine Mila Cap
As listeners, it becomes easier to focus on the unique and storytelling lyrics. Since it is easier to pay attention to what is being said, the listener can practice semantic listening to deduce what is meant by the lyrics and their purpose concerning Mr. West's feelings of mourning and hope. There is also an interactive quality present within the song's lyrical structure generating direct engagement between Kanye and his choir that simultaneously engages the listener into a listen-&-respond exercise.

00;13;10;13 - 00;13;24;27
Jasmine Mila Cap
As noted by Armond White, quote "the song Jesus Lord are where Kanye achieves higher ground. He leads with 'Tell me if you know someone that needs'., and his Sunday service choir responds, 'Jesus Lord', with the static soprano urgency".

00;13;24;27 - 00;13;34;17
Jasmine Mila Cap
Kanye West is famously recognized for sampling, which is when the artist uses either a direct sound from another composition and integrates it into their own piece, mixes it or both.

00;13;35;05 - 00;13;58;26
Jasmine Mila Cap
In the song Diamonds from Sierra Leone (remix) featuring Jay-Z from the album Late Registration released in 2005, Kayne samples a song called Diamonds Are Forever. After a tinkling piano introduces it and then follows underneath, and is eventually accompanied by a bass, brass and a classic beat. The song has a movie feel with the progressions made by the brass generating a sensation of journey and anticipation.

00;13;59;15 - 00;14;11;06
Jasmine Mila Cap
Along with these dramatic progressions, the singing of "Forever" grows interchangeably with the instrumentals until she holds it out with a light vibrato, giving it a classy and rich tone over the darker music underneath.

00;14;13;14 - 00;14;27;25
Kayne West Music
(Diamonds are forever, forever,, forever) The Rock is still alive every time I rhyme (Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever ever? Ever ever? Ever ever? Ever ever? Ever ever?) Good mornin' this ain't Vietnam still

00;14;27;25 - 00;14;47;29
Kayne West Music
The chimes coming in after the sung phrase "Diamonds Are Forever" also provides the song's money & old-timey sensation. Combined with modern rap, this gives West ambiguity and a sense of his ubiquitous presence in the music industry. He also makes historical and personal references, such as mentioning the Vietnam War and Roc-A-Fella Records.

00;14;47;29 - 00;15;18;28
Kayne West Music
As interpreted by Genius Lyrics, the song, quote, "elaborates on the similarities between Diamonds and the longevity of his record label and legacy in the verse he adds to this remix", end quote. The sultry and mysterious vocals are no random selection, as the song sample comes from the theme song of the movie. Diamonds Are Forever - a James Bond movie released in 1971. People familiar with the James Bond franchise or just into Spy Movies may feel a connection or liking to this song as it directly features such elements.

00;15;18;28 - 00;15;47;16
Jasmine Mila Cap
By stimulating both recognition and using sampling that incorporates musical elements such as increasing pitch and volume increments of vocals and brass, this song's storytelling aspect and the audiences engagement are maximized. As mentioned by Laurie Burns in her article: .Sampling and Storytelling. - Kanye West's Vocal and Sonic Narratives, quote "The rise in vocal pitch, the harmonic progression, and the instrumental gestures allow West to reach a peak of intensity at the end of his chorus", end quote.

00;15;47;16 - 00;16;04;14
Jasmine Mila Cap
As the voice of Shirley Bassey intertwines with the music, Kayne raps darker lyrics, alluding to the dangerous business of mining diamonds as well as character struggles. Lori Burns refers to this interaction as a quote, "dialog between his voice and Bassey's sampled voice", end quote.

00;16;04;14 - 00;16;20;01
Jasmine Mila Cap
After listening and researching Kanye West's music, it becomes apparent that musical structure can have a purpose beyond just sounding cool. Song elements contribute to the story Kayne delivers, forming an emotional connection between him - the Artist, and us - the Listeners.

00;16;20;01 - 00;16;24;07
Jasmine Mila Cap
Thank you guys for listening. This was Jasmine Cap. And stay tuned for the next episode.

00;16;25;10 - 00;16;39;19
Eric Michael Cap VO
Well, I hope you enjoyed this review of Kanye West's Donda gospel album. I know I'm biased, but I really think Jasmine did a great job on this podcast, and so did her teacher, apparently, who gave her an A+ for it.

00;16;39;19 - 00;17;14;22
Eric Michael Cap VO
You know, I can tell you as a songwriter and producer, nothing gets my creative juices flowing like listening to great music. And while I personally love gospel R&B, you know, I understand that Kanye may not be, (you know), everyone's cup of tea; But as a person of faith, I appreciate any and all music and content that shares the gospel message and the way artists like Kanye & Lecrae and others are using their gifts and talents to reach people for a higher purpose., by integrating their faith into their art and content.

00;17;14;22 - 00;17;34;14
Eric Michael Cap VO
So as we wrap up, let me ask you a question: What do you feel called to create that integrates your core values and mission & purpose that will serve and help others? What do you feel called to create that integrates your core values and mission & purpose that will serve and help others?

00;17;34;19 - 00;17;53;17
Eric Michael Cap VO
Have a think about that. And what's one thing you could do this week or this month to act on that? Let us know in the comments so we can pray for you. And if you got some value from today's content, please take a minute to Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe so we can grow the channel to reach and help more people just like you.

00;17;54;08 - 00;18;11;05
Eric Michael Cap VO
Tune in next month for another inspiring episode of the Gold Street Podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs. I'm Eric Michael Cap wishing you a fruitful & productive month in your creative business and entrepreneurial journey as you create and multiply. Cheers!

Eric Michael Cap | GOLD STREET

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