How to convert Youtube videos to MP3

If you've ever wondered how you can convert Youtube videos to MP3 format, this guide will help you. It's as easy as 1-2-3 and doesn't require any money:

1. Find an MP3 converter - There are several programs such as Youtube downloader that you can download and use, but there are others that are easier to use and require no downloading. One that i frequently use is Convert2MP3.com. You can find the link below

Link: http://convert2mp3.net/en/

2. Copy the URL of the YouTube video and paste to the converter - There should be a search bar allowing URL to be pasted. Once you've done that, it's time for the next step.

3. Select the desired format and click "Convert" - Simply wait for the file to finish downloading which can take a couple of seconds or minutes. You can also convert it to several other formats such as MP4.

Once you've converted your file, now you can listen to music in your headphones or through speakers and take it everywhere you go.

Most underrated rock/metal bands

Like any genre of music, talented rock and heavy metal bands receive less exposure as many mainstream artists. This could be due to being at the wrong place at the wrong time when it came to advertising their music or not being in very successful labels. For whatever the reason is, these are a list of bands whom i thought were underrated:

* Static X - The band is a blend of Nu-metal and industrial metal. First time i've seen them perform was in the animated film "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker." Static X relies on heavily distorted sounds, electronic keyboards, pounding bass riffs, heavy synths, and fast paced aggressive metal vocals. Static X has had connections with the band "Korn" so it's easy to see how they both are similar. However, Static X did not receive as much attention as Korn despite being a year older.

* SOIL - The lead vocalist of Drowning Pool was the frontman for a band called SOIL. Drawn from influences of death metal, SOIL is born as a hard-hitting, heavy, and aggressive rock band. SOIL writes emotionally charged lyrics while playing tuneful yet powerful instrumentals. While i'm not a huge fan of Drowning Pool, i do love Ryan McCombs' contributing work to the band. 

* AM Conspiracy - Ryan McCombs was also in the band "AM Conspiracy." Despite releasing only one self titled debut album, i found the band gave everything they had in that album. The album was more emotional and somehow more vocally powerful than Ryan's other projects. The instrumentals are also more melodic and slower paced.

* Stereomud - A heavy metal band full of aggressive metal vocals, hard hitting lyrics, and low-tuned rhythmical instrumentals in their album "Every Given Moment." Although they released only two albums, i believe this was all we needed. The album "Perfect Self" was softer but still a solid release. "Every Given Moment" was old school heavy metal but it did not impress critics. I imagine that the band felt discouraged and decided to go their separate ways into other bands. Either way, i loved the music they left behind.

* Earshot - This metal band has been widely compared to "Tool" but mistakenly so. For one, Earshot is a darker version of Tool. Another is that Earshot is one of the few bands managing to bring the sound of post-grunge metal into the rock scene. 

* Device - David Draiman (Disturbed's vocalist) worked on a side project known as Device. Overall, the band is much heavier than Disturbed being an industrial metal band with hard hitting guitar riffs and loud drum solos. 

These are all the bands that i can think of at the top of my head. There are many underrated and freshly tuneful bands out there that you can listen to if you did extensive research. 

Why i love Stereomud's "Anything but Jesus"

While this might sound like just another angry rebellious anti-religious song, it's message is profound and symbolic. Stereomud's "Anything but Jesus" is a song using biblical symbolism to illustrate anger and frustration towards people who expect you to be perfect. The screams, rhythm, instruments, all paint the picture of someone having an outburst. An outburst against those who put others on a high pedestal of moral and spiritual perfection. It's an outburst that we can relate to. The lyrics are basic but profoundly speak to our emotions. 


Lyrics: 

"I'm not your savior I'm as simple as a lost sheep!
But you think I know everything!
I'm just like you I'm trying to figure out this bullsh*t!
So why ya looking up to me!

"I don't want to hear!
Don't want to hear the questions!
I got no answers anyway!
See I don't know!
See I don't know what you want!
I never said I knew everything!"

The artist opens up beautifully and powerfully. He begins by stating that he is not a personal savior. He is just as frail as any morally corrupt person. He is just as confused and ignorant as a person void of morals. He cannot be a guide or a leader who tends to your every need. He is limited.     

"I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus in your lost head!
I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus! Your Jesus I said!
Anything! Anything but Jesus in your lost head!
I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus! Your Jesus I said!"

Someone who makes another person into a being of perfection is "lost" by biblical terms. He or she fails to understand the original purpose Jesus came to the earth. The artist in his agitation, anger, and fears of criticism says "Are you listening to me?!? I don't want you to be your personal savior!" 

"There's no mistakes there's only lessons I believe that
You've got to find out your own way!
So, don't you make me into someone that I can't be!
That will never appeal to me!

I don't want to hear!
Don't want to hear the questions!
I got no answers anyway!
See I don't know!
See I don't know what you want!
I never said I knew everything!"

The songwriter doesn't believe that mistakes define you. It's the wisdom in experiences that mold you into the person you are now. How do you gain this? Explore the darkest sides of life. Discover the evil within you and realize your just as vulnerable as anyone else. 

"Strike down on me when I don't have the answers!
Don't strike out at me look for the answers!"

When someone fails to be a perfect role model, he or she get attacked for their mistakes. The wisdom in this lyric is rather than channel negative energy, use that energy for personal self growth. Meditate and find the answers you seek to life's greatest problems. Truth can be attained when a person has an open mind and soul. The song-writer ends in such a powerful note: 

"I'm not your savior i can't help you so why ya looking up to me!" 

What makes this song so great is the strong connection it builds with it's listeners. Society will often hold many people to such a high degree of perfection that they leave no room for mistakes. The symbolic usage of Jesus in this song reminds us that he came to cover human imperfections, not bring a "holier than thou" attitude. To break away from the moral expectations and the stigma of being a scapegoat. This is genuine rebellion against society.  

Dissing your foes in battles

Dissing your opponents can be a fun, challenging, and exciting in battles. I'm going to give you some tips on creating powerful disses in rap battles.

1) Feel the fire - You have to be passionate about rap battling. Don't give weak bars, but take pride in them. Be aggressive with the intention of obliterating your foes to the point of no return. This is a rap battle and you are a warrior. Be crazy and wild with your lyrics, dissin' anyone in your way. Be energized to land some bone crushing punch lines. Once your on fire, you will be able to perform at your fullest potential.

2) Diss yourself - Be comfortable with the idea of laughing at yourself and pointing out your own flaws. When you are disciplined in this area, you are ready to take on your enemies. This will mold you into a person who isn't scared of what people think. Do not hide weakness, but use it as an advantage.

3) Be original - Do not make generic disses that everyone already has used. Be original and unique in your disses as you use your own creativity.

4) Study your enemies - Before you do anything, know your enemy. Pay attention to their clothes, style, what kind of person they are, how they walk, how they talk, how they carry themselves, everything. Take these kinds of people for example:

Male players - These guys dress nice, flirt with women, look good, have jobs, and are arrogant. They may brag about how many girls they've slept with but their weaknesses in my perception is that they don't love themselves. They're insecure so they need approval from others to feel better about themselves. They feel they're in control of women when the opposite is true. Their arrogance is their downfall.

The wanna be gangsters - These people act like they want to be in a gang but in reality, they're not. They want to fit in a place where they don't belong because they dislike themselves. They want to prove they're hard and top dog when they're probably deceived by the media.

Popular guys/gals - These people may seem popular and have many friends when they have few to none at all. Most likely, they're faking it to please everyone and are afraid to admit who they truly are.

Religious people - Talk about how there are contradictions in their religion and/or how they fail to live up to their moral code. Expose the fact that they care more about winning converts than about souls.

5) Be disrespectful - Don't be afraid to trash talk in their face. Disrespect their values and anything they hold dear. Call them out on their weaknesses while being mindful of your own.

A few final words, be yourself and no one else. Love yourself for who you are and learn from both your victories or defeats.

Responding to a rapper who admits their weaknesses

When i watched this one scene in 8-mile, i had to admit it's cleverness and uniqueness. Admitting your weaknesses is a great way to completely rob your opponent of pointing them out and it almost assures that you've won the battle. I hardly know of any rapper other than Eminem who would outright do this, but in the case that someone does--don't panic. You can still win the battle no matter how difficult the position you are in. How do you respond to a rapper who admits weakness? I can't explain exactly how, but i can give you a few ideas. 

1) The best way to counter is to come up with some harder punchlines and disses. Rap something around the lines of "You thought i was gonna point out that your a piece of white trash? Gee, your something less of a lyrical genius, your really a _____" Be sure to also point out some other weaknesses your opponent has never noticed or thought of. 

2) Laugh it off - Say something around the lines of "Screw battling with me, this should be you versus you." Let them know that you can still bring up many more ideas than they can and that you haven't given up yet. 

3) Be confident in yourself and your abilities. Do not look intimidated or worried. More importantly, be sure to admit your own weaknesses as well before your opponent does. If you can keep the pressure up by demonstrating yourself to be the dominant lyricist then it will be alot harder for your opponent to make a comeback. 

These are only a few of many ideas to counter this. The key is to never lose the art of being creative.   

Being the best rap battler you can be

I've done a few rap battles in person and they were terrible lol. My mind went blank several times and my rhymes were not as good as they could have been. For a long time i often wondered "What's wrong with me?" You may have felt the same or currently do. After much reflection and meditation, i decided that this method should work to help everyone be better at battle rap.

1) Before you do anything or even talk about rapping, you have to love yourself. Appreciate everything about yourself and love your voice. Love who you are as a person and accept that you are unique. Once you love yourself then you can trust in yourself to create awesome freestyles and battle lyrics.When you make the choice to love and accept yourself then you have taken the very 1st step to reaching your potential.

2) Know yourself from the inside out. Know your strengths and weaknesses. What are you good at? What are you terrible at? What do you love about yourself? What don't you love about yourself? What would you like to change? Take a pen or pencil and a piece of paper to write about yourself. Be genuine and appreciate yourself as a human being. Don't rap about being someone your not. This helps shape your identity as a rapper in general. Knowing who you are enables you to know the flaws of another person and expose them.

3) Freestyle - Start rapping outloud or write on paper. It doesn't even have to rhyme. Just start rapping whatever comes to mind. The point of this exercise is to be comfortable with flowing at a consistent pace. Look at your surroundings and rap about them. The key is to adapt to your environment.

4) Practice writing raps - Everyone has a unique way of practicing their raps. Personally, i like to write whatever comes to mind for about 5 minutes then i do drills. I write a limited number of similes, metaphors, bars of alliteration, merism, parallelism, word play, analogies, multis, internal rhymes, etc. I try to master various literary devices daily. It would be helpful if you familiarized yourself with poetry. Having a unique writing style dramatically helps you reach your potential.

5) Be passionate about rap - Love your work. Love your bars, voice, and talent. Don't make trashy lyrics then say "I suck at this.." Make every bar count.

6) Know your enemy - Observe them, What are they wearing? What flaws do they have? What are they rapping about? What do they sound like? This is your chance to incorporate what you already know about poetry.

7) Know what it takes to win a battle - Always keep in mind that there's always a way to win. Dissing your opponent's looks, personality, personal flaws, lyrics, reputation, etc. are key in defeating him or her. You may think that in order to win a battle, you need tons of clever disses. While that may help you win a battle, it is not the only way to win. Battles can also be won by who has the most clever lyrics or creative flow. Complimenting yourself is also a good way of winning. Be familiar with rebuttals or taking an opponent's verses and flipping them around. For example, people might want to diss my long hair by saying that i'm feminine. In response, i could say that their feminine in thinking of me as the opposite sex if they're male. One of the greatest strategies used by Eminem is to admit your weaknesses first then diss your opponent. It's also a great idea to With the quality of your raps, you can turn the tide of battle.

8) Have a developed flow - You should have a flow or a voice when you rap. Putting emphasis on certain words, having an aggressive or a light tone, rhythm, and melody in your voice are all essential to having excellent flow in a battle. It shouldn't stay the same, it should be dynamic. Try double time rapping in which you speed up the tempo or "rap fast." Practice breathing techniques daily and when you freestyle, try to  be fluid with your flow. Once you make the crowd go wild with flow, it's going to be very difficult for your opponent to win.

9) Be confident and energetic - Most of all, have confidence in yourself. Trust in yourself that you can win the battle. Never look defeated or frustrated. If what your opponent says angers you, don't lose control because when you lose control: you lose. Channel that energy to come up with strong disses to help you win the battle instead. Take deep breaths before the battle. If you need to come up with something to say, take a moment to do so.  

My interpretation of "The gift" by Seether

I've been thinking on the meaning of this song and while most people have a secular view, as a Christian, i see it in a different light. It completely reminds me of my faith in relationship to Jesus Christ. It brings me back to a place of despair and heavy depression.

"Hold me now i need to feel relief, like i never wanted anything..i suppose i'll let this go and find a reason i'll hold onto, i'm so ashamed of defeat..and i'm out of reason to believe in me..i'm out of trying to get by..."

I fought for perfection, tried to be good and tried to fit in a world where everyone would accept me by follow religious rules until life became burdensome as i failed in my efforts. I found no joy and lost the motivation to continue living because there was nothing that made me whole. I came to a point where i needed a reason for living, but i was ashamed of admitting my failures and weaknesses. I had lost faith in myself and was tired of pretending that everything was fine. I had received forgiveness, redemption for my soul, and the gift of salvation, but eventually, i practically cried out to God from inside:

" I'm so afraid of the gift you give me..i don't believe here and i'm not well..i'm so ashamed of the lie i'm living..right on the wrong side of it all..

I can't face myself when i wake up and look inside a mirror, i'm so ashamed of that thing...i suppose i'll let it go till i have something more to say for me..i'm so afraid of defeat..and i'm out of reason to believe in me..i'm out of trying to defy.."

Days passed like shadows as i sunk into depression and felt guilty for being selfish, arrogant, and prideful. Where once i was proud in front of all of my self-righteous attitude, now i had felt so much shame. I could not accept myself for who i was. I thought i had forgiven myself, but i was afraid of failing God by sinning. I no strength to get out of the ditch of despair that i had fallen into to find grace by looking at the cross where Jesus had died for my sins. I had lost the will in trying to deny who i was.

"Hold me now i need to feel complete..like i mattered to the one i need.."

I needed someone to save me from all the pain and loneliness i had felt. I needed to fill the gap of emptiness and be whole and i needed to be accepted for being imperfect. Without God, i would have nothing to live for because there is nothing in the world that could replace the emptiness that was killing me.

"Now i'm ashamed of this..i am so ashamed of this..Now i'm so ashamed of me..i am so ashamed of me..."

I had faced the shame of these problems, these inner struggles. In the end, i was left with guilt of being exposed for who i tried so hard not to be.