Be Nice (feat. Snoop Dogg) (arr. Alan Billingsley): SAB Choral Octavo

Alan Billingsley's arrangement captures the song's infectious groove and contemporary energy while keeping the writing singable for developing SAB choirs. The arrangement respects the original's hip-hop and pop DNA without losing clarity of line or musicality, making it engaging for singers who respond to current music while developing their ensemble skills. This is the kind of modern repertoire that reminds students why they love singing in the first place.

Energetic, contemporary, and undeniably fun. The arrangement pulses with the same infectious positivity of the original track, featuring tight rhythmic interplay and moments where the voices create urban pop texture. Singing this feels less like traditional concert repertoire and more like joining the party.

This arrangement works best for high school and adult choirs with singers who have foundational music literacy and can navigate contemporary rhythmic language. Directors seeking to program music that excites singers while still providing meaningful musical challenges will find this repertoire particularly valuable.

• Study the original recording together as an ensemble before diving into the music. Knowing the production choices, the featured artist's timbre, and the song's rhythmic pocket will inform every rehearsal decision and help singers feel connected to the material.
• Lock down the rhythm section (bass and percussion parts) early in rehearsal. This arrangement's groove depends on rhythmic precision, and a secure foundation frees the melody voices to focus on intonation and phrasing.
• Layer in the melody and harmony parts separately before combining voices. The contemporary style benefits from singers who know exactly where their line fits in the texture rather than blending by ear alone.
• Pay attention to dynamics and articulation markings throughout. Billingsley's writing uses these tools to create the energy and lift that makes the arrangement sparkle.

Include this in a concert celebrating contemporary songwriters and producers, or pair it with other pop and hip-hop arrangements to show the full range of modern music your singers are capable of performing. It works particularly well as an opener or closer where you want to energize your audience and remind them of the choir's connection to current culture.

• Reading and executing syncopated rhythms in a contemporary pop context
• Navigating three-part SAB writing with independent lines
• Matching articulation and phrasing to a recorded reference track
• Understanding how hip-hop and pop production values translate to choral performance
• Balancing group blend with individual line definition in a rhythmically driven arrangement