How can I get this stuff sound good ? (trying to produce some rap)

[syard]

Hey everyone!
I've been trying to make some rap beats and record some of my friends for some time and I've definitely learned quite a lot of stuff but I can't seem to make anything sound any good... Could you give me opinions/tips on some stuff I've worked on so far?

I'm especially having trouble with the vocals, it's like I can't seem to get a good result with them !

Here's some stuff (vocals are... french ! )

soundcloud.com/user-414050677/metamorphoses
soundcloud.com/user-414050677/365-jour-de-nuit-full
soundcloud.com/user-414050677/cloudy-gusta-full

I use a Blue Spark microphone to record the vocals and route it through a prodipe interface

Right now all I seem to be able to do is compress the vocals and I'm not even sure it's done right. I've been trying to work with stereo and delay for some effects but meh. I'm definitely not sure about the multiband compressing, I've been trying somewhat successfully to de-ess some stuff but that's all I roughly got. As for EQ well I'm not sure it's done right either.

Anyway, I thank you all in advance for any kind of tip you could give me!

 

[Tadpui]

I hadn't heard of ProdPipe before. Interesting little box...

Just a few seconds into metamorphoses and that kick drum is making the entire mix volume pump. Take a look at your compression settings on the master bus and watch the gain reduction. Don't let the kick drum duck the entire mix every time it hits. Do your compression in stages: compress the drum bus, gently compress the master bus, then limit after that. Hopefully that'll keep that pumping under control. It's really distracting.

The sound quality of the vocals sounds fine to me. Maybe a little thin. If you've got a hi-pass or low shelf EQ on the vocals, back it off a bit. The elephant in the room is that kick drum and what it's doing to the mix.