Try listening to T. Mills, Jay-Z, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne. Awesome Singles: Started from the Bottom by Drake or Started from the Bottom Remix T. Mills, Fuckin Problems ft Drake and 2 chainz, Lots of others
I would make a sky base go all the way up to max number of blocks. Then make it out of obsidian. Then all you would have to do is cover it with water and and claim 10 blocks from the base and you are good. They can't lava monster it and you can't hydro cannon it.
