Getting started as a rapper can be tough. All the big-name artists you see can make it look easy, but truth be told, there is an art to rapping well.
Step-by-step guide on learning to rap and freestyle
Now, let’s take you through the steps to follow if you are interested in learning how to rap and freestyle.
Start easy - There is only one place to begin, and this is with starting easy. You aren’t going to write a masterpiece with your first ever rap. It takes time. Your first rap should all be about finding your flow and simply getting started. It does not matter if it sounds like something you wrote while you were in the first-grade. Simply getting started is good enough right now.
Keep it flowing - One of the biggest mistakes people make when freestyling, especially when starting out, is making their mistakes evident. If they make a mistake, they try to start again or they stutter over their words. Instead, just keep flowing. It is inevitable that you are going to say something that will not make sense or that your lines won’t rhyme. However, the best thing you can do is to keep flowing. Eminem is one of the best at doing this. It is certainly worth listening to his freestyles to see how he deals with instances whereby he says something that does not make sense or he ends up inadvertently dissing himself. Another technique to use when you find yourself in a difficult spot is to use a quick filler. A filler is simply a small phrase that can be inserted now and again to give you more time to think of a better line. Try to come up with a couple of fillers that you feel comfortable using. These fillers will help to bail you out, ensuring there are no awkward fillers. You will find yourself relying less and less on fillers as time goes on and you perfect your craft.
Rhyme in your mind ahead of time - This is the biggest trick when it comes to learning how to freestyle. As soon as you know the word you will be ending your first line with, your mind should be racing to think of the word you are going to be using at the end of line two. For example, if you know that the end of your first line is going to end with the word “king” then you are going to need to start thinking of a word to rhyme with this as soon as that is the case. Once you have picked a word, you should then carve your second line so it leads toward that word. The real trick when it comes to freestyle rap is having your mind racing on a continual basis. This is not easy - in fact, far from it! However, it is going to get a lot easier with practice.
Writing raps - You will get better at freestyling if you write raps. When you write, rhymes are going to become embedded in your mind. When you freestyle, you will be much more likely to pull these raps from the top of your mind. Most of the time, you are not going to spit a long pre-written verse off the cuff. However, you can definitely use shorter phrases and words that you have worked out beforehand. You will still be freestyling but you are using rhyme words that you have worked out already. You are going to improve your freestyles if you sit down and write every day. It will expand your memory in terms of rhyming words. Plus, it will give you the experience of those words being worked into clever lines. It is also a wise idea to make a note of some multi-purpose bars, which you can spit when freestyling if you get really stuck.
Rap in groups - Another way to improve your skills in terms of rapping and freestyling is to rap with others. Rapping in groups of two or greater is a lot of fun and it is an effective way to improve too. You can trade verses and play off one and other. You can freestyle over nothing, or you can search on YouTube for an instrumental version of a song you all like, you could throw a beat on the stereo, or you can get one of your friends to beat box. The options are endless. Take turns; you can either ‘pass the mic’ or simply cut in when the moment is right.
Include metaphors - Another tip when it comes to learning how to rap and freestyle is to incorporate similes and metaphors. These are advanced, so do not expect to master this right away. However, it is a very crucial part of freestyle rapping. They tend to be found in the cleverest and funniest lines of a rapper. Plus, they really differentiate the skilled rappers from the beginners. Lil Wayne is one of the best at this, and so it is definitely worth studying his raps in order to get a better understanding of how to use smilies and metaphors. This is really the backbone of an advanced rapper, so once you have mastered this, you know you have come a long way. Your rhymes will be smarter and funnier, as well as sounding better, if you learn about using metaphors properly.
Rap about things around you - This is certainly the most effective way of showing the crowd that you are not spitting something you simply wrote in your room and you are indeed freestyling. It is also a great way to get the crowd cheering and on your side. Rap about the different things you can see. Add different sounds, situations, clothing, people, actions, and objects into your rap. This is something you can practice at home or in different situations. For example, when you are in the shower, you can rap about everything that is around you. This will help to prepare you for when you do this in public. This is a skill that is especially important if you enter a freestyle battle competition. After all, you are going to have to spit things about your opponent that are very specific, and these will need to be your hardest-hitting punches.
Reference current events - As well as rapping about the different things around you, you should also rap about current events. Referencing something timely is just as good and effective as referencing something near you. It can be about anything - celebrities, music, politics, sports, or something that has happened in the community as of late. Ultimately, you need to consider what is critical to people in your surroundings and then try to speak about this.
Think ahead when you’re in a cipher - Last but not least, rapping in ciphers is a good idea because you get a break after you have spit one verse, meaning you have time before you spit again. This break is the perfect opportunity for you to listen to your friends’ verses, so that you can respond to them as well as planning your next verse. When you are in a cipher, it is a good idea to wait until four to six quality lines have been composed in your head. To impress the most, these lines will be about something your friend has said in their verse or the things around you.
Techniques to try to rap better
Write your own rhymes
Freestyle rap
Play with dynamics
Work on your diction
Rap acapella
Find your attitude
Go outside of your comfort zone
Learn your favorite rap songs
Rap with flow and rhythm
Listen to a lot of hip-hop
Mistakes rappers usually make in the beginning
Not practicing enough
Rapping out-of-key with the instrumental
Rapping out-of-time with the instrumental
Not being able to identify the structure of an instrumental
Not being able to identify beats
