How to become a "good" rapper

nervecell

New member
Sup guys I produce music and I also write lyrics but im not much of a "rapper" don't really have an awesome voice I tried recording myself rapping today didn't sound impressive

what did u guys do to become better rappers?
 
It also has to do with flow and delivery based on the beat you are spitting to. Does it call for a laid back slow flow or a fast paced one. Do what the track is asking for. Do you know how to count bars and stay in the pocket with your vocals?
 
It takes alot. You're gonna go thru phases. You have to concentrate on making your flow better and better. Parts of that include timing, impact, velocity/vocal volume, lyrical content and things like that... it's a process.
 
Metaphors are really cool when you put them in rap.
 
It takes alot. You're gonna go thru phases. You have to concentrate on making your flow better and better. Parts of that include timing, impact, velocity/vocal volume, lyrical content and things like that... it's a process.

I couldn't agree more. You have to come up with your own flow and style of rapping. It is very much a process because you have to find yourself. Otherwise you will just keep trying to sound like somebody your not. Be yourself and keep practicing.
 
yeah it can take years just to stumble upon the right style that suits your voice. practice, practice, and some more! I might add throwing in that finding someone that's very like minded to you to bounce idea's back and forth with is always nice.
 
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Of course everyone won't have the same experience and levels are talent in all arts are often very subjective.

That being said, I echo the advise of practice. You can write all you want, but you need to actually record or perform to actually find your voice and improve your rhythm and finds what you're most comfortable with.

Also I advise expanding your vocabulary and studying other artists you enjoy and see if you can analyze their techniques (punchlines, metaphors, alliteration, etc)

Also lastly, I think looking back now, you should be confident, but try not to be too egotistical, I know in hiphop/rap culture, having a big ego at times may be seem necessary, but I argue that it limits your perspective and content when all you talk about is how you're better then everyone. And remember, be willing to accept that in the end, you're probably not going to be very good and frustrated at first, just keep on practicing and you'll improve, and try to have fun.
 
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Just don't worry about what others like and what you would want to hear from a rapper and become that. Don't try to bite a style because you think it sounds nice though, just be yourself because you can only improve yourself, not others, if you feel me lol.

When you're working on delivery, just imagine you're talking to someone, and you're really trying to get a point across.

Flow is subjective to the style of the beat, all you can really do is upgrade your vocabulary so you have more words to work with.

Wordplay is the comic relief to the whole act. For me, wordplay comes to me most easily when I'm truly having fun making music. I don't know if that might apply to you, but you could try it.

Just remember that making music should be fun and should come easy. Don't think too hard about it because it still is an art, and the magnitude of your art is always truly subjective to the eye of the beholder.

This applies to anything it's universally accepted that confidence and intelligence in your field is an advantage. Your music is talking to people, so you're in the people business if it helps to look at it like that. What you say is going to speak to people either positively or negatively depending on how you go about what you say.

I'm assuming you're still in the beginner stage of rapping. If I were you, I would write down everything you come up with, even if you're not too confident about it, just to get it out of your mind, so you can move on to the next set of lines. Just keep practicing and writing and spitting over every beat because you'll only get better. Don't worry if you think you sound ridiculous because everyone goes through that stage. You're subconsciously fixing your flow every time you spit over a track.

Good luck! :D
 
There are all the techinicals in rap that will indeed make you a better rapper.

But im 17 now and writing since I was 14 ive found the rap for me has been a good path in finding my own identity whether it be rap related or not. there is a soul aspact of it that you cant read in a book it comes from wisdom and practice and more practice.
 
Your voice believe it or not is an instrument. Rapping is not the same as singing, but having a basic understanding of how to sing properly may help you sound better. Professional vocal instruction can be expensive, so use google and youtube to get some basics.

Someone else mentioned confidence. This is the biggest thing of all. If you sound confident, people will listen. Nobody wants to listen to somebody who isn't sure of themselves, ya dig?
 
You either have it or have what it takes to get it..(or close to it) time will tell you when you're good enough. I'm tired of all these platitudinal advisements that "if you do this.. or this.. you can be this" . Whatever happened to the days, when people were just gifted? Now there's "How To Be A Rapper" books in barnes and Nobles. Give me a break. I believe in knowing your gift.. then honing it. Steel sharpens steel.. good rappers listen to better rappers, better rappers listen to greater rappers, and great rappers battle their legacy while trying to keep the 'better rappers' at bay in order to become legendary.
 
You either have it or have what it takes to get it..(or close to it) time will tell you when you're good enough. I'm tired of all these platitudinal advisements that "if you do this.. or this.. you can be this" . Whatever happened to the days, when people were just gifted? Now there's "How To Be A Rapper" books in barnes and Nobles. Give me a break. I believe in knowing your gift.. then honing it. Steel sharpens steel.. good rappers listen to better rappers, better rappers listen to greater rappers, and great rappers battle their legacy while trying to keep the 'better rappers' at bay in order to become legendary.

I think he's on the right lines, all the attributes are mentioned by others, but at the end of the day. I tried coming into rapping when I was 11, and I had only listened to Gang Starr, but now I have a whole library of rappers in my head, and different styles, study other people, and then study yourself, thats as far as I've got now. I noticed from recordings I did when I was 11, and compared to the first rap I did this year, I have improved greatly, I'm not sure if it's my intelligence as well as the way I speak now, maybe it's the fact I have more stories to write about. I hope I've helped.
 
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