P
PiffMonster
Guest
I started writing rap lyrics at the age of 14 after listening to great artists on the radio like Eminem, Nas and Tupac. At 15 I was in the studio recording songs. Then at 16 I got a phone call from Rap A Lot Records CEO J Prince. Later on, I would get on mixtapes hosted by legends like Nas and NORE. I got plays on XM radio and even had one of the mixtapes featured in The Source Magazine. Writing rhymes down can be a lot of fun. If you have a real passion for it you will succeed. You must know that if you want to write down a rap and perform it later, there are some things you’ll need to know first. Here is a brief overview. A simple guide for the beginners. Get your vocabulary game up: READ BOOKS. Read books in order to bank words. If you read books chances are you’ll intake words right? Words are your ammunition. You wouldn’t go into a gunfight without ammunition, so don’t try and write a rap without a strong library in your brain. Trust me read every night for at least a half an hour and after a week or two of doing this you’ll find it easier to put together verses. If you absolutely hate reading then do crosswords or word searches. To be honest though, nothing beats straight reading.
Know the CRAFT!
What is a bar? Is a measure or segment of time that corresponds to a specific number of beats in which each beat is represented by a particular note value and the boundaries of the bar are indicated by vertical bar lines. Most rap verses are 16 bars and you can use current songs on the radio as a reference. Learn how to write 16 bars, 8 etc. stay structured. Know the difference.
How do Double rhymes work: halfwit /last hit – first grade-worst day- bomb detonation/ calm respiration. Try using double rhymes in your verse. A lot of beginners won’t have any change in their rhyme scheme. This is one way to add flavor and show off more ability. Compound rhyming is key to a good verse.
Do research by listening to the great ones: just listen to Nas, Eminem and Rakim while you write. I swear to you that if you listen to their songs, study their technique and use them as a guide, you will become better. Also here’s a website that can help too: rapping manual .com
Go do some research. See if you can find double rhymes in today’s music. Count the bars in a rappers verse. Don’t worry about subject matter first, get the necessary knowledge.
Practice writing verses and fit them to instrumentals. Here is a link to some great instrumentals. piffmonster . com
It is going to take time. Nobody writes great lyrics overnight. It takes years of listening, reading and writing.
Drop a link below or email me your lyrics and songs to critique.
Vol.2 coming next week.
Know the CRAFT!
What is a bar? Is a measure or segment of time that corresponds to a specific number of beats in which each beat is represented by a particular note value and the boundaries of the bar are indicated by vertical bar lines. Most rap verses are 16 bars and you can use current songs on the radio as a reference. Learn how to write 16 bars, 8 etc. stay structured. Know the difference.
How do Double rhymes work: halfwit /last hit – first grade-worst day- bomb detonation/ calm respiration. Try using double rhymes in your verse. A lot of beginners won’t have any change in their rhyme scheme. This is one way to add flavor and show off more ability. Compound rhyming is key to a good verse.
Do research by listening to the great ones: just listen to Nas, Eminem and Rakim while you write. I swear to you that if you listen to their songs, study their technique and use them as a guide, you will become better. Also here’s a website that can help too: rapping manual .com
Go do some research. See if you can find double rhymes in today’s music. Count the bars in a rappers verse. Don’t worry about subject matter first, get the necessary knowledge.
Practice writing verses and fit them to instrumentals. Here is a link to some great instrumentals. piffmonster . com
It is going to take time. Nobody writes great lyrics overnight. It takes years of listening, reading and writing.
Drop a link below or email me your lyrics and songs to critique.
Vol.2 coming next week.
