How do you train to be a better MC?
- Thread starter A_Str8
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That's a whole other debate. Give me a few more years to observe artists and I might come up with an opinion on that. For now though, I'm just talking about improving it.fred9311 said:
I think that's part of the problem - to play an instrument, you have to learn it, so you're kind of forced to put time and effort into it. Anyone can rhyme from the day they decide to start doing it, so many people assume you don't need to learn it or do anything to improve it.
trufbetold
choose Christ homie
trufbetold said:
I was saying overcomplicating your verse is unecessary, you said it was necessary which, which strangly, made me think you were talking about the same thing I was, my mistake. Also to understand my point let me explain this; originality, exposure, honesty and ingenuity are not traits of good art, they are the traits of a good artist. Poe and Sheakespare where literary geniuses of their time, also they were absolutely different from one another. Poe's thing was a skewed perspective of reality with many a morbid cryptic kinda feel and Willie's thing was the play. My point is this, there are plenty of tools that people already made that we can use, but a genius is the one who makes a new one. The ideas that you have is like a sword, it might look different from the others but you need to sharpen it. I never said you don't have to practice. Einstein say the world differently and Mozart saw music differently long before they became Einstein and Mozart. They initially had talent, and they dug deep into it, but without the original talent, there is nothing to dig for.
Originality starts where you realize that in order for you to make music it is not necessary to see how someone else does it first. Nobody taught Jimi Hendrix how to play guitar, he taught himself.
Ingenuity starts when you realize that "wouldn't it be amazing if" like instead just playing the 88 key piano 300 different ways, I can play 2 pianos simultaneously maybe 4 different ways. That's called genius.
Exposure is what initially made einstein and einstein or mozart a mozart, because they already had something in mind and the starting looking for exposure which just made broadened their view. It's like that complex "art in your mind" that you speak of. I wasn't talking about the exposure you get from going public or advertising, I'm talking about exposing your self to literature and studies as einstein did.It's like the rapper who always talks about the streets but lives in the suburbs; if he actually exposed himself to the streets and became intimate with it, his rhymes would be so much more vivid. Finally honesty of all the things is what really makes you memorable, outstanding and set apart, because if people don't believe you they will ignore you. Without honesty, the integrity of your work is compromised because it makes it look like the originality is not of your origin; the ingenuity is plagarized, and the things you exposed yourself to you just did because that's what such and such did. Right out of Hip-Hop's gangster rap phase this guy named eminem is the first one to say I am not a thug, or a gangster, I'm just pissed. It's because of that 'honesty' that he sold 15 million records. In this context the word honesty doesn't mean "the truth" persay, it just mean "believable", which is sad. If eminem would have came out with crip colors, rhymin about gang bangin', selling drugs, etc. I promise you his career would have been over right now.
These elements don't make good art, but good artist, artis that stand out from the rest of the pack.
BigEasy225
New member
I COSIGN COMPLETELYGripp said:
trufbetold
choose Christ homie
BigEasy225 said:
Really? I'll show you.
c joker
New member
i regularly learn new words, (dictionary, thesaurus) and i just listen to other artists who hav ethey flow down adn everything.....
i been writing since 7th grade im a Sr now and im just gettin on the mic because i wasnt ready until now...and because i have money to spend on it now...
but just a good emcee will have a clean flow, vocabulary, structure, and use the beat to his advantage...(samples, cuts, dips)
i been writing since 7th grade im a Sr now and im just gettin on the mic because i wasnt ready until now...and because i have money to spend on it now...
but just a good emcee will have a clean flow, vocabulary, structure, and use the beat to his advantage...(samples, cuts, dips)
Vapor One
New member
Some things I do to improve my artform:
.: Write a short essay on an idea without rhyming. Then, I rewrite it with rhymes.
.: Write notes while reading or listening to something or watching TV or whatever. I use these notes as metaphors in rhymes (eg. "Curious like Gay-Lussac, I'm exploring whole new heights.")
.: Freestyle without rhyming and focusing on vocal styles and different rhythms. (sometimes just repeating the same phrase in different styles.)
.: Write a short sentence and either start each word with a letter from the sentence in the respected order.
.: Study. I study just for my own intellectual enrichment, but it also doubles as support for my flows (eg. metaphors, subjects, stories to be told, inspirations)
I think if you just keep flowing you'll get better than you were the month before and grow exponentially. It definitely helps if you learn something, though. Keeps things fresh. You're less inclined to repeat the same mindless stuff that only sounded cool the first time you spit it.
When you got a hot hook, don't use it until you're gonna lay down a hot track (not a demo, or something of "demo" quality). And when you lay it down, don't make it the chorus. Slap it into a verse. A bunch of hot hooks arranged and blended well will catch a lot of fish. I consider the chorus to be no more than a filler to keep the crowd hype while their waiting for what lies ahead in the next verse.
I'm always trying to push myself to the next level. Experiment, y'all. You can't discover if you don't experiment. They're right when they say shake the comfort zone. Find a hobby you like besides rhyming and metaphor the hell out of it. If you like basketball, sport the texture of the ball, the sweat on the players, the squeking shoes, the shattering of the glass and all that good stuff in your rhyme arsenal.
You a street thug? Don't much about history? Never fear. Make a joke. Retell an old one in a different way. Slap someone with a stop sign when they run up in your hood. Stay on the grind like whatever the hell comes to mind (Coffee beans?)
I'm not educating you more experienced fellows. Just dropping some hints to new folks who might benefit from these ideas.
Vapor One.
.: Write a short essay on an idea without rhyming. Then, I rewrite it with rhymes.
.: Write notes while reading or listening to something or watching TV or whatever. I use these notes as metaphors in rhymes (eg. "Curious like Gay-Lussac, I'm exploring whole new heights.")
.: Freestyle without rhyming and focusing on vocal styles and different rhythms. (sometimes just repeating the same phrase in different styles.)
.: Write a short sentence and either start each word with a letter from the sentence in the respected order.
.: Study. I study just for my own intellectual enrichment, but it also doubles as support for my flows (eg. metaphors, subjects, stories to be told, inspirations)
I think if you just keep flowing you'll get better than you were the month before and grow exponentially. It definitely helps if you learn something, though. Keeps things fresh. You're less inclined to repeat the same mindless stuff that only sounded cool the first time you spit it.
When you got a hot hook, don't use it until you're gonna lay down a hot track (not a demo, or something of "demo" quality). And when you lay it down, don't make it the chorus. Slap it into a verse. A bunch of hot hooks arranged and blended well will catch a lot of fish. I consider the chorus to be no more than a filler to keep the crowd hype while their waiting for what lies ahead in the next verse.
I'm always trying to push myself to the next level. Experiment, y'all. You can't discover if you don't experiment. They're right when they say shake the comfort zone. Find a hobby you like besides rhyming and metaphor the hell out of it. If you like basketball, sport the texture of the ball, the sweat on the players, the squeking shoes, the shattering of the glass and all that good stuff in your rhyme arsenal.
You a street thug? Don't much about history? Never fear. Make a joke. Retell an old one in a different way. Slap someone with a stop sign when they run up in your hood. Stay on the grind like whatever the hell comes to mind (Coffee beans?)
I'm not educating you more experienced fellows. Just dropping some hints to new folks who might benefit from these ideas.
Vapor One.
C
country boy
Guest
i used to do that
deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
Moderator
Rap is something you either got or you don't. If you got it, you get better everytime you pick up a pen or freestyle, if you don't, you'll never get it.
That's me at 02:25 last verse. I kinda know what I'm talking about.
That's me at 02:25 last verse. I kinda know what I'm talking about.
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Bravery Pandemic
New member
Weed=sick writtens/freestyles
alcohol=sick tracks
cigarette=writers block cure
sober=hard time being super creative i.e. lame lyrics
alcohol=sick tracks
cigarette=writers block cure
sober=hard time being super creative i.e. lame lyrics
deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup said:
Your verse is a good example of why I think MCs need to improve themselves. It sounds like you have a nice flow and a way with words, but still your verse is unimpressive to me. The content is cliched - I've heard it way too many times. It sounds like you have lyrical ability, but the whole point of my original post is that ability is not enough.
What is your next step? Where are you trying to take it? When you say "you get better everytime you pick up a pen or freestyle" does "get better" mean you find it easier to find new words to spit the same old verse?
I think an MC should be able to tell whatever story he chooses in verse, but too many MCs can only tell the same 3 or 4 stories that you find in stereotypical hip-hop. Imagine if every painter painted nothing but re-interpretations of the Mona Lisa. No matter how skillful the artists are, it would eventually get boring and you want to start seeing those artists do something more.
Bravery Pandemic said:
What happens if you have to stop drinking and smoking for some reason? Will you give up being an MC?
JC 420 said:
If I'm stuck trying to write a rhyme about a particular subject or story, I'l make a list of related words and refer to it when I'm stuck for a line. For exxmple, if I'm writing about hating work, my list might be:
Boss, computer, paycheck, fired, coffee, etc
Then when I'm stuck, I look on my list to see if there is a word there that will help me go on.
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deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
Moderator
Ooooh, you're one of them. Can't help ya. You're too busy focusing on content over delivery ect. BTW that songs 3-4 years old. I haven't rapped since my son was born for this reason. Didn't enjoy talking about the things I talked about after his birth. But don't categorize me, as an MC I was true to exactly who I was. Never called women biches(don't call them that in real life). Never was a jewelry/Car I'm better than you type rapper. Had alot of mind sparking moments, but I rapped to a whole different audience than who you're looking towards.A_Str8 said:
I was into Big L, Heltah Skeltah, M.O.P., Big Pun, Canibus, Redman.
What's funny is you don't peep that the rhyme started off "out" and ended 16 bars later off "doubt" not too many dudes can do that regardless of their content. I'm not saying I'm amazing, but if you listen to the stuff on that list I listen to, you'd feel what I used to do.
Of course concious rap fans won't enjoy my music, I don't enjoy yours either, lol.
But my earlier post still applies. You either got it or don't got it, and if you got it, you get better at what you do every time you do it. Whether you enjoy the content or not is up to opinion. Delivery and rhyme scheme is a different category. You can tell when someone is or isn't comfortable with what they do.
I'll leave ya with 1 more. Like playing old sh*t for dudes, since I'm now aware you want "content"...I'm 1st verse on this one
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You're too busy focusing on delivery over content. I generally do prefer music that has good content AND delivery, but I do like some stuff that is just lyrical. I think all the people you named are great and I grew up listening to most of them, but I've already heard them. I'm not saying every MC should be a "concious rapper" because honestly, I think they tend to retell a limited amount of stories too.deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup said:
No matter what audience you are looking towards, it would benefit you to improve yourself and diversify your material. Why were you only rapping to one audience?
No, I didn't catch that because my attention had already wandered. I've already heard a lot of dudes do that.
They are different categories, but a truly developed MC can be strong in all of the categories. I'm not saying you should have any particular content, but you should be ABLE to. I'm not calling for conscious content - it could be serious, silly, revolutionary, romantic, sexual, whatever. We should train ourselves until we are able to go anywhere with our verse.
Pure lyrical talent is like a really nice hammer. That's a nice hammer, but what are you making with it? It's fine if you just want to make a toy, but make it a toy that is original and interesting.
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deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
Moderator
You're talking hip hop hippie. I'm not spiritual enough to understand that. You got audio examples? Even if not yours, like a certain artist? Just wonder what goes on in the minds of people who rant like this.
The same reason most FPers don't make snap and Krunk beats. I refuse to change my lyrics and conform. Dudes who feel like I feel and saw life the way I saw it felt my music. I didn't make it for anyone else, you should respect that? At the same time production is just pressing buttons to me. I reach any audience thru beats.A_Str8 said:
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Ha - nice phrase. What I'm saying has nothing to do with being spiritual unless when you say spiritual you are referring to being creative.deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup said:
I can give you some examples from cyphers I've been in. There was one time when I was just being stupid and started talking about how skinny I am. The next guy came in saying he was skinnier. It ended up with 4 MCs rhyming about being the skinniest. Another time we went around the circle claiming to be STDs.
Some examples you might have heard - Slick Rick tells stories in "Children's Story" and "Lodi Dodi". Biggie tells a story in "Story to Tell". In "gimme the Loot" In "Alphabet Aerobics" Blackalicious' delivery stands out from what you normally here because he rhymed through the alphabet. In "Bitties in the BK Lounge" De La Soul rhymed about annoying fast food employees. In "Your Mama" pharcyde told your momma jokes.
None of these examples are especially deep or spiritual and they no one would classify them as conscious, but they all take rap beyond the norm.
From what I get from the 2 songs you posted, you would have to change your lyrics to NOT conform. Many underground people rally against the lack of diversity in the mainstream and don't realize the underground is suffering the exact same problem.
And I can respect that. This whole discussion was aimed at people who want to grow their art. If you're content to stay where you are, that makes the whole argument moot in your case.
C
country boy
Guest
practice makes perfect,
shakespeare is prob the greatest poet EVER, but he didnt pick up paper and pencil and write macbeth right away
all rap is is poetry thats flowed to a beat
shakespeare is prob the greatest poet EVER, but he didnt pick up paper and pencil and write macbeth right away
all rap is is poetry thats flowed to a beat
Bravery Pandemic
New member
consider it a practice that truly can make perfect
1. whether by reading poetry, studying history, digging in a encyclo-dictio-thesau and trying to be "eclectic"
2. or having fun like the block party days and rhyming about it off the top with no experience/not coming from the source(new york) and identifiying with mainstream culture and underground"middle grounders"
1. whether by reading poetry, studying history, digging in a encyclo-dictio-thesau and trying to be "eclectic"
2. or having fun like the block party days and rhyming about it off the top with no experience/not coming from the source(new york) and identifiying with mainstream culture and underground"middle grounders"
deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
Moderator
If that was your point, you're being judgemental of all my music from 2 songs that I featured on with orther artists. Any MC has stories, but if you're into lyrical content it's not your main focus for every song. You're trying to do stuff like Nas's "I gave you power" and 'Rewind", Jay-Zs "Lyrical Excercise" where he relates rap to aerobics and "Kingdome Come".A_Str8 said:
The way to do this is think up a simple everyday thing and make it into an interesting flow.
Interesting topics off the top of my head. A song where you're diggin for the perfect CD to play, go thru CDs(name names)constantly tossing them to the side looking for that heat. In the end it turns out the CD you were looking for is your own.
A song about waking up beside a dead prositute and not knowing how you got there.
A song about making a song, but relating it to raising a child.
Do a whole song relating flows to drugs.
"You put me to sleep like Nytol, I need to focus, gimme ridilin/
You actin' real bich go refill your Midol perscritpion"(I know, corny, lol.)
Just sit down and put random things together.
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