Knowing how to write rap lyrics is a little different from writing lyrics for songs belonging to other genres. This is mainly because of the conversational and recital style of the songs. Since the word 'rap' originally meant 'read fast', rap songs are usually sung as if it was a poetry recital or a chanting of hymns. So, not everyone can tell you how to write rap lyrics.
Unlike spoken word poetry, rapping is performed in sync with a beat. This is why writing rap lyrics can be a little difficult. Rap songs usually consist of three parts: content, flow and delivery. According to the book 'How to Rap', flow can be split into 3 parts: rhyme, rhyme schemes and rhythm or cadence.
Lyrics
The old school flow, which was relatively simple, was changed by artists like Rakim and Big Daddy Kane who changed the flow of rap songs. Present day rappers like Eminem have been famous for their use of complex rhyme schemes like internal rhymes, offbeat rhymes and multi-syllabic rhymes. While rhymes and rhythms dominate a rap song, you may also experiment with techniques like alliteration to know how to write rap lyrics.
Alliteration or front rhyme, as it is colloquially known, has been extensively used in tongue twisters like "She sells sea shells on the sea shore" and team names and pseudonyms like "Peter Pan" and "Kentucky Kings" for a long time now. You need to learn techniques such as using double entendres, similes and metaphors to know how to write rap lyrics.
Also, knowing to choose a subject can help you know how to write rap lyrics. While most of the rap songs are about issues like teenage pregnancy and racism, there are various other themes. For instance, 'Christian rap' refers to singing about spiritual and Christian topics where as 'Gangsta' rap is all about one's criminal and illegal past.
Rappers often tend to develop a vocabulary of their own. Rappers have always used native and international slang to make their songs sound more casual and informal. And some artists, due to their habit of including multi-level metaphors, create new words everyday.
How to Write Rap Lyrics Lyrics
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