Now that you have a slightly different perspective on how to look at rhyming, we’re going to take a look at how to build the rap, the content that includes the rhyme and constructs the rap itself.
Two
editions ago we worked on inspiration, so hopefully given that time since then
(or within a few minutes from now) you can develop your own inspiration. Your
inspiration should...in a way…be able to sum up your whole rap. Good rapping
has to have a characteristic called cohesion.
This means that everything that you speak when you begin should be related to
your hook or inspiration in the some
way. Though at the same time you want to avoid repetition in your raps.
This is
my technique. I feel like I do this subconsciously, but feel free to try it out.
1) I pick a topic, (like mentioned above) time, love, travel, etc.
2) Then you have to break that segment into points you would
like to discuss regarding those topics. Does time travel too fast or too slow?
Are you in love or heartbroken or even confused about love? Do you take pride
in your hometown or do you want to go on a world tour?
3) List as many key-words or little descriptions to modify
or describe HOW time travels too fast or slow. What features that boy or girl
must have as in their personality, or what memories you have experienced to get
you to feel the way you do about love? What kind of vehicles will you travel
in, places you’ll travel to, and things you’ll do at those places?
4) Once you write these points, find keywords in them you
can rhyme with, and arrange your sentences accordingly. Keep it flowing with
your content.
A good goal to try to last would be for about 30 seconds or
maximum to a minute. The only way I limit it to a minute is because when I
first started rapping, my lyrics would just ramble past that mark, and without
enough real substance, creative flow or punchlines, my audience usually lost
interest and literally zoned out while
I was rapping. But don’t worry, in due time I’ll help you work around that too.
