Rap is one of the most popular genres of music. However, some of us may find it difficult to write rap lyrics. How do you write rap lyrics? Here’s a guide on writing rap lyrics so you can start rapping and building your own rap style.
Rhymes and Rhythm
Build your vocabulary by reading more books and news articles while checking out words you don’t know on an online thesaurus. A good, strong vocabulary is important so you can rhyme your words and bring your message across at the same time.
You’ll need to develop an ear for rhythm so you can deliver sick rhymes with a good flow. Try reading passages of text out loud to see where you’re adding emphasis. A lot of songs and poetry are written using the iambic pentameter where the alternate syllables are unstressed then stressed, totaling five stressed syllables and five unstressed syllables. Having a sense of meter will help in forming a beat when you rap, making it sound natural.
Content of Your Rap
Inspiration for your rap lyrics can come from anywhere — at school, at work, at home, while traveling, and even in your sleep. Write down anything that comes to mind! You can edit or work on your ideas later. It is also important for your lyrics to have a cohesive story and objective. Although rhymes are useful in connecting your lyrics, you need to have substance in your rap. Choose what you want to say! A good place to start is to think about the topics that you are passionate about to get you fired up. You can even take the approach of rapping about your life! Start the first verse about your childhood, then focus on the things or events that have changed you and shaped you into who you are now. In the chorus, you can bind the story together by spitting catchy lyrics to sell the main message of your rap.
It’s fine to be experimental too! Experimenting with different styles, flow, and wording can give you the opportunity to grow as a lyricist and a rapper.
Rap Beats
Choose a beat to rap with. You can either find rap beats on YouTube or purchase one from a professional beat store like luke4pres. If you have the core of your rhymes down, it’ll be easier to adapt them to suit your chosen beat. If you try to write lyrics from scratch based on a beat, you’re likely to suffer writer’s block since you’ll struggle to be creative and make revisions simultaneously.
Audio Editing Software for Rappers
Find and work with audio editing software. Audacity is a good choice for new rappers as it is free and user-friendly. For Mac users, recording can be done using GarageBand, which is pre-installed. If you have experience, other software such as Adobe Audition will be a good fit as it comes with many more options you can play with.
When you’re ready with your lyrics, do your recording using your mic and your audio editing software. Add your downloaded beat onto the software and record over it. Make sure to record multiple times so you can choose the best take. Once you’re done, select the best track and delete the rest.
Rap Beats at luke4pres
Purchase rap beats to use on your next project from luke4pres! His diverse rap beats are suitable for beginners to rap veterans. If you’re new to beat licensing, be sure to read his beat licensing 101 guide.