How to Write Lyrics to a Rap or Hip Hop Song
Come up with the theme for the song., Come up with the "story" of your lyrics., Get to know your beat., Write a catchy hook or chorus.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Come up with the theme for the song.
The subject may be something that has recently happened, something that has happened in the past, an issue you are thinking about, etc.
It may be a dance-type song, a song where you talk about yourself, or it may be something that happened in a dream.
There are no wrong themes, as long as they come from personal experience somehow.
The title of the song is a good indicator of its theme.
However, you can always come up with the title later. -
Step 2: Come up with the "story" of your lyrics.
You don't have to tell an actual story, though story-raps have been popular since the birth of hip-hop (Immortal Technique's "Dance with the Devil," most Ghostface Killah songs).
Telling a story just means your song or verse has a beginning, middle, and end.
You want to take the listener on a journey, even if it is just a journey about how great and steezy you are.
Some rappers write out their songs as paragraphs first, then write the songs and rhymes to follow the general structure.
Having a structure to your song helps you build a coherent idea out.
For example, your best point of biggest rhyme wouldn't come at the very beginning of a song, it would come near the end, like the climax of a good movie.
This will help you engage and hold listeners.At the very least, try and end your song on a different place than where you started.
This is why even "material rap" about gold and girls often starts by mentioning how little the rapper had when they first started working. , Make sure that the beat you choose is one you're comfortable with.
For example, if you can't rap very fast, you may not want to choose a fast beat, as you won't be able to rap over it without losing your breath or stuttering.
Listen to the beat 4-5 times to get comfortable with the rhythm and the mood of the song.
Get a feel for the speed and energy of the song as well as the mood.
Uptempo songs (Das Racist, "People are Strange") usually require fast verses with lots of words, while slower beats (50 Cent, "P.I.M.P.") usually have laid back verses.
This rule is not hard and fast, however (see Twista on "Slow Jamz," for example).
When lyrics matches the beat, great songs are born.
Think about how the beat makes you feel-- is it tense and atmospheric, like Jay-Z's "Renegade," or is it upbeat and celebratory, like Kanye's "The Glory?" Notice how the lyrics in these songs match the beat.
Listen again to A$AP Rocky's "One Train," where five unique rappers have verses over the same beat.
Note how each one approaches the song differently: some urgent (Kendrick), some joyful (Danny Brown), some angry (Yelawolf), some contemplative (Big K.R.I.T.).
All of them, however, fit into the beat.
You do not need to have a beat to start writing raps.
It can help to write your lyrics without a beat in mind, then save them until the right beat comes along. , This is the repeated phrase in the middle of the song, separating each verse.
They are not strictly necessary (see A$AP Rocky's "One Train"), but almost any rap song that wants to gain radio play or traction needs a good catchy hook.
It can range from something very deep to something that's just catchy, and it almost always reinforces the theme of the song.
Many hooks are sung, not rapped. 50 Cent is a master hook writer, and songs like "P.I.M.P." and "In Da Club" have hooks that are still sung over 10 years later.
For an easy, classic hook, try coming up with 1-2 separate, simple, rhyming phrases.
Repeat them each twice, back to back, for the "classic" chorus.
Like this catchy hook, repeated in its entirety twice:
Cigarettes on cigarettes my momma think I stank I got burn holes in my hoodies all my homies think it's dank I miss my cocoa butter kisses... cocoa butter kisses.-- Chance the Rapper, "Cocoa Butter Kisses" -
Step 3: Get to know your beat.
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Step 4: Write a catchy hook or chorus.
Detailed Guide
The subject may be something that has recently happened, something that has happened in the past, an issue you are thinking about, etc.
It may be a dance-type song, a song where you talk about yourself, or it may be something that happened in a dream.
There are no wrong themes, as long as they come from personal experience somehow.
The title of the song is a good indicator of its theme.
However, you can always come up with the title later.
You don't have to tell an actual story, though story-raps have been popular since the birth of hip-hop (Immortal Technique's "Dance with the Devil," most Ghostface Killah songs).
Telling a story just means your song or verse has a beginning, middle, and end.
You want to take the listener on a journey, even if it is just a journey about how great and steezy you are.
Some rappers write out their songs as paragraphs first, then write the songs and rhymes to follow the general structure.
Having a structure to your song helps you build a coherent idea out.
For example, your best point of biggest rhyme wouldn't come at the very beginning of a song, it would come near the end, like the climax of a good movie.
This will help you engage and hold listeners.At the very least, try and end your song on a different place than where you started.
This is why even "material rap" about gold and girls often starts by mentioning how little the rapper had when they first started working. , Make sure that the beat you choose is one you're comfortable with.
For example, if you can't rap very fast, you may not want to choose a fast beat, as you won't be able to rap over it without losing your breath or stuttering.
Listen to the beat 4-5 times to get comfortable with the rhythm and the mood of the song.
Get a feel for the speed and energy of the song as well as the mood.
Uptempo songs (Das Racist, "People are Strange") usually require fast verses with lots of words, while slower beats (50 Cent, "P.I.M.P.") usually have laid back verses.
This rule is not hard and fast, however (see Twista on "Slow Jamz," for example).
When lyrics matches the beat, great songs are born.
Think about how the beat makes you feel-- is it tense and atmospheric, like Jay-Z's "Renegade," or is it upbeat and celebratory, like Kanye's "The Glory?" Notice how the lyrics in these songs match the beat.
Listen again to A$AP Rocky's "One Train," where five unique rappers have verses over the same beat.
Note how each one approaches the song differently: some urgent (Kendrick), some joyful (Danny Brown), some angry (Yelawolf), some contemplative (Big K.R.I.T.).
All of them, however, fit into the beat.
You do not need to have a beat to start writing raps.
It can help to write your lyrics without a beat in mind, then save them until the right beat comes along. , This is the repeated phrase in the middle of the song, separating each verse.
They are not strictly necessary (see A$AP Rocky's "One Train"), but almost any rap song that wants to gain radio play or traction needs a good catchy hook.
It can range from something very deep to something that's just catchy, and it almost always reinforces the theme of the song.
Many hooks are sung, not rapped. 50 Cent is a master hook writer, and songs like "P.I.M.P." and "In Da Club" have hooks that are still sung over 10 years later.
For an easy, classic hook, try coming up with 1-2 separate, simple, rhyming phrases.
Repeat them each twice, back to back, for the "classic" chorus.
Like this catchy hook, repeated in its entirety twice:
Cigarettes on cigarettes my momma think I stank I got burn holes in my hoodies all my homies think it's dank I miss my cocoa butter kisses... cocoa butter kisses.-- Chance the Rapper, "Cocoa Butter Kisses"
About the Author
Emily Ward
A seasoned expert in technology and innovation, Emily Ward combines 13 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Emily's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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