How to Write Rap Lyrics
Build your vocabulary., Develop an ear for rhythm., Get focused., Write it down., Come up with a good hook., Memorize your lyrics., Download an audio editing software: If you are a new rapper, it is recommended that you get Audacity., Revise to a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Build your vocabulary.
If you are going to be rhyming words, it is important that you have a few to pick from.
Read books and news articles that contain polished, refined writing.
If you come across a word you don't know, look it up. , As you add to your vocabulary, try reading certain passages out loud and noticing where you naturally tend to add emphasis.
In English, for example, a lot of poetry and song lyrics are written in iambic pentameter, in which the first syllable is unstressed, the second is stressed, the third is unstressed, and so on for a total of five stressed syllables and five unstressed syllables.
Developing your sense of meter will ultimately help you form a beat to your lyrics, or the lyrics to your beat, in a way that sounds reflexive and easy.
Try saying "rapper" both ways, with the first syllable stressed and the second unstressed, then vice versa.
Notice the difference? It might sound dorky, but a good way to introduce yourself to iambic pentameter is to read Shakespeare aloud. (Search for his plays online.) You'll begin to notice the alternating stressed syllables and how naturally they flow. , Your lyrics should have an objective other than making words rhyme.
The rhyme is the glue for your lyrics, but the substance is in your message.
What do you want to say? When you're talking to other people, which topics really get you fired up? Whatever you choose, be real
- rapping about your own life gives the song credibility. , Rap lyrics can happen anywhere
- at home, at work, at school, on the toilet, and in your sleep.
Write down what comes to you without censoring yourself or editing.
When you're struggling with writer's block later, refer back to your ideas. , A hook is the part of a song that gets stuck in your head and makes you want to listen to it again.
For most raps, this makes up the chorus.
It doesn't have to be long, but it should have a catchy rhythm and be fun to hum.
For a lot of songwriters, the hook is the most difficult part to create.
Don't feel discouraged if it takes you awhile to come up with one
- it's better to wait for a good hook than to wrap up your song with a bad one. , After you have worked out a final draft of your rap lyrics, memorize every word.
When you go to perform your rap song in the studio you don't want to be reading from your notebook. , It is a freeware that is user-friendly and works quite well.
If you own a Mac, you can record using Garage Band, which is already installed.
After you gain more experience, it is recommended that you move onto other software such as Audio Audition.
They are not free, but they are better than the free ones. , Pick a beat that you want to use to rap on.
You can search for rap beats on youtube, or download rap beats from a beat distributor.
A good strategy here is to already have the core of your rhymes written, and just work on adapting them to fit your beat.
A common pitfall is if you try to write the core of your lyrics to a beat, you can likely suffer from "writers block" because you are trying to be creative and do revisions at the same time. , Using your mic and your audio editing software, you can now begin recording.
Load your downloaded beat to the software and record over it.
Remember to add emotion or you will sound like a robot metaphorically speaking! , While this is time-consuming, it gives you a wider variety of takes to choose from.
Record at least 1 to 3 more times.
This is because your first time might not be perfect. , Now that you've done several takes, choose the one you feel like is best and delete the rest. -
Step 2: Develop an ear for rhythm.
-
Step 3: Get focused.
-
Step 4: Write it down.
-
Step 5: Come up with a good hook.
-
Step 6: Memorize your lyrics.
-
Step 7: Download an audio editing software: If you are a new rapper
-
Step 8: it is recommended that you get Audacity.
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Step 9: Revise to a beat.
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Step 10: Record your rap.
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Step 11: Record your rap again.
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Step 12: Select the best track.
Detailed Guide
If you are going to be rhyming words, it is important that you have a few to pick from.
Read books and news articles that contain polished, refined writing.
If you come across a word you don't know, look it up. , As you add to your vocabulary, try reading certain passages out loud and noticing where you naturally tend to add emphasis.
In English, for example, a lot of poetry and song lyrics are written in iambic pentameter, in which the first syllable is unstressed, the second is stressed, the third is unstressed, and so on for a total of five stressed syllables and five unstressed syllables.
Developing your sense of meter will ultimately help you form a beat to your lyrics, or the lyrics to your beat, in a way that sounds reflexive and easy.
Try saying "rapper" both ways, with the first syllable stressed and the second unstressed, then vice versa.
Notice the difference? It might sound dorky, but a good way to introduce yourself to iambic pentameter is to read Shakespeare aloud. (Search for his plays online.) You'll begin to notice the alternating stressed syllables and how naturally they flow. , Your lyrics should have an objective other than making words rhyme.
The rhyme is the glue for your lyrics, but the substance is in your message.
What do you want to say? When you're talking to other people, which topics really get you fired up? Whatever you choose, be real
- rapping about your own life gives the song credibility. , Rap lyrics can happen anywhere
- at home, at work, at school, on the toilet, and in your sleep.
Write down what comes to you without censoring yourself or editing.
When you're struggling with writer's block later, refer back to your ideas. , A hook is the part of a song that gets stuck in your head and makes you want to listen to it again.
For most raps, this makes up the chorus.
It doesn't have to be long, but it should have a catchy rhythm and be fun to hum.
For a lot of songwriters, the hook is the most difficult part to create.
Don't feel discouraged if it takes you awhile to come up with one
- it's better to wait for a good hook than to wrap up your song with a bad one. , After you have worked out a final draft of your rap lyrics, memorize every word.
When you go to perform your rap song in the studio you don't want to be reading from your notebook. , It is a freeware that is user-friendly and works quite well.
If you own a Mac, you can record using Garage Band, which is already installed.
After you gain more experience, it is recommended that you move onto other software such as Audio Audition.
They are not free, but they are better than the free ones. , Pick a beat that you want to use to rap on.
You can search for rap beats on youtube, or download rap beats from a beat distributor.
A good strategy here is to already have the core of your rhymes written, and just work on adapting them to fit your beat.
A common pitfall is if you try to write the core of your lyrics to a beat, you can likely suffer from "writers block" because you are trying to be creative and do revisions at the same time. , Using your mic and your audio editing software, you can now begin recording.
Load your downloaded beat to the software and record over it.
Remember to add emotion or you will sound like a robot metaphorically speaking! , While this is time-consuming, it gives you a wider variety of takes to choose from.
Record at least 1 to 3 more times.
This is because your first time might not be perfect. , Now that you've done several takes, choose the one you feel like is best and delete the rest.
About the Author
Joshua Campbell
Brings years of experience writing about practical skills and related subjects.
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