How to Write a Rap Verse
Listen to the great rappers for inspiration., Get to know your beat well., Find a story or idea to hold the verse together., Determine how long your verse should be.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Listen to the great rappers for inspiration.
Rap is, at its core, a form of poetry placed over a beat or instrumental track.
Just like a burgeoning writer needs to study the great poets, a hopeful rapper needs to listen to the great rappers to learn from the best.
It helps to read along with the lyrics as well to pick up on meaning.
Listen to what you enjoy, but a small selection of verses to start with includes:
AZ's, first verse on "Life's a B---"
on Nas's album Illmatic Notorious B.I.G, "Notorious Thugs." Black Thought, "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction), on The Root's Rising Down.
Rakim on "As the Rhyme Goes On," on Paid in Full.
Kendrick Lamar, "Backstreet Freestyle" Lupe Fiasco, "Murals" Eminem, "Lose Yourself" -
Step 2: Get to know your beat well.
If you are rapping over a pre-written beat, whether because you love the beat or because you were asked to collaborate with another musician, listen to the beat 4-5 times to get used to the rhythm.
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).
Your verse should fit the mood of the song whenever possible.
On A$AP Rocky's "One Train" for example, the beat is moody, dark, and cinematic.
Accordingly, all 5 rappers with a verse talk about their struggle from poor, difficult neighborhoods to international superstar. , While talented rappers can touch on many topics within just a few lines, all great verses have a central idea or theme that forms the backbone of the lines.
Often, this idea is as simple as "I am the best rapper alive," but many verses tell stories (2nd verse of Kanye West's "Golddigger"), explore social issues (Killer Mike's verses on "Reagan"), or simply muse on a question or theme (Mos Def using numbers on "Mathematics").
You do not need to stick completely to this backbone, but it will help you come up with ideas and keep your verse cohesive.
If you are supplying a verse to another artist, talk to them about the themes of the song. , Most rap verses have 16 bars, which generally means you have 2 rhymes per bar (length of each verse Cruel Summer's "The Morning") If you are collaborating with someone, be sure to ask how many bars they want.
At minimum, most rappers fit 2 rhyming lines in one line
-- "I treat the label like money from my shows / G.O.O.D. woulda been God except I added more Os" is equal to one bar.
A bar is a measure of beats.
Every time you count "1, 2, 3 , 4," you've counted out 1 bar. -
Step 3: Find a story or idea to hold the verse together.
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Step 4: Determine how long your verse should be.
Detailed Guide
Rap is, at its core, a form of poetry placed over a beat or instrumental track.
Just like a burgeoning writer needs to study the great poets, a hopeful rapper needs to listen to the great rappers to learn from the best.
It helps to read along with the lyrics as well to pick up on meaning.
Listen to what you enjoy, but a small selection of verses to start with includes:
AZ's, first verse on "Life's a B---"
on Nas's album Illmatic Notorious B.I.G, "Notorious Thugs." Black Thought, "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction), on The Root's Rising Down.
Rakim on "As the Rhyme Goes On," on Paid in Full.
Kendrick Lamar, "Backstreet Freestyle" Lupe Fiasco, "Murals" Eminem, "Lose Yourself"
If you are rapping over a pre-written beat, whether because you love the beat or because you were asked to collaborate with another musician, listen to the beat 4-5 times to get used to the rhythm.
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).
Your verse should fit the mood of the song whenever possible.
On A$AP Rocky's "One Train" for example, the beat is moody, dark, and cinematic.
Accordingly, all 5 rappers with a verse talk about their struggle from poor, difficult neighborhoods to international superstar. , While talented rappers can touch on many topics within just a few lines, all great verses have a central idea or theme that forms the backbone of the lines.
Often, this idea is as simple as "I am the best rapper alive," but many verses tell stories (2nd verse of Kanye West's "Golddigger"), explore social issues (Killer Mike's verses on "Reagan"), or simply muse on a question or theme (Mos Def using numbers on "Mathematics").
You do not need to stick completely to this backbone, but it will help you come up with ideas and keep your verse cohesive.
If you are supplying a verse to another artist, talk to them about the themes of the song. , Most rap verses have 16 bars, which generally means you have 2 rhymes per bar (length of each verse Cruel Summer's "The Morning") If you are collaborating with someone, be sure to ask how many bars they want.
At minimum, most rappers fit 2 rhyming lines in one line
-- "I treat the label like money from my shows / G.O.O.D. woulda been God except I added more Os" is equal to one bar.
A bar is a measure of beats.
Every time you count "1, 2, 3 , 4," you've counted out 1 bar.
About the Author
Alexander Palmer
A passionate writer with expertise in organization topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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