RAPP

Rapping (also known as emceeing, MCing, spitting (bars), or rhyming) refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics".^[4] The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” (rhythm and rhyme), and “delivery”.^[5] Rapping is distinct from spoken word poetry in that it is performed in time to a beat.^[6][7]
Rapping is a primary ingredient in hip hop music and reggae, but the phenomenon predates hip hop culture by centuries. It can also be found in alternative rock such as that of Cake and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Rapping is also used in Kwaito music, a genre that originated in Johannesburg, South Africa and is composed of hip hop elements. Rapping can be delivered over a beat or without accompaniment. Stylistically, rap occupies a gray area among speech, prose, poetry, and song. The use of the word to describe quick speech or repartee long predates the musical form,^[8] meaning originally "to hit".^[9] The word had been used in British English since the 16th century, and specifically meaning "to say" since the 18th. It was part of the African American dialect of English in the 1960s meaning "to converse", and very soon after that in its present usage as a term denoting the musical style.^[10] Today, the terms "rap" and "rapping" are so closely associated with hip hop music that many use the terms interchangeably.

Listen to rap. Listening to rap music will help expose you to the different types within the genre. In addition, constant exposure will help tune your ear for when you begin to rap on your own.

• You don't need to limit your listening to only rap. Sometimes you'll be able to draw creativity and inspiration from other genres.

·  2

Rap with music. See if you can find the instrumental track of the rap song that you've got memorized. If not, find one that's similar. You can download rap instrumentals from many places online. Practice the verses you've memorized over the instrumental beat. Again, do your best to stay on-beat. This will help you learn how to keep a rhythm and tempo.

• Once you're able to perform the rap song that you've memorized fairly consistently over the instrumental beat, try to adapt it to another beat. Pick one with a different sound and possibly a different tempo. Again, you can find rap beats online in many places. The point here is that you are working on becoming adaptive to the music that you are rapping on.

·  3

Rap your own lyrics. Once you feel comfortable rapping on different beats, start to make up rhymes of your own. No need to worry about what you are rapping about, just pick out things that you see around you.

·  3

Rap with buddies. Find some people who like to rap also and take turns making raps together. It's easier to get creative when you can get inspired and feed off of somebody else's flow.

·  4

Learn how to rap effectively. Beyond good lyrics and attention to rhythm, there are a few techniques you can use to be better understood and get your message across.

• Stress the consonants. If you try to rap the way you talk, it won't be comprehensible.
• Keep your words clear. It's tempting to mumble when you begin to rap; pay attention to keeping your words sharp.
• Rhythm is more important than rhyme. Don't stumble or stop if your freestyle doesn't rhyme—just stay on-beat and everything will be fine.
• Be able to think about your next line while still giving 100% to the line you're currently rapping.
• Be loud! While being too loud is never a good thing, it's important to both literally and metaphorically be heard. Be proactive about finding gigs and showing yourself off.

·  5

Perform. Start small—perform to little groups of your peers and get feedback. When you feel comfortable with that, start looking around for open mics that you can perform at.

·  6

Make connections. As you get better, you'll want to start networking with people who can pay you for gigs—bar and club owners, other rappers, agents, or record label company employees. The more connections you have, the more likely you are to make it big

GO START TO RAPP NOW!