Ok so a few people have highlighted we have not featured any advice for rap acts for a while. So we put together these top tips for improvised raps but these hints could also be applied more generally to any genre to music.
Tip 1. One of the best rap tips is to listen to all styles of rap including east coast, west coast, UK, European, etc. It will benefit you to have a well-rounded background of the different kinds of rhyme schemes, terminology, flow structures, and deliveries of all different styles of rap. Pay close attention to the elements of each style. Listen to music closely is probably THE single most important rap tip to become a better rapper
Tip 2. Increase your vocabulary. Come across an interesting word that you don't know the meaning to? Look it up in a dictionary! If you do not have a dictionary and thesaurus, go out and invest in them. Find out an arsenal of similar words with your thesaurus to keep your raps fresh. Study the dictionary from time to time to learn new impressive words.
Tip 3. Make lists of rhyming words. This can be a greatly beneficial rap tip for your writing process! Make lists of words that rhyme with each other, including single words and groups of words. Always add to your list whenever you discover new words that rhyme in some way. Keep the list at hand when writing raps and refer to it when you need some quick ideas. This is a great rap tip to overcome writers block too. When you see lists of rhyming words, it will spark new ideas and enable you to move forward.
Tip 4. Experiment with different ways of beginning the writing process. If you are having trouble beginning writing your rap verses, try writing the hook (chorus) FIRST. Make sure your hook portrays the main idea of the song you are writing. Once you have the hook idea finished, writing the verses can be a lot easier!
Tip 5. Practice your timing. Here is one of the great little rap tips that I have used in the past. First, find an instrumental beat to rap to. Make sure it is something that you can vibe to and feel comfortable with. Now, start free-styling over the beat EVEN IF YOUR LYRICS DON'T MAKE SENSE! Just rap random words and attempt to make them rhyme. Come up with different kinds of flows and focus on nailing your timing. You see, this exercise isn't about your words, it is about working on improving the accuracy of your rhythm and "flow" to the beat.
Tip 6. Learn tricky verses from your favorite rappers, and practice them. Come across an amazing but tricky verse from an aspiring rapper? Learn the words (this should be easy to do because you probably listen to the song frequently anyway) and try to push yourself to imitate it. Start slow and piece by piece until you can rap the entire thing. This rap tip will help to build your memory, timing, stamina, and possibly speed (if it is a fast verse).
Tip 7. Record yourself often. If you do not already have it, invest in some recording equipment (a cheap mic and recording software will do). Record yourself rapping so you can listen to what areas need improvement. It is very important to hear yourself as you sound to others so that you can analyze your faults and become a better rapper!
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