How to Become a Good Rapper

You can rap.

With a willingness to commit time to the craft and a little creative spark, many people can create their own high-speed poetry.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook
• Pens and pencils
• Rap CDs or MP3s
• CD or MP3 player
• Beats
• Rhyming dictionary

Instructions

Learning the Craft

1. Listen to other rap artists. Purchase or borrow albums by a broad variety of rappers to discover what you like in rapping. Make note of lyrical content, speed, flow and vocalizations.

2. Do vocal exercises and repeat tongue twisters. Rapping involves complex and very fast manipulations of the mouth, and it's important to develop your voice like a muscle. You might look strange walking around saying "red leather, yellow leather" over and over again, but that's better than a clumsy tongue if you want to rap.

3. Work your voice alongside raps by artists you admire. Try to absorb the lyrics and to keep pace with the recorded music, working your way from slow to fast.

4. Take stock of what you've learned. Make notes for yourself of what kind of rapping you enjoy, what themes you like, and anything else that strikes you about people who you think are good rappers.

Writing Raps

1. Spend some time alone with a notebook. Life provides no shortage of poetical inspiration, and now it's your turn to put it down on paper. Take your life experiences and put them into your rapping--it's always best to write what you know. You should also keep your notebook with you--you never know when inspiration is going to strike.

2. Start thinking about beats. A number of websites offer downloads of beats either free or for a fee. You can also create your own or get a friend who beatboxes.

3. Share your work. Rapping is a community experience. Rap for your friends and family and listen to their feedback. When you feel ready, you can start to rap around your neighborhood; this is where almost all rappers get their start.

4. Try your hand at freestyle (rapping without writing ahead of time). This is another part of becoming integrated into the culture of rappers. It can be intimidating, but once you've written a number of rhymes, you should be ready to try it. Just get together with other aspiring rappers and see what happens.

5. Go to open-mike nights. Start performing where the larger community can see you. This will increase your confidence and give you some exposure.

6. Never stop writing or working on your rhymes. You want to make sure your material is fresh and that you're ready to share it with other people.

Tips & Warnings

• Rap off the cuff about everyday situations: What's going on in front of you in traffic, the new shirt you just bought, what you had for dinner. This encourages you to think in a poetic way and can keep you sharp for writing rhymes and freestyling.

• Check yourself for originality. It can be easy to try and copy other rappers, but originality is the only thing that will distinguish you. Dr. Dre is Dr. Dre, and you are you: having an original voice (including your rhymes) is highly prized among rappers.

Resources

• 20 Dollar Beats: Free Beats
• WriteExpress: Rhyming Dictionary