How to Make a Rap Song

A good rap song gets people to think and dance.

A good rap song is a successful combination of several things. In particular, a rap song needs a beat that people want to dance to. A rap song needs memorable lyrics and catchy vocals that people want to sing. These lyrics often share personal stories from the rapper or have some words that resonate with people and their daily lives. Once all these elements are put together, with a good band and good production, you have the makings of a good rap song.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Listen to rap songs you like. This will help you as you learn to write your own songs. In particular, listen to what techniques are used. Pay attention to structure and how long each section is.

2. Create a beat to rap to. Your song can have multiple beats. Often times, you'll have a different beat for each section of the song, such as one for the verse, one for the chorus and one for the bridge. You can simply create your own beat or use beat-making software, which can be found online or at music equipment stores.

3. Decide on a topic and theme for your song. Chances are you'll write better lyrics if they're about something you experienced or relate to. Family? Life? School? Relationships? Death? Love? You can write about anything. If the topic connects with an audience, that will increase its chances for success.

4. Write an intro for your song. This is often just a musical part. Like the name implies, an "intro" is the introduction to your song, the first part. Do you want the song to start strong right away or build up into the main beat?

5. Write lyrics for a verse. After the intro of the song, the next part is often a verse. You'll typically have two or three verses in a song, which are often around 16 measures long. Rap songs are known for their clever rhymes, so be sure your lines rhyme.

6. Write lyrics for a chorus. This is the catchy part that listeners are likely to get stuck in their head. This part will typically be repeated two or three times in your song, so make it memorable. Again, aim to have your lyrics rhyme.

7. Write lyrics for a bridge. This is the part of the song often after the second chorus, where the feel or style of the song changes. This can also be the part where another singer raps for a few measures. As always, aim to have the lyrics rhyme.

8. Write an outro for your song. This is the part that concludes your song -- just as an intro opens your song. The outro can fade out or stop abruptly. As well, this can be just music or include vocals too. Try to end your song in a memorable way, such as a final message to the listeners.

Tips & Warnings

• Rap songs need memorable rhymes. There are many rhyming websites or you can purchase a rhyming dictionary. Getting good at rhyming will increase the quality of your rap lyrics.

References

• Music Maker Pro: How to Make a Rap Song

Resources

• RhymeZone: Rhyming Dictionary and Thesaurus
• Rap Basement