*This article may contain links to affiliate products & services. We have reviewed these services to try and ensure the highest quality recommendations*
Written by Jaron Lewis
Whether you like to write freestyle rap lyrics or you write in advance, these tips on how to rap better are still for you.
So if you want to know how to rap better and have a voice like the pros, then keep reading, because there are a few things that you can do to improve your rapping skills.
There are tons of rappers out there and they’re all doing different things. Some of them might have amazing rhyme schemes like Eminem, while others have great melodies and flow like Biggie. It’s normal to find yourself comparing your raps to these other rappers. Suddenly you’ve fallen into perfection paralysis. It’s taking forever for you to write something, and then you keep changing in and the process has left you exhausted.
Perfection is a motivator, but it can stunt your growth. So, don’t get overly technical, if your couplet has meaning and a melody then it’s fine. Listeners don’t analyze your lyrics as deeply as you do.
Seriously, when you have fun with the process it shows in your work, because your creative juices are flowing. When you’re having fun it’s a good sign that you’re writing exactly how you should be at this stage. It’s the right subject and the correct rhyme scheme.
If you’re not having fun, you’re writing above or below your level.
No matter what stage of rapping you are in, you should be learning and improving every single day. No one knows everything and your competition is worldwide. You can always improve, whether it’s your subject matter, your rhyme schemes, punchlines, melodies, or even your vocabulary. Find one thing to focus on everyday to keep your knowledge growing constantly.
Just because you’re analyzing the other rapper’s flows doesn’t mean that you’re stealing. You’re not being a copycat when you try to replicate a rhyme scheme. Rappers constantly sample, and musicians are always inspired by those that came before them.
What better thing to do with history than learn from it? It isn’t about copying it; it’s about building on what came before. Don’t steal it, don’t copy it down the last bit of detail, learn from it, add your own twist. The best thing you can do in the music industry today, is find the formula that made someone successful and use it as a blueprint on how to get yourself to where you want to be
Spending time listening to other major rappers, especially the ones that you admire or seek to emulate is just as important to your development as a rapper as writing and rapping is. You want to hear what they do, figure out how they do it and then practice doing that yourself.
Don’t be afraid to rap about current events, incorporate what’s going on around you and even include metaphors. Keep rapping even when you make mistakes, don’t interrupt your flow, just try to build the mistake into your rap.
Record yourself as you go even when you’re just practicing, so you can review it after and pick out great freestyle lines. Take time out to write and practice your flow every day. Practice makes perfect.
When your song is ready to go, it's time to start promoting it to potential fans! Omari has the best organic promotion services money can buy. With packages for Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, we will get your music the traffic and attention it deserves! Click below for more information.
Join the No-Nonsense Music Marketing Newsletter to get the most valuable weekly case studies and strategies to grow your music business!