How to Write Better Hip Hop Rap Lyrics
Contents
Want to know how to write better hip hop and rap lyrics? Check out our 9 dos and don’ts to make your lyrics rhyme and flow.
Rhyme
Rhyme is one of the most powerful tools in a rapper’s lyrical arsenal. When used correctly, rhyme can add a level of sophistication and artistry to your lyrics. It can also be used to cleverly disguise profanity or other controversial topics. However, rhyme can also be overused and can make your lyrics sound juvenile if not used correctly. In this section, we will discuss how to use rhyme effectively in your hip hop lyrics.
Use a rhyming dictionary
If you want to write better hip hop lyrics, one of the best things you can do is to use a rhyming dictionary. This will help you to find words that rhyme with each other, and it will also give you some ideas for new words to use in your lyrics.
There are lots of different online rhyming dictionaries available, so take some time to find one that you like. Once you have found a good one, start exploring different words and see how many different ways you can rhyme them.
Of course, you don’t always have to use words that rhyme perfectly. Sometimes it can be more effective to use words that have a similar sound but don’t necessarily rhyme perfectly. This is known as assonance, and it can be a great way to add interest and variety to your lyrics.
Use slant rhyme
Slant rhyme is also known as partial rhyme, near rhyme, oblique rhyme, imperfect rhyme, off rhyme or approximate rhyme. It is a type of lazy rhyme that uses words with similar, but not identical sounds. The similarity is often in the last syllable of the words, but it can also be in the middle or beginning. Slant rhymes are more common in hip hop and rap than any other type of music. Some examples of slant rhyme include:
soon/moon
ride/die
bark/dark
phone/cone
Use eye rhyme
One way to make your lyrics stand out is to use eye rhyme. This is when you use words that look like they rhyme but don’t actually rhyme when you say them out loud. For example, you could use the words “love” and “flower” in the same verse. They look like they would rhyme but when you say them out loud, they don’t. This can add a bit of intrigue and interest to your lyrics.
Meter
Good hip hop lyricism isn’t just about stringing together a bunch of clever words, it’s also about having a good sense of meter. In music, meter refers to the grouping of beats into regular measures. In hip hop, the most common meter is 4/4, meaning there are 4 beats in a measure. This is sometimes referred to as “common time.”
Use iambic meter
One of the best ways to make your hip hop lyrics sound more professional is to use iambic meter. Iambic meter is a poetic meter that uses a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. This pattern gives your lyrics a natural flow and makes them easy to rap or sing.
To write in iambic meter, start by finding the stressed syllables in each word. In English, stressed syllables are usually accented or longer than unstressed syllables. Once you know which syllables are stressed, you can create your poetic meter by placing the stressed syllables at the end of each line.
For example, let’s say you want to write a verse in iambic pentameter using the following words: “The/quick/brown/fox/jumps/over/the/lazy/dog.” In this sentence, the bolded syllables are stressed. To turn this into iambic pentameter, you would need to write five lines that end with the following stresses: “The-quick-brown-fox-jumps,” “over-the-lazy-dog.”
Once you get the hang of iambic meter, experiment with different rhyme schemes and meters to find the ones that sound best for your hip hop lyrics.
Use anapestic meter
Anapestic meter is two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. It gets its name because the metrical foot resembles the Greek anapestos (ανάπτος), which means “struck back” or “inverted”. In English, this metrical pattern is found in many poems and songs, including “The Star-Spangled Banner”, “Duke of Earl”, “No Woman No Cry”, and “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”.
Use dactylic meter
Dactylic meter is used in a lot of popular songs because it’s easy to rap or sing to and it sounds good. This is the kind of meter that you find in songs like Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” or Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.” In dactylic meter, each line has six syllables, and those syllables are divided into two groups of three: one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.
So, in “Lose Yourself,” the first line would be divided like this:
“Loo/sers/never /win/and/winners /never /quit”
And in Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright”:
“We/gon’/be/al/right”
The dactylic meter gives the song a good rhythm that you can rap or sing along to easily. If you want to try writing in dactylic meter, just count out six syllables for each line and divide them into two groups of three, with one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.
Imagery
One of the best ways to make your lyrics stand out is to use images. With images, you can create a mental picture for the listener, which can make your lyrics more powerful. You can use images to describe your surroundings, your emotions, or even the person you’re rapping about.
Use visual imagery
In order to paint a picture for the listener, good hip hop lyrics often make use of visual imagery. This means creating word pictures that help the listener see what you’re talking about. For example, you might describe a party scene by saying “the music was bumpin’, the dance floor was packed, and the drinks were flowing.” By using vivid language, you can give the listener a clear picture of what was going on.
Use auditory imagery
Auditory images are powerful tools for creating vivid pictures in the minds of your listeners. When used effectively, they can greatly enhance the impact of your lyrics and help you to communicate your message more effectively.
There are a few things to keep in mind when using auditory images in your rap lyrics:
-Use concrete, specific words to describe what you want your listeners to hear. Use the five senses to describe the sound, and be as specific as possible.
-Paint a picture in the mind of your listener by evoking emotions with your words.
-Make sure that the auditory image you’re creating is something that can actually be heard. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and produce images that are too abstract or complex to be interpreted by the listener.
-Create a clear mental image of what you want your listener to hear before you start writing. This will help you to stay focused and on track as you write.
Here are a few examples of how auditory imagery can be used effectively in rap lyrics:
“I can hear the leaves rustling in the trees/I can hear the distant sound of traffic/I can hear my own heart beating/I can hear the earth spinning on its axis.” – Eminem, “Lose Yourself”
“I close my eyes and all I see is red/All I see is rage and anger/All I see is violence and bloodshed.” – 50 Cent, “Many Men (Wish Death)”
“I hear sirens in the distance/I see flashing lights/I see people running/I see panic in their eyes.” – Jay-Z, “99 Problems”
Use olfactory imagery
Olfactory imagery is one of the most overlooked and underrated techniques in the rapper’s toolkit. When used correctly, it can be evocative and help bring your lyrics to life.
Olfactory imagery is basically using words to describe smell. This can be useful for creating vivid images in the mind of the listener, and also for adding another layer of meaning to your lyrics.
For example, if you’re talking about a party, you could use olfactory imagery to describe the smells of sweat, booze, and cigarettes. Or if you’re talking about a girl, you could use it to describe her perfume or shampoo.
Here are a few examples of olfactory imagery in rap songs:
“She had a mean drinkin’ problem/ perfume smelled like lilacs and gin/ smoke wafted from her fingertips/ I was addicted to her signature scent” – Kendrick Lamar, “Poetic Justice”
“I could smell your fear/ I can smell your terror/ When I step in the club all I hear is vroom vroom/ Bottles popping making that bubbly noise/ clubs full of models trying tryna look like Halle Berry” – Nicki Minaj, “Boys”
As you can see, olfactory imagery can be used to set the mood or atmosphere of a scene, or to describe someone or something in greater detail.
If you want to use olfactory imagery in your own lyrics, try to be as specific as possible. Describing a smell is tricky because everyone experiences it differently. What might smell sweet to one person might smell foul to another. So it’s important to be as specific as possible when using this technique.
Also, make sure that the smells you choose are appropriate for the situation or person you’re describing. Choosing random smells just for the sake of using olfactory imagery will often make your lyrics seem forced or contrived.
When used correctly, olfactory imagery can be a powerful tool for enhancing your lyrics and painting vivid images in the minds of your listeners. So don’t be afraid to experiment with this technique and see what works best for you.
Wordplay
One of the most important aspects of writing hip hop lyrics is wordplay. This is when you use words in a way that they have more than one meaning or that they sound like other words. This can make your lyrics more interesting and can help you say more with fewer words. It can also make your lyrics more memorable. Let’s look at some examples of wordplay in hip hop lyrics.
Use puns
Puns are a great way to add humor and levity to your rap lyrics. They can also help you make a point or emphasize a certain word or phrase. When used correctly, puns can add another level of depth and meaning to your lyrics.
To use puns effectively, you need to understand how they work. Puns usually involve two words that have the same sound but different meanings. For example, you could say “I’m not broke, I’m just a little bit financially impaired” or “I’m not fat, I’m just a little bit horizontally challenged.”
Puns can also be based on words that have multiple meanings. For example, you could say “I’m not single, I’m just in a committed relationship with my bed” or “I’m not lazy, I’m just horizontally inclined.”
When using puns in your rap lyrics, make sure they are relevant to the rest of the lyric so that they make sense. Also, don’t overdo it – a few well-placed puns will suffice. Otherwise, you run the risk of sounding cheesy or corny.
Use alliteration
One way to make your rap lyrics stand out is to use alliteration. This is when you use the same sound at the beginning of multiple words in a phrase or sentence. Alliteration can be a great tool for creating memorable phrases that will stick in your listener’s mind.
For example, if you’re rapping about a party, you could use alliteration to describe the scene:
The people at the party were dancing and drinking and having a great time.
Or if you’re rapping about your hometown, you could use alliteration to paint a picture of it:
My hometown is a gritty place where the grime never washes away.
Alliteration can also be used to create humorous effects, as in this example:
Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
Use assonance
One of the best ways to improve your hip hop lyrics is to use assonance. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in a sentence or phrase. This technique is often used in poetry and can help to create a musical quality in your rap lyrics. By repeating vowel sounds, you can create a sing-song effect that will make your lyrics more memorable and engaging.
Here are a few examples of assonance in action:
The grey storm clouds gather together.
I wonder if we’ll ever weather this bad weather.
Remember, assonance is all about repeating vowel sounds, so be sure to choose words with similar vowel sounds for the best results. For example, if you want to create assonance with the word “weather,” you could use words like “whether,” “gather,” and “together.” Experiment with different words and see how they sound when repeated. With a little practice, you’ll be able to add assonance to your hip hop lyrics effortlessly!
