Learning to Rap
Learn to put words together with rhythm, rhyme, and patterns of meaning. At its most basic level, rapping is reciting rhyming lyrics over a beat, but good raps use a variety of linguistic devices, such as alliteration, repetition, and wordplay. Good raps also have dynamism and flow that keeps the song interesting while also staying on beat. Study poetry, literature, and music to understand what is possible. Make a game out of learning to rap by trying to say all your everyday sentences in the form of improvised rap. This will give you fresh ideas and help you develop an instinct for how words flow together.
Write every day. Write about topics you know and care about, but don't be afraid to experiment. Write down any lyrics that come into your head throughout the day, but also spend some time sitting and composing whole songs with several verses, hooks, and a bridge. Tip: Write down as many rhymes and interesting word combinations as you can. Over his career, Eminem has collected dozens of boxes of notebooks filled with potential rap lyrics. You should be able to fill in at least one.
Practice, practice, practice your delivery. Having the greatest lyrics in the world won't get you anywhere if you can't rap them with confidence, dynamism, flow, and charisma. Practice rapping your lyrics loudly and passionately, and as much as possible. Try different speeds, volumes, inflections and places to pause for breath. Memorize the lyrics of other rappers with great flow, and try singing along. When you think you've mastered them, get the instrumental version of your favorite track and try to rap the song without the original artist's voice to guide you. Then when you can do that, practice the song a cappella. Figure out what is interesting about your own voice and make the most of it. Don't try to imitate other rappers—capitalize on your own unique sound.
Study the greats. Listen to famous and influential rappers and examine their lyrics. Look for the different techniques they use and how they structure their songs. Decide what styles you like and explore them until you have a good understanding of the genre. Learn the references and inside jokes behind many classic rap lyrics. Examples of some of the most famous rappers are Eminem, Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, Nas, Dr. Dre, Jay Z, 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg. You can be influenced by other rappers, but don't be an imitator. At a certain point, you have to block out everything else and focus solely on your own music.
Creating Music
Get some next-level beats. Every great rap song should have a unique and catchy beat to set it apart from all the average songs that clog the radio. www.hytmanbeats.com is a good site to find beats. Purchasing beat making software and equipment can be costly, and learning how to make your own beats is often just as big an undertaking as learning how to rap. However, if you can do it, making your own beats is definitely worth it as it gives you fuller creative control over your songs and a deeper understanding of the music. If you don't want to make your own beats, you can hire or partner with a producer. Make sure this person is talented and listen to some of their other work before you buy anything. If you are just starting off and can't afford your own beats yet, consider getting instrumental versions of popular rap songs and rap over these. Just make sure you are following fair use rules for copyrighted material. And of course, you can't rap over other artists' songs forever.
Record your raps. If you plan to release your record commercially (on iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, etc.), it is best to do this at a professional recording studio. However, with a little work you can also set up a recording studio in your home. Do several takes for every part of your song—you aren't Eminem just yet! Don't worry if you mess up; you can always use another take for that part.
Mix some songs. Get your recordings mastered and put your raps over your best beats. Work on your songs until they sound great, adjusting the beat and the vocals until they match seamlessly. Give your song a name. Consider using a recognizable word or phrase from the hook.
Make your first mixtape. Many people think of mixtapes as collections of songs by various artists that you burn together for your boyfriend or girlfriend. But to aspiring rappers a mixtape is much like an album, just usually less refined and often distributed informally or for free. Once you have a number of songs you like, combine the best 7-15 of them into a mixtape. Tip: Think about the order of the songs on your mixtape. Even if the songs aren't necessarily related, try to craft a sort of narrative or emotional arc with the songs. Create some album art. This can be anything, from a childhood photograph of yourself to just text on a plain background to abstract art. If you aren't visually artistic, get an artist to help you. Burn some CD copies to distribute or release your mixtape for free online. If you don't have enough songs for a mixtape but still want to start getting your music out there, consider just releasing a single instead. Make sure it's a great one, and give your single cover art just like an album would have.
Launching Your Career
Go to open mic events and rap battles. Get your name out there by rocking your local open mic events. All you have to do is sign up and rap. Make sure you pick events with a hip-hop oriented audience. Freestyle battling is a whole world in itself. You don't have to be a great freestyler to be a good rapper, but it certainly helps. Battling is a way to hone your skills and get known.
Promote your music online. There is a vibrant world of underground and aspiring rappers who share and discuss their music via the Internet. Simply putting your music out online doesn't mean anyone will notice or listen to it—you have to work to promote it. You can even sell your music on sites like Spotify, Apple Music, Soundrop, and SoundBetter. Submit your music to sites like DJBooth and send it to popular hip-hop blogs. Get an Instagram account, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account. Use these to share your music and get the word out about your shows and upcoming releases. Build a following and keep them interested.
Book live performances. Ask around at music venues and try to get gigs with a hip-hop oriented audience, perhaps as an opening act for better-known acts. Try to earn some money from these, but don't be afraid to do a few shows for free to get your name out there. Tip: Print some t-shirts, burn some mixtapes and make other distinctive merchandise to sell at your shows. Work on your stage presence. Don't just get up there and recite your lines—you have to engage the audience. Use your words, your expression, and your body. Pay attention to what the audience likes and give them more.
Get a manager. Once you start to get some traction, you may need help taking your career to the next level. A manager can take over some of the work promoting your music, booking gigs and talking to record labels. Just be careful that your manager is looking out for your interests, not just his own.
Collaborate with other artists. Rapping isn't a solitary art—much of the time it is something you do with other people, producers, singers or other rappers. Network and build strong relationships with other people in the industry you meet. Do collaborations with them whenever you can. Having a verse on another rapper's song exposes you and your skills to a whole new audience. Having another rapper do a verse for you is kind of like an endorsement. People will notice your music more if you have notable collaborators.
Get a record deal—or make it indie! Landing a deal with a major hip-hop label is the dream of most rap artists. A record deal puts a ton of resources and clout at your fingertips and starts you down the track to real fame. However remember that record companies are out to make money for themselves, and sometimes you might be better off starting your own label or partnering with another indie to release your music.
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