In 2021, many rappers have shown talent in freestyling. Here are beginner tips on how to freestyle rap in a way to impress! Though most freestyle rappers work endlessly to master their reaction time, others have many rhymes planned out ahead of time. Freestyle rap can be subjective sometimes but all in all if it sounds good, it is good!
Here at Support Hip Hop, we analyzed many freestyle rappers and legend freestyle tracks. There are plenty of patterns that are similar across the many sub genres that hip hop has. If you want to learn how to study rap songs, visit the rap tutorial here.
Many freestyle rap rookies start off from the top then try to rhyme afterwards. Though you're quick to spit, you might run out of ideas for story telling. Developing rhymes as you go is a hard skill to master, thus it requires lots of practice. To practice this method of freestyling, begin by rhyming random phrases with other phrases.
After some time, try thinking about a nice bar then keep it in your mind while you quickly find another rhyme to speak now. This will force you to blurt out the word you barely though about, and carry you smoothly to the word you were originally thinking about. This strong connection towards the end of the freestyle rhyme will lead to a strong verse.
If you are having some trouble coming up with words to rhyme, try using Google's word generator below!
Freestyle rapping to a variety of beats can easily get your creative juices flowing. It is important for rappers to try as many different beats as possible in one session. This is because you will be able to create new flows in your head which can translate to a successful performance. For example maybe try a drill type beat first, then an RNB type beat, then finish it off with some chill type beat.
Of course, we encourage rappers to freestyle rap using more than 3 beats, but you get the gist! You can even switch to acapella to get a new kind of sound going. Regardless, this rap exercise is meant to expand your skillset and help you think of new styles. Once you find your unique flow, we still recommend to try out new beats etc. to continue on!
Beginner rappers like to fantasize when they rap, talking about jewelry, cars etc. For example many upcoming artists talk about driving a luxury car when in reality they have not. This does not present a problem in the community but it is much harder to achieve success due to inexperience.
A way to easily freestyle rap without much experience is to talk about a true story. True experiences are sharp in our memory and the details are clear. This vivid picture will easily carry you while you find the rhymes to accommodate the facts. For example you can talk about having a bad breakup, list a detail, then freestyle rap a phrase to rhyme that detail.
Obviously, many artists use this method when they only have one shot at making a good impression. This is basic hip hop marketing strategy for when rappers visit the radio stations. Upcoming artists simply can't afford to sound subpar during live performances etc. This is why it's necessary to write some banger verses to help you freestyle.
Some rappers take writing serious enough to write a whole freestyle verse or bars. Others write specific phrases or words in which they bounce off of during the freestyle. A key part of this method is to memorize what you have written. This comes in handy especially when you need to make it look like it's coming from the top.
Sometimes words will not sound like they rhyme until you distort it. Many famous rappers are known for twisting words to match their flow, namely Kodak Black. Usually, the word twist / distort occurs at the end of a rhyme bar. Twisting words are a good way to transition into another rhyme. Distorting the end of some bars to match other sounds are a unique way to capture listeners as they find your newly invented word entertaining.
A great way to catch a flow is to freestyle rap a hook. Since hooks are used to transition parts of songs, is would be a good idea to start with a hook. Regardless, hooks give you time to think of more rhymes ahead which can save your freestyle rap. Collaborations are also easier when you mend the sounds together with a hook. Try bouncing off a friend's rap by transitioning to a hook immediately after they're finished.
A common mistake in freestyle raps is the tendency to over rhyme. Many beginner freestyle rappers immediately start rhyming in their raps and quickly burn out. In other cases, rappers over rhyme and it cuts away from quality bars. This is why simplifying your flow can actually make you sound better.
Save the power of your rhymes by filling the beat with context and no rhymes. This is where story telling skills can come into play and take the listening experience to the next level. After you fill up the space with context, during key moments, drop your rhymes! This will reduce your rhymes as well as simplify your flow.
The longest freestyle rap ever done by a rapper was someone from San Francisco. George Watsky has the current world record for the longest continuous freestyle which is 30 hours. That's right, this once-poet was spitting bars for over 30 hours straight and the performance was recorded. Look him up and let us know who you think can beat this record!
To freestyle rap is no joke, it takes work and lots of patience. From changing your creative processes, twisting words, to sharing true experiences and more. Learn how to freestyle rap using Support Hip Hop's 7 beginner tips. Let us know what you think about freestyle rapping and how to get better at it! Comment below.
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