Become a Professional Rapper

Rap music, usually hip-hop, has become a world-wide phenomenon. With successful rappers often making songs describing their vast wealth and party lifestyles, who wouldn't want to get in on the action? But more than that, rap is a powerful form of artistic expression that makes music out of the complexity of human language, not simply the human voice. From the profane to the profound, from light-hearted joke rhymes to violent tales of urban struggle, rap songs can be about anything—what matters is writing engaging lyrics and delivering them with style. Becoming a rapper isn't easy, however, and there will be a lot of haters and competitors out there hoping to make you fail. But if you try to focus, make great music, build a fan base and get the right connections, you too can make it big in "the game."

Steps

Learning to Rap

  1. 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 a 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.
  2. Write More 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.
    • 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 lines. You should be able to fill at least one.
  3. 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.
  4. Study the greats. Listen to famous and influential rap artists 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.
    • 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 on your own music.

Creating Your Music

  1. Get some next-level Make a Beat. 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. If you can do it, however, 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.
  2. Record your raps. You can do this best at a professional recording studio, but 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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 a 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.
    • 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 photo 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 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

  1. Go to open mic events and Battle Rap. Get your name out there by rocking your local open mic events. All you have to do is sign up and sing. Make sure you pick events with a hip-hop 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.
  2. Promote your music online. There is a vibrant world of underground and aspiring rappers who share and discuss their music on 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.
    • Submit your music to sites like DJBooth and send it to popular hip-hop blogs.
    • Get a Myspace 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.
  3. Book live performances. Ask around at music venues and try to get gigs with a hip-hop audience, perhaps opening for bigger 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.
    • Print some t-shirts, burn some mixtapes and make other 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.
  4. Get a Music 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

Tips

  • Change the tone of your voice. If you're trying to show off, raise your voice. It attracts the audience to listen to your music more. Also, don't take lines from other artists, because it doesn't show that you're capable of making up your own rhymes.
  • Having a decent voice is a given, but you should also have a basic knowledge of rhythm, rhyme, and how to mix and edit your voice to make it sound its best. Practice as much as you can and eventually you will start to become noticeable and possibly get booked by local clubs. Remember, practice makes perfect so check into as many venues as you can. For example, many local youth centers have programs that help beginning or talented writers and musicians for a minimal fee or no cost at all.
  • Don't just rap, listen to as much music as possible.
  • Do breathing exercises. There is nothing worse than running out of breath halfway through a song on a live performance.
  • Solicit the opinions of a wide variety of people with diverse tastes to get a sense of how your work will be received across a range of audiences. Just make sure these people are trustworthy and will give you constructive criticism—not ignore your flaws because they like you nor tear you down because they want you to fail.
  • Read! Dictionaries and books can help expand your personal vocabulary and grammatical skills and expand your understanding of life, which you can use in your music.
  • Do not copy lines from other rappers, or else they will try to take you down.
  • Also, when on the mic and recording or performing, don't be shy and make mistakes... It's your stage, your game. Be free to do what you do best and lose yourself in the music.
  • You have to believe in yourself, people will tell you that you can't do it.
Also, look up people that can help your career, like managers, and set up a meeting.

Warnings

  • Make sure your rapping is getting good feedback from people other than your family or friends before you send your music to a record company. You want to make a good first impression.
  • Listen to a lot of other music, but don't copy lines. This will make you seem unoriginal.
  • Rap battles can get mean and vicious. Practicing your battling against friends or family can be helpful, but could ruin your relationship with them if they take your words too seriously.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  • Check The Technique - book that breaks down classic Hip-Hop albums, and has insights into writing rap songs.
  • Can't Stop Won't Stop - book on history of Hip-Hop and how the genre evolved.
  • How To Rap - book interviewing many MCs to see how they write their lyrics.
  • Classic Material- book reviewing many classic Hip-Hop albums and detailing why their lyrics are timeless.
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