Over the years I've written rap songs every way imaginable. And in my personal experience, I've learned some approaches simply work better than others. While I don't teach that there are rules to rapping or songwriting I do believe there are best practices which I will be sharing with you below. So without further ado... LET'S GET IT! Pick Out The Instrumental Before you begin writing a rap song I recommend that you pick an instrumental first. A rap song isn't just about lyrics it's also about rhythm and emotion. If you don't begin writing your rap song to an instrumental you will … [Read more...] about My 5 Step Blueprint For Writing Rap Songs
Song Writing
Why Counting Your Rap Lyrics Syllables Isn’t Accurate
In this article, I'm going to share some advice that will help you the next time you're trying to get your rap lyrics to fit within your bars properly. Counting Syllables I often get asked a question that goes a little something like this. "Cole, how many syllables should my rap lyrics have per bar?" Pretty straight forward right? I usually respond with saying that 11-14 syllables are a good generic syllable count to shoot for. The reason being is because rappers typically rap using 16th notes for the majority of the time while occasionally using 8th and 32nd notes. So even if … [Read more...] about Why Counting Your Rap Lyrics Syllables Isn’t Accurate
What Should You Rap About? A Guide To Destroying Writers Block!
Have you ever attempted to write your next song only to be met by a crippling nemesis known as writers block? Of course you have! Anyone who is a creative has experienced these moments of utter frustration. So if you're wrestling with the uncertainty of what you should rap about in your next song take a deep breath and relax as I attempt to alleviate your suffering with a little bit of perspective. Let's get it!! What Should You Rap About? First Person Is Only One Perspective The first trap a lot of rappers fall into is thinking all their songs have to be about them. But let's be honest … [Read more...] about What Should You Rap About? A Guide To Destroying Writers Block!
How To Create Rap Punchlines That Hit HARD!
Being a skilled rapper isn't just about riding the beat it's much more than that. Rapping is simply the vehicle we use to deliver our message to our audience. However there are many literary devices rappers wield such as rhyme schemes and punchlines which make a huge impact on the listener. And moving the audience emotionally and making a strong impact and lasting impression is really the goal of any artist right? So lets take a quick look at how you can create rap punchlines to hit HARD!! What Are Rap Punchlines? Rap Punchlines just like any other punchlines is the culminating part of a … [Read more...] about How To Create Rap Punchlines That Hit HARD!
Rhyming Words Like A BOSS!
At first glance rhyming words may seem overwhelming and a seemingly mysterious gift that only the elite wordsmiths have been gifted with since birth. But the truth is rhyming isn't so elusive once you start to break down the fundamentals of how they actually work. In this article I'll give you a detailed overview of all the different ways you can creatively begin rhyming words like a boss! Let's jump right in! Introduction To Rhyming Words When you break down what rhyming words actually is it's simply the use of similar sounds in some type of pattern that have a relationship to one another. … [Read more...] about Rhyming Words Like A BOSS!
How To Memorize Lyrics
A common question I get asked from my fellow up and coming rappers is if I could share some techniques on how to memorize lyrics. Well that time has finally come and during this article I will give you my personal technique that has helped me memorize my rap lyrics for over a decade. So without further ado lets dive right in! How To Eat An Elephant In short the way that you memorize lyrics is the same way that you eat and elephant...one piece at a time! Many people make the mistake of trying to memorize too many lyrics at one time and quickly get discouraged and start thinking something must … [Read more...] about How To Memorize Lyrics
How To Write A Rap Song
It's one thing to know how to rap but knowing how to write a rap song is a completely different ballgame. In this article I will break down the key fundamentals to aid you during your future song writing journeys. These techniques will help you approach songwriting with a more methodical and foccused approach and will help you build your songs with finesse. Cinematic I like to think of a song like a movie. Movies are stories, experiences & journeys that captivate you. They give you experiences that you otherwise would have never had. They can make you feel scared, anxious, curious, … [Read more...] about How To Write A Rap Song
How To Write Rap Lyrics Faster
It's quite magical when the moment of inspiration hits you to write a song. It's prudent to immediately start jotting down your lyrics as you're being showered with fresh ideas that spark your creativity. But these moments don't last forever and you must take advantage of them as much as possible while you have them. In this article I will share a valuable technique on how to write rap lyrics faster so you can maximize your productivity during your next writing session. Zoned Out Have you ever been in the middle of a mental stimulating conversation with a person? One that's so interesting … [Read more...] about How To Write Rap Lyrics Faster
Writing A Song With A Fresh Perspective
Have you ever began writing a song and everything seems to be coming together perfectly? Then after a few more hours of working on it you seem to no longer love it? In fact you start questioning everything and end of backtracking and changing things? In this article I hope to shed some light on what's actually happening when you are experiencing this common occurrence among songwriters. Newly Acquainted Have you ever discovered a new song that you love and then after listening to it over and over again you notice your excitement and admiration of it diminishes significantly? Are you just … [Read more...] about Writing A Song With A Fresh Perspective
Overcoming Writers Block
We've all at some point of time dealt with the frustrations of writers block. You're excited about finally getting to work on your new song only to be greeted by absolute nothingness. In this article I will shed light on a few things you could do that may liberate you from this artistic stronghold. Flatline Have you ever wondered what prompted you to write in the first place? Was it inspiration? How about desperation or even frustration? Music is all about feelings and emotions and often times that is exactly what causes us to express ourselves. But what if our emotions are completely flat, … [Read more...] about Overcoming Writers Block