In this week’s lesson, I’m going to show you some of the secret songwriting techniques that the very talented rapper Cal Scruby is using in his song Cigarette Break.
If you haven’t already heard this song, be sure to check it out here.
This is the 3rd part of this series. I’ve done 2 other videos that break down Cal Scruby’s Rap Flow and his Rhyme Schemes which you can watch via my YouTube Playlist
01 THEME
SMOKE
IN – Lighter FX
HK – If you want smoke we can take a cigarette break
HK – Makes sound like he’s blowing out smoke
02 SUB-THEME
BASKETBALL
V1 You are not a shooter I ain’t jumpin’ at your head fake, witch
V1 I feel like I’m MJ in the 10th grade
V1 How you got the gold playin’ JV? I’ll go hit the road like it’s game three
V2 I gotta follow through, locked in doin’ what I gotta do
V2 G show ’em how to go and get the alley-oop
SHOOTING
HK – You don’t carry nothing but some dead weight
V1 – You are not a shooter I ain’t jumpin’ at your head fake, witch
V2 – See my brother AD got the sticks and the 6’4″ You thought I was talkin’ ’bout Nintendo
V2 – Shooter leave a hand up like Jim Jones
V2 – G show ’em how to go and get the alley-oop
03 REPETITION
10 (TEN)
V1 You would sign a deal for like 10K
V1 I feel like I’m MJ in the 10th grade
V1 Book a show, hit a hundred C notes like who said “The boy can’t sing”, huh?
04 INSINUATION
HK – You don’t carry nothing but some dead weight
HK – Bring it to your door I can ship it to you next day
V1 – Make her bed break, leave her walkin’ like it’s leg day
V1 – Look at my belt, it’s a dead snake
V2 – See my brother AD got the sticks and the 6’4″ You thought I was talkin’ ’bout Nintendo
05 WORDPLAY
If you wish you dig deeper into the different types of word play rappers use. Be sure to check out my lesson called “How To Write Rap Punchlines That Hit Hard!”
DOUBLE ENTENDRE’S
HK – If you want smoke we can take a cigarette break
V1 – You are not a shooter I ain’t jumpin’ at your head fake, witch
V2 – Other rappers set the bar low, I don’t limbo
SIMILES
HK – It’s two sides to the whole ish like cassette tapes
HK – I can see through you like an x-ray
V1 – Make her bed break, leave her walkin’ like it’s leg day
V1 – Layin’ low in the cut like a sensei
V1 – I feel like I’m MJ in the 10th grade
V2 – Keep it cool like pies in the window
V2 – Numbed out like ten toes off a benzo
V2 – Old boy ill like Kim Jong
V2 – Shooter leave a hand up like Jim Jones
V2 – Big bands like Bonnaroo
ONE LINER – PUNCHLINES
HK – You don’t carry nothing but some dead weight
HK – I can see through you like an x-ray
V1 – I don’t save hoes, I don’t get a red cape
V2 – Big bands like Bonnaroo
BUILT UP – PUNCHLINES
VERSE 1
You would sign a deal for like 10K
And tell the internet that you gettin’ paid
Layin’ low in the cut like a sensei
I feel like I’m MJ in the 10th grade
How you got the gold playin’ JV?
I’ll go hit the road like it’s game three
Book a show, hit a hundred C notes like who said “The boy can’t sing”, huh?
VERSE 2
See my brother AD got the sticks and the 6’4″
You thought I was talkin’ ’bout Nintendo
