Freestyle Rap & Battle: Freestyle Rap Tips

FREESTYLE RAP TIP #6: Subtle qualities seperate good battlers from the best.

In a face to face freestyle battle its not only your words that matter, its your gestures, your movements, your facial expressions, and what your "non-verbal" communication as a whole radiates. Do you seem confident? Energetic? Enthusiastic? Are you charismatic? Or do you come off too cocky or like an ass?

Remember, a cocky act if well executed can work wonderfully, but a cocky attitude can be a turn-off.

Paying attention to your actions, your energy, the speed of your delivery, your flow, pauses, etc... is the first thing you should master if you want to be able to manipulate the effects they have over your audience. For example, a small pause can build tension and a good line following a moment of tension will usually bring a greater response. Too many pauses, however, and this will no longer work. Keep the pause for too long and the tension will turn into akwardness, which does not sit well with fans or judges.

Learn how to use your actions in connection with your words. For example, you can radiate boldness without saying a word, simply by approaching your competitor, maybe even touching them.

Remember that in the end you're giving a performance and not just reciting a written.

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General Freestyle Rap Tips
If you're trying to improve your freestyle rap in general our best advice would be to practice PHASES 1 and 2 thoroughly.

Also, at first just practice getting your lines to rhyme, don't worry if they don't seem to make sense at first, you can always start your next line with something that will make the previous take on a whole new meaning...for example, earlier today I freestyled the first half of the following bar which at first seemed fruitless when I thought about what word I can rhyme with "promise", but I quickly knew what direction I could take the rap in.

"The hot shit and nothing but the hot shit - I promise/ hand on the Good Book saggin' my pajamas/ Slippers in court/ Looking like Hugh Heff' fuck what you thought..."

I could've also said "Dressed like Michael Jackson, fuck what you thought" If I thought my audience was up on the MJ trial.

Finally, remember that you don't always have to rhyme EXACTLY...make assonance your friend. Many times emphasis on certain vowels and the speed at which you flow can make words or sets of words that in reality are only slightly similar sounding, appear to rhyme perfectly.

Click here to learn how to take your freestyle rap skills farther than you can imagine.