The MC is the person we see at a hip-hop concert. If you love hip-hop and dream of taking the stage, showing original material that gets the audience excited and moving, you will need to learn to develop your style and technique to become the best rapper you can be and surround yourself with talented people.. See step 1 for more information.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Develop Your Technique
Step 1. Listen to as much hip-hop as possible
Just as you wouldn't want to write a novel without reading one first, you need to immerse yourself in the sound of hip-hop if you want to learn to MC properly.
- If you're interested in storytelling, listen to Raekwon, DMX, Nas, and Slick Rick for their ability to spin an engaging skein of rhymes.
- If you like crazy imagery and stream-of-consciousness pun, listen to Ghostface Killah, Aesop Rock, and Lil Wayne for their ability to catch you off guard with their rhymes and weird surprises.
- If you like hip-hop with big hooks, catchy backing vocals, and unforgettable flow, listen to Rakim, Freddie Gibbs, and Eminem.
Step 2. Write lots of rhymes
Nobody wants to hear weak or recycled rhymes already sung by other rappers, no matter how cool you look or how cool you are. If you want to be a good MC, start by writing the most creative, unexpected, and catchy rhymes you can.
- Get a rhyming dictionary and review the rhymes you write to make them more surprising and exciting. Avoid using clichés or obvious rhymes to fill in your verses.
- Try to write ten rhymes a day, even if you are not actively working on writing a song. The lines will develop into their own song or you will have something to start with when you have a rhythm that you like and want to work on.
Step 3. Practice your fluency
Even if you write publishable quality poetry, if you can't rhyme it to a beat, it won't work. Rappers who can stay in the flow have a better chance of succeeding than great rhyme writers.
Head to YouTube and watch other rappers freestyle to the beats you love. There will be dozens of rappers freestyle over the beat of any hit rap song. It is a good way to study the differences in style
Step 4. Listen to a lot of beats
Spend a lot of your time with the beats you try and rap along with them, letting them sink into your mind before forcing awkward rhymes into them. Play with different forms of rhyme and flows in each rhythm. There are quite a few ways to work on a beat and you may not dance to every beat you hear.
Find producers whose sound you like and use their beats whenever you can. Who knows? It may result in a good working relationship
Step 5. Free Style
The best MCs are adepts of freestyle, who have the ability to create unforgettable rhymes on the spot. But freestyle is not a skill that comes from nowhere, you are not born with it. You can learn to develop a supply of rhyming words with which you can deviate, learning to fit variations that arise in the heat of the moment into the established patterns that you have developed.
- Have a good number of one-line phrases that you can work with. If you have a good end line, you can think of other good lines to get to it, rather than using your good line as a starting point.
- Just drop them. Stop thinking about what you are doing and start rhyming when you are alone. If no one is around to listen to you, don't worry if it sounds silly or doesn't make sense. If you freestyle for five minutes straight without missing a beat, you will likely find yourself with at least a couple of good lines that you can use later.
Part 2 of 3: Develop Your Style
Step 1. Be real
If you're a suburban teen, it's probably not a good idea for you to rap about the global narcotics empire you run. It's not that you can't stretch the truth a bit, but it's important that you look real on a certain level. People have to believe that you are saying things that come from your heart, things that you can lean on.
- Even rappers like Riff-Raff and Die Antwoord, who are frequently questioned as being a kind of "joke," are serious gamblers who take their art and music seriously, using social media and preconceptions about how to play. sees hip-hop to his advantage. And they rap excellently.
- Music should come first, of course, but authenticity should influence your appearance. Cultivate a fresh look that people are drawn to, one that visually represents your music. Dress great.
Step 2. Be unique
If you have nothing to say or add to hip-hop, it will be difficult to get someone to listen to your songs. You don't need to be Shakespeare, but you do need to be able to create a catchy hip-hop song that will stick in people's minds, combining words and sounds that people will want to hear.
- Listen to a lot of rap and find the holes. Talk about the aspects in popular songs that other rappers don't touch. See where the other rappers fear to go. Explore unspoiled territory.
- Rap about where you come from and reference local stuff. Although he usually raps on traditional mobster themes, Freddie Gibs is unique in that he is a rapper with impeccable technique who raps about Gary, Indiana, a unique and unexpected place to rap about. That makes him and his music unique.
Step 3. Assemble a team with a distinctive style
As an MC, you'll be the emcee, micromanager, and probably the most skilled rapper in the group, but to really stand out, you'll need some help. In addition to your own skills, you will also need:
- A dj who knows how to scratch, mix and act. For instrumental support, find someone who understands your music and is skilled with the mixer, someone who knows how to run the show while you perform. It's also a good idea to find someone who already has the equipment you need to do live DJ shows. Visit places that have DJ nights and see who catches your eye.
- A hype-man. Typically, the hype-man is someone who supports you with the rhymes at the end of your songs, adding other layers of texture and volume to your songs. Watch the Beastie Boys live performance videos to see how the others chime in rhymes to emphasize the song, or how Flavor Flav shakes the stage on the opening tracks of Public Enemy. They are not the main rappers, but a good hype-man has a stage presence and charisma that make a show great.
- Complementary MCs. The Wu-Tang Clan was created with the idea that a talented MC was good, but eight would be much better, especially if unique and unpredictable styles and flows were mixed on the same track. Find other rappers with slightly different styles or personalities to collaborate with your performances and give you an extra element to play with.
Part 3 of 3: Presentation
Step 1. Get the audience excited and moving
Like the MC, you are the main attraction. You have to take over the stage and get people excited about the show. The DJ has to keep the rhythm going and the hype-man is there to support you, so there is energy.
- Prank the audience to get them involved. Instruct the DJ to turn down the volume and get people to sing too once you've shown them how the chorus goes.
- If you want people to get into your music, you must be into it too. Get moving, feel the beat, and be excited to be on stage. If you stand still behind the microphone and look bored, the people in the audience will be the same.
Step 2. Be confident on stage
If you are well prepared, you should feel confident in your abilities and your music so that you can give your all and put on the best possible show you can for people. It is time to shine. Give them a presentation they will never forget.
- Make sure you have learned all the letters and practiced using the microphone, so you can be sure that all the technical aspects of the presentation will go smoothly. It is difficult to present yourself confidently if you are trying to remember all the words.
- It is always important to do a microphone test before your presentation. Part of the performance's job is to be there before the show to make sure everything is set up and working as planned. Don't be a rock star and skip the pre-show responsibilities. Be a professional.
- He always takes the stage sober and well rested. Celebrate not before, but after the show.
Step 3. Be clear, articulate, and speak loudly
It will be difficult to get into your music if you are not clear when you speak or if you are very quiet or distorted in the mix. Rap shouldn't sound like one of the grown-ups in the Charlie Brown animated series. Polish your vocalization and make sure it is loud enough to be heard in every corner of the room.
If you have trouble keeping your voice loud while you are introducing yourself, practice reading magazines and books aloud so your voice naturally comes to a louder register. This may upset your roommates, but it will be worthwhile to spike your presentation where it is needed
Step 4. Stay in touch with your fans
Be active in your interaction with your growing fans, both those who go to your presentations and those who are online. The MC will be the face of the team, so you need to take the publicity side of rap seriously. Stay longer after your presentations to meet people and sell whatever merchandise you have, being friendly and approachable.
Encourage people to come to your presentations on social media and respond to people personally on Twitter and Facebook. Rappers, probably more than any other group of musicians, are known for taking control over social media and working it to its fullest potential. You are as likely to land a record label deal for a popular YouTube video as you are for a successful promotional tape
Advice
- Don't be fake.
- Read and write a lot. Listen to all kinds of different music for inspiration.