Music: How to Freestyle Rap

Freestyle rapping can be overwhelming at
first, but following these simple steps will
get you moving toward the mic in quic.
Unwritten freestyle raps from
straight off the dome will probably be somewhat rougher and more unpolished
than the tracks you've been listening to, but they can also be more unpredictable
and thrilling. Freestyle has its own feel and listening to other rappers freestyle
is a good way to learn the tricks of the trade.
*Check out live battles or hip-hop freestyle competitions if your town offers them. Go and listen. This can also be a good way to meet other
aspiring rhymers and make
connections.
*YouTube is a great resource for videos of freestyle battles from all eras. Everything from Notorious B.I.G. rapping on a street corner at the age of 17 to classic Eminem
battles to the smattering of
underground rappers free-styling over a new Kanye West track are good.

2. Start with a beat. Get a beat
without any words online or loop the instrumental of a song you love on YouTube, and let it play for a while. Get
a feel for the beat. If you've got a rhyming verse already written, start there, or try writing new rhymes as you
listen to the beat. Repeat it over and over until you've started to get a feel for
the cadence of the song and how your flow fits into it. Don't worry if you lose
the beat at first.
Begin with the downbeat. The vast majority of rap music is written with a traditional four-four time signature, also known as Common
Time. This means that every
measure will have a strong
downbeat at the beginning: ONE-
two-three-four-ONE-two-three-
four. Start on that beat.
Often, there will be blank space on tracks while the rapper is waiting
to come in. If you don't have
access to instrumentals or
YouTube, you can use those spaces to practice.
More tips coming, lets take a break now.