Critiquing Rap Lyrics

[bronzerebel]

It's no secret that songstuff is geared more toward a traditional singer/songwriter. But there are some emcees (rappers), on here that do look for some critiquing on their verses etc. JustSoulin recently pointed out to me that it can be difficult for someone who doesn't just write rap to critique it. So here's a guide to do so, hopefully some of you are interested !

First off if you're critiquing rap don't look at it with a certain song structure in mind. Look at it as poetry, but just with way more complexity. Most emcees will deny that it's poetry, but that's the easiest way too look at it.

Most emcees don't write songs with a hook all at one time, the only time that'll usually happen is if they already have a beat to write too. Hence why it's rare too see more than just a verse uploaded. Rappers won't absorb or even pay attention to any comments regarding the use of certain words in certain places. It may come off as brash or bold, but it's the reality. The reason being that when someone spits (raps), they follow a certain speed of flow in order too keep their bars on track too stay with a beat.

A rapper is just looking for someone too critique the quality of their metaphors, how good it reads, and how successfully they get their message across too the reader/ listener! Rap has no specific structure, I can't stress that enough!

Now regarding how words can be used ending a sentence etc. For example the word "maternity" is usually used as a noun, not as an adjective too describe something.

If I were too say for example, "A bright future turned into maternity", the word maternity can be used in the same context as if I said "A bright future turned into a pregnancy". Also as mentioned as before this is just like poetry. So a various amount of poetic devices and forms can be used in one verse.

For example if I were too say, "This girl ain't average, no this bitch is different

She'll pull the strings on your heart then make you feel indifferent"

The use of the word "different" with just a different prefix can get sound better when being rapped than a more complex word

I can get deeper in semantics but the most important things to reiterate when reading and critiquing rap are metaphors, how smoothly it reads, and how effective the overall message of the verse gets across

Ignore how you would use certain words and how you view how something should've been written. Because every emcee views these thing differently regarding their flow, sound, or just overall tempo of a beat. And lastly just enjoy reading rap lyrics like you would enjoy any other genre.

Thank for reading,

Rebel

Edited March 17, 2014 by bronzerebel

[justsoulin]

Thx Rebel - that's a good intro and help to us all here I think

 

Any otheer emcees POV's? Keep 'em coming so we can start gunning to get you all running your mouths off

[justsoulin]

Just picked this up via another post

 

 

On the down side your song is suffering from the same affliction that most of the self produced HipHop music I've run across lately suffers from....

 

"Tiny-backing-track-itis"

 

Meaning your backing track has no width, depth or height...in other words it's very one dimensional with the odd spattering of wide stereo information

In fact today I just helped a local artist widen and broaden (frequency wise) his backing track and as a result the whole mix got bigger. I can't play that song for you but I can give you an example of what one can do with a stereo backing track to make the song bigger.

This track is an A-B comparison of the original mix provided to me as a reference and the mix I gave the to the client...the difference can be quite dramatic or quite subtle but there is a difference.

Listen on Soundcloud.com

 

 

The other thing most HipHop guys are not picking up on is the fact that the big players in the genre are now writing songs using standard song structure, i.e. verse / pre-chorus / chorus / (rinse - repeat) / middle 8 and either a rinse repeat or straight to a chorus out.  And with each section of the song the chord structure, instrumentation, vibe, time signature etc can change. 
 

This is where the genre is headed and the guys who jump on this knowledge first will, at least in the short term, be cutting edge arrangement wise

 

Thx http://forums.songstuff.com/user/16397-dnafe/

[bronzerebel]

I never meant that a song can't have structure like verse - bridge - hook etc. I meant that it's usually just the choice of the writer to do so

[john]

Good on you for writing that up. There is absolutely no reason why a rapper, or hip hop writer wouldn't want to be as interested in perfecting his craft, as any other songwriter. As writers we can all learn from each other. The craft of the rapper is not so different to that of any other writer, if a bit more street. Much of what applies to traditional songwriting applies to rap, inly in some cases the words used to describe it are different. Rap uses rhyme in many forms including internal rhymes, it used rhythm too of course. One thing I do notice with inexperienced rappers and other writers is a lack of understanding of structure and how it can be useful and effective. In fact it is the main thing I would think rappers could gain from working with other writers. We are far more alike than dis alike, after all, a rapper is a performing lyricist, it is not a reinvention of the wheel no matter how some on either side might want it to be!

Good stuff.

[john]

Not all songs follow a verse chorus song form, in fact the oldest, from folk roots, is what we call AAA or strophic song form. That is just verse after verse after verse. Sometimes with a refrain, a line repeated in every verse, sometimes without. Who knew... Rap, the new folk!

http://songwriting.songstuff.com/article/song-form-guide-aaa/

Used for lots of nursery rhymes, which guess is what makes nursery rhymes easy to incorporate in rap music

[john]

Note I am not saying a rap has to have structure, though just about all do, just not verse chorus structure, but rather that they can benefit from structure.

At it's most base level there is structure... Un intended though it may be. For example 99% of rap I have ever heard is based around a 4/4 musical rhythm,which is one reason it tends to work well blended with rock. Because of that the phrasing so used by the rappers tend to be within and using that structure. Where things are less structured is in overall song structure as there are many rap songs and hip hop songs that don't use what a traditional songwriter would call a chorus... As I say they tend to use more an AAA structure.

Some truly have little structure unless it is enforced by the loops the backing uses, but honestly, in many occasions I think that is more about lack of understanding that what is being used is strophic form, and that it is a known song form. The oldest. When I say that I mean that is true for both the rapper who looks at it wondering what the fuss is about and the many songwriters who likewise only know verse chorus song form.

True, in critique terms songwriters do tend to want the song broken into sections, but they don't need to be. In many cases it is easier to review, especially when a critiquer is faced with a screed of prose on a page.

Does that ruin the rap? No. It is just a useful way to break it up. Do rappers need to throw out all the learning and ways of working as the rest of Songwriters do? No. Most often I think it is because, like many young writers, they aren't aware of the benefits and don't see how it applies to them.

In some ways it reminds me how many young people look at older people as if they were never young, never took drugs, had sex lives, did dangerous things, got in fights etc, as if somehow these are strictly theirs, as if they invented them. Just recently my niece was busy complaining how she could speak like her mum and myself, but we would have no idea of the words that were commonly used by her friends. So we challenged her. She was shocked that we knew all the words she chose to challenge us with. I am sure she would have found a few, but nonetheless some of the words were certainly in use when I was young, some when my dad was young. As to swear words, most go back hundreds if not a thousand years.

Equally the old often accuse the young of many things they are not. The mistakes a teenager makes now tends to be very similar to the mistakes my grandfather made, no matter how much they try to kid on they didn't have sex before marriage, get drunk or get in fights. That is all as old as the hills and recurring.

We are more alike than we like to admit.

Rap versus other forms of songwriting is an artificial us against them. It us not about the old and young debate but it is similar. Rap is on the surface a "young" form of songwriting. But just like my niece thought she and her friends reinvented the world, they didn't. They just thought they did. Likewise, many songwriters could do with reminding themselves that for much of it, they too were blissfully unaware of things, thinking they too invented the world, until someone pointed out otherwise.

It is however very good to know what rappers want out of a critique, what they consider to be important. That is very useful.

We certainly can all agree we use rhyme and rhythm, similes, metaphors and other constructs of language. Are we really going to kid each other on that we don't have the rest in common too?

[bronzerebel]

I get where you're coming from. Over the past lets just say 10 years rap has been often viewed almost as if it's a dieing art. But in my opinion as a hip hop fan this is the most exiting, creative period for it. We have rappers like Drake, Chance the Rapper, A$AP, Tyler, Earl. In addition too older more "refined" rappers like Eminem and Jay Z. Since the Biggie and PAC days we've evolved from "bitches and hoes" too emcees actually spitting about real world shit. I'm happy with the era of rap that I'm surrounded by and I'm more than exited too see how much further it can be taken. And as long as you're willing to keep an open ear to new artists etc, you'll be able to stay enticed no matter how old this form of music gets

[bronzerebel]

I mean the only mainstream rappers we really have are Macklemore and Drake, and they don't even let you experience the real nitty gritty shit. If you wanna hear what I love about rap go listen to some Chance the Rapper or even some Danny Brown. But to reiterate If anythings going to keep this art form alive it's more creative up an coming artists as well people venturing from their usual interests

[omenrama]

Should structure in rap be through poetic meter and form; or by musical rhythm?What do you value more? The music or the written composition.

Edited March 18, 2014 by omenrama

[bronzerebel]

Both are important but your bar count is really what dictates whether or not you sound on beat. So I guess it's like other forms of writing

[omenrama]

There is a book that was published in 2010 by Adam Bradley and Andrew Dubois titled; The Anthology of Rap. As your reading this book you begin to notice that, unless your familiar with the song, an accurate portrayal of the artists intended meter and rhythm become difficult; The reason for this is that, most of the artists never intended for these lyrics to be anything but heard. Does the average person care to pull a rap off their bookshelf to sit and recite a verse from, Tupac Shakur's Brenda's Got A Baby, for pleasure? Outside of those who actively listen to rap music, I would say nobody. Why would someone do that when they can just listen to the song?

[bronzerebel]

I think you could apply that kind of logic too any genre of music. How can you really know what a song sounds like unless you've heard the rythym it follows? If that logic were followed this whole site would be useless because why would anyone bother? The purpose of someone like my self posting on here is for critique, you don't need to hear something too critique it

[bronzerebel]

That is of that's what you're saying

[john]

I would to a degree, disagree. Lol

While not always entirely accurate, as pauses are hard to determine the length of in some circumstances, you can compare relative rhythms with some success. The reason is "scansion". In essence this is the rhythm born from the natural phrasing of speech. Certainly that can be affected by the rapper or singer's accent, but the words and phrases tend to be affected equally. This means that while reading a song you may not get the exact rhythm used by the performer, you are likely to be close.... Especially if the writer takes the time to format the song so that their words are laid out in basic rhythmic blocks writers call lines, verses and other section types. That is precisely what laying it out helps with.

If you write it out as prose, as many rappers do, it robs it of that communication of rhythm, instead relying on the less precise rhymes to set the beat. I say less precise because an individual line might use internal rhymes which can muddy the rhythm in prose.

Scan is our biggest clue to rhythm. Rhyme helps to accentuate the key beats. The written lines and multi line blocks help further communicate rhythm.

My point, is that for critique purposes the word is written, not spoken. The rhythmic problems you describe exist for all song forms, not just rap. I can understand that rappers may look for feedback on concepts, tricks of language and flourishes, but just because they have not learned to communicate rhythm when writing, does not mean they can't, nor that in doing so that it wouldn't be a worthwhile benefit.

I repeat, the issues you describe exist in all other written art forms from poetry to songwriting, including rap. In poetry it is called meter.

Out of interest scansion is hugely important. Even sung we almost always phrase things in the same rhythmic patterns we use when we speak the same words. Sure tempo may be faster or slower, but the rhythm is essentially the same whether we speak, rap or sing. Of course when we sing or rap we also block words and phrases together and then perform that in relation to a backing track that contains at least a backing rhythm and usually some other musical elements like melody and harmony etc.

I have heard some excellent raps, and I have heard many terrible raps. One of the several key points is that of the rhythm used. Get it wrong and it can trash a song as easily as a cheesy metaphor and weak or overdone rhyme scheme.

Look at "I'm back" by Eminem (fair use for learning purposes)

[Chorus: Eminem repeat 4X]

That's why they call me Slim Shady (I'm Back)
I'm Back (I'm Back) (SLIM SHADY!) I'm Back

[Eminem]
I murder a rhyme one word at a time
You never, heard of a mind as perverted as mine
You better, get rid of that nine, it ain't gonna help
What good's it gonna do against a man that strangles himself?
I'm waitin for hell like hell shit I'm anxious as hell
Manson, you're safe in that cell, be thankful it's jail
I used to be my mommy's little angel at twelve
Thirteen I was puttin shells in a gauge on a shelf
I used to, get punked and bullied on my block
'til I cut a kitten's head off and stuck it in this kid's mailbox
("Mom! MOM!") I used to give a - f*ck, now I could give a f*ck less
What do I think of suc-cess? It sucks, too much press I'm stressed
Too much stares two breasts, too upset
It's just too much mess, I guess I must just blew up quick (yes)
Grew up quick (no) was raised right
Whatever you say is wrong, whatever I say is right
You think of my name now whenever you say, "Hi"
Became a commodity because I'm W-H-I-
-T-E, cuz MTV was so friendly to me
Can't wait 'til Kim sees me
Now is it worth it? Look at my life, how is it perfect?
Read my lips bitch, what, my mouth isn't workin?
You hear this finger? Oh it's upside down
Here, let me turn this motherf*cker up right now

[Chorus]

[Eminem]
I take each individual degenerate's head and reach into it
just to see if he's influenced by me if he listens to music
And if he feeds into this shit he's an innocent victim
and becomes a puppet on the string of my tennis shoe
[vocal scratches] My name is Slim Shady
I been crazy way before radio didn't play me
The sensational [vocal scratch "Back is the incredible!"]
With Ken Kaniff, who just finds the men edible
It's Ken Kaniff on the, internet
Tryin to, lure your kids with him, into bed
It's a, sick world we live in these days
"Slim for Pete's sakes put down Christopher Reeve's legs!"
Geez, you guys are so sensitive
"Slim it's a touchy subject, try and just don't mention it"
Mind with no sense in it, fried to get so frenetic
whose eyes get so squinted, I'm blind from smokin 'em
with my windows tinted, with nine limos rented
Doin lines of coke in 'em, with a bunch of guys hoppin out
all high and indo scented (inhales, exhales)
And that's where I get my name from, that's why they call me

[Chorus]

[Eminem]
I take seven (kids) from (Columbine), stand 'em all in line
Add an AK-47, a revolver, a nine
a Mack-11 and it oughta solve the problem of mine
and that's a whole school of bullies shot up all at one time
Cause (I'mmmm) Shady, they call me as crazy
as the world was over this whole Y2K thing
And by the way, N'Sync, why do they sing?
Am I the only one who realizes they stink?
Should I dye my hair pink and care what y'all think?
Lip sync and buy a bigger size of earrings?
It's why I tend to block out when I hear things
Cause all these fans screamin is makin my ears ring (AHHHH!!!)
So I just, throw up a middle finger and let it linger
longer than the rumor that I was stickin it to Christina
Cause if I ever stuck it to any singer in showbiz
it'd be Jennifer Lopez, and Puffy you know this!
I'm sorry Puff, but I don't give a f*ck if this chick was my own mother
I still f*ck her with no rubber and cum inside her
and have a son and a new brother at the same time
and just say that it ain't mine, what's my name?

[Chorus]

[Eminem {vocal scratching}]
Guess who's b-back, back
Gue-gue-guess who's back (Hi mom!)
[scratch] Guess who's back
[scratch] Gue [scratch] guess who's back
D-12 [scratch] Guess who's back
Gue, gue-gue-gue, guess who's back
Dr. Dre [scratch] Guess who's back
Back back [scratch] back
[scratch]
Slim Shady, 2001
I'm blew out from this blunt (sighs) f*ck




First thing you see is that it is blocked out in verse, chorus and other sections. Second you can see that within a verse that too is laid out in lines. Those lines give the key rhythmic statements.

Next you can look within the line and the emphasis through the use of alliteration, rhyme and other accents, where emphasis is placed within the line. Additionally we can see how rhythmic pattern are repeated as hooks through the song. That level of detail is as important as the metaphors, the emotion or the story when it comes to writing well.

My problem, in all honesty, when I look at rap that isn't formatted in this way is that the writer hasn't learned the importance of this level of detail, and that it is an indication of their lack of experience as a writer.

This shows in writers of all kinds in different ways. For some reason in rap the myth that detail is unimportant is shown, often, by thinking that somehow it is such a different art form that suddenly the rules of language aren't helpful or that writing them down is of limited help (limited to concepts, metaphors etc)

The fact is if they can't appreciate the detail in the written word, then usually they miss it in the spoken word and vice versa.

To me I think much of it is that it involves rules, and somehow writing it seems too much like hard work. Fact is, to hone what we do, to turn it from mediocre to amazing, we NEED to care about the detail.

Hell, if Eminem can do it for his songs, surely other rappers and hip hop emcees can do it too knowing that it can be done.

In truth, I just don't see in any shape or form why rap is any different from any other form of lyrics and songwriting. It isn't. Rap is the combination of words and rhythm. Add in melody (it exists even when words are not sung, in the same way drums can convey simple melody). How is this different from any other form of song writing. It isn't.

In exactly the same way that other lyricists can benefit from a close and structured analysis of what they do, so can rappers. Telling yourself it isn't so doesn't make it true. Continuing not to just continues to miss the detail, or even why that detail is important.

It is easy to keep focusing on the obvious. That too is true for any art form. As any musician can tell you that gets passed the basics, to improve take focus on the detail, otherwise you are always a beginner in terms of performing that instrument. True you can progress at metaphors or the use of interesting progressions, but you miss getting good at licks and much more. So yes get good at the story and the emotion and the tricks, but to get it to all hang together as a complete piece rakes an eye for detail. The ability to spot what is breaking a piece, or what is missing, takes knowing detail. Using structure, line and section, helps you to do that. No question.

If you can't communicate it in writing, you don't truly "get it". If you don't get it, you will never use it to it's most effect. Can you get pretty good? Sure. But you will miss being amazing.

As a rule, if it is hard to do, it is often worth it. Not just because of the destination, but because of the journey to get there.

Just my two cents.

[bronzerebel]

I respect your opinion man. But my in my humble opinion without trying too sound arrogant or anything, I think your wrong but right too a certain degree.

For someone too say that if a rapper like eminem raps in a certain form then why can't they do the same is invalid. Em is an amazing rapper that's never going to get imitated, yes they're is rappers who can rap similar but no one can imitate that. Nor can any rapper imitate anyone else's style too the extent that you're saying.

For example this is a verse from Chance the Rapper who is an amazing talent

And what's good evil?

And what's good gangstas?

And what's good people?

And whys God's phone die every time that I call on Him?

If his son had a Twitter wonder if I would follow him

Swallow them synonyms like cinnamon Cinnabon

Keep all them sentiments down to a minimum

Studious Gluteus Maxim models is sending him

Pics of they genitalia tallied up ten of em

I slurped too many pain-kills, downing em off a lot

I got a lot off days but it ain't often that I'm off the clock

Ya'know I mean?

I got the Chicago Blues

We invented rock before the Stones got through

We just aiming back cause the cops shot you

Buck buck bang bang, yelling "f*ck Fox News!"

Booyaka buckle up, mothaf*ck ops too

Ain't no knuckling up em young cause it just not cool

This verse follows the same scheme throughout it and it can still be interpreted in many ways. But it's still amazing lyricism and sounds even amazing. I can't stress enough in how format in hip hop is possible, BUT ALL RAPPERS ARE DIFFERENT. Some styles just are different

Yes rap is like any other genre that follows rytthms and patterns but from someone who's been listening and studying it for a long time I can say that it's just different. Singing a song and rapping are unparrelel, in my opinion. When I read a standard song I can't pick up on rhythm. When I read rap I can.

I guess all that I'm saying is that your opinion is very bias toward someone who is geared toward what I'm assuming isn't rap music. I may be wrong. Maybe you're a huge rap fan.

Writing lyrics can't be perfected, but they can be improved through time. Just like singing it's about finding your sound and rhythm. Hip hop is the purest form of music that can truely make the reader/listener feel how the writer felt in that exact moment (again in my opinion).

It's so much easier too do research and anylyze lyrics then to experience the difficulty and how disinteresting it can be too write outside of your style. But then again we could both probably be wrong because we write from different genres and are going to how different views on things

[john]

You kind of missed the point. I wasn't saying rap like Eminem, any more than I would say to a lyricist write like John Lennom, but you can learn lessons from them, use the same tools, just in your own way.

Just as all rappers are different, so sure all lyricist and songwriters, of course they are... They are different people lol

Oh and you are wrong, I like all forms of music pretty well, from rock to rap, blues to classical, folk to jazz to EDM and you will find plenty of all of it in my music collection... But maybe, just maybe it might be worth asking yourself if perhaps you are too biased towards rap? I am saying we are the same, there is nothing so uniquely rap that it stops a rapper from also being a lyricist. In much the same way an indie car driver and a formula 1 driver both race cars. They each have stuff that they deal with that is unique to their sport, but most of what they do is common, they drive a car quickly around a track for so many laps competing with other drivers to cross the line first. You on the other hand seem to have a very blinkered view that is so rap focused that you aren't getting the big picture or how rap fits within it.

I find it interesting that you describe me and think of me as biased for saying that rappers are the same as other songwriters, whilst you are determined that rappers are something unique in music, and that somehow unless i have lived the life I have little idea about what it is really about.

I never mentioned perfection, but like you I was talking about improving. So we agree on something! Lol

I have studied music since I was 4 years old. I didn't limit myself to studying rap. As a result when I read a non-rap song I pick up rhythm. When I read a rap song I pick up rhythm. It makes no difference. I have no prejudice. I have ears and a lifetime listening to musics of all kinds, of people speaking in many ways to refer to. I am not unique in this by any means. Musicality transcends the medium.

My point is, it would seem to be your lack of experience with non-rap music that is making it appear different to you, hard to grasp, not the art form itself.

[john]

Btw, I am enjoying talking about it all!

[bronzerebel]

Yeah I probably am biased toward just rap haha But I'm trying too ease into other genres like The Weeknd etc I also like how yours open minded toward all genres man, I've come across some people on here who are narrow minded so I can get kinda defensive haha

[justsoulin]

Be defensive through explaining, not attacking