[g-yo]

This thread is for rapping help/criticism/techniques!
I've been interested in rapping nowadays and I don't really know how to improve on it other than practicing.

Any tips would be great!

ONLINE RESOURCES
Tips on Rapping

SOOMPI RECOMMENDATIONS
1. (jzsun) Start with Epik High to practice breathing/rhythm/voice (i.e. Love Love Love)
--> Slower raps will help you find your own distinct style
2. (jzsun) Noblesse & Sniper for tone (but no copying)
3. (jzsun) Should master: breathing, rhythm, tune, tone, your own style
4. Practice, practice, practice
5. (appledapple/Nae) Make own raps to beats to find your own style as early as possible

QUESTION & ANSWERS
Will update when asked & answered

[jzsun]

^ dynamic duo cover already?!
>__< are you sure?

i'd suggest starting with epik high
until you can master breathing with their songs
like 'love love love' - breathing + rhythm

then moving on to like noblesse and sniper
to develop your tone and whatnot.

then covering people like dynamic duo,
baechigi, and drunken tiger.
who are just frappin AMAZING *___*

'cause only when you've mastered
breathing, rhythm, tune, tone, your style
then you can like have a good cover
of one of the best artists in korean rap ... ever.

[g-yo]

Oh, I'm not "covering" the song yet, but because I found out that specific song (Solo) helps me with my sort of stutter because I tend to screw up my words when I talk too fast I'm covering once I get all the actual breathing/tones etc down haha

But that definitely is a good point - so Epik High = rhythm/breathing, Noblesse/Sniper = tone?

The thing is, should I be trying to copy their tone or what? Because I find that I keep trying to like copy the way they rap but then I'm like, wait, do I usually sing/rap like this?

[jzsun]

OOH~ misunderstood. my bad. xDDD

oh god no. don't copy them! >___<
that's like hella hard TT^TT
especially since sniper has weird flow.

i just suggested those to since their raps are slower.
and it's easier to find yourself in slower raps ~

after you get rhythm and breathing down,
you'll start doing what is more comfortable for you
and what you can do with your voice in slower raps and such.
so i guess after you got the basics, just experiment? >___< LOL
and once you rap more. you'll realize you have a distinct style.

i mean, like it's great to sound like GD and TOP.
but you're not really a rapper until you have your own flavor ;3

[appledapple]

I think I rap ok, I used to rap a lot more than I do now.

My advice would be don't force your voice, I have done some damage to myself that way in the past.

With rapping overall, not to seem a downer, but I have seen some transformations from bad to good with singers but not really with rappers. I think you should practice making up your own raps to beats to find your own style as early as you can. Also listen to the classic great American hiphop records in addition to Korean rappers. Nas "Illmatic", 2pac "Me Against the World" etc.

[o6.91]

you can start off by writing your own lyrics to random beats.
once you find your flow/voice/whatever, then i think covers are easier to do
cause then you wont force yourself to copy other artists.

[g-yo]

The thing is, I'm not that great at matching raps to beats (especially since I don't have a program to make my own).
Is there another way to find my own style rather than having to spend that extra time writing with beats, etc.? (Look at it from a person who's not interested in going into the industry, but wants to rap for fun/as a hobby when I feel like it, and doesn't want to sound totally bad at this).

[appledapple]

The thing is, I'm not that great at matching raps to beats (especially since I don't have a program to make my own).
Is there another way to find my own style rather than having to spend that extra time writing with beats, etc.? (Look at it from a person who's not interested in going into the industry, but wants to rap for fun/as a hobby when I feel like it, and doesn't want to sound totally bad at this).

In that case do whatever you want because, no, there isn't another way than writing. If you can't get it to "match" you have a rhythm problem, and those are really hard to correct. Some people just don't have the ability to feel rhythm. If you don't want to "spend extra time" then just keep doing whatever you do now.

Sorry for the frank reply, but it's the truth.