The MC is that person we see at hip-hop concerts. If you like hip hop and have always dreamed of getting on stage and performing original material yourself, you will need to study and develop your own style and technique to become the best rapper of the moment, and surround yourself with talented people. Start reading from passage number 1.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating Your Own Technique
Step 1. Listen to as much hip-hop as possible
Just as it is not possible to write a novel without having ever read one, you will have to immerse yourself in the sounds of hip hop if you want to become a good MC. The MC is the one who speaks into the microphone, so you will have to know how to get by behind this instrument. Hear Dirty South Rap, New York boom bap, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five old school rap and other classics. Start studying, because there are a lot of homework to do!
- If you like to tell stories, try listening to Raekwon, DMX, Nas and Slick Rick, for their ability to tell rhyming stories.
- If you like sophisticated and complicated rap, check out Ghostface Killah, Aesop Rock, and Lil Wayne, for their ability to create weird rhymes and surprise the listener.
- If you like catchy choruses and unforgettable flows, listen to Rakim, Freddie Gibbs and Eminem.
Step 2. Write a lot of rhymes
Rap without rhymes, or recycled rhymes, are not liked by anyone. The first thing to learn to be an MC is to be creative, surprising and able to improvise rhymes that work.
- Get a rhyming dictionary and try to find well-researched rhymes. Avoid using cliché and discounted rhymes just to fill the songs.
- Try writing ten new rhymes a day, there is no need to write a full song. These rhymes are only for practice, but they could lead you to writing a new piece. Either way, keep them.
Step 3. Practice your flow
Even if you're writing a simple poem, if it can't be sung to the beat, it won't work. Rappers who have good flow are more likely to write good rhymes.
Go to YouTube and check out the style of other rappers, and see how they manage to create rhymes over a beat. For every famous rap song, you will find dozens of rappers and wannabes trying to freestyle over the beat. This is a good way to study the various styles
Step 4. Listen to the various beats
You spend a lot of time listening to the beats and trying to rap on them. Wait until you get caught up in the rhythm before picking up and trying to improvise unnatural rhymes. Experiment with various rhyming and flow patterns in each beat. There are dozens of different ways to improvise on a beat, and hundreds of different beats.
Search for producers who create beats you like and use them. Who knows, you could have a business relationship with them
Step 5. Freestyle
The best MCs are also freestylers, who always get to improvise rhymes that work. Freestyle, however, is not an innate skill. You will have to study and create a repertoire of rhymes to draw from during your improvisations.
- Create a repertoire of phrases. If you have a large repertoire of phrases you will always fall on your feet and you can easily tie one rhyme to another, without getting stuck.
- Get into the rhythm. Stop thinking about what you are doing and start rapping. Find a space where no one listens to you so you don't have to worry about the quality of the performance. If you can freestyle for 5 minutes straight without losing the rhythm, chances are you will be able to create at least a couple of rhymes to reuse in the future.
Part 2 of 3: Developing Your Style
Step 1. Be realistic
If you're a suburban kid still in school, writing songs about your money empire is probably not a good idea. That doesn't mean you can't twist the truth slightly, but it's important to stay realistic. The audience will have to feel that what you say comes from the heart. Talk about positive and sensible things that reflect you.
- Even rappers like Riff-Raff and Die Antwoord, who are often regarded as "comedians", take what they do seriously, using social media and hip hop stereotypes to their advantage.
- The first thing to think about is of course the music, but being "cool" doesn't hurt!
Step 2. Be unique
If you have nothing to say or give to the hip hop world, it's hard for anyone to want to hear your songs. You don't have to be the Shakespeare of Rap, but you still need to be able to create catchy songs that stay in mind, combining words and music that people are tempted to hear.
- Listen to a lot of rap and find out what hasn't been discovered yet. Talk about topics that others don't talk about. Discover uncharted territories. Don't be taken for granted and don't get down on writing childish and negative texts about guns and drugs.
- Talk about where you come from and local traditions. Discover the positives of your city and talk about it.
Step 3. Create a distinctive style and form a group
As the MC, you will be the man behind the microphone, and arguably the best rapper of the bunch. Stand out. In addition to your skills, you will also need:
- A DJ who knows how to perform techniques such as scratch, knows how to mix and play live. Find someone who likes your music and is able to provide you with cymbal support, someone who knows how to keep the words and music together as you perform your rap. It is a good idea to find someone who is already experienced and equipped with the necessary tools. Talk, build contacts and see who you can hire.
- Hype man. Typically, the hype man is the one who supports you and responds to your rhymes, adding extra volume and embellishments to your songs. Check out the Beastie Boys live videos and see how the other members of the band emphasize the song, or how Flavor Fav tries to engage the audience on the first Public Enemy tracks. This person is not the main rapper, but a good hype man has enough stage presence to guarantee a great performance.
- Complementary CTMs. The Wu-Tang Clan group was built around the idea that a talented MC was a good thing, but eight would have been even better, especially if each, with their own particular style, had the opportunity to rap on the same track. Discover other rappers with a particular style willing to share your performances with you, giving your performances that extra element.
Part 3 of 3: The Execution
Step 1. Upload your audience
Being the MC, you will be the main attraction and you will have to be loved by the public. The DJ has to keep the beat and the hype man is there to support you, get busy.
- Talk to the audience and engage the audience. Signal the DJ to turn down the beat and teach the chorus to your audience. Sing together!
- If you want your listeners to be convinced by your performances, the first to be convinced is you. Dance, move to the rhythm, show that you are enthusiastic. If you stand stiff and look bored, the audience will be bored too.
Step 2. Show confidence
If you've prepared yourself well, you should feel confident in yourself and your music. This way, you can put on a great show. Time to shine. Give the audience a performance they will never forget.
- Make sure you memorize all the lyrics of the songs and have studied them well before performing. This way, you can be sure that when it comes to the technical aspect of the performance, everything will go smoothly. It's hard to be sure of yourself if you don't remember the words on stage!
- Before performing it is always very important to check the microphone. Some of the work on stage takes place before the show starts, and is to make sure everything works as planned. Don't act like a fake rock star by skipping rehearsals before the show. Be professional.
- Always be sober and well rested.
Step 3. Be clear, articulate and speak aloud with the words
It will be difficult to get involved in your music if you mumble or speak too softly. Your Rap shouldn't sound like adult Peanuts cartoon voices. Spell the words well and make sure your voice reaches every corner of the venue.
If you have trouble keeping a fresh voice during the show, practice reading books and magazines aloud so that your voice gets used to a higher register. You will definitely annoy your roommates, but it's worth it. Doing this will allow you to speak more clearly and concisely during performances
Step 4. Maintain eye contact with your fans
Both online and during the show, interact with your fans. The MC is the spokesperson for the group, so you'll need to take the advertising side of your job seriously. After the show, stay outside the venue to meet your fans and possibly sell some music or advertising material. Be friendly or helpful.
Encourage people to come to your shows via social media, and personally respond to their messages on Twitter and Facebook. Rappers, perhaps more than other musicians, are known for their presence on social media. Doing so will increase the chances that you will be able to get a record deal from your YouTube video or tape
Advice
- Don't be fake.
- Read and write a lot. Listen to many genres of music to draw inspiration from.
- Give up the idea of Gangsta Rap and move to different rap genres. Gangsta Rap is heavily criticized by the rappers themselves and the African American population, for providing a caricatured and violent view of the black population. When writing your lyrics, avoid falling into negative and stereotypical Gangsta Rap lyrics, and rather write something funny, taking a cue from songs like Superrappin 'by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five.
