Freestyle rap
Encyclopedia
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap
lyrics
which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head". It is similar to other improvisational music such as jazz
- Myka 9
of Freestyle Fellowship
describes it as being "like a jazz solo" where there is a lead saxophonist acting as the improviser and the rest of the band providing the beat. Rap battles
are sometimes improvised in this way. It is similar in both form and function to the ancient practice of flyting
.
Originally, in Old school hip hop
of the 1980s, the term ‘freestyle’ referred to a pre-written rap verse that was not on any particular subject matter, but rather was written for the purpose of demonstrating skill. The term is still occasionally used in this way, though since the 90s, the majority of today’s artists use it to mean improvised rapping.
, Big Daddy Kane
and Myka 9 note that originally a freestyle was a written rap on no particular subject – Big Daddy Kane says, “in the ’80s when we said we wrote a freestyle rap, that meant that it was a rhyme that you wrote that was free of style… it’s basically a rhyme just bragging about yourself.”. Myka 9 adds, “back in the day freestyle was bust[ing] a rhyme about any random thing, and it was a written rhyme or something memorized”. Divine Styler
says: “in the school I come from, freestyling was a non-conceptual written rhyme… and now they call freestyling off the top of the head, so the era I come from it’s a lot different”. Kool Moe Dee
also refers to this earlier definition in his book, There's A God On The Mic
:
In old school hip-hop, Kool Moe Dee says that improvisational rapping was instead called “coming off the top of the head”, and Big Daddy Kane says, "off-the-top-of-the-head [rapping], we just called that "off the dome" — when you don’t write it and [you] say whatever comes to mind”.
Referring to this earlier definition (a written rhyme on non-specific subject matter) Big Daddy Kane says, "that’s really what a freestyle is” and Kool Moe Dee refers to it as “true” freestyle, and “the real old-school freestyle”. Kool Moe Dee suggests that Kool G Rap
’s track ‘Men At Work’ is an “excellent example” of “true” freestyle, along with Rakim
’s "Lyrics of Fury".
’s 8 Mile
, ‘freestyle’ has come to be the widely used term for rap lyrics which are improvised on the spot. This type of freestyle is the focus of Kevin Fitzgerald’s documentary, Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
, where the term is used throughout by numerous artists to mean improvisational rapping.
Kool Moe Dee suggests the change in how the term is used happened somewhere in the mid to late ‘80s, saying, “until 1986, all freestyles were written”, and “before the ‘90s it was about how hard you could come with a written rhyme with no particular subject matter and no real purpose other than showing your lyrical prowess”.
Myka 9 explains that Freestyle Fellowship helped redefine the term – “that’s what they say I helped do - I helped get the world to freestyle, me and the Freestyle Fellowship, by inventing the Freestyle Fellowship and by redefining what freestyle is… We have redefined what freestyle is by saying that it’s improvisational rap like a jazz
solo”.
Although this kind of freestyling is very well respected today, Kool Moe Dee states that this was not the case previously:
, David Banner
, and One Be Lo
in the book How to Rap
. In the same book, reasons for freestyling given by K-Os
, Bobby Creekwater
, Cappadonna
, El Da Sensei
, and Myka 9 include - for entertainment, as a therapeutic activity, to discover different ways of rapping
, promoting yourself, being versatile, and as a spiritual activity. Improvised freestyling is also a skill that can be used in live performance, to do things such as giving something extra to the crowd and to cover up mistakes. Artists will often refer to places and objects in their immediate setting.
Improvised freestyling is also a way of recording songs for albums or mixtapes, as described by Myka 9 and Cashis
- other artists such as DJ Quik
, T3 of Slum Village
, Evidence of Dilated Peoples
, Myka 9, Mr Lif, and Zion I
discuss the pros and cons of this in How to Rap
and how it can help them come up with ideas.
Freestyles are either performed a cappella
, over beatboxing
(as seen in Freestyle
as Black Thought
improvises over Questlove's beatboxing), or over instrumental versions of recorded Hip-Hop songs. Often, freestyling is done in a group setting (called a cypher) or as part of a freestyle battle
. In these cases, freestyle verses are often prepared in the rapper's head as the other rappers in the cypher or the opponent in the battle take their turn. Metaphors and similes are often used when freestyling and a good punch line makes a great impact when freestyling in a cypher.
Due to the improvised nature of freestyle, rules for meter
and rhythm
are usually more relaxed than in conventional rap. Many artists base their set on the situation and mental state, but have a ready supply of prepared lyrics and rhyme patterns they can use as filler or even around which they can build their set.
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head". It is similar to other improvisational music such as jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
- Myka 9
Myka 9
Myka 9 is a musician/rapper from Los Angeles.-History:Originally known as Microphone Mike, in the 80s he was a member of the MC Aces with Aceyalone and Spoon Iodine. As one of the founding members of Freestyle Fellowship, Myka 9 was instrumental in the scene at the Good Life Cafe in the early 90s...
of Freestyle Fellowship
Freestyle Fellowship
Freestyle Fellowship are a rap group from Los Angeles consisting of rappers Aceyalone, Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., Self Jupiter and producer J Sumbi...
describes it as being "like a jazz solo" where there is a lead saxophonist acting as the improviser and the rest of the band providing the beat. Rap battles
Battle Rap
Battle rap is a type of rapping that includes a lot of braggadocio content "combined with put-downs, insults, and disses against real or imaginary opponents"...
are sometimes improvised in this way. It is similar in both form and function to the ancient practice of flyting
Flyting
Flyting or fliting is a contest consisting of the exchange of insults, often conducted in verse, between two parties.-Description:Flyting is a ritual, poetic exchange of insults practiced mainly between the 5th and 16th centuries. The root is the Old English word flītan meaning quarrel...
.
Originally, in Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
of the 1980s, the term ‘freestyle’ referred to a pre-written rap verse that was not on any particular subject matter, but rather was written for the purpose of demonstrating skill. The term is still occasionally used in this way, though since the 90s, the majority of today’s artists use it to mean improvised rapping.
Original definition
In the book How to RapHow to Rap
How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC is a book on hip-hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.- Publication :...
, Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
and Myka 9 note that originally a freestyle was a written rap on no particular subject – Big Daddy Kane says, “in the ’80s when we said we wrote a freestyle rap, that meant that it was a rhyme that you wrote that was free of style… it’s basically a rhyme just bragging about yourself.”. Myka 9 adds, “back in the day freestyle was bust[ing] a rhyme about any random thing, and it was a written rhyme or something memorized”. Divine Styler
Divine Styler
Divine Styler is an alternative hip hop artist from Brooklyn, New York.-History:He first emerged as part of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate. His first LP, Word Power, was hailed by critics and fans, but was not a commercial success. His second album, the wildly experimental Spiral Walls Containing Autumns...
says: “in the school I come from, freestyling was a non-conceptual written rhyme… and now they call freestyling off the top of the head, so the era I come from it’s a lot different”. Kool Moe Dee
Kool Moe Dee
Mohandas Dewese , better known as Kool Moe Dee, is an American Hip Hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was born in Manhattan, New York...
also refers to this earlier definition in his book, There's A God On The Mic
There's a God on the Mic
There’s a God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs is a book by the old school hip hop MC Kool Moe Dee, where he ranks what he believes to be the Top 50 greatest MCs of all time, giving a breakdown of each artist...
:
"There are two types of freestyle. There’s an old-school freestyle that’s basically rhymes that you’ve written that may not have anything to do with any subject or that goes all over the place. Then there’s freestyle where you come off the top of the head."
In old school hip-hop, Kool Moe Dee says that improvisational rapping was instead called “coming off the top of the head”, and Big Daddy Kane says, "off-the-top-of-the-head [rapping], we just called that "off the dome" — when you don’t write it and [you] say whatever comes to mind”.
Referring to this earlier definition (a written rhyme on non-specific subject matter) Big Daddy Kane says, "that’s really what a freestyle is” and Kool Moe Dee refers to it as “true” freestyle, and “the real old-school freestyle”. Kool Moe Dee suggests that Kool G Rap
Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson , better known by his stage names Kool G Rap , Kool G. Rap, and Giancana , is an American rapper, from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew...
’s track ‘Men At Work’ is an “excellent example” of “true” freestyle, along with Rakim
Rakim
William Michael Griffin Jr. , known by his stage names Rakim , Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled emcees of all time. Eric B...
’s "Lyrics of Fury".
Newer definition
Since the early ‘90s onwards, with the popularization of improvisational rapping from groups/artists such as Freestyle Fellowship through to EminemEminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
’s 8 Mile
8 Mile (film)
8 Mile is a 2002 American hip-hop drama film written by Scott Silver, directed by Curtis Hanson, and starring Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, and Kim Basinger....
, ‘freestyle’ has come to be the widely used term for rap lyrics which are improvised on the spot. This type of freestyle is the focus of Kevin Fitzgerald’s documentary, Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme is a 2000 documentary film directed by Kevin Fitzgerald. The film follows the art of freestyle, improvisational hip-hop. This independent release includes extemporaneous performances by artists such as Supernatural, Mos Def, The Roots, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur,...
, where the term is used throughout by numerous artists to mean improvisational rapping.
Kool Moe Dee suggests the change in how the term is used happened somewhere in the mid to late ‘80s, saying, “until 1986, all freestyles were written”, and “before the ‘90s it was about how hard you could come with a written rhyme with no particular subject matter and no real purpose other than showing your lyrical prowess”.
Myka 9 explains that Freestyle Fellowship helped redefine the term – “that’s what they say I helped do - I helped get the world to freestyle, me and the Freestyle Fellowship, by inventing the Freestyle Fellowship and by redefining what freestyle is… We have redefined what freestyle is by saying that it’s improvisational rap like a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
solo”.
Although this kind of freestyling is very well respected today, Kool Moe Dee states that this was not the case previously:
"A lot of the old-school artists didn’t even respect what’s being called freestyle now... any emcee coming off the top of the head wasn’t really respected. The sentiment was emcees only did that if they couldn’t write. The coming off the top of the head rhymer had a built-in excuse to not be critiqued as hard".
Methodology of improvised freestyle
A number of rappers learned to rap through improvised freestyling and by making freestyling into a conversation or a rhyming game which they played often - as described by artists such as MC ShanMC Shan
MC Shan is an American rapper. He is perhaps best known for collaborating with Snow in "Informer", an international number one hit single.-Biography:...
, David Banner
David Banner
Lavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...
, and One Be Lo
One Be Lo
Nahshid Sulaiman better known by his stage name One Be Lo is an alternative hip hop artist from Pontiac, Michigan. He is well respected for being one half of the former rap duo Binary Star, and has released a number of well-received solo albums...
in the book How to Rap
How to Rap
How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC is a book on hip-hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.- Publication :...
. In the same book, reasons for freestyling given by K-Os
K-os
Kevin Brereton , better known by his stage name k-os , is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer...
, Bobby Creekwater
Bobby Creekwater
Bobby Creekwater is an American rapper and hip-hop producer from Atlanta, Georgia who is a former member of Shady Records.-Biography:...
, Cappadonna
Cappadonna
Darryl Hill best known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an American rapper and oftentimes member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He is also a member of rap duo Wu South, along with Ratchet Rush.-Biography:...
, El Da Sensei
El Da Sensei
El Da Sensei is an American rapper from Newark, New Jersey. During the 1990s he was a member of the influential hip hop duo, Artifacts.Since then he has released several solo albums to critical acclaim.-Discography:...
, and Myka 9 include - for entertainment, as a therapeutic activity, to discover different ways of rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, promoting yourself, being versatile, and as a spiritual activity. Improvised freestyling is also a skill that can be used in live performance, to do things such as giving something extra to the crowd and to cover up mistakes. Artists will often refer to places and objects in their immediate setting.
Improvised freestyling is also a way of recording songs for albums or mixtapes, as described by Myka 9 and Cashis
Cashis
Ramone Johnson, better known by his stage name Cashis , is an American rapper who was born and raised in Chicago, but moved to Irvine, California. He was featured on the Shady album Eminem Presents: The Re-Up and released the County Hound EP in 2007...
- other artists such as DJ Quik
DJ Quik
David Martin Blake , better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time....
, T3 of Slum Village
Slum Village
Slum Village was a hip hop group from Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan.The group was formed by three members: rappers Baatin and T3, plus rapper and producer J Dilla . J Dilla left in 2002 to pursue a solo career with MCA Records...
, Evidence of Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples is an American hip hop group from Los Angeles, California. The group achieved notability in the underground hip hop community, although they have had little mainstream success in the US, with the exception of the song "This Way," a 2004 collaboration with Kanye West and Xzibit...
, Myka 9, Mr Lif, and Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...
discuss the pros and cons of this in How to Rap
How to Rap
How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC is a book on hip-hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.- Publication :...
and how it can help them come up with ideas.
Freestyles are either performed a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, over beatboxing
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
(as seen in Freestyle
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme is a 2000 documentary film directed by Kevin Fitzgerald. The film follows the art of freestyle, improvisational hip-hop. This independent release includes extemporaneous performances by artists such as Supernatural, Mos Def, The Roots, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur,...
as Black Thought
Black Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
improvises over Questlove's beatboxing), or over instrumental versions of recorded Hip-Hop songs. Often, freestyling is done in a group setting (called a cypher) or as part of a freestyle battle
Battle Rap
Battle rap is a type of rapping that includes a lot of braggadocio content "combined with put-downs, insults, and disses against real or imaginary opponents"...
. In these cases, freestyle verses are often prepared in the rapper's head as the other rappers in the cypher or the opponent in the battle take their turn. Metaphors and similes are often used when freestyling and a good punch line makes a great impact when freestyling in a cypher.
Due to the improvised nature of freestyle, rules for meter
Metre (music)
Meter or metre is a term that music has inherited from the rhythmic element of poetry where it means the number of lines in a verse, the number of syllables in each line and the arrangement of those syllables as long or short, accented or unaccented...
and rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
are usually more relaxed than in conventional rap. Many artists base their set on the situation and mental state, but have a ready supply of prepared lyrics and rhyme patterns they can use as filler or even around which they can build their set.
Further reading
- Freestyle: The Art of RhymeFreestyle: The Art of RhymeFreestyle: The Art of Rhyme is a 2000 documentary film directed by Kevin Fitzgerald. The film follows the art of freestyle, improvisational hip-hop. This independent release includes extemporaneous performances by artists such as Supernatural, Mos Def, The Roots, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur,...
. Dir. Kevin Fitzgerald. DVD. 2004. - Edwards, Paul (2009). How to RapHow to RapHow to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC is a book on hip-hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.- Publication :...
: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC. Chicago Review Press, ISBN 1556528167. - Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The MicThere's a God on the MicThere’s a God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs is a book by the old school hip hop MC Kool Moe Dee, where he ranks what he believes to be the Top 50 greatest MCs of all time, giving a breakdown of each artist...
: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press. - 8 Mile8 Mile (film)8 Mile is a 2002 American hip-hop drama film written by Scott Silver, directed by Curtis Hanson, and starring Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, and Kim Basinger....
. Dir. Curtis Hanson. DVD. March 18, 2003 - Alan Light; et al. October 1999. The Vibe History of Hip Hop.
- All Rapped Up. Dir. Steven Gregory, Eric Holmberg. Perf. Eric Holmber, Garland Hunt. Videocassette. 1991.
- Blow, Kurtis. Kurtis Blow Presents: The History of Rap, Vol. 1: The Genesis (liner notes). Kurtis Blow Presents: The History Of Rap, Vol. 1: The Genesis.
- Brian, Cross. It's Not About a Salary. London; New York: Verso, 1993 [i.e. 1994].
See also
- Stream of consciousness (narrative mode)
- Stream of consciousness (psychology)Stream of consciousness (psychology)Stream of consciousness refers to the flow of thoughts in the conscious mind. The full range of thoughts that one can be aware of can form the content of this stream, not just verbal thoughts...