Do you want to rap or make music for a living?
You might have the talent, the passion and the vibe, but did you know that it took many artists decades before they landed that first record deal?
Becoming a renowned artist takes a lot of dedication, grit and hard work.
Most famous artists had to accept and overcome many obstacles in the music industry and life while they continuously learn and improve their rapping and singing.
Luckily, to be a successful rapper starts with you, your attitude and whether you are hungry enough to continuously work on your craft. We've listed some of the most common mistakes beginner rappers make, helping you to become better while you work your way towards becoming a better rapper and performer.
Not Understanding The World of Rap
Rapping is more than just a type of music, it’s a culture. Rap and Hip-Hop have given a voice to so many minorities and suppressed people in times of hardship. Understanding the rap culture, history and background will not only make a better rapper of you, it will also give you a greater idea of:
- What work has been done by previous rappers?
- What helped certain rappers break into the industry?
- What constitutes an authentic and popular rapper?
This will start to paint a picture of the world you will be joining, make you a more credible rapper who other performers respect and it will most probably inspire you to think about the type of rapper you want to become.
Not Knowing What is Current and Popular
African rap and Hip-Hop artists are becoming more and more popular. You will have to know the popular songs on the charts, together with the social commentary and messaging that touch people and what currently sells.
A rapper needs to be authentically themselves and speak their truth, but they also have to understand what is popular and where they can position themselves in the industry. Knowing the industry will help you understand how current rap artists mix their sounds to include other artists and create different sub-genres of rap and hip-hop music.
Are the rap lyrics you write current to today’s street vernacular and will there be a fan base for it? Are you using modern and popular instruments and beats in your rap?
It might also sound obvious, but if you want to become a successful rapper and make your money from it you’ll have to become an absolute master at rap. Do you have a good ear for it and know how the music industry functions? Listen to as much rap as you possibly could. How is AKA competing with the likes of Eminem, Drake and L'il Wayne. Can you identify rappers through the differences in their music? What style do you think suits you and which artists should you keep an eye out for?
Not Listening to Other Music
Different genres of music influence each other to create new, ground-breaking sounds and songs. The global trend of bringing in more African and Latino instruments into popular pop-songs, could only happen if people start to open themselves up to different types of music and genres.
Musicians and rappers listen to different kinds of music, not to necessarily put it on their daily playlist, but for research and educational purposes. They will explore new artists, find inspiration in different genres like classic, jazz, funk or even contemporary music styles. This will broaden your horizons as a musician and will allow you to become truly creative in the music you create as it won’t be set to another artist or specific genre.
Rapping Too Fast, Too Soon
Many beginners underestimate the skill it takes to master long, quick streams of words. It’s not just about learning rap lyrics and rambling them off ...
The message needs to land and listeners must understand the artist. Professional singers ensure the listener can hear what they want them to hear while they fluctuate through different emotions like anger, frustration or joy. This can only be done if the rap is delivered in a rhythmic percussive flow that is appealing to the listener.
Many beginner rappers also tend to rush through their lyrics and cannot seem to sit into the beat. One way of preventing that is by starting slow, gradually increasing your speed and focusing on the message.
Not Focusing on the Message
You might think that it’s all about the music, but a chart-chopper songs consist of much more than its high quality beats. Impactful and expressive lyrics, professional and audible delivery and meaning is what makes a song just as memorable.
Good music tells a story and as a singer you’ll have to learn how to say all those words in a lyrical, rhythmic way, while you tell a story in an intriguing and emotional way. Not knowing what they sing about or not meaning what they say, could be a mistake a lot of new singers make. They’ve worked on a song for a long time and with time they just sing the words without immersing themselves in the message.
Not Finding the Flow, Rhythm and Pace
As fan of rap you probably don’t need an introduction on rhythm, flow or the pace of the song, but we have to mention how fundamental these are to creating good rap and Hip-Hop. Truly understanding these elements in a song and delivering lyrics with different varieties, requires a deep knowledge of how music works.
Some rappers dive into music theory, just to ensure they understand what is meant when someone sings on the ‘off-beat’. Or ... they want to write their own rap songs and to do so they want to understand music concepts like beats within a bar, setting the pace and time signatures.
Did you know that we have music teachers on Superprof that can help you with music theory?
Forcing Phrases into Measures
Sometimes you’ll write the ideal hook for a song. When you read it and say it, it makes perfect sense. But the moment you put it to the beat, the music and the hook just don’t work together.
Many beginners will then try and then speed up the delivery of the words, but it’s important to assess whether this helps or weakens your song? Either create another song for that hook or rewrite the phrase and in the process you’ll learn that sometimes as artists we should allow the creative process to change our content and guide us.
Mimicking Another Artist
Unless you are an impersonator, mimicking another singer’s sound and moves is something that usually is done by beginner performers. It’s ok if you are completely new, but always try and find your own unique spin on things.
Watch yourself in the mirror or make a video when you practise your performance at home. It might be weird, but you’ll see what you look like, whether you appear stiff and if you bring in some moves, whether they work. If you want to perform your own songs one day, you have to do it like your unique self.
There is no one else in the world like you – so try and bring that into your rap lyrics and performance.
Not Taking Lessons or Practising Your Singing
Good artists are versatile. They might be experts at rapping, but it is probably because they continually work at improving and bettering themselves.
Taking rap lessons online or continuously practising their singing are two ways of ensuring they improve their skills. Learning to sing will not only teach you how to apply breath control in your rapping, it might also allow you to create melodic segments with flair in your own songs.
Persistence and hard work pays off and to become good at singing you might have to take singing classes frequently. Regular practice will not only give you a vocal fitness, it will also help to protect your voice and improve the rate at which you could master songs.
Not Hearing/Recording Yourself
Hearing yourself on a voice note can sometimes sound very strange, but this is something you have to get used to. Listening to yourself rapping will help you to identify the areas where you can improve to rap better. Benefit in the following ways by listening to your practice sessions:
- Notice places where the energy or volume drops?
- Can you hear all the words and are there spots where pronunciation becomes unclear?
- Is it a natural and easy flow and rap?
- Rap a phrase in different ways and listen back to establish what is best
- Correct other mistakes and practise to get it right for recording
Simple Rhymes for The Sake of Rhyming
Rhyming can sometimes be cliché. While you learn to write rap lyrics, you’ll notice the different techniques lyricists use to create good lyrics and songs.
Enrich your lyrics and text by using comparisons, alliteration, metaphors and assonance. Writing lyrics is a skill on its own and you can write slam poetry to improve your writing and understanding of rhyming and word delivery.
Struggling on Their Own
Whether you want to learn to write rap lyrics, learn to improve your singing, rap like a star or need guidance on how to perform, you don’t have to go at it on your own. Finding an experienced tutor or teacher will help you improve your rap skills and song writing. It will take all the effort out of getting the right exercises and a weekly commitment will also motivate you to practise frequently and continuously work at your rapping.
On Superprof we have singing and rapping tutors to help you rhyme to your heart’s content. You can view their profiles, compare their skills and decide whether you’d like rap lessons online or in-person.
We hope this article will help you to get your rapping off da hook. Keep it chill and if you need a hand, there's a Superprof tutor nearby.
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