Posts: 2381
Sex: male
Join Date: Jan,
2006
Location:
retired
Favorite MC's:
Nas |Klashnekoff |MF DooM |Papoose |T.Kweli
11/21/2006 6:01:14 PM
"This is designed to help those of you that had just started the art of writing rhymes. It may also help veterans that need to polish up their skills. Read it, it may help you."
Before you proceed, be aware that this is only a foundation to becoming an Ill lyricist. I'm only writing to what a nice verse should have and the rest is up to your ability and/or creativity.
Terms that you'll encounter and what I'm going to cover:
1. Rhyme structure - How a verse's written. Such as amount of bars and location of rhyming words.
2. Simile - A comparison using the word "like" or "as".
3. Metaphor - A comparison without using the word "like" or "as".
4. Wordplay - A pun, or words that has double meaning.
5. Multi-syllables (multis) - Rhyming using words or combination of words that contain more then one syllable.
6. Punchline - These are the dissing lines. Just like comedy, it's where the joke or the dissing is.
7. Alliteration - bars or verse that contain words that start with the same first letter.
8. Fillers - words that in a verse that's there just for rhyming purposes.
Let's begin by pointing out the differences between a "battle verse" and a "non-battle verse". A "battle verse" is just that, a verse that's written to battle another MC or MCs. These type of verse usually contain heavy usage of Punchlines/Wordplays/Multisyallables. Along with it a small usage of Similes and Metaphors. Basically a "battle verse" is a verse that talk shit about your opponents. One mistake that most MC make in battle verse is that they tend to talk about themselves. How good they are etc. Which what you shouldn't do. Your focus is supposed to be mainly on your opponents. You're not supposed to talk about yourself; rather you should be degrading your opponents.
"NON-battle" Verse is any verse that's written as topical, or even a freestyle about a certain thing or incidents. This could include almost everything. What make it different from a "battle verse" is that rarely does it have any punchlines. In this particular verse, the usage of Simile/Metaphor is heavy. Included with it are light usages of multi-syllable/Wordplay/Alliterations. In this type of verse, it's acceptable to talk about yourself. Though, it's not necessary.
RHYME STRUCTURE Not too many people pay attention to this, but I believe most of the veterans are aware of this. Though it doesn't get mentioned much, Rhyme structuring is very important. It actually gives or takes away the smooth flow of a verse. Since the length of bars is important, try to keep it at an even length. Also, place your rhyming words carefully so that you'll have that easy transition and it'll roll off of the tongue a bit easily. There really aren’t any nice examples to give, so just look out for what I've described. You can do this by reading any well established veterans.
SIMILE Simile is a comparison that uses the words LIKE or AS. It's another way of saying something indirectly. For example: A."Like an Atheist, you ain't got a prayer" B."You're lying on yourself like sleeping on mirrors"
METAPHOR Metaphor is another form of comparison. However, it does not uses the words LIKE nor As. Metaphors are very effective in capturing your audiences attention if your creativity is there. For example: A."I spit so sharp, every point I make will pierce through your heart" B."Fuck the Sun, I spit hotter then it's father"
WORDPLAY This has to be the best part of writing a verse. Wordplays are puns. Or words that have double meaning used to conjoint two different concept together yet make sense out of it. It's just basically that, playing with words. For example: A."You can't [bust] like [passenger without tokens]" In this case, "BUST" is a wordplay for "BUS", it's relation is to PASSENGER WITHOUT TOKENS. Cause when you think of it, A PASSENGER WITHOUT TOKENS are not allow to ride on the BUS. Yet in this case BUST itself is referred to spitting off the top. You could also say that you can't spit a freestyle. B."Your [lion] ass is getting [held up] like a young [Simba]" In this case, "LION" is a wordplay for "LYING". "HELD UP" is another word for a stick up. A robbery rather. If you had seen the movie THE LION KING. Young SIMBA was held up to show the rest of the animals when he was born. But in this instance, you're basically saying that. Your Lying ass is being stick up.
MULTI-SYLLABLE Multi-syllable are words that has more then one syllable. Or a single syllable words that are combined with other words to make or give it that multi-syllable sounds. For example: A."No doubt-kid, my whole out-fit will leave you shocking like you stuck your fingers in an out-let" B."It's like pitchers-on-mount, your pitches-on-count, I'll make bitches-go-down at switches-of-sounds while maintaining status us the richest-in-town" NOTE: keep usage of multiple-syllable to a minimum in battles, because lots of multi equal to lots of fillers
PUNCHLINE It's simple, it's basically are dissing lines. Talk shit line. For example: A."Your verse's so stank, skunk took a sniff of it and passed out" B."You can't spit; I've seen crocket ass drop better shit"
ALLITERATION Alliterations are rarely used. Though it's real nice as a skit or a non-battle writtens. It's bars or verse that starts off using the same first letter. For example: A."Fuck a fist fight, I fickle from fainted fire to ferocious flame just so you frame can fizzle at the first light" B."Simply stated, it's sad to say son, your stupid stories of soldiers that sold ya surpassed the second stage of stupidity"
WHAT TO DO, AND WHAT NOT TO DO!
DO: * Write every line as a punchline. It's hard but it's possible. * Keep fillers to a minimum. * Stick to the topic/subject when you write. Get into details. * Write with an easy mind. Forcing your written will give you shitty verse. * Read other MC works and learn from it. Just don't bite it. * Expand your vocabulary. Use words that are rarely used. It'll give you that complex verse. But don't get carry away with it. It'll make it boring. * Be original with your punches/wordplay.
DON'T.. * Bite EVER!! * Overuse your multiples. When you overuse it, it's nothing more then a verse that's full of fillers. You can get by with a Newbie, but a Veteran will spot it immediately. * Stretch out your wordplay to a point that your bars are uneven. Keep it short and direct. The quality will definitely show when you spit it. Reader or Audiences will catch it easier. * Be afraid to battle. It'll only help you improve
11/21/2006 6:01:14 PM
