Freestyle rap is a lost art in the world of modern Hip-Hop. Currently, today's rap deals with living lavishly, promiscuity, and gangster type violence. This form of hip-hop is usually written down and memorized. Even if the music is not memorized initially, the artist is usually, hurried into the studio by the producer who arranges beats that correspond to the mood and theme of the lyrics. Once the homogenized product is ready, the song is mass-produced and distributed to the general public, and the record company sits back until the profits roll in. This method pales in comparison to hip-hops humble beginnings. In the beginning, hip hop was simple: two turntables, a mixer, equalizer, and large speaker would usually be enough to provide the audio effect that was needed for a local house party or recreation center event. These events were impromptu and often happened in a nearby park as well. Dancers were usually the ones that started the event with unique head spins and unusual rhythmic contortions. When the dancing was over, it was time for the main event, which consisted of two local artists that were free styling. This form of hip hop differs from the one described in the previous paragraph, because unlike the artists of today who take days, and even weeks to come up with the perfect rhyme, the freestyle artist usually comes up with the rhyme instantaneously. This form of rap is difficult, and can lead to embarrassment if you cannot put together sentences that do not corroborate with each other, and appear to be hard to understand.
There are few rappers in the industry that can produce a quality freestyle rap. KRS 1, Rakim, and Jay-Z have this capability. The average person can also get a handle on the lost art of freestyle rap by concentrating on the following areas:
Sound Quality: A good freestyle artist always measures the beats to a song and matches it to the natural flow of the artist. A good way of practicing a good “flow” or “rhythm” would simply be to pick up any book, and read it as if you were rapping. Getting the flow, and capturing the pulse of the audience is vital when one is trying to win over a crowd while conducting a freestyle rap. A good static free microphone is essential if the crowd is over 50. Usually when the crowd swells to over 50, people often times will get restless, and disrupt the concentration of the freestyle artist. The musical accompaniment that is usually played for the hip-hop artist during a freestyle presentation is usually an instrumental version of a popular song. Normally, this music is a slow to moderate paced beat, which allows the artist to actually think of what he/she is about to say before presenting it for the masses.
Subject/Topic Selection: This is an aspect of the hip-hop culture that distinguishes itself from today' topic selection in hip-hop. Today, the topic selection is basically “Okayed” by the producer, who determines the viability to a specific demographical market that the company hopes to capture. Usually, topics are chosen based on current trends within the industry. The freestyle artist does not care about trends. He/She only cares about being the best in that part of town. This artist usually sizes up the subject that he is “battling” against, and raps about how the person looks, talks, walks, etc. Even where the opponent lives, and what type of car the opponent is driving is always fair game. The key is to get the crowd on your side by using creativity, ingenuity, and lots of wit.
Organizing/Arranging your Freestyle: It is imperative that when an artist is free styling that his voice remains clear thought his/her presentation. More importantly, the presentation of ideas that are displayed by the artist must rhyme. Often times rappers use a rhyming dictionary that can be purchased at any chain bookseller. By reading up on rhyming word, one can strategically use these at the end of a sentence, while the basic structure and story line maintains intact, and can be free of rhyming. Trying to make too many words rhyme is a mistake that is often made by rappers. The key here is that the end of each sentence should have a key word which will allow you to set the next line up for a powerful and compelling tale that actually rhymes. One should carry a tape recorder (or have a buddy in the crowd carry one}, so that you will know how you did, and what areas need to be improved on before the next performance.
Wardrobe: Anything is fine when it comes to freestyle rap. The stereotypical rapper wears a hooded sweatshirt, with a baseball cap tilted to the side. Baggy pants, new shoes, and multiple pagers are another caricature that is presented as reality to some. However, in reality, there is no dress code. A White rapper wearing a polo shirt and khakis often times is just as good, or better than the average African American rapper wearing a FUBU sweatshirt and baggy pants. The quality of the music and the dedication of the rapper to perfect this style of rap is what it all comes down to.
In closing, freestyle rap has many advantages: It's entertaining, and gets individuals to think on their feet, and most of all, it builds public speaking skills, and gives the individual in question confidence and a positive self esteem. Because freestyle rap stays away from negative inferences, it is an art form that I am hoping will make a comeback, in the midst of all of the negative hip-hop that is pushed and promoted in the industry. Freestyle rap is fun and entertaining, and free of the commercialism that has infected the fabric of today's' hip-hop.
