Content

[RhythmAndPoetryF]

Ok ive been writing for about 4 years now. Ive taught 2 kids how to rap and am pretty well off lyrics wise. Flow i dont think can be aided online and i think ill suffice. But my issue is content. I keep talkin bout how lyrical i am and "merkin lyrically". Its all i talk about! i have to say content is the heaviest flaw with most rappers in my mind. Cuz eventually, every rapper talks about the same thing in the general scheme of their discography.

Im into philosophy and politics and shit but its hard for me to get it in the bars. Im by tendency inclined to write that other shit. I sound like another underground/backpack rapper content wise. I know you cant tell someone how to find their own voice content wise but is there any advice at all from anyone?

[suddle.]

Start a topic, with a less "Merking" Beat.

Then begin a song with real insight on any predetermined topic.

If you feel yourself slipping away into the "Merk you" or "I'm ill" state of mind
stop writing, it's your song feel free to pick it up and put it off as you need
to regain ideas.

While I suggest taking breaks, don't remove the song from your mind completely,
let it sizzle in the back of your head while you watch t.v, eat, etc.

[Alyse Miller]

all your content is your ideas put them to words your feelings are your content your views on life is your content keep doing you an practicing you will get it

[RhythmAndPoetryF]

Much obliged comrades much obliged. Gotta try. Good lookin

[Spoken Deity]

I'm a philosophy major...so a lot of my stuff is focused on philosophy, religion, and just trauma.
whats hard is writing that stuff out in a way that is original, conveys the concept, and is true to your feeling.
I'd write in a certain emotional state, a time when you're mind is just moving. Don't worry about anything but spitting out whats inside. Maybe it will rhyme maybe it wont...

There are days I just go walk at night and just spit... just go over and over. Often times, my best poetry is written on that kind of stuff.

[Trucker T]

When you're mind is focused in pumped on a certain subject it's hard to trail off from that so yeah what he said

[RhythmAndPoetryF]

Yeah the last thing i want to do is rap about a topic for the sake of rappin bout that topic.

I guess emotional drive and artistic earnestness is somethin i gotta remember

[Purcepshun]

to be honest topics and ideas is my hardest thing to do.... its what can really make a song original( which is mad hard to do). but u should just get a notebook(seperate from your rap book) and just jot down random ass ideas, even ideas that have already been done, and trust it'll help you come up with some shit.

or just study up on rapper and poets who are known for there diverse/original topics....example: lupe fiasco, nas, and i cant think of no one else right now but u get the jist

[RhythmAndPoetryF]

yeah i do actually keep a list of content ideas. But what ends up happenin is even if i do expand upon it... i end up just leavin it off and not finishin it lol. Or just unsatisfied with the idea.

[Spoken Deity]

^ Again, don't worry about topic, flow, anything.
Just write. Write about what it is you know about yourself, your life, your family, your past, your girlfriend or whatever... The best writers are deep people that are self aware. Being aware of who you are, your emotions and all the rest makes you a better writer.

I'm decent poet not because I know the poetic rules or I'm particularly creative...but because I'm into self actualization. I know who I am.

You said you did philosophy? Hit my sig "new poem." You dont need to comment... just read it, take a look at what I said and interpret it. See how it isnt flashy or romantic. Its simply, short, and to the point.

[Novac]

Regardless of what "The New York Times" tells us, rap and hip hop isn't about bragging how "ill" you are or "getting your swag on" or any of the other shit those retards on MTV write about. It's about being honest, open, and inviting other people to take part in it. It's a medium for connection on such a higher level if you can just get out of the corner that you get pinned to now a days for saying you like rap. It's poetry man, and the only thing you are gonna honest about is shit you write honestly.

And fuck conventions.

What you are actually talking about is a lot more important than making shit rhyme, or the flow of your rhythm, or any of the conventions that make up the musical aspect of hip hop. Write like you are a writer. Write honestly.

Spoken Deity said it nicely "I know who I am." And on your personal journey to finding this person the benefit of meeting other people along the way is that one of them may present you to yourself.

[RhythmAndPoetryF]

Well actually i rap FOR those mechanics. I like complicated shit. Seein how rap can get pretty damn complicated if ur flippin 4 themes with various wordplay, allusions to w/e, multi sylls, and a maintainin rhythmic flow for the ears entertainment. Content always came last to me but its not like i dont appreciate it. I like Immortal Technique for example.

Yeah ive always said any boxing of what "rappers are supposed to rap about" is fundamentally flawed. You can rap about anythin and its still rap... its just words. Its almost like "if you speak, youre supposed to speak about (w/e may be)". Doesnt make sense.

In regards to Deity i prolly should just dip into str8 no rhymin poetry and focus on content. Even if i wrote poetry id be thinkin bout the rap angles of it. Much obliged.

[Novac]

i prolly should just dip into str8 no rhymin poetry and focus on content. Even if i wrote poetry id be thinkin bout the rap angles of it.

Yea man, and that's what it's all about. I'm actually excited to hear this. If you record any of it soon, drop it off and I'll definitely give it a listen. Or drop some lyrics in the text terrain forum. I get excited from seeing other people getting excited, or getting a spark of inspiration. I love to see that inspiration turn into a finished product that can shared with everyone; especially if it's a meaningful and honest piece.

The message and the community is what it's all about.

[kafka]

I don't really think you can sacrifice rhyme, flow and rhythm for pure content. Maybe on some spoken word trip but that whole sort of visceral element of hip hop, for me, is much of the appeal. Mad rhythms, multis, shit hanging in the air, almost holding your breath, and then that certain satisfaction from a rhyme's resolution in ways unexpected. That's just me though, can't stand shit when dudes just flow real plodding-like. But I'm still sorta not sure what I wanna rap about either... Kinda getting a kick out of hanging out here lately just sorta doing dumb battle rap shit for practice. But yeah, I'm in Australia too, almost feel it would be easier to lay down some poignant/powerful shit if I were from some early 90s crack ghetto rather than just spitting dumb puns, wordplay and braggadocio... But I dunno, we all have our own stories, just gotta find it.

[Novac]

Yea definitely.

With a little bit of creativity you can match most any line to a beat, for example, throw on a beat and just read this post aloud and match it rhythmically to the beat. It will work. When I first started getting serious about freestyling I was all about keeping rhythm and talking about the things that first come to mind. I found that focusing on this rather than focusing on making shit rhyme made my freestyles a lot better sounding, and a lot better content wise - and I think the same thing applies here just with premeditated lyrics.

Of course, there are always going to be different ways to say the same thing and you should always be open to changing up your word choice to better fit the music. But, and this was my main point, don't force into rhyming the end of every line and staying iambic at the cost of the content. Because musically, I would say rhythm is the most important aspect of the vocalist - but at the same time I would say that the content of your lyrics are more important the musical aspect of them (if that makes sense). I'll drop an example here from a song I've been working.


Scarred left eye remained intact but the right has little chance of survival.
Will I survive through the night or succumb to weight of the water below me?
Stepping on ice shards; sparkling like glass.


Just looking at this it would seem like it would never work, but in fact, it fits perfectly into 4 bars of 4/4 timing. Rhythmically the first line would end on the word "chance", but lyrically the sentence or thought isn't complete so the word "of" would happen on the up beat right before the second and "survival" would happen on the first down beat of the second line. Visually, there appears to be no distinct rhyme scheme but word combination's like "survival" and "night or" hold out the rhyme's here.

So you can literally write anything, but it's gonna take a little bit of extra effort to map out how it's going to rhythmically fit within the beat and the music. Rhythm is about the vocal delivery and can easily be changed where content is the meaning behind the words and is permanent. And, of course, your lyrics should be about whatever you want them to be about. I just feel more natural writing in metaphors and abstract visuals but this skill could be applied to any kind of lyrical styles and you should write about what you want to write about.

I hope this cleared up what I was talking about with prioritizing content over rhythm.