now when I say complexity I do not mean that one should write a Doctoral dissertation whenever thay have to write a ryme..I will say that you have to put effort into your phrases..or punches..where complexity need be..

THe main differences between an audio spit and a text writeup are that
1. flow cannot be conveyed properly in a text format without proper syllables
2. you cant write in text the same thing you say in a cipha
I'll talk about both points...

1.
Richard Corey...somewhere in the anals of MC education history wrote the perfect peice on flow. In it he describes how a written text verse will be very much better off if the verse (two lines=one verse) has the same, or similar sylaballe count..line for line
I.E.
we stun~you!!..ya easy to run~through..like anal post diarrhea..(17 sylablles)
WISEFOOL?..my lyrics will cease~ya..and leave~ya lost like am~ne~sia(17 syallables)//*
say the above line outloud
*taken from Scorpion Tag tourney verse round 1*
The verse above generally flows simply because of the syallable count...therefore,if you write a text ryme in which one of your verses has one line with 5 syllables, and one line with 13..your peice itself WILL NOT FLOW....Flow takes practice in text, but is a very good element of complexity in verses..
Basically..having a good flow is winning the first part of the battle..even with the simpliest lyrics..good flow always is very important

2.
point two is very important...you just cant write in text what you say in a cipha...In a cipha..with your boys..you can say What you think is the tightest shit in the world...you could be your Blocks NAS or JAY-Z...to your friends...and thats great..but you must understand...hiphop lyricism is different from spitting...a rapper can be 85% voice and sound tight..but have zero flow or complexity...this is all well and good, but one must understand..the reader can hear you after you type what you type..so..your voice has to become your words..and vice~versa...

for example..if you have an ill voice and you say
"IM the shit..muthafukas on my block hear me spit..
they all know Im the man because I am it//"
this may be hot shit in some circles..and alot of times. people will post similar things on b-boys, and wonder why they have no responses, or why all their responses are negative...the reason is beacuse you have to add levels of complexity to what you say..understand..people are readin, so you must draw your reader into what they will read, just like any good book would..now..if the same person writes..
This is monstorous mayhem, I'm not Santa Claus but I "slay"~men..(sleigh)
Hummel~and~WIse, I'll Crumble~ya~rymes "devilish" when I "say~ten"// (satan)
*taken from Scorpion verse Tag Team touney round 1*
This type of verse immedatiately draws the reader into an experience that they may or may not find interesting, either way the reader is drawn in...
This is a very important element to addin complexity to your verse...
Other elements of complexity include
MULITES
SERIOUS PUNCHES
REVERSE PUNCHES
WORDPLAY
PLAYs ON WORDS (theres a difference)
PERSONAL PUNCHES
INNER RYME FLOW
STAYIN ON TARGET
ALLITERATION
ECT...

written by Scorpion