Flow III & Rhyme III
November 21, 2023
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Rapper of the Day: J Cole
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Flow 3
Rapping with motives - a short flow pattern (less than 1 bar) that gets repeated several times throughout a song or verse
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Kendrick Lamar Example
Kendrick Lamar
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Tech N9ne Example
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Narcissistic, hard to grip it,
Dark and wicked, arts prolific,
Mars with the stars, this is far lifted
Lyrics quit the bar with it, bar scriptures are terrific
Getta spitta witta bit of bitter marketing'
With skrilla then a fifth of henny liquor, start to twist it
Full Motive
Partial Motive
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Practice
Hints
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Rhyme 3
Compounding - rhyming more than one word in a set
Partials - rhyming parts of words/emphasizing vowels to make words rhyme
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Compounding
Rhyming by coupling words together
Can have a “trance effect” (aka ppl expect to hear it, can use to your advantage)
Mix and match! Use compounding to connect bars that happen later
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Example
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Hip Hop - Mos Def breakdown
I'm getting big props, with this thing called hip hop
Where you can either get paid or get shot
When your product in stock
The fair-weather friends flock
When your chart position drop
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Partials
Rhyming syllables, adding emphasis to different sounds/words
Another example of setting an expectation for the listener...
and then breaking it
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Partials Example
Eminem - The Way I Am
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
I sit back with this pack of Zig-Zag's and this bag
Of this weed, it gives me the shit needed to be
The most meanest MC on this—on this Earth
And since birth I've been cursed with this curse to just curse
And just blurt this berserk and bizarre shit that works
And it sells and it helps in itself to relieve all this tension
Dispensing these sentences, getting this stress
That's been eating me recently off of this chest
Eminem on The Way I Am
“...A...A...A...A”
“...B...B...B...B”
“...B...C”
“...C...C...C...C”
“...C...C...C”
“...D...D...B...E”
“...E...E...E...F”
“...G...G...F”
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
I sit back with this pack of Zig-Zag's and this bag
Of this weed, it gives me the shit needed to be
The most meanest MC on this—on this Earth
And since birth I've been cursed with this curse to just curse
And just blurt this berserk and bizarre shit that works
And it sells and it helps in itself to relieve all this tension
Dispensing these sentences, getting this stress
That's been eating me recently off of this chest
Eminem on The Way I Am
“...AB...AB...AB...AB”
“...AC...AC...ACA...C”
“...CAAC...AD”
“...AD...AD...AD...D”
“...DADD...A...D”
“...AE...AE...AE...AC...AAA”
“...AAA...CEAA...EAAE”
“...ACACCAC...AE”
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Practice
Flip the vowels of a two syllable word (AB-BA)
Or just rhyme as many syllables as you can
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023
Homework
Get together and practice as a group! (Also your group needs a name! You should have one by next class / come up with one during your meeting)
Carnegie Mellon University | 98303: Introduction to Freestyle Rap | Fall 2023