How Do Rap Battles Work?

A great way to battle it out is through song, and that is what rap battles do!

Using words as your weapon of choice is an entertaining and productive way for two musicians to duke it out and find a winner.

According to RapTV, rap battles have been around for a long time. Like all things, getting good at rap battles takes both practice and confidence. And just because you are a good rapper does not mean you will automatically be good at a rap battle. At the end of the day, it is whoever can think the fastest on their feet and win over the crowd.

What normally happens during a rap battle is that two rappers will go head to head. A beat will be dropped and the rappers will take turns freestyling it out, often dropping disses to their opponent. At the end of the song, the rapper who has dominated in terms of disses and crowd support is deemed the winner.

But what does a rapper need to do to secure a win in a rap battle? We’ve got six easy steps to help you rap your way to your next victory.

1. Let your personality shine

Rap battles are in part a personality contest. You need to hone in on your personality strengths and own it. If you’re funny, use your humor in your raps. If you are technically talented, let your rhyming skills shine. And if you are a tough guy, don’t be shy to let your gangster self come out on the battle floor.

2. Prepare key lyrics in advance

Just because it is improv on the battle floor does not mean you can not pre-prepare some of your arsenals beforehand. Come up with a few key punchlines to throw out there when you are needing an extra boost in battle. See if you can come up with any clever insults or generic comebacks that could work for a range of insults the other rapper might throw your way.

3. Use your opponent’s lyrics

A great way to own a rap battle is by dishing back with your opponent has dished you. This means that you can take the lyrics they just rapped and re-filter them to use in your own freestyle. This makes you look superior in battle and will often get a great crowd reaction.

4. Be confident

Confidence is everything during a rap battle, it is no time to be shy! Stand your ground firmly and have faith in yourself that you can own this rap battle. Crowds feed of your energy so make sure they feed off yours in the right way.

5. Try YouTube rap battles as well

Engaging in rap battles online is another great way to practice your rap battle mastery. It is also a great way to really put yourself out there and develop support from the public. Fans online are just as eager to engage with rap battles on YouTube, so don’t shy away from taking your raps to a digital stage as well. You will likely get some great feedback on there as well for how you can improve.

6. Practice makes perfect

Rap battles take a range of skills, so don’t think you will be able to master it on the first try. The key to getting good at rap battles and improving is by consistently putting yourself out there and trying new things with your freestyle. With enough practice, you will be able to turn any lyric, stand your ground, and sway any crowd.

Rap battles are a really fun way to improve your rap skills and grow your name in the music world. Have fun with rap battles and enjoy being able to let your creativity out in a really unique and musical way!

via raptv.com