How To Write a Rap Chorus or Hook

A rap song is more than just words that rhyme -- it's a song to show how you feel about something.It's poetry in a way.A bad chorus can ruin a rap because it makes up 40% of the song.If you want to have a great rap, you have to come up with a hook that is unique and personal to you.

Step 1: Discuss the subject of your rap.

Maybe you have an idea for a chorus, but you need something else, or maybe you already have something.A general theme or main idea is what you want your rap to have.Think about some ideas before you write your rap.If you're stuck on ideas for your rap, you can visit websites that have lists of song themes to get some ideas.Think about what you want to talk about in your rap.Is it going to be about a place, emotion, time frame, lifestyle, action, and event?Do you want your rap to have a positive message or a negative one?Think about your audience or your desired audience when you're thinking about a rap.Rap artists are very different when it comes to what they rap about.Drake raps for a more secular audience while Lecrae's audience is mostly Christian.You'll want to make sure your rap is appropriate for your audience.

Step 2: It was free.

Many artists start creating their raps by first free styling and then writing down every emotion, thought, or idea that comes to mind.You want your rap to be personal to you, so this can be a helpful step before you start writing.It's a good idea to keep a pen and paper with you or a notepad app on your phone so that you can keep writing.Sometimes artists come up with the best lyrics or inspiration for their songs when they are doing something completely different.It is much easier to come up with more lyrics when you write down your thoughts.

Step 3: Look at other artists.

It's a good idea to do this after you have come up with a song, so that you don't end up copying another artist.It is helpful to listen to other artists' raps after you have come up with some.You may be able to come up with some ideas for the structure or organization of the rap.You can start this by looking up your favorite artists.Your rap style is likely going to reflect theirs in some way, because you obviously like their music, so it can be a great way to get ideas or to understand the inspiration behind their rap.Don't copy their music either.You can blend their style with yours to create something unique to you.There is more behind the lyrics when raps don't say it all.If you can look up some commentary on raps, you will be able to understand how artists use the lyrics to convey certain emotions or ideas to their audience.

Step 4: You can be inspired by your own life.

Some of the best art comes from a person's own experience.Think about the things in your life that are important to you, that you feel others should know about, and use those emotions and memories to create something personal.Maybe you want to rap about failures and successes.You can rap about things that aren't personal to you, but you're passionate about them.When someone sings or raps a song that is personal to them, it is easier to put more into the lyrics, which will help your audience latch onto the rap.The song "When I'm Gone" is moving because of the lyrics about his relationship with his daughter.

Step 5: You should be creative with your music.

Even though most of the rappers rap on certain topics, it doesn't mean you have to.Some of the best raps are based on things that you wouldn't think a rap song would be about.These types of raps can appeal to a niche audience.Rap on whatever topic you want, but don't feel like you have to fit into a box.Weird Al uses other songs and makes a parody of himself in his own music.He took the rap "Ridin" by Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone and made it into his own rap, "White and Nerdy."

Step 6: You have to come up with a beat.

It's easier to pick a beat before you think about the lyrics.It will help inspire you when you come up with your hook, as you will have some music to format the lines.You can find different types of beats online or use certain software to make your own.A beat can be affected by the emotions in a rap.If your rap is positive, then a fast beat may be good, but if it is sad, a slower beat might be better.The beat really depends on the direction you want to take with your rap, if you are rapping to express your anger or frustration.

Step 7: Pick a topic.

You might have already done this if you were thinking of your rap's theme.Some rappers like to write some of their lyrics first before coming up with a chorus, because they don't want the lyrics to be solely based around the chorus.Other artists will use the chorus as a basis for the rest of their rap.Pick one word and use it as the main idea for your hook.In his song "Boasting", he uses the word "boast" to say that depending on his self alone is a vain pursuit that leads to nothing.He structures his rap around the fact that he's not guaranteed tomorrow because he only uses this word once in his hook.There isn't a perfect formula for writing a rap.Whatever helps you get your creative juices flowing, do it.The hooks that advance the main idea are the best.The main idea is promoted without coming right out and saying it.Jay Z's song "Hovi Babi" has a hook that says "Can't touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable."He is saying to his audience "I am awesome" but using a creative approach to communicate his idea.

Step 8: You can structure your chorus by using that topic.

Write your hook with each line communicating something different about your main idea.A typical chorus is made up of eight bars and follows a set of 16 bars.A bar is a single line of a verse, which can be divided into two lines or two bars.Sometimes there are three sets of 16 bars and three choruses in a rap.The way to structure a rap is 16 bars.The first 16 bars of your rap should last about a minute, after that you have a chorus, a bridge, and then the final chorus.

Step 9: Images and action words are used.

To draw your audience into your rap, you want to create a story, give pictures and examples of what you're saying.The more you can show your audience the story and characters you have created, the more likely they will get into the rap.Macklemore's song "Downtown" uses imagery such as a mirror, a banana seat, and a canopy on two wheels.

Step 10: Don't make your chorus dull.

When people recall rap songs, the first thing that pops into their head is the chorus, so you want the hook that you create to be catchy and stay on people's minds after they listen to it.The flow of the verse and creativity put into them are more important than the topic of your hook.Some songs that don't make sense, but are fun to listen to, are created by some artists.You should create a hook that you enjoy.The hook in Sugarhill Gang's song is "I said a hip hop the hippie the hip-hop, and you don't stop."It doesn't make sense but it's fun to sing.Many great hooks are simple but powerful.Drake's "Started from the Bottom" has a hook that is repeated many times, but it shows that he has come a long way from where he started.

Step 11: The lyrics need to rhyme.

Rhyming in a rap song is essential, but you don't want to write a verse just to make it rhyme.If you modify the lyrics a bit, they'll create a rhyme.As you run out of words, try to structure your verse in a way that doesn't change the message of the verse.The first line rhymes with the second line and the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other.Artists often put a break in the middle of their lyrics with one line that stands alone and doesn't have a rhyming counterpart.When you're stumped on how to rhyme your lyrics, use a rhyme dictionary or thesaurus.

Step 12: Decide between a rapped or sung hook.

You can either sing or rap a hook.Pure rappers often just rap their hooks, unlike artists that combine pop music with rap.Either you choose one or the other, you can incorporate both into your rap.Drake and West are two examples of artists that occasionally combine singing and rapping.

Step 13: The rest of the lyrics can be practiced with the chorus.

If your chorus and lyrics flow well together, this is the best way to find out.Pay attention to the flow and structure of your rap, as well as the content of the chorus and lyrics, if you read it out loud or practice it.

Step 14: Rap to a beat.

The entire rap should be performed to the beat to hear the connection between the lyrics and music.If you want to emphasize certain lyrics or the hook, you can put intonation in your voice.

Step 15: Make your music better.

It's possible that your rap is just as you want it, but it may need some tweaking to improve the flow, continuity, or cooperation of the lyrics to the beat.If you want to achieve your best rap, you need to change your lyrics or beat.

Step 16: You should perform your rap.

It is possible to perform your rap in front of a small audience or a friend.Suggestions or constructive criticism can be asked of you.

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