Journey of Learning to Rap with Kize

May 7, 2024

Lecture Notes on Learning Rapping by Kize

Summary

In this session, Kize shares his journey on learning to rap, starting from no experience in rapping to attempting to write and perform a rap song. The lecture delves into understanding the essence of hip-hop, experimenting with song flow, and learning from practicing famous songs.


Introduction to Rapping

  • Kize began learning rapping with no prior experience, having only written spoken word pieces and having some songwriting exposure.
  • Objective for the month was to understand rapping and attempt to write a half-decent rap song.

Understanding Hip-Hop and Rapping

  • Hip-Hop is both a musical genre and a culture originating from the Bronx, NYC in the 1970s.
  • The culture includes emceeing (rap), DJing, break dancing, and graffiti writing.
  • Expansion of hip-hop is evident as it's become a significant part of modern society and pop culture.

Initial Steps in Learning Rapping

  • Started by immersing in hip-hop music, absorbing variety from friends' recommendations.
  • Noted similarities between drumming and rapping: both create rhythmic patterns played over music.

Defining and Practicing "Flow"

  • Flow involves the rhythm and rhymes of lyrics and their interaction over the beat.
  • Kize relates rap flow to drumming patterns; practices converting drumming rudiments to rap lyrics.
  • Utilized the song "Lose Yourself" by Eminem to analyze and practice flow.

Voice Tone and Technical Skills

  • Struggled with matching the energetic tone in professional rap, felt his natural voice was too relaxed.
  • Practiced emphasizing certain words and incorporating breathing exercises to improve delivery.
  • Also practiced tongue twisters to enhance articulation.

Writing Original Rap Lyrics

  • Focused on writing lyrics about disliking the school bully archetype, which he found fun especially as diss lyrics.
  • Adjusted lyrics to fit a selected beat to ensure proper flow and timing.

Professional Guidance and Feedback

  • Consulted a rap coach, who praised his flow and timing but emphasized the importance of believability and conveying conviction through performance.

Final Steps and Reflection

  • Made final edits to his rap, aimed to practice performance delivery.
  • Had to conclude the project early for mixing and mastering the final song.
  • Acknowledged substantial learning and enjoyment from the challenge despite the steep learning curve.

Conclusion

  • Kize encouraged engagement (likes and comments) and continued following his learning journey on his channel.

Learning Outcome: This journey outlined a holistic approach to learning rapping from understanding its cultural roots, experimenting with technical skills, to expressing personal creativity and seeking expert advice.