Author: Snacky

While you are freestyling, the other MCs listen. When they say “style!” you have to quickly switch it up. Change your voice, your flow, your emotional content, your voice, your accent, your character, or your subject. Maybe all at the same time.

The new style should be noticeably different from the last one. Your crew can make you change styles rapidly or make you go on for a long time in a difficult style you’ve chosen. They can also specify what part of your style they want you to change. You’ll be challenged to invent and execute a new style on every switch. It can be tricky both to come up with new choices and to make a quick shift.

Some people get stuck in a single style. It might be a great one that you like, but don’t let yourself be limited by it. Some people are using a style they learned from someone without really exploring their own voice. There may be a style out there that’s truly their own, they just haven’t discovered it yet. Some people are best when they use a bunch of different styles to express different ideas. Each style will inspire you in different ways. Explore the possibilities!

Acquire an actual metronome, download a metronome app, use a simple beat, or even just have a friend slowly, consistently, clap for you. Start by freestyling over the metronome with one syllable per beat. The object is to keep it simple and stay on the beat. As you progress, you can speed up a little, and eventually try doubles (two syllables per beat) and triplets (three syllables per beat). Then you can start to play with it. Try speaking on the offbeat (between the beats) but be consistent. Pay attention to the rhythm, not your own voice. If it starts to get boring, that’s good! You’re training your subconscious to just listen and develop an innate sense of rhythm. This is how drummers and other musicians practice their sense of tempo and learn to keep time.

Some people have a stronger innate sense of rhythm than others. They’ll really need this practice, but everyone can benefit from it. Some people are paying so much attention to their voice and what they are trying to say that it seems like they aren’t listening to the beat at all. This exercise can improve their flow dramatically.

While you are freestyling, slowly increase the volume of your voice until you are shouting into the mic. Then slowly decrease your voice until you are barely whispering. Take your time to make the change from normal to loud to quiet and back again, and repeat it a few times. To avoid blowing out your speakers, your ears or your neighbours, you will have to increase the distance between the microphone and your mouth as you begin to get louder or decrease the distance as you become quieter. This is part of good microphone technique.

Some people have louder or quieter voices than others, this is normal. What’s important is to know how loud your voice is in comparison to others, and adjust your voice and microphone accordingly. The whole crew should come through at a similar volume. It’s also important to understand that you can change your volume as you freestyle. Different volumes have different character, both in how you use your voice at a particular volume, and in how it is heard. Some people surprise themselves when they find out they really excel at different volume levels.

Get your crew to show you, hand you, or point to objects in the room. As the people present items to you, freestyle about them. If you run out of things you can point to pictures on a screen or words in a book. Point at a new item every few lines.

This is a great way to show people you are actually freestyling (sometimes you’re so good people don’t believe it’s actually freestyle) and to impress people with your skills. What they don’t realize is that they are making it possible!

Punchline: If you really want to win a crowd, you have to be clever. Don’t just say the name of the item and make a rhyme, like “a knife, a knife, hey, don’t take my life.” Build up a lyrical story about the object, and drop the name like a punchline: “People on my street are out making strife; Walking ’round with a frown or a fist or a knife”. Watch notable freestyle rapper Supernat use this technique. He builds his description, so much that the audience might think he missed the point of the exercise. Then he finally names the object, and pow! Big crowdpleaser.

When you get the mic, say your name, where you are from, and what you’re all about. Introduce yourself to your crew or your audience. When you’re done introducing yourself, try introducing someone else. Keep it positive — it’s a friendly introduction, not a battle!

This is a good technique to get you started when you don’t have much to say. Everybody is good at talking about themselves. People might want to know a bit about you too. Some MCs only introduce themselves, over and over. It’s a good practice to have in your repertoire, but we hope you’ll try out some new ideas too!

With a group of freestylers, go around the circle taking turns freestyling one or two rhymes. Keep it moving to the next voice. You can say your own thing, or reply to or continue on from a previous freestyler — it’s up to you. Don’t worry about being awesome, you’re just getting warmed up, and the mic is coming back around soon.

This is our basic warm-up exercise. The point is to get comfortable with the mic and the group, get a sense of everyone’s styles, and most importantly, have fun. If you’ve got two mics, make sure not to forget to pass your mic on after the new MC takes over. With two mics and three or more people, the mic cords will wrap around each other as the mics go around. That’s why we call it twister.

Try counting from one to 10 on the mic. Repeat.

Or try being like a computer, and just stick to ones and zeros, in any sequence you like. We call this variation “Binary” it can go something like this: 01001101 01000011. . .

If you’re having trouble saying anything on the mic this is something easy to get started on. You can play with how you say the numbers around the beat. Then mix up the sequence. Eventually as you get bored of the numbers, you can start adding words and phrases and rhymes. Before you know it: freestyle!

Make sure you have a partner and two mics. One person says a few simple things on the mic, and the second person repeats everything they say.

This is a great exercise if you’re having trouble getting someone to participate because they are shy or can’t think of anything to say. Shy folks won’t feel like they are saying something stupid if you say it first. Keep it simple and don’t go too fast. Pretty soon instead of just repeating, your partner will start embellishing what you’ve said, replying to you and adding their own lines. Freestyle!

Saying questions and statements are good, because it’s easy for them to forget you’re playing a repeating game and actually answer the question or personalize the statement.

When you get passed the mic, only say your name — preferably your MC name!

If you don’t have one, just make one up together with your crew and have fun with it.

This is great for anyone having a lot of trouble saying anything on the mic or who just wants to pass the mic on. Simply saying your name is easy and everyone can do it, so it allows everyone to contribute. It also lets you get a little more comfortable on the mic until you’re ready to move up to the next level.

Using an MC name also helps you create a new persona and style to freestyle with. (see “Choosing Your MC Name” p??)

Your freestyle skills and style can change dramatically when you are under the influence. Under the influence of what? Who you are with, where you are, what city you are in, the place you are standing, if you’re standing or sitting down, what you are wearing, how you feel, what different substances are effecting you, how comfortable you are, who is listening, who you think is listening, who you are trying to impress, what kind of beats or music you are freestyling over, what style you are using, what you’ve been reading or watching that day, whether you are being recorded, photographed or on video. Some people are good under some influences, and great under others.

It’s important to practice your skills under all sorts of influences — particularly if you frequently freestyle under the same influences again and again. You should diversify the influences under which you have practised and are familiar with, because you never know when you might be called upon to freestyle. Improving your skills in one area will help you and inspire you in others. Putting yourself outside your comfort zone will expand your skills, and no matter what the situation or condition, you will always be ready to freestyle!

Places: your bedroom, your shower, your car or bike, a studio, a club, a house party, a stage, a street, a hallway, a park, a forest, a cold place, a hot place.

Audience: An audience that is pumped! An audience that doesn’t care. An audience that’s bored. An audience that loves you. An audience that doesn’t like you. People that know you, people that don’t. A small group, a large group, a single stranger, someone you care about. A house party, a busy street. Young kids, your own age group, and your elders.

Substances and mental states: Straightedge sober. Coffee, tea, alcohol, cannabis, other substances. Hungry, well-fed, tired, awake. Physically comfortable or uncomfortable. Nervous or relaxed.

Music: hip-hop, Top 40, jazz, lounge music, Afrobeat, dancehall reggae, folk, classical, opera, rock, house, breakbeats, dubstep, trance, meditation records, talk radio, white noise. Instrumentals and songs with lyrics.