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Check the Method: How to Rap (Part 3: Slant Rhymes)

One big amateur mistake I’ve seen time and time again is the rhyming just to rhyme. You’re not really saying much, and the “rhyme, time, crime” thing is way played out. You’re letting the rhyme rule you, you must learn to subtle art of the slant rhyme.

In a “Perfect” Rhyme, the stressed syllable must be the same in both words, and the articulation before the rhyming syllable must be different (Like Cat/Bat).  In a slant rhyme, there are no rules. If it sounds good, thats all that matters. For example, listen to the first verse on Eminem’s song “Big Weenie” (http://youtu.be/1TYOMeUruv4?t=34s) Here, he rhymes “important” “of the sorts” “moment” and “close them” If someone with no knowledge of slant rhymes read these lyrics, they would probably have no idea he was even rhyming!

One of Eminem’s biggest skills is his ability to make words rhyme that sound almost nothing alike. To do this yourself, you need to contort the words and make them fit if your rap, not make your rap fit to the rhymes.

It is worth noting that this example also contains Compound Rhymes, which we will touch on more in the future.

Exercise 1: Write a rap rhyming the words “web” “end” “said” “forget” “mesh” and “grip” but not in that order! Send me a video or audio of your rap at [email protected]

Until next time, yung grasshoppers.

-- Luke Winnicki

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Check the Method: How to Rap (Part 2: So You Wanna be a Rapper?)

Despite what Classic Rock Conservatives and Fox News want you to think, rapping isn't just talking over a beat. It's a complex and nuanced vocal instrument. It's a form of folk music, evolved from Jazz, RnB, Soul, Funk, Blues and Slave Spirituals. It involves musicianship equally as much as learning to sing or to play guitar.

This post is gonna be sorta like an outline of Things to Come. So...

First off) Rules are meant to be broken. The things I say here should be regarded as General Ideas rather than Ultimate Truths. If you never break the rules of music, you'll sound good, but not interesting. If you don't know the rules, however, you won't be breaking them, you'll be blindly stumbling past them, and no one wants to hear that.

Dos) My concept of what makes up rapping breaks down into two categories:

     i) Lyricism - Subject Matter, Rhyme Scheme, literary devices etc.

     ii) Delivery - Rhythm, Tone, Feel etc.

These both break into a bunch of smaller categories, and presumably, its turtles all the way down. I'll map it out for you sometime in the near future.

Numba 3) I'm gonna give you exercises with (almost) every post! Something you can do to improve your writing or technical ability, it'll help to have little things to practice when you lose inspiration.

4x4) I'll try to update regularly, but knowing how my creative process works, you'll probably get bursts of posts in a short time, followed by long droughts. But I'll try.

V) This will NOT be very music theory intensive, in fact, I'm going to act like you have no prior knowledge about anything at all, and try to make everything as easy to understand as possible.

666) Participate! Respond to these posts with ideas, criticisms, and even links to your own stuff! I'd love to see how people grow after reading this stuff, if that ever happens! Also, if I'm wrong about something, feel free to correct me. Remember, I'm here to learn, too!

Well, that's about it for now! Until next time, young grasshoppers.

-- Luke Winnicki

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Check the Method: How to Rap (Part 1: Who the hell are you?)

Hi, my name is Luke Winnicki, and I'm going to teach you how to rap!

... But wait. I'm a nobody. I've never received a co-sign from a major artist, I've never had any hit singles, hell, I've never even released a real mixtape! Why should you read and take to heart advice from me?

Because this is a total learning experience. By teaching others to rap, I will be teaching myself to become a better rapper, and a better teacher. By outlining the skills I have and the knowledge I've obtained, I can both lead people into this lucrative artform and document my further descent into it.

If you must must must have my credentials here they are:

1) I've been playing music since I was 12 (Started on guitar)

2) I took about 2 years of guitar lessons and 2 years of singing lessons

3) I have a basic working knowledge of music theory.

4) I Currently study Music and Music Technology at Brookdale Community College

5) I run an Independent Record Label out of Neptune, NJ

6) And here's a link to my stuff (https://soundcloud.com/mr-hangman/sets/luke-raps)

Now, I'm only 19, I've been rapping about 4 or 5 years and nothing huge has come of it so far, but 8th Planet Records is starting to gain traction locally, and I have big hopes for the future. If you're thinking I'm full of shit and not worth listening to, then you're probably right. But if you have an open mind and are willing to learn from someone like me, then welcome young grasshopper, we both have much to learn.

-- Luke Winnicki

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A 9 minute long journey through your mind, with temporary stops in glitch, ambient, hip hop and psychedelia. Pay what you want.

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