I’ll be explaining why rapping is hard.
This topic was made thanks to lyrics I’ve made several time that just mentions the craft.
As someone who’s highly interested in music (rap in particular) it makes this a bit of a personal topic.
There’s plenty of different aspects that make a great rapper.
One thing that I can say off the bat is that there’s definitely a skill to rapping that has to be developed in order to be successful.
If you value the genre as a whole then you’ll most likely take a special liking to what’s discussed as well.
But without more hype, let’s move on.
Why Is Rapping Hard?
Rapping looks hard to do because of several factors. Predictability is an element that’s needed. It takes practice to have an entertainment level that’s enjoyed. There’s learning that needs to be done too that’s not discussed. Even enjoying the journey of what it takes to be an actual rapper can be a difficult path.
Predictability
Practice
Learning
Enjoyment
why is the message important in rapping
According to FlowsForDays Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five actually released a song called The Message in 1982.
For many hip hop historians they consider this drop as a point in time when the genre was gaining more respect.
There’s been a deep history behind the rise and evolution of what we would call conscious rap.
There’s been rappers that pushed this belief further from the likes of Public Enemy, Lauryn Hill and even Kanye West.
From the beginning of that era we’re actually given the birth of that song The Message mentioned earlier.
What this did for rap as a whole added value and appreciation for skills in the craft:
- Delivery
- Lyricism
- Personality
Them as well as other rebels that pushed this ideology to new levels would be Tupac.
What they did is show through their art how rappers can be the signal of hope for the fans of their music.
With that hope came a sense of consciousness that elevated the sense of heroism and personal fulfillment fans were looking for.
One thing’s for sure, the actual message that a rap shares can be positive and even negative.
The point in it all is inspiring a deep thought which many of us like to do at times.
It’s the reason we have to value the pioneers that paved the way for other socially conscious rappers.
is it harder to rap or sing
There’s not a unanimous answer as to which craft is harder than the other but they do take different mastery of skills to perform well.
The strongest argument that I’ve heard made for singing that makes perfect sense to me is that it takes special focus on practice to do in public.
Rap may be easier to emulate than a singer since it comes down to reciting lyrics as opposed to singing where you have to imitate a melody.
Home Music Provider supports this idea by claiming it takes more time and effort to develop a signer that sings well as opposed to a rapper that raps.
Audiodome has a different take on the singer-rapper debate in saying that singing is easier to imitate while it takes a special skill in rapping to perform for a crowd.
One ratio that I felt captured the complexity of what it takes to be a good rapper is 70-30 skill-talent.
If you flip the titles it could easily be applied to singing.
Because the voice itself is an instrument in itself it could be tuned to an acquired sound (similar to preferring an alto sax over a tenor)
The point is that it takes work to be successful in either, it’s just work in different areas.
What skills does it take to rap
Indeed suggests that there’s a specific list of skills that you need as a rapper:
- Writing skills.
- Knowledge of poetry.
- Musical ability.
- Communication skills.
- Creativity.
- Organizational skills.
- Discipline.
From initial look this list makes sense, but the need to simplify it makes me want to add a summary that captures it a little better.
It’s playing with words to convey a thought or feeling.
The master of words will favor rap.
However with that said there’s also a special ear you have to develop eventually in order to reach a higher level of rap when making music.
The best of the best (from plenty of time spent acquiring a specific sound) utilize this skill and have used it to reach the heights of award making music.
Without a doubt it takes more than just a casual interest in rapping to be a great artist.
I’ve personally been going through the journey of developing my craft and learned quickly that it was going to take more then counting on overnight success to progress in rapping.
There’s so much writing involved, listening to music that has to be done and networking involved to approach it professionally.
I’ve learn to appreciate the journey of ascending the ladder of rap by actively practicing the craft.
It’s definitely the scenario of the craft is earned instead of sold.
There’s great ways to approach music (especially when rapping) scientifically but there’s a point you’ll reach where the sauce is almost spiritual.
how often do rappers create new music
There’s not really an official timer for how often a rapper’s supposed to put music out but some artists output seem higher than others.
There’s undocumented moments where music that’s made from instrumentals acquired is eventually put out.
When it’s made in bulk it can be grouped to release over a set amount of time.
This part of rapping is completely up to the artist and their work ethic in a sense of making new material.
There may be a spurt of energy that’s exploited and an absurd amount of music gets made at that point or it’s done steadily over a consistent time period.
I personally have moments where I’ll have plenty to say and also have points where there’s less to rap about.
The part that keeps it fresh for me and finding new ways to stay consistent in creating is exploring different areas of my life I want to articulate.
There’s sites like Smart Rapper that suggest rappers can make up to 100+ songs over the course of a project rollout in which only about 15 songs make the cut.
I can see that happening but where I’m at it sounds absurd to have that much of an output when making music.
Of course situations and environments play a big role in having creative freedom and flexibility.
But maybe it’s just a case of there’s levels to creating as an artist.
Final Thoughts
Rapping is work regardless of how you look at it.
Let’s look at the reasons why rap could be hard to do:
- Creating a meaningful message that’s impactful.
- Developing a presence that’s good enough for performance.
- Sharpening the skills needed to deliver sound-wise when rapping.
- Consistently dropping new music to constantly feed your fans.
These are all professional aspects of rap when you approach it like a business but at the end of the day everyone’s process is different.
But what do you think?
Let me know if there’s anything I missed.
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