Freestyle rap
Freestyle is a style of hip hop where an artist improvises an unwritten verse from the head, with or without instrumental beats, in which lyrics are recited with no particular subject or structure.
Original definition
In the book
There are two types of freestyle. There's an old-school freestyle that's basically rhymes that you've written that may not have anything to do with any subject or that goes all over the place. Then there's freestyle where you come off the top of the head.[10]
In
Referring to this earlier definition (a written rhyme on non-specific subject matter), Big Daddy Kane stated, "that's really what a freestyle is"[7] and Kool Moe Dee refers to it as "true"[12] freestyle, and "the real old-school freestyle".[13] Kool Moe Dee suggests that Kool G Rap's track "Men At Work" is an "excellent example"[12] of true freestyle, along with Rakim's "Lyrics of Fury".[14]
Newer definition
Since the early 1990s onwards, with the popularization of improvisational rapping from groups and artists such as Freestyle Fellowship through to fresh fest competitions, "freestyle" has come to be the widely used term for rap lyrics which are improvised on the spot.[1][3][4][5] This type of freestyle is the focus of Kevin Fitzgerald's documentary, Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme, where the term is used throughout by numerous artists to mean improvisational rapping.[1]
Kool Moe Dee suggests the change in how the term is used happened somewhere in the mid to late 1980s, saying, "until 1986, all freestyles were written",[15] and "before the 1990s, it was about how hard you could come with a written rhyme with no particular subject matter and no real purpose other than showing your lyrical prowess."[12]
Myka 9 explains that Freestyle Fellowship helped redefine the term – "that's what they say I helped do – I helped get the world to freestyle, me and the Freestyle Fellowship, by inventing the Freestyle Fellowship and by redefining what freestyle is... We have redefined what freestyle is by saying that it's improvisational rap like a jazz solo".[6]
Although this kind of freestyling is very well respected today,[1] Kool Moe Dee states that this was not the case previously:
A lot of the old-school artists didn't even respect what's being called freestyle now...
emcee coming off the top of the head wasn't really respected. The sentiment was emcees only did that if they couldn't write. The coming off the top of the head rhymer had a built-in excuse to not be critiqued as hard.[15]
Methodology of improvised freestyle
Many rappers learn to rap through improvised freestyling, and by making freestyling into a conversation or a rhyming game which they play frequently as a way to practice, as described in the book How to Rap.[16] Reasons for freestyling include entertainment, as a therapeutic activity, to discover different ways of rapping, promoting oneself, increasing versatility, or as a spiritual activity.[17] Improvised freestyling can also be used in live performances, to do things such as giving something extra to the crowd[18] and to cover up mistakes.[19] To prove that a freestyle is being made up on the spot (as opposed to something pre-written or memorized), rappers will often refer to places and objects in their immediate setting, or will take suggestions on what to rhyme about.[6]
Freestyles are performed a cappella,[1] over beatboxing (as seen in Freestyle[1]), or over instrumental versions of songs. Freestyling is often done in a group setting called a "cypher" (or "cipher") or as part of a "freestyle battle".[1] Due to the improvised nature of freestyle, meter and rhythm are usually more relaxed than in conventional rapping. Many artists base their freestyle on their current situation or mental state, but have a ready supply of prepared lyrics and rhyme patterns they can use as filler. Freestyling can also be used as a songwriting method for albums or mixtapes.[20]
Types of freestyles
A
In modern times, with the rise of leagues such as King of the Dot and Ultimate Rap League, most battles are written, with some freestyling incorporated into the verses. This allows for more intricate rhymes and insults.
As hip-hop evolved in the early 1980s, many rappers gained their fame through freestyle battles. Battles can take place anywhere: informally on street corners, on stage at a concert, at a school, or at events specifically meant for battling (such as Scribble Jam or the Blaze Battle).
A cypher or cipher is an informal gathering of
Longest freestyle
On May 6, 2020, American rapper and slam poet George Watsky, best known for his rapid delivery, set the world record for longest freestyle at 33 hours, 33 minutes and 19 seconds. He held this record for 3 years until Japanese rapper PONEY beat it in April 2023 at 48 hours.[24]
See also
- Battle rap
- Dance improvisation
- Dozens
- Flyting
- Musical improvisation
- Stream of consciousness (narrative mode)
- Stream of consciousness (psychology)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Kevin Fitzgerald (director), Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme, Bowery, 2000.
- ^ T-Love, "The Freestyle", in Brian Cross, It's Not About A Salary..., New York: Verso, 1993.
- ^ a b Gwendolyn D. Pough, 2004, Check It While I Wreck It, UPNE, p.224
- ^ a b Murray Forman, Mark Anthony Neil, 2004, That's The Joint!, Routledge, p.196
- ^ a b Raquel Z. Rivera, 2003, New York Ricans From The Hip-Hop Zone, Palgrave Macmillan, p. 88
- ^ a b c d Edwards 2009, p. 182.
- ^ a b c Edwards 2009, p. 181-182.
- ^ Divine Styler, in Kevin Fitzgerald (director), Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme, Bowery, 2000.
- ^ Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 22, 23, 101, 201, 226, 228, 292, 306, 327, 328, 339.
- ^ Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 101.
- ^ Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 22, 23, 201, 292, 306.
- ^ a b c d Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 226.
- ^ Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 228.
- ^ Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 327.
- ^ a b Kool Moe Dee 2003, p. 306.
- ^ Edwards 2009, p. 182-183.
- ^ Edwards 2009, p. 183-184.
- ^ Edwards 2009, p. 300.
- ^ Edwards 2009, p. 301-302.
- ^ Edwards 2009, p. 149.
- ^
Johnson, Simon (2008-12-28). "Rap music originated in medieval Scottish pubs, claims American professor". telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
Professor Ferenc Szasz argued that so-called
rap battles, where two or more performers trade elaborate insults, derive from the ancient Caledonian art of "flyting". According to the theory, Scottish slave owners took the tradition with them to the United States, where it was adopted and developed by slaves, emerging many years later as rap. - ^ Chang, Jeff (12 October 2009). "It's a Hip-hop World". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ Schell, Justin. ""This Is What Ya'll Don't See On TV": B-Girl Be 2007". mnartists.org.
- ^ "Japanese rapper finally claims longest rap marathon after two failed attempts | Guinness World Records".
Further reading
- Edwards, Paul (December 2009). ISBN 978-1-55652-816-3.
- ISBN 1-56025-533-1.
- Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme. Dir. Kevin Fitzgerald. DVD. 2004.
- Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press.
- 8 Mile. Dir. Curtis Hanson. DVD. March 18, 2003
- Alan Light, et al. The Vibe History of Hip Hop, October 1999.
- All Rapped Up. Dir. Steven Gregory, Eric Holmberg. Perf. Eric Holmber, Garland Hunt. Videocassette. 1991.
- Blow, Kurtis. Kurtis Blow Presents: The History of Rap, Vol. 1: The Genesis (liner notes). Kurtis Blow Presents: The History Of Rap, Vol. 1: The Genesis.
- Brian, Cross. It's Not About a Salary. London; New York: Verso, 1993 [i.e. 1994].