How To Rap Battle

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A rap battle can go many different ways. There are freestyle ones, there are pre-written ones, and there are ones that mix the two. There are rap battles on beat and there are rap battles that are acapella. There are one-on-one battles, two-on-two battles, or cyphers where everyone can take a turn.

Preparation Is Key

The days of freestyle battles taking place on the spot are mostly a thing of the past. There’s order and structure nowadays. Therefore, you better be ready when the time comes. “I wasn’t ready” or “I didn’t know what to say” is not a valid excuse. Usually, a battler will get the name of their opponent weeks in advance and get started working on their rhymes. UK battler Shotty Horroh divulges that, “as soon as I find out who I’ve got, I start writing and piecing little bits together. I talk to other battlers who may know something.” He goes as far as using paper clips to structure his rhymes, planning different segments and then piece them all together, like Russell Crow in A Beautiful Mind, only with rhyming insults. He takes his parts and finds the connectors that will ultimately put it all together. It’s almost like essay writing. All that is to say: if you aren’t serious, you’ll be booed off stage.

Do Your Homework

If you have the name of your opponent, then like any good journalist, it’s important to do your research. Dig for some dirt and find out as much as you possibly can that can be used against your adversary. Perhaps he said some embarrassing stuff in an interview once, or perhaps he has a hobby that he doesn’t want anyone knowing about. It’s time to air out everything and anything you possible can that will make him look bad. There’s no such thing as being too personal in this arena.

Practice Makes Perfect

Be funny. Be witty. Use pop culture references and as many play on words as you can muster up. The more crowd reactions you get, the better your odds of a victory. Remember, this is a battle, this is a fight, and every strong bar is another jab to your opponent. Don’t be too corny, but it’s fine to make some jokes.