How To Improve Your Rap Flow In 10 Mins. Or Less (Tips + Examples)

Flow, cadence, syncopation – all words that encapsulate a rapper's deftness to glide effortlessly over the beat, defining their rhythmic agility.

Whatever you call it, it all converges to the same premise we're exploring today: the elusive art of rap flow.

Today’s episode of How To Rap breaks down how to improve your rap flow with methods you’ve likely never heard before, going beyond the superficial advice of changing up your flow to keep listeners hooked.

------------------------

Flow Freedom: Master The Art of Rap Flow, Step-By-Step (RAP FLOW COURSE): https://htr.freestylefortnight.com/im...

------------------------

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction
0:49 1. The Fundamentals of Rap Flow: Understanding and Mastering Your Own Rhythm
2:39 Flow Freedom course
3:28 2. Practical Steps Towards Improving Your Rap Flow
7:18 3. Advanced Techniques to Elevate Your Rap Flow

------------------------

After steering YouTube's most subscribed 'How To Rap' channel for nearly a decade, and mentoring literally thousands of global rap enthusiasts, we've found the ideal definition:
Drum patterns transmuted into word form.

Yes, that's the secret sauce.

Consider this, every beat is a combination of guitar riffs, string sections, horns, and other elements.

Now, imagine adding another layer to this sonic tapestry, a vocal instrument delineating drum patterns through words.

That, in essence, is rap flow.

It’s the juxtaposition of these vocal patterns, attuned to the rhythm of the beat, which makes rap such an intoxicating genre.

Now, there’s this disheartening sentiment that often echoes in the comment sections of our 'How To Rap' videos.

People seem to believe, “You're either born with it, or you're not”.

Well, that's far from the truth.

Most of these commenters are either not making music, haven't coached anyone to rap, or if they do make music, it's rather mediocre.

The point is, skills like music, rhythm, and flow aren't inborn evolutionary abilities like running.

Sure, some might grasp them faster, but it doesn't mean if it's challenging initially, you can't master it.

Yes, even rap legend like Jay-Z, Drake, and Nas occasionally go off-beat to emphasize a point, but that's not their primary rapping style. So, don't use the "it's my style" defense lightly. Be sure to write to the beat.

Last, I'd like to share a motivational nugget. Drawing from that 2Pac style, I started with a simple flow and gradually moved to more complex bars.

The more I wrote and recorded, the better I got at detecting when I was off-beat.

I see a lot of new rappers struggling with flow, and I always tell them, keep writing and recording.

Now, an indispensable rap flow secret leveraged by most professionals is the art of slowing down the flow just before the chorus begins.

This technique transforms the tail end of the verse into a potential hook, a concept sometimes termed as a 'pre-chorus' in popular songwriting.

This transitional section builds tension, leading seamlessly into the main hook or chorus.

Renowned artists such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Kanye West have repeatedly employed this technique in their major records.

One overlooked advantage of this method is that it paves the way for quicker song completion.

Many rappers are known for their distinctive flows – from newer-generation artists like DaBaby to stalwarts like Method Man.

However, the rappers generally considered the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.), such as The Notorious B.I.G., Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Jay-Z, etc., are often recognized as masters of multiple flows.