Rap Flow

In my opinion rap flow plays a big part in how you construct your rhymes. In more cases than none how you say it is just as important as what you say. With that said, today were going to talk briefly about rap flow.

Rap flow is just an added element to your arsenal. I've heard rappers who had tight lyrics but weak rap flow or a nice rap flow but weak lyrics. Now add tight lyrics and a tight flow over a tight beat and you just might have a classic record on your hands.

So let's talk about some things that affect our rap flow. Rap flow is distinguished on how well you ride the beat. A few factors come into play on how well you ride the beat.

Rap Flow Factors:
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Breath
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Syllables
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Pause
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Rhyme Placement
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Word Length

The five factors above each can have an effect on your rap flow. We'll talk about each one separately.

How you breathe in between your rhymes can affect your rap flow. Artists like Big Pun, Bone Thugs and Twister have incredible breath control. It's hard to rhyme more than 2-3 bars without taking a breath, especially the louder the vocal but where you do decide to breathe when rhyming will have a slight effect on your rap flow. Keep in mind punch-ins can catch the same effect as not breathing on record.

Syllables also play a factor in rap flow. What syllable structure you choose to use will affect your flow too. For example say a whole bar of one syllable words and then a whole bar of two syllable words. Do you see the difference? That being said, the order in which you use your syllables will also play a part in effecting your rap flow. Keep that in mind the next time you're recoding.

Pause, is another factor, similar to where you choose to take your breath, a pause can play the same factor and also have an effect on your rap flow. Although you don't necessarily need to take a breath when you pause in your rhyme, a pause can be placed at the beginning of a line, in the middle and one at the end or where ever you choose. That's mainly up to the artist and the desired flow.

Where you choose to place your rhymes is also another factor that plays in developing your rap flow. Rhyme placement may be the biggest factor of them all. What points you choose to put your rhyme words on will determine how your flow is going to come off.

Inner rhyme, slant rhyme and the like all fall under rhyme placement in relation to rap flow.

Last but now least, your word length will have an effect as well. Do you stretch your syllables like how Big and Pac did on some of their flows, or is it sort of singly like that of a Ja Rule type flow. Where ever you choose will determine how your rap flow will sound.

In conclusion, add some of the 5 Factors into your rhymes and see where you are able to go with it. Use various combinations of the five factors and find the flow that pleases you most.

Best of luck.