Repeat it to give listeners a chance to get into it before you start your next verse.
Your goal is to change up the rhythm of the words or melody enough to catch the listener’s attention.įocus the hook lyric around a single strong statement. For a rap hook, change up the pace or rhythm pattern – slow it down or shorten/lengthen your phrases. Start on an unexpected beat or emphasize an unusual beat. Try jumping to a high note to start a melodic hook and smoothing or stretching out the delivery. Producers’ advice: Whether you sing or rap your chorus hook, use plenty of contrast.
Just make your rap is the same length as theirs and drop your hook where they do. You can use these songs to help you frame a solid song structure in this style. These are the lines your listeners will remember so make them emotional, honest, and unique.Ĭrossover Urban hits like Keyshia Cole and Missy Elliott’s “Let It Go” or Kanye West and T-Pains’s “Good Life” have big melodic choruses that break up the rap verses. Use these repeated hook sections to make a statement that sums up the heart of your song. I’ve noticed that some very successful rap songs open with the hook – the catchiest part of the song – to grab the listener’s attention right at the start. Sometimes the third verse is replaced with a bridge, a section with different chords or a change up in the rap style or content. The hook/chorus provides an anchor for the listener while the verses tell the story, paint a picture, or express the personality of the rapper. Often there are three verse sections with each one followed by a chorus or hook section. Hip-Hop relies on a 16-bar verse form followed by a chorus/hook section. Because this is a little outside of my usual style, I asked a couple of successful Rap producers and label owners to help me out.
RAP BEAT STRUCTURE HOW TO
I’ve been asked by a few songwriters for advice on how to create good Hip-Hop and Rap songs.