It has been suggested that Battle Rap be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with few or no previously composed lyrics, off the top of the head^{[1][2][3][4][5]}. It is similar to other improvisational music such as rock where there is a lead guitarist acting as the improviser and the backup guitarist providing the beat.

Originally, in Old School Hip-Hop, the term ‘freestyle’ referred to a pre-written rap verse that was not on any particular subject matter and was just written for the purpose of demonstrating skill^[6]. The term is still occasionally used in this way, though the majority of today’s artists use it to mean improvised rapping^[1].

[edit] Definitions of the term

[edit] Original definition

Old school rap legend Kool Moe Dee, who participated in some of Hip-Hop’s earliest and most famous battles^[7], and whose 1986 footage appears in the documentary Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme^[1], brings up the term ‘freestyle’ many times in his book, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs^[6]. He frequently explains that originally a ‘freestyle’ referred to rhymes which were written but had no particular subject matter, which he refers to as “old-school freestyling”^[8] in contrast to the more common definition used today (which was called “coming off the top of the head”^[9] back then). He says:

"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]."

He refers to this earlier definition of freestyle as “true”^[11] freestyle, and elsewhere he also refers to it as “the real old-school freestyle”^[12], suggesting that he sees the earlier definition of a freestyle (a written rhyme on non-specific subject matter) as the “real”^[12] and “true”^[11] meaning of the term. He suggests that Kool G Rap’s track ‘Men At Work’ is an “excellent example”^[13] of “true”^[13] freestyle, along with Rakim’s ‘Lyrics Of Fury’^[14].

Divine Styler makes the same argument, saying that freestyle used to refer to written rhymes without a concept: “in the school I come from, freestyling was a non-conceptual written rhyme… and now they call freestyling off the top of the head, so the era I come from it’s a lot different”^[15].

[edit] Newer definition

Since the early ‘90s onwards, with the popularization of improvisational rapping from groups/artists such as Freestyle Fellowship through to Eminem’s 8 Mile, ‘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].

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...^[16] any 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^[17]".

Kool Moe Dee suggests the change in how the term is used happened somewhere in the mid to late ‘80s, saying, “until 1986, all freestyles were written”^[17], and “before the ‘90s 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”^[16].

[edit] Methodology of improvised freestyle

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (February 2007)

Freestyles are either performed a cappella, over beatboxing, or over instrumental versions of recorded Hip-Hop songs. The improvising of rap lyrics is said to reflect a direct mapping of the mental state and performing situation of the artist. It is non-scripted, non-rehearsed, uncut, and the rawest form of hip-hop. Artists will often refer to places and objects in their immediate setting. Freestyle rapping forces an individual to think on the spot, describe their surroundings, and, to a certain degree, rap uncensored from what is inside.

Due to the improvised nature of freestyle, rules for meter and rhythm are usually more relaxed than in conventional rap. Many artists base their set on the situation and mental state, but have a ready supply of prepared lyrics and rhyme patterns they can use as filler or even around which they can build their set. Often, freestyling is done in a group setting (called a cypher) or as part of a freestyle battle. In these cases, freestyle verses are often prepared in the rapper's head as the other rappers in the cypher or the opponent in the battle take their turn. Metaphors and similes are often used when freestyling and a good punch line is huge when freestyling in a cypher. Freestyling is also often used by many rappers when beginning to write a song, in order to get a feel for the beat and to brainstorm lyrical ideas.

[edit] Battles

[edit] History

Battling is generally believed to have originated in the late 1970s. Perhaps the earliest and most famous battle was in December 1982 when Kool Moe Dee challenged Busy Bee Starski.^[18] Busy Bee was known for his chants of "What's your zodiac sign?" and other crowd pleasers that had been originated a few years before by other rappers.

[edit] Recent history

Battling has been mostly an underground phenomenon since the early nineties, partly due to rap lyrics becoming considerably more complex in terms of rhyme scheme and meter. Furthermore, many rappers often deliver standalone written verses on radio shows that are referred to or labeled on records or on filesharing programs as freestyles, which has somewhat distorted the meaning of the term. There is often confusion as to whether or not "freestyle verses" are in fact freestyled, with many rappers' written lyrics being simple enough to seem freestyled and many of the best freestylers' improvised lyrics being complex and confident enough to seem written.

In the early 21st century, freestyling (particularly freestyle battling) experienced a resurgence in popularity of sorts as successful freestyle battle competition TV shows were shown by both BET and MTV. In addition, Eminem's movie 8 Mile brought the excitement of the freestyle battle to mainstream movie audiences. Freestyle Friday is a watered-down battle segment on BET's popular show 106 & Park. Two rappers compete in a freestyle battle before the studio audience and three celebrity judges (the DJ sometimes acts as the 3rd judge). Each competitor alternates freestyling for 30 seconds in each of the two rounds (originally only 1 round when the segment first began). The rappers are not allowed to use profanities or sexually suggestive lyrics, punishable by disqualification. After the battle, the judges decide the winner, per majority vote.

In Cuba, freestyle battles often follow organized concerts and juxtapose composed songs with ‘flowing’ lyrics that are relevant to the present situation^[19]. Freestyling can allow audience members to integrate into the performance stage. This provides a forum for up-and-coming underground artists to engage in a musical discussion with already prominent underground Cuban rappers. Freestyle battles often turn political when artists incorporate perspectives on social disparities and issues plaguing the Cuban population^[20].

One of the ongoing rap battle festivals include Iron Mic. This show consists of 16 rounds and the final survivor is awarded with the Iron Mic. Usually there are around three judges who decide which rapper wins and is run by a host who includes Marv-O.

[edit] Types of battles

Battles can either be "freestyle" or "written" form. A freestyle battle is a contest in which two or more rappers compete or battle each other using improvised lyrics. Each competitor's goal is to 'diss' their opponent through clever lyrics. As hip-hop evolved in the early 80's MCs gained their fame through live battles with other MCs. Freestyle battles can take place anywhere: street corners, on stage at a concert, or in school. The idea of such poetic battles, or jousts, has a long history that can be found in genres of poetry such as Haikai and flyting.^[21]

A live audience is important in a battle. Each MC must use skill and lyrical ability to not only 'break down' his or her opponent, but to convince the audience that they are the better rapper. Appointed judges have been used in formal contests, but even when no winner is announced, the rapper who receives the best audience response is viewed as the victor. In addition, it is considered an act of dishonour to recite written and memorized raps in a freestyle battle, because it shows the rapper to be incapable of 'spitting' spur-of-the-moment lyrics.

The cipher is the crowd which forms around the battles, consisting of spectators and onlookers. This group serves partly to encourage competition and partly to enhance the communal aspect of rap battles. The cipher is known for “making or breaking reputations in the hip hop community; if you are able to step into the cipher and tell your story, demonstrating your uniqueness, you might be more accepted".^[22] These groups also serve as a way for messages about hip hop styles and knowledge to be spread, through word-of-mouth and encouraging trends in other battles^[23].

Battling is a prominent part of hip hop culture.

[edit] Rap Battle Forums

After the underground rap scene formed there spawned rap battle websites communities with other battlers or rappers. They are essential to the evolution of hip-hop, emcees, and battles. Mainly Text and Audio battles, They are voted on charts, summaries, or breakdowns.

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• 8 Mile. Dir. Curtis Hanson. DVD. March 18, 2003
• Alan Light; et al. October 1999. The Vibe History of Hip Hop.
• 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].
• Rap Lyrics A to Z

[edit] See also

• Stream of consciousness (narrative mode)
• Stream of consciousness (psychology)