Crooked I of Slaughterhouse explains how you can create more complex rhymes by writing on paper rather than writing rhymes in your head (like Jay-Z).
^^^THIS
These first batch of these promo videos for this How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC (which is in stores now) were kind of doofy, but they’ve gotten better lately.
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Not exactly what I would consider a groundbreaking theory
Archipelago said this on April 6th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
maybe you should be taking tips from jay-z who actually amounted to something
bodied021 said this on April 6th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Who honestly cares about how complex your rhymes are? Jay-Z definitely doesn’t, seeing as Reasonable Doubt is considered one of the top Hip-Hop albums, not to mention he’s rich as hell and married to Beyonce. Whether you write your verses or you spit straight from the head, all that matters is you get your point across. Complex rhymes mean shit.
Wise said this on April 6th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Its good to do a little bit of both, come up with a verse from your head, then write it down and revise it a little
JonnieHayward said this on April 6th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
@JonnieHayward – Mos definitely. Because all that matters in the end is that you were able to say what you wanted to say. It’s ultimately up to the individual artists in how they approach it.
Wise said this on April 6th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
True
JonnieHayward said this on April 6th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
how dare they not put crookeds name on the cover of the book
SHAFTED AGAIN!
buckets said this on April 6th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Jay wrote reasonable doubt, he said it himself. Then BIG died and he invaded his catalog (No Homo, lol). He took so much from the nigga he didnt have to write. Anyway, I’ve never been impressed when MFer says he dont write, cuz the end result usually proves he should
B.L.O. said this on April 6th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
He wrote Reasonable Doubt? Then I stand corrected. But either way, so long as you get your point across, I don’t care if you write or not.
“Then BIG died and he invaded his catalog (No Homo, lol). He took so much from the nigga he didnt have to write.” << Hilarious, by the way. I don't have an opinion on if Jay bit or not, but I'd take that stand point if I had to, just for the laughs.
Wise said this on April 6th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
sickology 101 >>>
421 said this on April 6th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
NO FUCKING WAY!? CROOKED I FOR THE NOBEL PRIZE!!
bigjohn said this on April 6th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
wat is the name of the song playin at the end?
ace said this on April 6th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
@ace Sickology 101 of Technine feat Crooked & Chino XL
Topic: Well it’s nothing new what Crooked says there but he’s got a point with that writin on paper stuff
DJSmu said this on April 6th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
100% co-sign to that, its not a biggie whether you write or not but its a helping hand forthe writer themself, on a paper you can plan n construct everything better than thinkin it all thru, havin it all written down in front of you gives you a better visual too, all them dudes that are like I DON’T WRITE I MAKE IT ALL UP IN MY HEAD ETC, you kno they the ones that lack skill n got room for improvement, jay-z the perfect example, he can rap but he ain’t in no-ones top 5 lyricists no more
AL-I said this on April 6th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
actually Jay only wrote no song for Reasonable Doubt..dat was da last verse on Can I Live..cuz Nas backed out..errthing else was from his head..and it really doesnt matta..cuz ur gettin da rhymes from ur head regardless..its choosing to memorize or write it down..
Lado said this on April 6th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
@lado – thank you for knowing the true history of reasonable doubt. i bet most niggas on here didnt even know esco was supposed to be on it but anyway.. i write on paper but when i record off the head i spit more punchlines and i rap a shit load slower. not that i miss a bar in my 16s though.
stan lee said this on April 6th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Lil’ Wayne has sucked ever since he started to not write it down.
dalek said this on April 6th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Reflection Eternal – Just Begun Instrumental
http://usershare.net/yqz0mp3zmau3
JonnieHayward said this on April 6th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
says crooked i who’s the weakest link in his group not to mention horrible on the mic. where’s jayz, and where’s crooked? not saying that he’s wrong, but he hasn’t amounted to shit
FaruqTheKing said this on April 6th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Are they going to release a DVD or aBook outside of the eBook??
jajawi said this on April 6th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Are they going to release a DVD or aBook outside of the (e)Book??
jajawi said this on April 6th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
With this video, I knew people was gonna mention Jay. When it comes to this subject, I’m all about writing your rhymes on paper. You’re rhyme is more structured, you play with what kind of cadence you go with, you mess with wordplay…writing down your rhymes, you subconsciously edit and think. Why? Simple, you’re trying to come up with the dopest sh** possible, which is part of emceeing.
But on the flipside, I think it’s good practice to think of lines in your head. Doesn’t have to be a whole verse or a 300 bar freestyle, but it’s good to think of different lines, memorize them, then write it down later. Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and T.I. popularized this today, and made it overrated; just because they don’t write their rhymes doesn’t mean they’re flawless…but there’s other emcees that don’t always write rhymes on paper too that are ill. Common is one of them, Lupe Fiasco done it, etc…but bottomline is, they still write.
D. $cience said this on April 6th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
@D. Science (co-sign) most of the time i write my lyrics down cuz for that exact reason i wanna make the dopest shit possible, at times i use a dictionary because not only am i killin it but i learn whut the word means in my own way, sometimes i write but im like freestylin at the sametime, for ex. ill be on the computer and randomly make a line then from tht line bam theres like 9-10 lines right after tht in less than a minute or at other times ill take like an hour or 2 to make a single verse
Glitch said this on April 6th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
It’s just preference. I like Crooked’s reasoning though. There’s a lot of moving parts to deal with when making a rhyme and writing it down just seems like the most logical way to do it.
When it comes to people who write in their head, it seems like they do it because they can, not necessarily because it’s the best method. But then again, I don’t have that kind of talent so who knows how their brains work to filter through all that stuff.
Someone who CAN do both should explain the differences (if any) that come with both methods.
Onederin said this on April 6th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
but you know w.e. way i do it if i feel like i killed it im good
Glitch said this on April 6th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
@jajawi – it is a book already… http://www.amazon.com/How-Rap-Art-Science-Hip-Hop/dp/1556528167
@Onederin – Crooked I does do it using both methods, he says at the end that sometimes he has to write in his head, but that he’s good either way
NSouth said this on April 6th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
it doesnt matter one way or the other. if you got dope rhymes it dont matter. jay is one of the top lyricists of all time point blank. crooked is dope too. jay has perfected that method and now everybody does it. crooked i is a spitter but he is only spitting for one type of audience so his rhymes can be as complex as he wants them to be they are not going any farther than the internet in most instances. jay’s rhymes actually have to appeal to everyone. if jay wanted to get complex like he did on lyrical exercise more often he definetly could.
bigzizzo said this on April 6th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
the people that dont write usually has better melodies and catchier songs that i can listen to on the regular or at a party or whatever.
the lyrical emcess that sit down and think of deep complex shit is cool too when i got the headphones on and im in that zone. people always say this is real rap and the other shit is fake…thats stupid, u gotta learn to appreciate the music for what it is. different strokes for diff moods
shaba said this on April 6th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
bottomline, there are no rules in art. people on both sides need to stop thinking with an elitist mentality. hip hop (and music in general) is supposed to bring people together, not separate them.
shaba said this on April 6th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
I’m confused. “D’evils” had more complex rhymes in it than Crooked has had in his whole rap career. When I think of Crooked I, I don’t think of complex, mind-puzzling rhymes. Who the hell does?
AirRaid said this on April 6th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Is this seriously up for debate? Fuck out of here with that head shit.
Duuude said this on April 6th, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Here’s why the head shit is the same as writing. Every thing they spit is recorded so they can rewind it and hear it again. Just like writing some thoughts come correct the first time you pen them down or the first time you spit them.
Matter of fact, recording what you spit is the rich man’s writing.
james said this on April 6th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
all my verses go into the Blackberry lol
JonnieHayward said this on April 6th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I wonder if MLK just made up and kept his speeches in his head.
The answer is that you write the shit down.
Duuude said this on April 6th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
@stan lee
im pretty sure most people kno that nas was supposed to be on reasonable doubt, thats one of the things that sparked the feud
and yea i think an equal amount of both is cool although i think that writing produces the best music. it allows u to go back and rethink and rewrite to make things better. look at t.i.’s paper trail, i think its the best album of his career because he came across focused and organized, which i think is underrated in writing and recording. when you have actual thoughtful organized rhymes then everything flows but when you just spit everything straight off the head then your stuff comes off disorganized and all over the place kinda like waynes carter 3
burd said this on April 6th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
@AirRaid – Crooked is complex in terms of technique, Jay’s “D’Evils” isn’t complex, it’s just kinda deep
NSouth said this on April 7th, 2010 at 8:31 am
@AirRaid how can you say crooked rhymes aren’t complex? you should buy this book so u can fully appreciate the skill crooked brings to the mic.
buckets said this on April 7th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
btw crooked is one of the most technical rhymers out. his syllables/multis/wordplay is always on point
buckets said this on April 7th, 2010 at 1:00 pm