One of the main elements that separate successful rappers from unsuccessful ones is their mentality. Aspiring rappers who make their music a priority and stay focused on their goals will see improvement in their technique. One way of doing this is to write every day so that you get into the habit of making time for your craft. Taking rap seriously and having the drive to keep improving will help you stick with your goals when you face setbacks. Staying focused will also make music industry executives take you more seriously as well.
Improve your skills so you can be the best artist possible and stand out from the competition. In addition to constant writing, practice your raps in the mirror to work on your delivery and stage presence. Practice coming up with interesting lines and use a thesaurus to increase your vocabulary. Learn from established rap artists and study the elements that make their music successful. Listen to music genres other than hip-hop to gain a better understanding of song structure and develop an eclectic sound.
Get your music noticed by recording your songs independently. If you don't play an instrument, download an instrumental beat from the Internet to use as your backing track. A microphone and a recording program are all that's needed to record your song. Place your song on a social networking site, music streaming site or online music store. Include either free snippets or lower quality music files to give listeners a sample of your music, so that they'll want to pay money for your full high quality songs. You can also use these song demos to give music executives an idea of your style and ability.
One of the best ways to promote your music is by performing. Take any opportunity you can to perform at talent shows, open mic nights and freestyle battles. When you have connections to music promoters and club owners, you can progress to playing paid gigs. Another way to sell your music is by recording videos of yourself performing and putting them online. Market yourself online through social network pages, music and videos sites and musician networking forums. Networking can connect you to other rappers, musicians, producers, songwriters, managers and potential fans.