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What Is the Structure of Rap Music?

Rap, or hip hop, is a genre of music that began in the 1970s in New York City. It consists of looped beats or samples and synthesized instruments, with rapping, a vocal style in which the artist, or MC, speaks lyrically and rhythmically, often using rhyme and verse. Since its mainstream crossover in the late 1980s and early 1990s, rap has become a dominant presence on the charts.
  1. Basic Structure

    • Rap songs follow a similar structure as most popular musics, though, like all music, there is a lot of variation. The basic structure of a rap song is verse one, chorus,
      verse two, chorus, bridge and chorus. Often an intro and outro can be added to that structure.

    Verses

    • Verses usually consist of rapping, not singing. Most rap songs have at least three verses, sometimes many more, sometimes fewer.

    Chorus

    • The chorus of a song is the part that is repeated at least twice, and often much more. The chorus usually contains the hook, or the part that connects people to the song. The hook is often melodic or contains a phrase that will stick in a listener's head.

    Bridge or Breakdown

    • Sometimes referred to as "the middle eight," the bridge of the song is different from the verse and the chorus, but usually references one or the other. The bridge of a song provides a different aspect from the chorus and verse, which are repeated, and usually only occurs once.

    Intro or Outro

    • Most popular music songs have an intro, outro or both. These sections are often instrumental, and introduce the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic themes of a song before the performer begins rapping or singing.

    Posse Cut

    • A posse cut is a popular technique in rap in which a song has at least four verses by members of a group or members from different groups. Most if not all of the Wu-Tang Clan's songs could be called posse cuts.

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