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How to Make a Rap Out of a Love Poem

While many people more readily associate rap music and hip-hop culture with male "swagger" due to protestations of promiscuity by popular masters of the genre, rap music -- with its pounding bass drums and guttural lyricism -- can be a compelling genre for expressing romantic love. Noted rapper Method Man demonstrated as much in his highly acclaimed collaboration with Mary J Blige for a reinterpretation of Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By." With the right cadence and performance artistry, you too can create a heart-felt rap out of a love poem.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a love poem that is long enough to turn into a rap of one minute or more in length. Ideally, you will choose a free-form poem as some poetic forms, such as haiku, are bad candidates to turn into a rap song. Additionally, you can choose a poem that rhymes at the end of each line, as this rhyme scheme will easily convert into a rap.

    • 2

      Decide if you will rap to an accompanying musical beat. Beginners are better off rapping to a beat as it facilitates better delivery and a consistent flow. Also, a beat gives you a chance to rehearse your music and develop a sense of where you should be in your verse as you perform.

    • 3

      Rewrite the love poem to incorporate a rhyme scheme either with the syllables that end words or the way you emphasize sounds. Consider changing the words that end each line in the poem if it helps your rap sound maintain a consistent rhyme scheme or cadence.

    • 4

      Rehearse the rap. Practice the cadence and tone that will go into the rap performance. The primary difference between rap and poetry is that a poem can be read, while rap must be heard and experienced. It is also important that your body language and vocal tone reflect this difference.

    • 5

      Get feedback from friends and any others you know who write, perform or appreciate rap. If you receive useful advice, refine your rap to reflect it. When you feel ready, perform the rap for the target of your affection.

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