I had a rap group that performed at clubs when I was 18 and I still freestyle for fun, good enough to get blowups
making words rhyme on the fly is pretty much a mental habit that gets embedded in your subconscious by practicing and not caring what other people think. you'll know you're getting somewhere when you're not trying anymore and you surprise yourself. I can rhyme 3 syllable words and phrases outta my ass with very little thought
some tips
- if you have no flow, learn to "feel" the basic 8 count: align your syllables around the hi-hat. for every 8 hi-hats, put the rhymed word on the 7th
- if you have no flow, you can also rap along to your favorite rappers while being aware of the beat. you'll slowly be able to "feel" the rhythm they use
- take a word and just brainstorm as many words you can come up with that rhyme with it, as quickly as you can. this is how your minds will work in the moment when you're freestyling. your mind is basically making a split second decision when it chooses that second rhyme word
- don't be afraid to fvck up in front of a group because it's inevitable. nobody really gives a sht and if you get herbed on when you're not even battling, fvck them, seriously
- minimize using "crutch lines". IE people freestyle and use their written sht to fill in space, or repeat stuff like "when I'm on the mic". stuff like that just slows down your growth
- if you have a buddy that flows - start busting and "pass the mic" every couplet. IE you rhyme two lines, then he rhymes two lines, etc. see how long you can go
- have fun with this sht. in a way, getting good at this is like macking. if you're all self-conscious, you never get out of your shell and never get anywhere
