Here's some freestyling tips I have found over tha internet. This isn't shit I typed or nuttin. I'm not gon take tha credit from tha people who typed all dis shit up im just posting it on here to help yall out. Tha first 5 tips are from Johnny Newtron who posted it up on b-boys.com. Tha second 5 tips are from Jhonny Blaze from flowingevolution.com. Tha 3rd set of tips are from Rah from rapmusic.com. Then tha forth are from lil sagz from rapmusic.com and his tips were found on realife0.tripod.com:


5 Month’s ago I had never freestyled once in my life. One day I got dissed by a local emcee at a party who found out I was an emcee and when he asked me to cipher with him and I said “I don’t freestyle.” He took it upon himself to start dissing me by saying I wasn’t an emcee then. I said to myself, “I’ma go home tonight and learn how to freestyle.” Wait! Learn how to freestyle? Yes, I actually started the next day by going on-line and searching everywhere I could think of for freestyle advice, I found plenty and what I am presenting here is what I have learned that has worked for me. 5 months later I am… in my own… and others peoples opinion an ill freestyler. I haven’t yet but someday I will see that emcee that dissed me and thank him for inspiring me to learn how to freestyle, then I’ll eat his ass up in a battle.

1) Write – You may not realize it, but the more you write the more rhymes get imbedded into your head. The more rhymes get imbedded into your head the easier it is to come off the top. You will begin to notice your freestyles can never be better then your writtens, and how a person writes is normally a reflection of how they freestyle. If they use single syllables and basic vocab in their writtens, he won’t come with big words and multi-syllable rhymes in his freestyles because there’s none in his head. Write for at least a half-hour a day, and that’s not just a freestyling tip that’s a writing tip.

2) Practice – This ones the most obvious, and everyone gets told this when they ask a question about learning how to freestyle. “But my parents will tell me to be quiet or my roommates are home most of the time and it will be embarrassing…” Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you. Those are excuses and all excuses have solutions. If your parents/roomates allow you to turn your music up loud turn it up loud and spit normal(So they can’t hear you,) as long as you can hear yourself that’s all that matters. If they don’t then just find places where you are comfortable freestyling outside, it shouldn’t be hard to find a place. Or just do it when no ones home. There’s no excuse that should prevent you from practicing. Once you feel yourself improving jump in a cipher and see if you can hang with the people. If you can’t find I cipher, then get out more, if you live in a small town and you’re the only emcee, then create some emcees. When you practice, practice speeds and find the right one for you, too many emcees try and spit fast and slip over words, if this is happening slow down, you don’t have to freestyle exactly how you rap when you’re rapping something you wrote. Just stay calm and don’t out think yourself by thinking 10 lines ahead or you will slip up.

3) Play Games – Here’s 3 games that will improve your freestyling ability: The first game I call “the Rhyme Game (took me a long time to think of that)” This is a very basic game that can be played with anyone (doesn’t need to be an emcee,) or by yourself. This is how it works one person starts off with a word, it can be as many syllables as they want. Now let’s say the word picked is “nutrition,” now the next person needs to rhyme with that and use both syllables so a good choice would be, “tuition.” Then the next person says their word and so on, until someone can’t come up with something. Normally we have a 5 second time limit with normal people and a 2 second time limit with emcees. When someone misses 3 words they step outta the circle and the last man standing wins. This game can also be played on-line (chat room or im,) as well as by yourself, just simply rhyme words to yourself until you run out, you win because you improve and can’t lose anyway. The 2nd game is “Pick a Subject,” it never seizes to amaze me that people think an emcee has skill because someone can tell them a subject and they can rap about it. To me that’s just as easy as freestyle freestyling, because you don’t have to think of your subjects someone else is doing that for you. This game is just that, have a friend throw subjects out to you and freestyle about that subject (It helps to have an imaginative friend, who doesn’t say the same things all the time.) Do this until your friend changes the subject or you run outta rhymes to give to that subject. This can be done by yourself by listening to am talk radio, listen to the subject they are talking about at the moment and get an opinion, once you do freestyle your opinion on it. Talk radios try and switch subjects about every 5-10 minutes which is plenty of time to get an opinion and freestyle on that subject for 3-4 minutes. You will also gain some worldly knowledge(or sports knowledge which is what I normally listen to,) by doing this which is not a bad thing. “Pick a Subject” will improve your topics, imagination, and give you the ability to bs your way until a subject is changed. The 3rd and final one is “the observation game (I know you love my witty names,)” Just start watching tv or walk down the street, or look out your window or sit on your fire escape or go to the mall… Just find somewhere or something you can look at and freestyle about what you’re seeing ulimitlessly… Do this until you get tired of doing this, there’s no winning or losing this game. What you’re gaining is the ability to turn what you’re seeing into rhymes (this is needed to prove to skeptics that you’re not kicking writtens as well as in battles.) Well doing these games a few hours a week will improve your overall ability greatly, I still do them today even though I don’t really have to, I still find them to be fun when I’m bored as well as at parties that are lagging in fun.

4) Listen to other people freestyle – I’m not talking about wack freestylers (there’s one in every cipher don’t be it.) I’m talking about the top cat in the cipher, watch him and figure out what makes him tick. Try and figure out what he’s doing. Don’t look to your favorite mainstream rappers for freestyles, most of them write theirs (or in some cases have someone else does,) so they don’t risk looking like a fool(mix tapes like funk master flex often say “Jay-Z exclusive freestyle,” trust me there’s a 99% chance that is not a freestyle. Look to the underground for the true freestylers… I’m talking about Juice, Supernatural, KRS-One, Eyedea, or Sage Francis… If you just dl freestyles from these cats alone you’ll have about 4 cds worth. Just listen to them over and over, learn things they do, such as using a filler whenever they can’t think of anything, for example Eyedea says “I grab the microphone,” whenever he can’t think of anything and by the time he has that out he’s thought of his next line. Find a filler that fits you even “yo” is a filler, but starting off you should find a longer filler.

5) Just have fun doing it, if when you freestyle you aren’t having fun then something’s not right (unless you’re battling and losing badly.) Also as back up, have a collection of short 5-15 bar verses to help you out when you’re stuck. This is not cheating just more of a crutch for when you absolutely can’t think of anything, it keeps you from looking like a sucker. DO NOT SPIT VERSES YOU PLAN TO OR HAVE RECORDED… That’s a bitch move. Have ones ready that you only use in freestyles, that aren’t good enough to be recorded but are good enough for a cipher.

So that’s it, if you do all 5 of these things you’ll be on your way to being able to shine in a cipher in no time. If you only do 2-3 of these you will still be in decent shape, the most important 2 are the first two (practice and writing,) without them you will improve at a snail rate if you improve at any rate at all. I’m no freestyle wizard, but I am pretty damn ill, and it’s all due to doing these 5 things. I’m not claiming these are guaranteed ways or that they are the only way, I am saying they worked for me, and should work for you too. I’m out if you need to ask a question directly just e-mail me at newtronicrecords@aol.com or drop it in here and I’ll answer when I get a chance to.



5 important freestyle battling tips.

FREESTYLE folks, this is a concept that has nothing to do with your microsoft wordpad, cool edit, a wack instumental or your computer. This is for those of you with enough cojones to step away from your monitors and enter real life, face to face freestyle battles... wether on street corners after school, in the lunchroom, or at organized open mics.

Yeah...Its live, sucker.-Sol

1. Avoiding common mistakes: These are the frequent pitfalls an emcee makes in a freestyle battle, amateur or veteran.

*Using the words lyrical, lyrically, verbal, verbally, mathmatical, mathmatically, scientifical, scientifically, metaphorical, etc.. Again, this refers to trying to sound like youre smart. DONT DO IT! its corny, played, and redundant... redundant... redundant... redundant... redundant. lol.

*Making yourself out to look like a gangster, mac, killer, drug dealer, player or millionaire. We all know youre none of the above, so spare us having to listen to how many glocks you rock in your tube socks, more thug than tupac leaving crews popped and asking who got shot, cus your barrel is too hot.

*Biting a style. All you mini Eminems/ Fabolous'/ Jadakiss'/ Style's/ Poster Boys/ Jins and Jiggas... please dont even bother. You'll simply set yourself up for some HARSH personals, compliments of your opponent. (That, ofcourse, is unless youre facing someone who isnt a style biter as well).

*Sharking lyrics... self explanitory.

2.Whats in a name?: Plenty, says I. If your name involves anything such as lyrical, verbal, scripture, scripts, spits, , ghetto, thug, big, shawty, calibur, chrome, killer, messiah, smokah, "G" or the ever so cheesey "lil"... please consider a last minute change to anything other than THAT! an inanimate object, a toothbrush brand... ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE ABOVE! Why you ask? Its great material for your opponent to blow back at you. And if youre not one of the opponents with the corny name... MAKE SURE TO USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE! Try to keep it meaningful, not too long, under 3 syllables... (I know that Jhonny Blaze doesnt quit follow the length guide lines... but i usually just use "I" in freestyle battles. Yes, my shorter alias other than Xplict Flowz is just "I".)

3. Presense: Presense is something alot of emcees lack. Presense pretty much consists of attitude, presentation, confidence, and volume. With attitude, you need to present yourself in a manner which lets your opponent know you mean business. Dont act like a damned fool, but also, dont try to come off as some hard ass. The moment you convey the sense that this opponent means nothing to you WITHOUT actually having to say so, youre already building points towards your intimidation factor (this method is great for those who cant back their skill up with a well known rep OR dont have much skill to show for, so remaining humble wont make it so hard to deal with should you take a loss). Presentation is how you choose to rhyme... whether it be in a light hearted comical manner, a serious and critical tone or in an overall degrading/ demeaning/ insulting fasion (my personal favorite). Hand gestures are a perticularly common part of all forms of presentation, but most use hand gestures incorrectly; flinging them around in all directions without purpose, rhyme or reason. (not to get side-tracked... but) In order to give yourself a more palpable rhythm to eminate from ones self with the purpose of helping maining a constistant flow and bounce... its usually good to keep a hand motion with a consistant pattern of back and forth, side to side, up and down, etc... as not to confuse yourself with too many hand gestures. Also... the use of a stern index finger pointing at your opponent is another good way to bring up the accusitory tone of your freestyle... ACCUSING YOUR OPPONENT OF WACKNESS! lol. Whatever mannurism you choose... make sure it doesnt get out of hand, so to speak. Confidence is another important factor to presence. You need to show that you've got a pair of 10 lbs balls swinging between your legs, even if youre a female. Put some base behind your voice... use your "outdoor voice". Let them know youre not meek or intimidated by thier presence. Half of a freestyle battle is faught on the phychological field. Use the butterflies in your stomach to your advantage. ITS CALLED ADRENALINE! IT CAN MAKE YOU OR BREAK YOU! Lastly is volume. Speak loud enough to be heard over the reaction laughter of your punchlines *wink*.

4. Wordplay and punchlines: These are vital to winning a freestyle battle. Punchlines are your offense, and wordplay is your defense. Wordplayed-punclines are the horseshoe in your boxing gloves. Punchlines are to up your points with hard hitters... and wordplay is to sort of build yourself up as a master of the craft. Great for intimidation. but, try not to make them TOO complex. The important thing is to LAND the punch and make sure the audience sees it. You dont want anything to fly over their heads or for it to be TOO sketchy that noone will understand, otherwise its a lost cause. Punchlines to avoid (anything that sounds like or parallels the following): "You could 'toss salad' but still couldnt 'spit shit'." THESE ARE THE WORST, MOST CORNY LINES! If youre atleast somewhat capable of reading a Highlites magazine, then you are most definitely capable of distinguishing the overly OBVIOUS punchline from the original and creative.

and most important of all...

5. Simplicity: When battling, its important that you try not to get TOO complex. You need to land blows that wont fly over your audience's head. Keep them hard hitting and back them with a keen sense of wit.

a phrase to live by... "less is more".

alot of emcees like to sound flashy and complicated, using big words to mask the fact that they arent saying a goddamn thing... they just want to SEEM smart. but trust me when i say that keeping your freestyle simple, to the point and precise with the insults and punchlines, will emphasize the insult even further and keep the crowd dispensing more OOOOOOOs than Franco American. How do you counter-act a barrage of flinging arms and flashy swings?... With a single step back, and a juggarnaught's lunge forward using your body weight to connect one straight and powerful fist. The analogy is meant to convey the use of FEW but FORCEFUL words. Make your punchlines solid, without filler, consistant and to the point. You'll get your message across more effectively than something which sounds like an excerpt from page 3445 of Webster's dictionary.

Now, i dont mean simplicity as in Cashmoney/ Ma$e-like... lol. i mean, dont get too complex. Trying to show off a flashy style only makes it harder to land a decent punchline. Your focus is shifted from the hard hitting shots, to presenting a pretty packaging to disguise the fact that you cant freestyle anything worth listenning to. Its putting up a front.

And that, boys and girls, concludes the 5 points of Blazeism.





the art of freestyling is a complicated art then FEW are good at...
although noone can teach you how to freestyle, there ar some pointers that i can give that will make your freestyles sound Hot and give you a good rep on the streets of whever you are from as being a nice rap head...

1) always plan ahead... NEVER come purely from the top of ya head when your just starting... that is a advanced move... the trick is to use this blueprint of rhyme format..

setup
punchline
setup
punchline...ect.

when you do this, you can talk nonsense for the set up and while your saying the setup, think of a punch... it makes everything sound better then it is...

2) watch cartoons and lots of tv... comparing to tv shows always brings out some ooos and ahhhs...

for example... the mojo jojo line i spit in that keystyle... in person it would have sounded better because i said a name that you recognized and probally wouldnt have incorprated in your own rhyme... so it would impress you

3)use personals when in a battle situation... (dirty dozens) cracking as i call it always brings some attention, when you run dry, start to make fun of the opponent...

4)back to freesstyling... your verse doesnt have to be long... say what needs to be said then leave.... dont stay in it and start spitting stupid shit... stay hot, when you cool off then bounce the cypher.... a trick to this is when you lose focus or run out of something to say... laugh or cough and pretend to choke or run outta breath... to others it doesnt appear that you have nothing to say but that something natural stopped you from continuing...

....class is dismissed for now...



alot of cats get it twisted now a dayz. they think that because you can't freestyle you ain't an emcee. which is 1/2 way true. freestyling is the basis of all skill possessed. it not only is the most challenging thing for an emcee to do, but it also reflects on a lot of areas of skill. granted 99% of cats can write better than freestyle. but its kinda like a right handed person drawing with their left hand. without practice its gonna be shit, and you ain't gonna think it sounds good. and neither is the 8 other cats you dissin in the middle of a cypher..

and you DON'T wanna be the 1 wack cat in the cypher.

so to get you away from being called the wack cat, i am gonna try to help you improve your freestyling abilities.

first thing i want you to know is that you are not going to be able to freestyle like redman after you read this. it takes years and years and years of practice to become nice with rhymin off tha top. this is simply some excersizes and tips to get you started in the right direction. it only takes you to have your skill. i can't provide you with that. so don't email me with some bullshit saying my freestyling tip didn't work. because your gonna be the one to have to do it.

alright i'm gonna start out with a few tips and games and shit.

first it is good to write constantly. cuz the more you write the more rhymes you get embedded into your head. so you won't get caught up on a word that you ain't never used before. you'll have pretty much your whole vocab in your head. which is an excellent thing. i'm not saying to use your rhymes in every freestyle session, but it is almost like having a rhyming thesaurus memorized in your brain.

next is don't think about what you are going to say before hand. especially if you starting out. cuz you gonna mess up guranteed. you just gotta go with it, after a while you will find yourself able to spit a couple of lines you thought up before hand without messing up. but i know from experience your just gonna make yourself pissed cuz you will keep messing up untill you just let it all go without thinking about it first.

it isn't about length. so don't stretch yourself out as long as you can go. cuz you just gonna start getting shitty, plus other cats will be pissed cuz you being a mic hog. at first try to go just like a minute verse or so. it don't matter on how long you can go in a freestyle, it matters if you know how to end it. when you leave on a freestyle, its just as good as when you jumped in. but if you fuck up as the ending of your freestyle then you look bunk. not in all cases but you gotta be good at que'ing in a cypher.

now i'll get into a couple games and shit yall can improve with

first is called a cypher. it can be done with 2 peeps or can be done with as many as you want. its all about words. and if you doin it with your friend have him toss words while your rhyming. and you gotta try to rhyme the word he just said, and then he tosses another, and keep goin and goin till you can't go no more. eminem has a phat cypher session on mp3, if you can find it, it is like 10 mins long, he's just goin off. that is an awesome way to do it, but the person has gotta be loud when he tossin you words.

if you cyphering with ya boys, just rhyme something off what the person before said. easy as that.

next if you are somewhat good at free'n try to make a rhyme out of anything you read or hear on tv, magazine, food labels, whatever. try to rhyme it. it won't be perfect but if you practice it will sound phat after a while.

have a mini tourney. it takes about 4-5 emcees to pull this off. but battle eachother, diss em till they drop.

rap on a topic of some sort, see how long you can go talkin bout... say shoes. or something. lol just rap about how the two hot bitches always got that fat tag-along friend that wants your number.

freestyling really isn't that tough once you get the hang of it. and don't anticipate punchlines either. just let em come to you. it is easiest like that. shit i come up with better punches freestyling then i do writing. so keep that in mind. and no i am not the illest freestylist to ever walk the face of the earth. but i know a thing or two. and all these tips is what i used to improve.