Freestyle rap

thumb|[[MC Supernatural is one of the innovators of freestyle.]]

Freestyle rap, also simply known as freestyle, is a style of hip-hop music where an artist normally improvises an unwritten verse, with or without instrumental beats, in which lyrics are recited with no particular subject or structure. It is similar to other improvisational music, such as jazz, where a lead instrumentalist acts as an improviser with a supporting band providing a beat. Freestyle originally was simply verse that is free of style, written rhymes that do not follow a specific subject matter, or predetermined cadence. The newer style with the improvisation grew popular starting in the early 1990s. It is now mainly associated with hip hop.

Original definition

left|thumb|[[LL Cool J freestyled over DJ tracks.]]

In the book How to Rap (2009), Big Daddy Kane and Myka 9 note that originally a freestyle was a spit on no particular subject – Big Daddy Kane said: "[I]n the '80s, when we said we wrote a freestyle rap, that meant that it was a rhyme that you wrote that was free of style... it's basically a rhyme just bragging about yourself." Myka 9 adds: "back in the day, freestyle was bust[ing] a rhyme about any random thing, and it was a written rhyme or something memorized." Divine Styler says: "in the school I come from, freestyling was a non-conceptual written rhyme... and now they call freestyling off the top of the head, so the era I come from, it's a lot different". Kool Moe Dee also refers to this earlier definition in his 2003 book, There's a God on the Mic:

<blockquote>There are two types of freestyle. There's an old-school freestyle that's basically rhymes that you've written that may not have anything to do with any subject or that goes all over the place. Then there's freestyle where you come off the top of the head.</blockquote>

thumb|[[Grandmaster Flash pioneered many DJ techniques for freestyle rap.]]

In old school hip-hop, Kool Moe Dee claimed that improvisational rapping was instead called "coming off the top of the head", and Big Daddy Kane stated: "off-the-top-of-the-head [rapping], we just called that 'off the dome'when you don't write it and [you] say whatever comes to mind."

Referring to this earlier definition (a written rhyme on non-specific subject matter), Big Daddy Kane stated, "that's really what a freestyle is" and Kool Moe Dee refers to it as "true" freestyle, and "the real old-school freestyle". Kool Moe Dee suggests that Kool G Rap's track "Men At Work" is an "excellent example" of true freestyle, along with Rakim's "Lyrics of Fury".

Newer definition

left|thumb|[[Harry Mack freestyles on the road in a series on YouTube that he calls "Guerrilla Bars."]]

Since the early 1990s onwards, with the popularization of improvisational rapping from groups and artists such as Freestyle Fellowship through to fresh fest competitions, "freestyle" has come to be the widely used term for rap lyrics that are improvised on the spot. In a freestyle battle, each competitor's goal is to "diss" their opponent through clever lyrics and wordplay, with heavy emphasis being placed upon the rapper's improvisational ability. Many battles also include metaphorically violent imagery, complementing the "battling" atmosphere. It is considered dishonorable or shameful to recite pre-written or memorized raps during a freestyle battle, because it shows the rapper to be incapable of "spitting" spur-of-the-moment lyrics. A live audience is key, as a large part of "winning" a battle is how an audience responds to each rapper. Appointed judges may be used in formal contests, but in most cases, the rapper who receives the largest audience response is viewed as the victor.

In modern times, with the rise of leagues such as King of the Dot and Ultimate Rap League, most battles are written, with some freestyling incorporated into the verses. This allows for more intricate rhymes and insults.

left|thumb|[[Slick Rick often told long stories in freestyle form.]]

As hip-hop evolved in the early 1980s, many rappers gained their fame through freestyle battles. Battles can take place anywhere: informally on street corners, on stage at a concert, at a school, or at events specifically meant for battling (such as Scribble Jam or the Blaze Battle).

A cypher or cipher is an informal gathering of rappers, beatboxers, and/or breakdancers in a circle, in order to jam musically together. The term has also in recent years come to mean the crowd that forms around freestyle battles, consisting of spectators and onlookers. This group serves partly to encourage competition and partly to enhance the communal aspect of rap battles. The cypher is known for "making or breaking reputations in the Hip Hop community; if you are able to step into the cypher and tell your story, demonstrating your uniqueness, you might be more accepted". These groups also serve as a way for messages about hip-hop styles and knowledge to be spread, through word-of-mouth and encouraging trends in other battles.

Longest freestyle

On May 6, 2020, American rapper and slam poet George Watsky, best known for his rapid delivery, set the world record for longest freestyle at 33 hours, 33 minutes and 19 seconds. He held this record for three years, until Japanese rapper PONEY beat it in April 2023 at 48 hours.

Original definition

Newer definition

Longest freestyle

See also

References

Further reading