9. Chino XL at Toads Place, New Haven, CT, March 2012. But still letting you know, using a metaphor. Post your favorite love/relationship rap songs in the thread ... Hey guys I was just thinking about some dope ass metaphors I’ve heard in hip hop and thought to make a thread about it. This is what separates the metaphor and simile. This is where it starts to get really deep. 2 Chainz ‘Rap Or Go To The League’ Album Review. Nas uses the word “is” to express a relation between sleep and death. A metaphor is a figure of speech which can make an implicit or implied comparison between two things. Phrases like “pushed to the edge,” or “fighting my demons,” may suggest anxiety without explicitly noting anxiety. It often combines an insight with a cool phrase. “I talk jewels and spit diamonds/ All cherry like a hymen, when I’m rhymin’/ With remarkable timing/ Caviar and silk dreams/ my voice is linen…” Hov uses luxurious imagery to convey high class rapping skills. Analyzing Lyrics Mos Def’s contribution to the song “Respiration” on Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998) is notable for it’s use of imagery. True creativity. I practice by once a day alternating doing ‘like’, ‘as’, ‘than’ & ‘is’ metaphors. They give way to the punchline. This line from "Role Model" is one of the earliest and most subtle instances … The metaphors that are used by rap artists in their songs like "fighting my demons" or "pushed to the edge," could suggest anxiety without explicitly noting it. This universal emotion stands out as the key protagonist in the most listened-to songs of all time. Edex Live. People use metaphors every day in normal speech. Or no one. 1 decade ago. Another important element to hip-hop lyrics is the connection of material to things of interest. Some outsiders of the music industry may lead you to believe that writing killer freestyle punchlines is an easy task. If a rap song was pizza – if there were no pepperoni or spices, the pizza would taste bland. Choose one of the browsed Hip Hop Songs With Metaphor lyrics, get the lyrics and watch the video. “I start to think, and then I sink/ Into the paper, like I was ink/ When I’m writing I’m trapped in between the lines/ I escape, when I finish the rhyme…”. Learn Flocabulary's nine favorite uses of creative metaphors and similes. Compare yourself to a famous actor, another rapper, the fucking pope for all I care. But first, let’s delve a little deeper into the concept of Similes…, “I smoke on the mic like Smokin’ Joe Frasier/ The Hellraiser, raisin’ Hell with the flavor/ Terrorize a jam like troops in Pakistan/ Swingin’ through your town like your neighbourhood Spiderman.”, Inspectah Deck, Wu-Tang Clan “Protect Ya Neck”, Wu-Tang’s “Protect Ya Neck,” the first single from their debut album, is full of creative comparisons, especially similes. listen to it, look up the lyrics . The metaphor is the creative tool that defines their persona. Eventually, she compromises her beliefs by selling out and becoming mainstream. I will have to think of a proper way to practice this technique and come back to it later. Hyberbole: But for me to rap like a computer must be in my genes. Most surprising in the analysis was the rise of mental health metaphors in rap songs. Enjoy the ride” by Nissan. He rarely used metaphor as part of his lyrics. And when it ends Rakim pops out of the page. Actively practice the above techniques, they are the main keys to the rap game. A veiled insult to Nas, or maybe Tupac, or the whole west coast. Metaphors can cause the listener to do some research. But it’s the thing that differentiates one MC from all the others. The reality is that it is actually quite difficult to write punchline rap lyrics. Similes use the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare two dissimilar things. Busy as a bee, comparing someone’s energy level to that of a fast bee. King of Chill (a Producer for Lyte, made the beat for “Paper Thin”): Yes my brother, but I would consider ‘Lyte As A Rock’ a Simile, because of the usage of the word “As…”. I call this an ‘image system’, when a rapper uses images that can be categorized together to elicit an emotion in the audience. Through the extended metaphor (also known as a "conceit,") the author will take one simple line's worth of a flowery comparision, and stretch that sucker out over the course of each of the lines to follow. However, metaphors allow all of us to make our own references to what we know to be reality. They are known to add humor, creativity, and even seriousness. Milk (of Audio Two, most famous for “Top Billin'”): Do you understand the metaphoric phrase ‘Lyte As A Rock?’ It’s explaining how heavy the young lady is, you know what I’m saying King? Pink is a modern artist known for her in-your-face lyrics. So, they did what modern-day rappers do – they flexed their lyrical skills.”, Rappers use many different rhyming techniques but mostly metaphors. Metaphors are stronger than similes or analogies, as the vehicle holds more weight than the subject it replaces. He can take you on a journey with personification. i walk in and see my face on the wall of shame. For rap music? This is particularly important for socially-conscious rappers. Those metaphors could help to understand the language used to describe mental health. For example, calling a person an “early bird” or a “night owl” are common metaphoric phrases. Recently, Kendrick Lamar burst onto the scene who focused on human nature. He points out that not only does the word umbilical sounds like biblical but suggesting that it’s almost an unbelievable concept. Hip-hop journalist Davey D connects this African oral tradition to modern rap: “You see, the slaves were smart and they talked in metaphors. The first thing that came to my head. Compare yourself to a famous actor, another rapper, the fucking pope for all I care. Try to use it in different ways. The song isn’t for you anyway. Phrases like “pushed to the edge,” or “fighting my demons,” may suggest anxiety without explicitly noting anxiety. African American slaves used this as a way to pass the scrutiny of suspicious overseers. The 6 Best Gun as a Metaphor Rap Songs – Digital Bullets. Metaphors can be a wonderful added feature on its own and carries over once the song is over. Metaphors and Similes in Hip-Hop Rhyming is Just the Beginning A lot of rap music features as much figurative language as any Shakespearean sonnet or William Blake poem. The more conceptual styles, like storytelling and hip hop with a message, don’t use metaphors and similes as much. “Fed through an umbilical don’t that sound Biblical, I’ve been a terror since I teareth out of the u-ter-us”. Metaphors can also be used when a rapper feels as if there is no other way to express what they want to say. The power of metaphors is in the way that they change the subject by bringing new thinking and ideas, extending and changing the way that a person thinks about something. The purpose of a pimp’s slick talk is to convince people how cool he is. "In the Shallows" from "A Star is Born" Soundtrack. By clicking “Create Account”, you are indicating that you have read and agree to the Terms of Service. Get all the latest election results from across the country, with up-to-the-minute maps and more. Metaphors in rap songs can be found everywhere. Similes can certainly make language more descriptive. Therefore, Bob is greedy and messy with food. But the the more street and crowd oriented styles, like battle rap, braggadocious and shock rap styles use comparisons extensively. Adding toppings and a variety of spices, however, gives your “food” some flavor. Some common similes are: Cute as a button, comparing the way someone looks to the way a button looks. Researchers at Carolina say the increase in mental health messages from rap artists could shape the conversation around mental health for their young listeners. Comparisons are the most commonly used technique in rap music. D.J. Mos Def is another socially-conscious rapper that makes excellent use of metaphors. No. Rakim is the God of this technique. Those metaphors could help to understand the language used to describe mental health. Until it becomes second nature. Certain styles rely more on comparisons. Most surprising in the analysis was the rise of mental health metaphors in rap songs. Refer to a quality you have and compare it to something else. He claimed that it was an acronym for “Hearing Every Rhyme” which is a direct call to hip-hop heads, insisting that they listen very carefully and critically. To properly learn to use Metaphors in your rap lyrics, we first need to discern techniques that allow us to use them effectively to move a crowd. The master level of metaphors. Listen to artists that … nas's song "i gave you power" is a huge metaphor. Phrases like “pushed to the edge” or “fighting my demons” may suggest anxiety without explicitly noting anxiety. Browse for Hip Hop Songs With Metaphor song lyrics by entered search phrase. It’s a way to be creative and not say the same thing repetitively. * like snot bubbles.” But, instead of using the word “pop” he makes a popping noise with his mouth. Browse for Rap Songs With Similes Or Metaphors song lyrics by entered search phrase. The rapper Scarface uses the metaphor of the block to describe impoverished, urban African-American neighborhoods; ones that are frequently referenced as “the projects,, “the crib”, and “the bricks.”. "Just Like Fire" is an … Hip-Hoppers use the word ‘metaphors’ to refer to all comparisons and metaphorical concepts that we use in lyrics. Rapper Jay Z compares himself to Superman in his track, “Kingdom Come”: “Now I’m enlightened I might glow in the dark/ I been up in the office you might know him as Clark / Just when you thought the whole world fell apart / I take off the blazer loosen up the tie / Step inside the booth Superman is alive.” In constructing rhymes, rappers are cognizant of their community’s concerns about every day issues. Many writers use wordplay to entertain an audience, hip hop artists who use it well become legends. Use these examples as a starting point. Rarely will you ever find a good simile or metaphor in a bar without another technique beside it. Answers at the end! Smack That by Akon ft. Eminem; I don't think this is a good song for a school project ;P. 0 1. The more conceptual styles, like storytelling and hip hop with a message, don’t use metaphors and similes as much. They encourage the listener to use their own imagination or interpret words in their own way. In the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, he makes several metaphoric references. Their metaphors are generally specific to the subculture that either adopts them from the dominant culture or forces them to address their own cultural needs. Sweet Revenge Other Album Songs 1 A Good Time. But the the more street and crowd oriented styles, like battle rap, braggadocious and shock rap styles use comparisons extensively. Then, pulling those thoughts apart and looking at the social problems. Chino XL’s “Wordsmith” is another track that has clever use of metaphoric symbolism. Street Rapper’s Delight Wordplay is the highest [...], You need to choose at least one Section Widget Category in Theme Options >> Page Builder Setup >> Widgets, Analysis of Mos Def’s Verse In ‘Respiration’. the nas is telling a story from the point of view of a gun. Copyright © 2021 Tha Soundsystem, All Rights Reserved. In “Word of Mouth”, the “playground emcee” is described who’s original proving grounds were they “freestyle battle and live in the street performance” making the punchline “indispensable to getting a crowd open.”. Can you spot all the similes and metaphors in this super edit? Like “Cashmere Thoughts” by Jay-Z. In Common’s track “1-9-9-9”, he says “street ministry, my poetry’s a penitentiary…” It was a grammar lesson for other rappers who talk about similes but actually mean metaphors. Rap God (Figurative Language) Personification! Many rap artists are able to offer listeners fresh observations through marginalized voices. Believe it or not, most popular songs include several similes and metaphors throughout the lyrics. My favorite use of  extended metaphor is Nas’ “I Gave You Power.” Nas raps from the point of view of a gun, to highlight the evils of gun violence. At certain points throughout the clips I will ask you to pause the music and jot down notes and your thoughts about each clip.
Remember, a simile compares two unlike things using the words like or as. My buddy always used to say, “you’re cooler than the other side of the pillow.”, “It drops deep, as it does in my breath/ I never sleep, ’cause sleep is the cousin of death.”. He delivers a very subtle message to his fans critiquing how no one seems to casually drink anymore and that the people who fill the clubs and parties across America are typically bent on drinking to get wasted. Rap music is often full of examples of poetry terms Examples of metaphors in rap songs. Being one of hip-hop’s titan truthsayers, KRS-One’s arsenal of puns and punchlines are endless. A lot of rap music features as much figurative language as any Shakespearean sonnet or William Blake poem Examples of metaphors in rap songs. Most surprising in the analysis was the rise of mental health metaphors in rap songs. It’s just something that happens automatically. It also distinguishes one rapper apart from another. Genius Nickname Email Password. “We do dirt like worms, produce G’s like sperm/ ’til legs spread like germs.” (Jay-Z “Can’t Knock The Hustle”) These bars follow an image system of dirty things associated with money. Most surprising in the analysis was the rise of mental health metaphors in rap songs. So it is essential that you master similes and metaphors first, before moving on to song writing. That is closed-mindedness. is a great example, but the use of metaphors in rap is not as widespread as the use of similes. Some are focused on specific topics ranging from feminist issues, police brutality, and nationalist themes. The use of Metaphor in Rap Lyrics | Genius Hip Hop - the blog. But it doesn’t have to. Most surprising in the analysis was the rise of mental health metaphors in rap songs. The metaphor is important because it enables rappers to express ideas and meanings that are difficult, if not impossible to express in literal speech. XXL Staff. You have to use creativity, and remember: the more unlikely the comparison the better. He also points out how people in his 25 year old age group seem to be focused on drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. The latest remake of the film A Star is Born stars … It can be considered as a metaphor within another metaphor. I agree with Bruce, Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R." They would be killed if the slave masters heard them speaking in unfamiliar tongues. In a recent article on www.corrections.com, the idea that metaphors or the use of metaphor’s as motivational tools have been used for centuries. “Pimpin’ hoes and clockin’ a grip like my name was Dolemite.” (Snoop Dogg in “Nuthin’ But A G-Thang”) Or, to use a more recent example, “Got Draggin’ balls like my name was Vegeta.” (Joey Bada$$, “Christ Conscious”) he literally compares himself to a Dragon Ball Z character, and uses wordplay with the word “Dragon/ Draggin'”. For example, MF DOOM uses onomatopoeia to great effect in “All Caps” on the Madvillian LP: “The pot doubles, now they really got troubles/ mad man never go *pop! An analogy. Kendrick Lamar provided us with an amazing single, “Swimming Pools” that received a lot of radio attention. With real lyricists, you may have to hear it several times before you catch every metaphor. Often rappers will mix in wordplay techniques, complex rhyme scheme or other figurative language to make a bar more complex. Often it expresses negative emotions. Most popular rap songs in United States mix in metaphors about mental health struggles. Related artists: Hip hop, Dj hip hop, Nate_rap-hip hop, Romano hip-hop, Egyptian hip hop, Hop trop, Our songs♥, Chelsea songs. For our purposes we will try to isolate words to build metaphors, like we can easily do with Similes. There are 60 lyrics related to Rap Songs With Similes Or Metaphors. “Protect Ya Neck” does not tell a story, nor does it have a rhetorical purpose (except for GZA’s verse at the end,) other than trying to prove how dope the Clan really can be. PYN doesn’t contain a complex internal rhyme scheme, or crafty multi-syllable rhymes. Sweet Revenge Other Album Songs 1 A Good Time. “I’m sick on the beat” is a metaphor. That is why we compare a noun to another noun. He doesn’t reveal until the very end of the song that the woman he is talking about is actually Hip Hop itself, creating a revelatory moment. Those metaphors could help to understand the language used to describe mental health. In both life and music, the secret to success is love. He points out the fact that people are aware his speech is outlandish and dope at the same time. Home; Doak; Evidence Index; Family Tree; Person Index; Posts It’s a hard technique to practice, because it is difficult to breakdown in a simple way unlike the previous techniques. Using an “is” metaphor usually compares two abstractions and uses them to say something about the speaker. Metaphors can cause the listener to do some research. The most recognized socially-conscious rapper KRS-One views capitalism as a metaphor when he speaks about audits by the pimp (the Internal Revenue Service). For example, by characterizing the slave as a rabbit and the master as a fox, these disguised stories of outwitting their masters and escaping plantations. The best rappers all have great metaphor game in their arsonal. He explains that the song “Who Are The Pimps?” is about the “IRS Capitalism is a pimp and ho system…The IRS don’t care if you’re white or black.”. Love Gun by KISS is another one. For an explanation of Metaphors and Similes check out MC Lyte’s classic single “Lyte As A Rock”…. Edex Live . When it comes down to it, the purpose of rap is to give people the dope lines and slick vocal game of a pimp and a player. I make it a part of my daily routine to practice each one of those words at least once a day. Hall of fame even though Hope you liked it!!! No, “Protect Ya Neck” succeeds solely because of dope metaphors and brutal imagery. The history of the Paulson family from South Dakota. Rappers such as Common, Outkast, Mos Def, and even Kanye West emerged with brilliance because they capitalized off creating contrast with their rhymes. The formula to practice this technique: My (abstraction) is a (abstraction)… then elaborate… Example: (off the top), My soul is a hole, I don’t know what it means/ You’re on the rise or you fall and there’s no in-between…. Run D.M.C. (mmmhmmmmmm) Mos Def is another socially-conscious rapper that makes excellent use of metaphors. The best way, it seems to me, is to use connecting words to flesh out comparisons, the same way we do with similes that use ‘like’ or ‘as.’, “I’m cooler than a polar bear’s toenails, oh hell/ There he go again, talking that shit…”. My favorite 50 Cent song is “A Baltimore Love Thing,” where 50 personifies Heroin and it’s effects on addicts. The most famous metaphor in hip hop history. As blind as a bat, indicating that a person cannot see any better than a bat. Rap songs that are extended metaphors? Another use of metaphors is Common’s track “I Use to Love H.E.R.”, describing a woman as a metaphor for hip-hop. I like that. Get known every word of your favorite song or start your own karaoke party tonight :-). The more creative the MC, the more unorthodox of a technique he will use. the formula is: you, or one of your qualities is better than (insert a related abstraction). Mos Def is another socially-conscious rapper that makes excellent use of metaphors. They also give people new understandings of their collective experience and new meanings to their past, their daily lives, and their beliefs. They help us to create meaning and understanding. In a metaphoric sense, hip hop stars are equally to blame with themselves becoming the sky scrapers, the “low life getting treetop high” and allowing their own environments to be overlooked. Unlike metaphors that compare two different things, similes compare two things that are alike in some way. Personification: Hyberbole! In sentences, we also find metaphors: “He was a speeding bullet”; “A sea of trouble”; or “Drowning in debt.” Two nouns that are compared or contrast each other: “I am a rainbow”; “The world is a stage”; and “Her eyes are diamonds.” It is a type of analogy by which we begin to understand something that is difficult to interpret. Those metaphors could help to understand the language used to describe mental health. Another important element to hip-hop lyrics is the connection of material to things of interest. Most surprising in the analysis was the rise of mental health metaphors in rap songs. Mixed metaphors involve the joint appearance of unrelated metaphors or that of a metaphor and a simile. I wish more people knew about this song. If you thought the modern troubadours burst into songs with lyrics that are destitute of profound emotions and observations, then the following list of 11 meaningful songs with metaphors will … (Lyrical Ass Beating). And I’m sure … Choose one of the browsed Rap Songs With Similes Or Metaphors lyrics, get the lyrics and watch the video. After Tupac’s death, the “conscious rapper” was not embraced right away. Published: July 28, 2010. If you skipped it because the song is too slow or something, that’s okay. Similes can also be found just about anywhere. Some common ones are: “I am watching you like you were a hawk.”, “She wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole.”, “It’s time to grab the bull by the horns and look him in the eye.”, Rap is generally considered to have been pioneered in New York’s South Bronx in 1973 by Kool DJ Herc. Music is a great way to teach students about both metaphors and similes. The track speaks heavily about alcohol – the highs and lows of consuming it. An “is” comparison tends to be deeper, more poetic. Checkout our 10 tips on creating killer rap punchlines, metaphors, & similes. Common compares hip-hop to this time to an increasingly degraded woman is clear. My soul is a hole. “Your reign on the top was short like leprechauns.” Biggie starts “Kick In The Door” with the most famous simile in hip hop. Nearly every member of the Wu comes with dope similes that express their rap style and how good they rhyme.