Write a Rap Song

Goals:  

• Students will recognize and verbalize what qualities they value in music.
• Students will communicate their opinion in a clear and organized manner by reading or "rapping" their rap to the class.
• Students will have the opportunity to develop their public performing skills.
• Students will clarify their own ideas regarding music.

Assignment:

• Students will choose a topic and learn as much as they can about it.
• Students will tell about their topic through writing a rap in rhyming couplets.
• Students will demonstrate public performing skills by presenting their rap to the class.

What are rap songs?

Rap songs are talk songs.  They are not sung; they are spoken.  They have beat, and a lot of rhyme.  Behind the speaker of a rap, there might be original music called "scratching" sound , and parts of other peoples' songs.

To write your  own rap, begin with a common topic.  You have to know enough about your topic to rap about it.  You can choose school, friends or family and it MUST always be in a positive, and school appropriate topics.  Once you have learned about your topic you're ready to rap.

Common Topics:  

School-teachers, friends, classes

Sports-basketball, football, hunting, volleyball

Hobbies

Pets

Most embarrassing moments

How to write a rap song?

Rap songs are written in sets of couplets.  A couplet is made up of two lines that rhyme with each other.

Example:

 I like basketball I think it's neat

It makes me walk to a different beat

A set is made up of two couplets.

Example:

I like basketball I think it's neat

It makes me walk to a different beat

Dribble the ball down the court

I think I am playing the right sport

A rap song also may have a refrain in your lyrics.  A refrain is a group of lines that remain the same and are repeated throughout the song.

Your rap format should be as follows:

Set #1

I like basketball I think it's neat

It makes me walk to a different beat

Dribble the ball down the court

I think I am playing the right sport

Refrain:

We're hear to fight we're hear to win

So stand up every body and shake a fin

Set #2

When your on the court and you feel the heat

Just remember you'll get a treat

Hands up high to block the throw

He shoots and misses because you stepped in his toe

Refrain:

We're hear to fight we're hear to win

So stand up every body and shake a fin

Set #3

The game is near the end

So pick up your head

You won the final game

So stand without any shame

Refrain:

We're hear to fight we're hear to win

So stand up every body and shake a fin

Rubric

Time Line

Day One:

• Review current criteria for writing a rap song.
• Allow students to pair up with another student and begin researching a topic.
• Allow students to begin composing their rap song.

Day Two:

• Allow students to finish writing song.
• Allow students to write a final copy of rap song.
• Review that students will be performing raps the next day and review performing skills.

Day Three:

• Students will perform their rap songs.