First of all, I would like to wish everyone a happy New Year. 2025 was a very tough year for me, personally. But I hope that anyone reading this did not share that sentiment, and that 2026 treats you better than any year you’ve had so far. 🥳
The reason it has taken me so long to write another post since my last one is the subject matter. I haven’t been able to think of one, or find enough to write about to make it a viable post. But I’m back again here with what makes a rapper a phenomenal artist.
Of course, this is my personal opinion, but one thing I firmly believe in when it comes to life is my perspective on music, what makes good music, and what makes an artist truly incredible. So here’s what I think will make you stand out in this field.
Versatility
Often, especially in Hip-Hop, people like to compare it to sports, but I do not believe that to be true. Yes, Hip-Hop is competitive, but it’s also subjective, unlike sport. If you finish first in your league, it’s because you were the best across the whole season. There’s no debating that, like in Hip-Hop.
The reason I opened with versatility like this is that my mind went to Robben. If you don’t know who Robben is, he is a former Dutch footballer known for his lethal left foot. So much so that he had one move he constantly used, and even though everyone knew what he was going to do, you couldn’t stop him from cutting in from the right to whip it with his left foot.
The saying goes, “A jack of all trades is a master of none,” and he certainly mastered that move. And this can certainly be true with rap. You can master a contagious style, but after a while, it can bore and leave you behind.
I do feel it’s essential to focus on aspects that benefit you, such as flow, sound, and topics/themes, but you must also leave room for flexibility. DaBaby, Rod Wave, Lil Baby, Russ Millions, I could honestly go on. What became their selling point became their crutch because people got BORED. Making the same song in different fonts can reach a point where people no longer want to listen, which is why being versatile, able to switch between different lanes successfully, is very important.
Don’t box yourself in. If you feel you need to trademark a sound to make yourself stand out, make sure there’s still room to breathe. Great examples of these are J Hus or Knucks. We know what they bring and can instantly recognise their sound, but it still has room to evolve in different directions while staying true to themselves.
Artwork
Artwork might seem unusual, but it is more than just the music. Everything should tell a story to the song and be thought about with as much care as the song itself. I must admit, I look at rappers with a sceptical eye when they have nonsensical artwork for their single or project, especially when it’s low-quality and generic/bland. There is so much opportunity for expression. Why not use it to explain the song more in a different art form? I feel that people who actually put time and effort into their visuals to enhance their song are already on a different calibre because they’re true creatives, and I always appreciate that.
Lyrics
Sometimes I listen to music, and I am just like, “WTF are you saying?” “WTF does this mean?” Rappers who say anything because it rhymes annoy me. Personally, if you cannot explain what certain lyrics mean in the context of the song as a whole, you are not serious. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but every bar, every lyric should matter. And especially in today’s day and age, there are so many filler bars to take space on a beat, which I feel is completely rubbish.
Live Performance
When people come to see you live, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU! I never understand why (especially if you want to be serious with your craft), you don’t have live versions of your songs. I’ve gone to a lot of performances, and it seems to be the norm, especially with rappers, where they basically have their full song playing in the background, and I can barely hear the person actually rapping on stage.
A live performance is a live performance, so if I wanted to hear your song mixed and mastered, I would. I could stay at home and listen to it on Spotify, but why would you not want to give people an experience when they see you live?
For anyone who does not know. The things your backing track should have for your live performance are:
- The instrumental/beat
- Adlibs
- Stabs
- Sound effects
If you do have doubled vocals of some sort, that’s fine, but reduce it; they should add to your main voice live on stage, not take away from it. It’s an enhancement on your mixed track and live.
If you want to go deeper into how to improve your stage presence, I wrote a full breakdown with practical tips in another post: Elevate Your Live Performances: Essential Tips for Musicians
Content
Slightly harsh because not everyone is good at content, but unfortunately, in this era of music, you have to be a content creator as well, especially if you’re independent. As far as I know, this is not a skill set for everyone, but I feel some people take the piss out of how terrible their content is.
When I see stuff like a low-quality meme, with the song playing in the background, with the caption saying “OUT NOW.” I think, “What is wrong with you?” Do you not care about your art? It’s like I said in the artwork, it’s more than the music, and this is another opportunity to show your creativity in a different form. I don’t know, but for me, you can truly tell when someone is a true artist, especially when it comes to music, like, they use every touch point to showcase. To tell their story through said song, to give you an experience throughout. Regardless of how it performs, because Imma always so fuck the algorithm, that always shines through, compared to a Distrokid default pic of your artwork, and out now as a caption. Do better.
Hopefully, I did not forget anything, but this is what makes a truly great rapper. If there’s something you feel I’ve missed, please let me know. I would love to hear your thoughts
Also, I’m hitting the stage at the Brazy Beats Launch on Wednesday, 25th March in London, and I want to see you there! Expect heavy vibes, wild energy, and a performance you won’t forget!
👉 Grab tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brazy-beats-launch-tickets-1981502909543
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