1. Rap on beat
Before anything clever, learn to stay in time. Nod or tap along to the snare and say simple lines that land on the beat. If you can't stay on beat with easy words, harder bars won't help.
2. Breath control
Running out of air is the most common beginner problem. Breathe from your stomach, plan breath points in your verse, and practise a verse while walking to build stamina.
3. Clear delivery
If people can't hear the words, the bars don't count. Practise saying your verse slowly and clearly, then speed up only once every word is crisp.
4. Learn other people's verses
Rapping along to verses you love teaches timing, breath and flow faster than anything. Learn a few in different styles, then write your own.
5. Freestyle drills
Pick three random words and try to rhyme around them for a minute over a beat. It trains your brain to find rhymes quickly, which helps your written bars too.
6. Record yourself
Your phone is enough. Listen back for timing, mumbling and energy. It's uncomfortable at first, and it's the fastest way to improve.
7. Perform
Rap for friends, at an open mic or over a mate's DJ set. Performing changes how you deliver: louder, clearer and with more energy.
How long does it take?
With regular practice, most beginners can write and perform a solid 16-bar verse in a couple of months. One-to-one feedback speeds that up, because someone experienced can hear exactly what's holding you back.