80s

The Finest Freestyle Rap Lyrics

Updated Jun 22 2023

Freestyle rap is a form of rap (or hip-hop) that requires an artful imagination, extreme flow, and a whole lotta hustle. Great freestyle rap artists can keep up the rhyme scheme over any beat. The best freestyle rap artists can tell a story, paint a picture, or tear down an opposing MC in a rap battle (or all three) with dope lyrics.

To be upfront, not all freestyle rappers can produce a successful album. Conversely, not all studio hip-hop artists can freestyle rap. An art form akin to slam poetry, freestyle can be learned and taught. But in the words of Warren G, “You can’t be no geek off the street.” to be good at it.

One thing is for sure though, you better not steal someone else’s lyrics. Mimicry is wack. Just check out Biggie destroying the mic here:

Freestyle Rap Tips

Improve Your Vocabulary.

The best rappers, and paired down further, freestyle rappers, have exceptional vocabularies. Also, you could buy a thesaurus or use a website like RhymeZone to help improve in this area. There’s probably iPhone app to lay down basic beats as well. Oh, and don’t forget to rummage through dictionaries, some of the most intriguing words can be found there.

Check out the list of the rappers and hip-hop artists with the most diverse song lyrics.

Create a Beat

It’s ok to start A Capella. However, you’ll soon find yourself at the mercy of your own sense of keeping time. You could even purchase a metronome if you wanted to create time with precision.

Listen to Different Rappers

It’s not wrong to have a favorite, but you’ll never improve your game if you only draw from one source of inspiration. If you’re a fan of East Coast, then source some West Coast rap to listen to. Or, switch up the rap songs by decade.

Practice

Like everything else in life, if you want to be a better freestyler, you better practice. Figure out which syllables can be stretched and contorted to fit your bars. In freestyle rap, words are tools, so sharpen them.

Be Authentic

Don’t pay attention to the haters. Develop your own lyricism and your own flow. Develop an authentic approach to vocals.

Freestyle Rap in Movies

8 Mile is perhaps the best known film with a freestyle rap battle. In 8 Mile, rapper Eminem, who goes by B-Rabbit, delivers the following in the final battle rap scene. Apparently Eminem questioned Anthony Mackie about his life and worked the battle rap lyrics around some of that information.

In short, some of the disses are legit to Anthony Mackie the actor and not just the character of Papa Doc.

Eminem’s Freestyle Rap Lyrics

Now, everybody from the 313
Put your motherfuckin' hands up and follow me!
Everybody from the 313
Put your motherfuckin' hands up! Look, look
Now, while he stands tough
Notice that this man did not have his hands up
This Free World's got you gassed up
Now, who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
One, two, three, and to the four
One Pac, two Pac, three Pac, four
Four Pac, three Pac, two Pac, one
You're Pac, he's Pac, no Pac, none
This guy ain't no motherfuckin' MC
I know everything he's 'bout to say against me
I am white, I am a fucking bum
I do live in a trailer with my mom
My boy Future is an Uncle Tom
I do got a dumb friend named Cheddar Bob
Who shoots himself in his leg with his own gun
I did get jumped by all six of you chumps
And Wink did fuck my girl
I'm still standin' here screaming, "Fuck the Free World!"
Don't ever try to judge me, dude
You don't know what the fuck I've been through
But I know something about you
You went to Cranbrook, that's a private school
What's the matter, dawg? You embarrassed?
This guy's a gangster? His real name's Clarence
And Clarence lives at home with both parents
And Clarence' parents have a real good marriage
This guy don't wanna battle, he's shook
'Cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks
He's scared to death, he's scared to look
At his fucking yearbook; fuck Cranbrook!
Fuck a beat, I'll go a cappella
Fuck a Papa Doc, fuck a clock, fuck a trailer
Fuck everybody! Fuck y'all if you doubt me!
I'm a piece of fucking white trash, I say it proudly
And fuck this battle, I don't wanna win, I'm outtie
Here, tell these people something they don't know about me

Freestyle Rap on TV

Nick Cannon’s Wild N’ Out

MTV, and subsequently, MTV2, hosted Nick Cannon’s Wild N’ Out, a battle rap improv game show television series for many years. One of the show’s featured segments was having the two squads exchange disses, cycling through each member until complete. What separated it from traditional battle rap is that the disses were meant to comedic in nature, as opposed to purely inflammatory.

MTV MC Battle

MTV MC Battle featured rappers going head to head in trying to prove that they were the best in tournament fashion. The rapper with the best flow and best lyrics would end up with a Roc-A-Fella recording deal.

Here is a clip of Blind Fury, a blind rapper, battle rapping Swann.

Chappelle Show

The Chappelle Show also put freestyle rap on display in their skit, What Makes White People Dance. In the scene, Dave Chappelle and John Mayer go to a barber shop where Questlove lays down a beat and the barbers freestyle rap over it. Check it out.

Freestyle lyrics below.

Spit something, spit something, spit something!
Yo, yo, yo, yo
I battle any sucker any race
Cause you beating me is like
Billy Crystal playing scarface
I can’t see it, blind to the eyes
I came up in your face, oops pow surprise

Recorded Freestyle Rap Lyrics

Some rappers have pressed their freestyle raps onto albums. Straight up this makes it far easier to get on your playlist. Here are a few examples.

Block Party Freestyle (Notorious B.I.G.)

Yes it's me, the B.I.G
Competition ripper ever since 13
Used to steal clothes was considered a thief
Until I started hustlin' on Fulton Street
Makin' loot, knockin' boots on the regular
Pass the microphone I'm the perfect competitor
Jewels and all that, my clothes is all that
Chumps steppin' to me, that's where they took a FALL at!
B.I.G. without burner, that's unheard of
I stay close to mine like Tina on Turner
Quick to smother, a punk motherfucker
Undercover, word to mother, I'm above ya
And I love ya, cause you're a sweet bitch
A crazy crab, the type to make my dick itch
I flow looser than Luther, words ya get used ta
B.I.G. is a born trooper
Like ice cream I scoop ya, my music you wanna get loose ta
Stay dipped, and I'm not a booster
So what'cha got to say? This mackin' word is bond
There's no other assumption, I got it going on
I'm not conceited, my friends tell me this
Even my mother, be noddin' her head to this
Makes her proud to see her one son get loud
Flip on a sucker, and bow to the crowd
Drink a little Hennessy, smoke a blunt or 2 or 3 or 4
Live in action, guaranteed RAW (dumb ass nigga)

Can I Live Freestyle (Jay-Z)

You plan to bang, I plan to bang too
You playin' the games, I'm seein' the thing through
You sayin' my name to entertain ya crew
I ain't playin' no games, when shots exchange you're through
Fresh off probation I got a charge to throw away
My lawyer say for eighty large it'll go away
And that ain't no money to Jay
So you could get it broad day on Broadway while TRL's tapin'
You playin the game you know you ain't gon' win
Quit playin them childish games with grown men
I don't give a fuck about cars or chrome rims
I got apartments you could put your home in
Can I live?

BET Rapcity Freestyle (Method Man)

Yeah, Mr. Meth AKA John John phenomenon
AKA Alicia Keys boyfriend in the video, here we go
Yo, yo, yo, oh shit lo and behold
Rza and Meth got another ninja scroll
Man I injure foes, send chills down their spines
Like I'm December cold, never bend or fold
Like a wallet. Can't call it, can't pretend to know
Whack shit, turn my back on it like a friend that stole
Been in the game ten years, I got ten to go
It's the prince and the dark knight let's begin day-O
Call me mister low maintenance
Tell them ho's I'm like a doctor that lost his license
I got no patients, I got time for wasting
If you ain't fam you ain't relating
These hating hot dog rappers is baking
Without love, like a stoner without bud
Your ass is as flat as a soda without suds
Who got the nerve to think that Meth can't rhyme
Put a nine to your skull and get that out your mind, mind
Yes! Uh oh! Like Lumi Dee
If Meth ain't that shit by now I'm soon to be
When I choke hold mics I don't give'em room to breathe
I'm just doing me, but girl if you're fine I'll do you free
By now if you don't know who it be, don't make me tell
Just know I killer Mike like that kid from ATL
If you fail to plan, baby plan to fail
See my game ugly ... like Sam Cassel
I'm so funky I can't even stand the smell
Come on, life's a drag, roll it up and inhale
Don't get comfy, I cramp your style like a monthly
Even Demi Moore need more than Ashton Kutcher to punk me
My 4-5 bars, just one shot'll clear the block
Like it's time for 106 & Park
Staten Island dropping your ass, we mean business
My gun'll put a shot in your ass
Like free clinics

Hella Hoes Freestyle (Quilly)

Nigga like me, got hella hoes (Hella Hoes nigga)
More hoes than a lil' bit (I got them hoes cuz)
Oh! Ain't none of this shit makin' the mixtape
I'm just fuckin' around (Uh)
Get goofy (Uh)

I got hoes, I got hella hoes, I got hoes
(What you got Quilly!?)
I got hella hoes, I got hoes (What you doin Quilly?!)
And, I'm sellin O's, ain't 20's, only 50's, 100's in my bankroll

House arrest; Chief Keef, judge hit me wit the beeper
But, I still got hella hoes, IPhone full of tweakers
But I still make (?) buy me Jordan's off her Visa
I just might eat at Devin's, she might get a slice of Pizza
I got hoes down North, hold the bundle in their skirt
I got hoes Uptown, bussin' scripts, sellin' percs
Get the lean, buy me shrimps, access card, it's the first
Nigga try to hit my hoes, make me jealous, it ain't work
I ain't never catch feelins' for a hoe
Cuz, I only really care about the dough
Got a hoe at Sak's Fifth, got a hoe at Neiman Marcus
Give me Moncler shit for the low
I got a Tru Religion bitch, she from West
And, I got another hoe in South Philly
She just want 12 O'clock on the dick
Hit her from the back, make her pop wheelies
Got a hoe wit a Bentley and a Beamer
She don't wash clothes, take em to the cleaner
She get it real wet for me; Aquafina
She said her nigga can't see me; John Cena
I ain't fuckin wit a bum bitch, hoe popped
I'm sittin' clean, 14, want the whole lot
Far as these flows, Quilly got a whole lot
Far as these hoes, Quilly got a whole lot
Philadel, where the killers grow
It ain't Chiraq but I got Uptown poppin' like O-Block
I just ran through the mall wit a whole lot
And, I walkin' out the mall wit a whole knot
These niggas' pillow talkin', that's hoe shit
These niggas' in their feelins', that's hoe shit
These niggas' block hoppin', that's joe shit
I ain't takin' care of her, that's your bitch

ATL Freestyle (Wiz Khalifa)

Uh life's good so I'm feelin great
Call me Outta Town Shawty, er'y week a different state
3 cell phones, pennsylvania plates
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Sayin lifes good so im livin great
Call me outta town shawty er'y week a different state
3 cell phones, pennsylvania plates
On a four month march, tryna get my money straight (money straight)
I'm bout cake - to keep the world turnin
Hundred thousand dolla earnin while im big blunt burnin
But to these hoes im a pimp like iceberg
Prolly hurt ya feelins if I told ya what the ice worth
A couple grand, i'll hitcha with a nice verse
Kush when I land mix it in when I light purp
And I like purp - I fucks with kush more
Niggas talkin reckless I expect thats what the hoods for
What up hazelwood? nigga ooh woop
I'm a rapper's fear, I'm in your ear like a blue tooth
And my money old (old) but my shoes new
All them carats got ur girl open like a moon roof
Nigga who you? nigga who we?
We the taylor gang - they be like ooh weee
They be like who he? thats young khalifa man
Flyer than the ceilin fan ooh he gotta group of fans
I keep them groupie hoes yeah I gotta group of dough
All up in my pocket I dont needa wallet
Rubberband poppin ya'll niggasz ain't gettin stacks
Might as well sit back n relax
N watch what we doin dont watch me
Watch flava love or somethin on tv
Cuz this is tv nigga HD u can't afford me

I Need Love Freestyle (Jay-Z)

In this freestyle rap, Jay-Z expands on the lyrics of LL Cool J’s old school song, I Need Love. The song was featured on the 1987 album, Bigger and Deffer. This was filmed as part of Jay-Z’s Fade to Black performance at Madison Square Garden in New York.

When I’m alone in my room sometimes I stare at the wall
But in the back of my mind I hear my conscience call
Telling me I eeed a girl who’s as sweet as a dove
But fck that my mame HOV and you know I’m a thug
So if you drunk off love I suggest you get over it
Ma cry me a river build a bridge and get over It
They love it when I’m hard on hoes
They said a G don’t give a bitch no keys or security codes
I agree my lady ain´t no bitch she get whatever I own
So when you see understand thats me ngga
Understand I’m still the same OG ngga
I know the difference between a bitch and a B, ngga

What’s Next

There’s almost nothing musically better than excellent freestyle rap that was spontaneously composed. And if you want to be good at creating freestyle rap lyrics or battle rap, or even songwriting for that matter, you’re going to need to practice crafting your hustle and flow.

And if you need some inspiration, check out Eyedea and Slug spitting bars on the Wake Up Show with Sway.